Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1832-04-12
EXPOSITION OF FRAUD.
Ersnl the United States Tetegraph.

EXPOSITION OF FRAUD.
Frsm the United States Telegraph.
In the conclusion Of former number,
referred 10 one of the most stupendous
pecuniary frauds which was ever at
tempted 10 be practised on the Ame-
rican people, Of which will now pro.
coed to speak. Many of nay readers are
aware that shortly after the election of &C.
neral Jackson, general Samuel Houston. for
anerly member Of congress ird.:;i I-"nss
bee. and the intimate friend and protege Of
Ahe general, resigned his office as governor
OF Tennessee, and took up his residence
samong the Indians, beyond the Mississippi
river About the frs. &C sss: (: thereafter,
( he came on to this city Those who knew
4 that both aspired to be the favorites OF the
president, and that there had been conse
auent jealousy and GOODNESS between them,
were SURPRISED at the sudden intimacy which
sprung up between him and major Eaton.
They were frequently seen in consultation.
1 General Houston was also frequently at the
\ presideut's, aud at one of the presidents
evening parties, when NEST Of the company
4 had left the house, major Eaton, who was
seated with him on a sofa in the circular
4,oom. called me TO them, and asked at what
hour he must send an advertisement, to be
IN time for publication | replied at.any hour
4 he fore ten o'clock at night lie said, 81 will
aend you one tomorrow morning" Gen.
3auston remarked, "No; will call and take
Il myseif.n Ia day or two afterwards, the
Following advertisement was handed IN, and
published
I. "Proposals for supplying emigrant Indians
M with rations, west OF the Mississippi
Sealed proposals and endorsed Proposals
37{or Rations' will be received by the secreta-
v OF war until the Goth day OF March, 1880,
FOR supplying rations to such Indians as may
2emigrate to their lands west oil Arkansa" ana
Riissouri; said rations TO CONSIST Oh ehe pound
and a quarter fresh beef, or one pound oil
fresh pork; with a quart OF corn or corn
Nmeal to each ration Of meat whether fresh
or salt; or eighteen ounces 81 Hour
III I'VE right 10 be reserved to me secretary q
BOAR to enlargs or alter the quantityof ne ra
s;on to be issued; and the right u continuing
the contract 10 any period q tune ne may
th;nb proper. and to determine II. at pleasure
! S,cl,ess ana of the conditions shall be bresen-
|# The points of delivery, not 10 exceed
three in the country of either OF the tfioes'
to be designated by the secretary 81 Wat
Il ,.,;oa or ;ssu;ng. or of building houses fol
3ths preservation of the supplies, or any
n other. to be borne by the contractor.
n Rands. with approved security, will be re
ID rui,ed for the faithful fufIment of the con
H tracts. No advances will be made
M Nv order Of the secretary of war,
II THOMAS l.. MckENNf.
E@Pepartment of war, Office of Indian
81 Affairs, February Is, 1880
| have marked one paragraph IN italics
the reason will presently appear The ce,e
&hrated Indian bill was then IN progress II
Mthe House: and major Eaton asked an ap
Uaronr;ation OF A, 100000 of dollars. His est'
p,ate sent to the committee as then under
stsod. was for that sum; and was too o
the secretary of the treasury that major ia
Hton,s estimate was at twenty cents per "a
IN ton. and that major E. said to him that
Hwould take six millions of dollars to subsi'
the emigrating Indians Major Eaton re
marked to me that he was about to max
n one of the most important contracts I'M
had ever been concluded by this govern
III ment: that he had ascertained, by repo
II from the commissary general, that the r
IA tion 10 the emigrating Indians had co
ny twenty two cents; that gov. Houston nj
II consented to take the contract at eightet
IA cents: that he had gone to New YORK, al
had obtained a partner who was worth NJ
Ia million of money; and that the SAVING
SIC government would be atleast four tho
sand dollars per day. lie estimated
Is number of Indians TO be from sixty to eigh
thousand, and that the issue at the pr'
which he expected to give. would amount
about twelve Thousand dollars per gay;
asked OF what the ration consisted ne "a
gave it as stated in the proposals un1
3 stood major Eaton's remarks as intehueo
satisfy me that he was about to make an
contagious contract for the government; a
4 that his object in speaking TO me was TO
duce me totake that view of it in the Ie
graph.
told him that beef could be purcba
in that country at the the rate Of from
to two dollars per hundred; that the hide
tallow would pay the expense aud r'sk
delivery; that she Indians could not al
removed in one year, and that large q,
8 tity Of corn was then raised, AMI could
y purchased at cheap rate 10 tue Indian
yitory; that the whole country aOOonds