Ryan Spring

And they had to register within six months after the signing or the ratification of the treaty.

That was not followed through.

The Indian agent that was there avoided Choctaw people and very few people were put on that role.

And so, you know, he was later removed from office.

But it was a very comfortable removal of office.

So I'm sure that he was being instructed to make sure that no one's allowed to stay.

And so it created a lot of chaos and it created a lot of issues.

And this Article 14 had issues and implications all the way up until the late 1800s.

It is with considerable diffidence that I attempt to address the American people.

We as Choctaws rather choose to suffer and be free than live under the degrading influence of laws which our voice could not be heard in their formation.

Where was this published?

How did the American people see it, or did they?

When Chief Harkins was on his removal in 1831, he was sitting on a steamboat in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

And on just some scrap sheets of paper, he started writing a letter.

By the time the steamboat had reached Natchez, he had an opportunity to pass off these scribbled notes to a courier with the Natchez newspaper.

Hmm.

And they were able to publish this document in the Natchez Daily.

Wow.

And it took a couple years for it to really circulate around the country.

But it is one of my favorite speeches from a Choctaw leader because he just doesn't talk about what's happening, the ethnic cleansing that's happening to Choctaw people.