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Governor Daugherty (Winchester) Colbert
bring about the manumission of slaves at the earliest practicable
period, and in the meantime, to secure the peace and quiet of that
unfortunate class of persons and render them by suitable provisions
and arrangements, useful to the community.
"There is at present great diversity of opinion among the
people as to the status of the negro among us. In my opinion the
good of the community requires that the Legislature shall lay
down a uniform rule of action for all in reference to slaves, so that
there be no confusion growing out of the subject among the people
or among the slaves themselves. Their emancipation is now a mere
question of time and the sooner, in accordance with the constitution,
the better for all parties. * * *.7
Upon receipt of the governor's message the legislature passed
a resolution empowering the governor to issue a proclamation
calling upon the people to effect some sort of independent agree-
ment with the slaves. According to the Federal Census of 1860, the
Chickasaws held 917 negro slaves. On October 11, 1865 Governor
Colbert issued his proclamation in accordance therewith;-
Whereas the Legislature of the Chickasaw Nation at its last
session, in view of the unsettled state of affairs within said Nation
and more especially in reference to the slaves, did by resolution
direct that the governor issue his proclamation informing the people
of the present position of the Nation in relation to the United
States Government and authorizing all slaveholders to make suit-
able arrangements with their negroes, such as may be most con-
ducive to the interest and welfare of both owners and slaves.
Now, Therefore, I, Winchester Colbert, Governor of the Chick-
asaw Nation, do issue this my proclamation informing the people
of said Nation that a treaty of peace and friendship, repudiating
all treaties with any forign nation or power, was concluded between
the Commissioners on the part of the United States and the Com-
missioners on the part of the Chickasaw Nation, at Ft. Smith,
Ark. on the 18th of September, A. D. 1865 and I do hereby require
all persons subject to the jurisdiction of the Chickasaw Nation to
observe and conform to the same until other treaties securing the
rights and interests of the Chickasaw people can be negotiated by
the commissioners appointed by the Legislature to visit Washington
City for that purpose.
In view of the fact that under the treaty of peace concluded
at Fort Smith, the United States reserved jurisdiction over the
question of slavery within Indian Territory and in conformity with
the authority given me by the Legislature, I hereby advise all slave-
holders within the Chickasaw Nation to make suitable arrangements
7 Annie Heloise Abel, American Indian under Reconstruction, pp. 285 et seq.
353