As I recall, it was the more traditional, full-bloods who wanted to stay in Mississippi; hence, the reason why the Mississippi Choctaw still have most of their language and customs. George Ann >From: GARBERCNS@aol.com >Reply-To: CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-L@rootsweb.com >To: CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [CHOCTAW-SE] Re: Choctaws in MS >Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 12:19:43 EDT > >I don't think anyone is contending that the Choctaws had much choice about >signing the treaty. Indians in many states in the southeast had already >been >legally deprived of their civil rights by the individual states--Alabama, >Georgia, etc. For example, an Indian could not testify in court against a >white person; hence, white folks could steal his property, assault him, >etc., >at will. So there wasn't really much choice. And it should be remembered >that many Choctaws were not in Mississippi but in Alabama along the >Tombigbee >River. > >The point is that the federal government made treaties with the Indians >that >were not properly administered by individuals within the states and >localities because of incompetence and greed. It is at this point that we >find first asserted in a legal context the principle of "states' rights" >with >regard to the supposed right of the state to disregard federal treaties and >decisions by federal courts. > >The Choctaws who remained in Mississippi (and elsewhere) were likely mostly >of mixed blood or married to whites. The treaty specified that they could >become citizens and provided land for them that was to be allocated to them >before the cession was generally available for settlement by the whites. >These people stayed where they were based on these assurances. However, the >federal government failed to live up to its promises. And there was >effectively no recourse for these people. > >Kitty > > >==== CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST Mailing List ==== >Got a PROBLEM?? Got a GRIPE?? Just wanna' WHINE?? Don't post it to the >list. Write to me, the listowner, at CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-admin@rootsweb.com _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com