Nighthawk Keetoowah
The following notice of election of Levi
Gritts, Chief of the Cherokees is a splendid
written document and fully explains the
necessity and importance of the election:
Box, Oklahoma, December 9th, 1920.
Mr. Levi Gritts,
Muskogee, Oklahoma.
My dear Mr. Gritts:—Pursuant to a well
defined plan and program of the Nighthawk
Keetoowah of Full-blood Cherokee Indians,
you have seen designated by the Council of
said Society to serve our suffering cause in
the capacity of CHIEF OF THE CHEROKEES.
With the death of the late Chief
Rogers, terminated the officially recognized
position of Cherokee Chief. The elimination
of this office seemed at the time to be
natural and it was the consensus of opinion
on the part of the Cherokees themselves as
well as the Departmental administrators of
our affairs that there was no further need
of the office of a Chief in our changed
conditions.
Your attention is respectfully invited
to the following analysis as we have in our
humble way, been able to reach:
Taking the Full-blood, particularly the Nighthawk Keetoowahs, as a basis of this
analysis, we find, first; That beginning
with the trying times of the year Nineteen
Hundred, these people were overwhelmed with
what seemed to them an attempt on the part
of the United States government to divest
them of what they considered their vested
rights; they were all too suddenly divested
of the rights and prerogatives of self
determination in their National governmental
affairs, with the result that they
eventually crystallized into a recalcitrant
attitude. They looked askance upon every
movement of the government, taking the
position that every move now, meant
exploitation of what little they may have
left of a once vast holdings.
(1) Chief Redbird Smith. (2) Lucy Smith, his
wife. (3) Mrs. Ella McLain,
daughter.
(4) John Redbird Smith. (5) Sam
Smith. (6) Mrs. Susie Starr, daughter.
(8) Thomas Smith. (9) George Smith. (10)
Mose Smith. (11) Kiah Smith.
(12) Stoke Smith.
This unfortunate position was largely
justified and amplified by the fact that a
large number of their own blood, who had
been fortunate enough to have received the
advantages of literary training, now became
the allies of the unscrupulous and
exploiting hordes, who infested the country
during the said “trying times,” an element,
who seem to destiny itself to have designed
to always precede the wholesome citizenry,
who eventually supersede and predominate,
and held full sway for a number of years.
A further elaboration of this
particular phase of our analysis is
unnecessary with you, who lived and survived
through a period of bitter and trying
experiences. The incarceration of an
educated Full-blood Indian in a Penal
Institution of our new state was not beyond
the intelligence of our Full-bloods. They
recognized the brazen rebuke and the NOTICE
TO THEM of their futile and hopeless
position as a group and kind.
Proceeding now to the SECOND and final
analysis, we submit the following
deductions: The advance and gradual increase
numerically of the substantial class of
citizens, home builders and hence nation
builders, and the two decades of close
contact and living in the atmosphere of
intensive constructive effort, of which our
young state stands without a precedent; and
last but not least, the loyal and
unequivocal response of not only our
Full-blood Nighthawks but of all the
American Indians, to the Nation’s call to
Arms and Service in our recent World
Struggle; all contribute to rehabilitate the
Indians’ self respect and confidence in
themselves, as well as confidence in the
integrity of purpose in their behalf on the
part of the Government of the United States.
It is gratifying to note, that with all
the effusive commendations and extravagant
expressions of appreciation on the part of
the American people, for the creditable
manner in which our people acquitted
themselves in the War with Germany, the
Indians have not become imbued with the idea
of self-importance. In fact, the Indians of
America merely had a chance to show what is
inherently in them as a race. In their own
estimation they did no more than any loyal
citizen should have done. It was a
spontaneous reciprocal response to a Great
Government, who by virtue of being entangled
in a World crisis, called upon its whole
people to a united effort.
There is carried with this, a new
psychological angle so far as the Full-blood
Indian is concerned For the first time in
history he realizes through the attitude of
the United States Government, that his
material effects and his manhood are a
National asset; that he is a part and parcel
of the body politic of a great Commonwealth
He is alert to the responsibilities of his
new position. He is expecting participation
in the administration of his affairs. He is
keenly cognizant and sensible of the new
responsibilities with which he is about to
be endowed. Within a decade the restricted
period shall terminate and during that same
space of time all our Claims against our
Government may he adjudicated and finally
settled.
Now, confidently and
sincerely these Full-blood Cherokees point
out that by virtue of their new position and
relations they must come into closer touch
and cooperation with the supervisory and
administrative agencies of the Government,
and of their number many have no other means
of communication except through the medium
of the Cherokee language. These conditions
demand and require more than a mere Official
Interpreter at the Departmental offices.
From now on for the next
few years the Cherokees must have a real
REPRESENTATIVE at the headquarters of the
Five Civilized Tribes’ agency, for the
following potent reasons: First, the
unrestricted intermarried and mixed-blood
Cherokee citizens while to all intents and
purposes are like any white American
citizens, they are interested and have
equitable rights in all matters pertaining
to our unadjusted claims against the United
States, it is of imperative importance that
their efforts should coordinate with our
efforts in the accomplishment of said
adjustments. This can be achieved by uniting
all forces through the one proposed
REPRESENTATIVE. Secondly, the restricted
full-bloods, who are still possessed of
restricted landed assets as well as
restricted funds, are most vitally
interested in the administerial agencies of
the Government, particularly at this time of
anticipated important changes in the
personnel as well as policies in the
Departments directly affecting them. This
group being largely composed of non-English
speaking people, and being by custom and
practice trained to do their business
through a Chief, it is but natural and
logical that now, when a united Cherokee
effort is so apparently necessary to
accomplish anything for the good of all,
they should demand and designate a CHIEF.
Our determination on you
for the place is not because of our desire
to confer an HONORARY position upon you, as
a recognition of your former positions in
our behalf, but because we know your
DEPENDABILITY AND EFFICIENT QUALIFICATIONS
for such responsibility. You are a
Full-blood Cherokee, reared and developed
under Full-blood life conditions. You
understand and sympathize with the thought
and life of the Full-blood. You have had the
advantages of an academic training. You are
master of both the Cherokee and the English
languages. You have survived the crucial
test of the transition period of the last
decade in our country. You have reached the
age of calm and conservative discernment.
Those enumerated experiences and advantages
of your life, together with your native-born
ambitions for your people, commend you as a
safe and sane leader and counselor for us
all.
We, of the Nighthawk
Keetoowah contingent of the Cherokee Indians
repose implicit confidence in the integrity
of your thought and regard for the various
groups and interests of our people and
sincerely feel that you are capable and will
render us most valuable service.
In accepting the arduous
task we are thrusting upon you, we desire to
urge the necessity of immediate action and
cooperation of the other factors and groups
to the end that we may be properly and
effectively organized for a united effort in
the prosecution of our various interests. We
believe that now is the opportune
time to make our representations to the
dispensers of patronage of the incoming
administration. If the Indian manhood and
his material assets were of so vital a part
to the United States in time of trouble, it
is certainly no more than just and right
that we participate in a careful selection
of men of recognized caliber coupled with
unimpeachable character for administrators
of our material possessions of millions of
dollars in value, as well as the more
momentous question of our moral and
intellectual development.
The office of COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
is one of paramount interest to every Indian
of the United States. Next in importance,
particularly insofar as we are concerned, is
the office of Superintendent of The Five
Civilized Tribes and it is absolutely
necessary that a petition in this matter be
immediately submitted to the proper sources
of authority, to the end that the demands of
our INTERESTS may receive a satisfactory
degree of consideration.
You are therefore, by virtue hereof,
and the urgent immediate demands of our
interests, and the interests of all the
Cherokees, made and constituted the CHEROKEE
CHIEF.
With sincere regard and
respect,
(Signed) SAM SMITH,
Chief of the Nighthawk Keetoowah
(SEAL)
Attest.
Signed) Oce Hogshooter,
Secretary Nighthawk Keetoowah
Previous
Red Bird Smith
Notes About the Book:
Source: History of the Cherokee Indians and Their Legends and Folk Lore,
Emmet Starr, 1921, The Warden Company, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Online Publication: The manuscript was scanned and
then ocr'd. Minimal editing has been done, and readers can and should expect
some errors in the textual output.
This site includes some historical materials that may imply negative
stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place.
These items are presented as part of the historical record and should not be
interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes
implied.
Free
Genealogy |
Indian
Genealogy |
History of the Cherokee Indians
|
Pre-Order Family Tree Maker 2012!!!