The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-08-04

nent ol former tribes which continued 10 hold
reservations IN any OF the States a large dis
cielohary power was necessarily vested by that
aet III The Executive IN the negotiation Of Indian
treaties Besides the natural tendency Of such
persons to increase IN the hands Of the best Of
men, there Is always a continual effort on The
part OF interested and nercenary individuals 10
avail themselves Of II and multiply occasions for
the employment Of II. Thus il has happened
ihat within the last eight or ten wears there has
been treaty-maklng mania prevalent in the
country.
Arttul persons, without the slightest reference
10 the public service, or 10 the true interest of
the Indians themselves, have made business Of
| getting up Indian treaties. In this way The
| policy Of Indian removal and making Indian
| treaties has become job, 10 great extent for
the benefit OF the negotators and Others con
eerncd IN their execution. Ii is OF no conse-
| quence whether a treaty is made with a large
tribe or small one; whether the lands ccded
by them be OF much value or none al all !; whe-
ther the true interest either of the United States
or the Indians, will be promoted thereby or not.
~ answers the purpose of the treaty makers by
profession. II whole tribe cannot be cot 10
emigrate, part is eagerly treated with without
any movement on the part of the People or Of
the State in which they reside. single com
missioner or treaty maker has received since the
passage OF the act of 1890, upwards of sixteen
thousand dollars in pay and mileage, for his SER
vices in making, or attempting TO make. Indian
treaties. In another instance another individual
appears 10 have received upwards of five thou
sand dollars for negotiating treaty with mere
remnant of a tribe within his own State In
the same period there have been fiY-nine trea-
ties negotiated, at cost OF SSI,3l2 paid in al
owances TO commissioners and secretaries, in
GLIDING S2l5 20 tor'contingences.
Another policy adopted by the Government
h.Apn ia, 4
missioners by treaty, which has proved strong
nducement 10 the mutt plication OF treaties since
1880. Since that time, there have been nstiu-
ted Mlrfy-dhree OF these special commissioners,
and there has been paid to them and other agents
employed in the execution of treaties, one huA-
dred and siity.t oUr houSand ttro hnHdred and
ninety doHars, OF which sum, S2l,633 was paid
for contingencies.
This statement does not include the large
amounts paid within the same period TO the
superintendent OF removal and their assistants,
which, IN one year. together with the salaries
paid 10 the permanent officer and agent employ
ed in the Indian department, exceed the whole
annual expenditure in that branch Of the public
service ten years ago, estimating the expenditure
of the whole year by the amount shown TO have
been paid during part OF it,
The general practice Of selecting commission
ers to negotiate and carry into effect Indian trea-
ties who reside at a distance from the country
affected by them, does not answer the purpose
for which il was adopted, nor does ii appear 10
have been adhered to IN all cases III which the
proprlcty OF II was most manifest. The cnor-
nous allowances for mileage alone, has made 1t
an object with too many To seek the office OF
commissioner for the sake of the cmolunent
only. Such men generally enter into the bust
ness confded To them, without feeling any ntc-
rest or having any proper degree OF knowledge
Of the subject. They are placed in situation
10 become the dupes Of the designing and art
full men of the country where the treaty is ne
gotIated or carried into execution.
One instance Of the abuse of this policy,
which has been brought 10 the notice Of the com
mittee in the course OF THIS investigation, shows
a payment TO a commissioner 10 treat with The
Winnebagoes in 1896, who resided III Penn
sylvania, at twenty. toul doiidrs for three days
attendance, and one Mousaad FIRE h"ndred dali
lars mileage, and no treaty made al last.
/ But greater and more serious mischief Than
those already enumerated, has grown out OF The
treaty making policy Of the times The large
sums of money paid 10 commissioners and other
agents employed III the negotiation and eXecu-
ton of treaties, is Of but lite consequence, in
comparison with the whole cost expenditure
Of numerous treaties made III pursuance OF the
act Of 1880 but which, IN fact, Were made III
abase OF the policy OF that act.
Besides the individual and selfish interests Al
1
who have no other motive in view but to en-
rich themselves there is often local interest OF
a political nature cooperating with them. ltbe-
comes part Of the policy Of public men within
our new and extensive territories to effect the
removal of the Indian tribes 10 some point be
yond their limits rs rapidly as possible and they
frequently have sufficient influence TO bring about
treaty against sound policy, and without any
regard To the general and permanent interest,
| either OF the United States or OF The Indians,
and having no tendency 10 promote the general
policy of Indian removal.
/ Where treaties are made with these motives
! and objects, the subordinate agents employed IN
negotiating them, being generally persons sup
4 posed to have the confidence OF the Indians, are
I only concerned that a treaty shall be made-that
4 large sums of money are provided Tor distrbu-
ton among favor,es and that special rcserva-
ions or rratuitcs shall be secured to themselves;
/ but as to the question what the Government ought
to give or pay in exchange for the lands coded !;
whether the country to which it is proposed to
remove them is not really of greater value than
the one proposed to be cedcd by them; whether
the danger of collision between the Indians
and the citizens of the United States would not
be increased rather than diminished by the con
templated exchange of countries; whether, IN
| fact. any one beneficial object, either TO them
selves or the United States, will be accomplish
ed All these questions are lost sight OF 10y the
nego,iators, in their eagerness to accomplish
their own selfish purposes. In this manner,
large portions of the public domain are surren-
dcred TO persons who have no claim upon the
! Government, nor upon the Indians; and millions
of money are layished and expended, IN pursu
ance of the provisions Of treaty which ad-
vances no single interest which the Government
is bound to guard and protect And It some
times happens that a bloody and expensive war
closes the catalogue of evils attending these mn
providcni treaties
M, ,,;,, ,yh;,b tbo co,nno;ttoe fpal bound ia