2014.07 Choctaw Resistance to Removal From
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BISKINIK | July 2014 11 Choctaw resistance to removal from ancient homeland Last month Editor’s Note: This articles of the When labor and military service, forced to pay taxes began a four-part treaty were treaty to the state, that their children would be Iti Fabvssa series month’s Iti Fabvssa is read and negotiations destitute, and that the Choctaw people would examining ways the part two in a four-part translated to failed and be utterly destroyed. Choctaw people installment. the Choctaw Iti Fabussa Choctaws After this speech, out of fear, coercion, and resisted Removal assembly, the quickly left false hope that Article 14 of the treaty would and the Trail of Tears. In this month’s Iti United States the council be honored, and without the final draft of the Fabvssa the focus is on Choctaw resistance to Commissioners immediately asked a grounds, the U.S. commissioners became treaty even having been read to them, or the Dancing Rabbit Creek Treaty, an Choctaw man named Killihota to speak to desperate. On September 24, they ap- translated, the Choctaw leaders still present agreement ceding the last part of the those present. Killihota stood up from the proached Choctaw Chief Greenwood LeFlore signed the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, Choctaw homeland to the United States Choctaw council, gave an obviously exagger- to help them find a way to get the treaty against the unanimous wishes of the government, and for many families, set the ated account of the lands to the west, and approved. LeFlore agreed, on the condition Choctaw people. Violence and turmoil stage for the Trail of Tears and Removal to spoke in favor of Removing to Indian that several alterations be made to the treaty, erupted at the council grounds. Indian Territory. Territory. When he finished, an elder including adding a provision Choctaw Note –The above account of treaty Between 1801 and 1825, the Choctaw Choctaw woman sitting at the center of the people, who so desired, be given land negotiations is excerpted from Halbert 1902. Nation ceded 34,000 square miles of land to Choctaw council stood up with a butcher allotments in Mississippi and become joint the United States through a series of seven knife, and told Killihota that if she were to citizens of the Choctaw Nation and the treaties. Despite the solemn assurance given cut his chest open with that knife, she would United States (Article 14). by treaty negotiator Andrew Jackson in 1820 expose two hearts. By this, of course, she was The following day, the new treaty docu- that the United States would never again accusing him of having divided loyalties. ment was read and translated to the Choctaw seek Choctaw lands, just ten years later a Choctaw opposition to the proposed treaty people who remained at the council ground. commission formed by Andrew Jackson was overwhelming. When a vote was taken at As the stipulations were being read, the himself (by then president of the United the end of the day, Killihota was the only Choctaw group talked loudly among them- States) entered Choctaw Nation. The purpose Choctaw in the 60-plus member council that selves, indicating they had no intention of of this commission was to negotiate not just was in favor of the treaty. signing it. Later that day, the Commissioners a land cession treaty, but a treaty that would The following day, a Choctaw committee attempted to negotiate the Treaty with only transfer all of the remaining 17,000 square formally told the Commissioners that there Greenwood LeFlore’s district. Even within miles of the Choctaw homeland in Missis- would be no negotiations on Removal. One LeFlore’s own district, where the pro-Re- sippi to the United States and set up Choctaw of the Commissioners, Major Eaton, then moval Chief had a great deal of influence, the Removal to the west. The Choctaw people arose and in no uncertain terms, told the treaty was voted down by a two-thirds major- resisted this treaty and, by extension, Choctaw representatives that if they refused, ity. Those who voted against it then went Removal itself, in the form of three over- the state of Mississippi would seize their home, believing that negotiations were whelming “no” votes, hundreds of walk-outs, lands, that the United States military concluded. and a butcher knife. outnumbering the Choctaw by 100 or 1,000 On September 27, the Commissioners The United States commissioners Major to 1 would move in and destroy any resis- again met with the Choctaw representatives John H. Eaton and Colonel John Coffee tance, that all remaining Choctaw land would who remained on the Council grounds. The arranged to meet with Choctaw leaders and be taken by force, and that the Choctaw who Choctaw leaders announced to the Commis- several thousand Choctaw citizens at a place survived would be moved to the west. sion that it was their unanimous decision to in the Choctaw homeland called Chukfi After this speech, the second U.S. Commis- reject the proposed treaty. ahihla bok “Dancing Rabbit Creek” in sioner, Colonel Coffee, sickened by the Thereafter, Major Eaton again addressed mid-September 1830 to discuss the treaty. threats, indicated that he would have no part the remaining Choctaws, telling them that if On September 22, after some days of in such negotiations. Many Choctaws had a the treaty was rejected, the United States preparations and talks, the assembled similar view, and left the council grounds would cease to have any relations with the Choctaw council requested that the Commis- over the next several days. In their minds, Choctaw government. Lands obtained by the sion formally present the terms of the leaving the council grounds was a strong Choctaw Nation through previous treaties proposed treaty to an assembled body of statement declining the treaty. There would would be given away to other Tribes, Choctaw leaders and citizens. After the be no agreement. Choctaws would be forced into conscripted .