The Citizen

My favorite figure in American history between the Founding generation and the Civil War is the Sam Houston, governor of two states, congressman from one state and senator from another, President of the Republic of Texas, hero of the Texas Revolution, slaveholder who opposed secession, defender of Indian rights (for more read Sam Houston: The Raven).

Yesterday was the 190th anniversary of the date on which the Cherokee Nation granted citizenship to Sam in the document pictured above.  Resigning as governor of Tennessee after his new wife left him, Houston went to join his beloved Cherokees in Arkansas, telling his friend David Crockett he was going to join the tribe in exile.  He was to live there for three years, acquiring an Indian wife in the process, before heading to Texas.  During this period he also visited Washington DC to represent Indian interests, meeting with his mentor President Andrew Jackson while there.

It was the second time in his life he'd lived with the Cherokees.  As a teenager in Tennessee he'd run away from home and lived with the tribe for three years, learning their language.

Throughout his life, Houston was to feel an affinity for his Indian friends in many tribes and his advocacy on their behalf often caused him political problems, particularly in Texas.

During the 1854 Senate debate over the Kansas-Nebraska Bill during which he was the only southern senator to oppose the bill, Houston responded to remarks from an Indiana senator regarding Indians:

The honorable Senator from Indiana says in substance that God Almighty has condemned [the Indians], and made them an inferior race, that there is no use in doing anything for them. . .  Sir, it is idle to tell me that.  We have Indians on our western borders, whose civilization is not inferior to our own . . .  The Indian has a sense of justice, truth and honor that should find a responsive chord in every heart.  If the Indians on the frontier are barbarous  . . . who are we to blame for it?  They are robbed of the means of sustenance; and with hundreds and thousands of them starving on the frontier, hunger may prompt to such acts as prevent their perishing  . . .

We should be careful if it were with a power able to war with us; and it argues a degree of infinite meanness and indescribable degradation on our part to act differently with the Indians, who confide in our honor and justice, and who call the President their Great Father, and confide in him.

The grant of citizenship document above reads:

____ [?] an order has been published by the agent of
the cherokee Nation requiring all white men who re-
side in the Nation without the consent of the chiefs
of the Said Nation to comply with certain rules
and regulations set forth in Said order. Now be it
Known by them present, that Gen^l Samuel Houston,
late of the State of Tennessee, has been residing in
the Nation for Some time past, and has manifested
a disposition to remain with us. In consideration
of his former acquaintance with and Services rend-
dered to the Indians, and his present disposition,
to improve their condition and benefit their cir-
cumstances, and our confidence in his integrity, and
talents, if he Should remain among us; We do as
a committee appointed by order of the principal
chief John Jolly; Solemnly, firmly, and irreconcil- [?]
ably Grant to him for ever all the rights, privileges
and numunities [immunities] of a citizen of the cherokee Nation
and do as fully impower [sic] him with all rights  and
liberties as tho he was a native cherokee, w[hile]
at the Same time the Said Houston be [?]
required to yield obedience to [text missing]

-tations made for the Government of the Native city-
zens [sic] of the cherokee Nation.
            In witness whereof, we have this day, Set our
hands this 21^st day of October 1829[.]

Cherokee Nation        Walter Webber [his mark] President com^tee
Illinois                      Aaron Price vice
Jno] Brown Clk         Approved by John [his mark] Jolly principal Chief
national com^tee