The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-08-04
WHOLE NO. 377.


that, by the treaty OF 1891 the "Neutral Ground
: was only looked 10 as a temporary residence ot
The Winnebagoes that there was an expires,
provision Tor the expense attending the exploring
expedition into the country south Of the ryel
Missouri; and that the Government has, not.
outstanding, decided upon the employment OF
force IN compelling this temporary occupation
OF the Neutral Ground;" some estimate may
De formed OF the improyidence, in point of ex-
pendllure at least with which the policy Of the
act OF 1880 has been carried out. The Commit
zee are utterly al a loss TO conceive the motives
" me Executive IN carrying into execution
treaty 50 dlsadvantageous and impolitic, in every
point Of view, by force Of arms.
NAT sufficient motive may exist is merely
possible. " is against every human probability
TO suppose that, under all the circumstance, Of
the case, any one good object can be obtai.ed
by such course. II the Indians must from
necessity, go still further west than the g Mn
tfai Ground, question arises, first, why wns
the treaty OF 1897 entered intol 1t was then
known, as Is evident from the terms of the
treaty, that the " Neutral Ground was not suit
ape iof them as permanent RESIDENCE
Second--lnasmuch as il is now ascertained that
the country ceded by them East of the Missis-
sippi, is safer and more convenient Temporary
residence for Them, BON as regards rfie.r ow5
safety and interests, and those Of the United
States Why should the arms of Government
/ y. Shipoycu " put DOM parties IN Il worse
| dltlon than they are at present?
| From every circumstance within the know
ledge of the committee connected with the
| treaty, II was made without any adequate public
OBJECT, and has been, SO far, executed in the
mere wantonness OF extravaganza and power
The treaty was ratified in the month Of June
1898, and commissioners were appointed by the
President TO distribute a hundred thousand dol
lars among the half-breed relatives and friends
n h2 u, H. A.
ton, as To the sums to be apportioned TO each
individual, for the committee can see very little
limitation upon the absolute powers vested in
them over that fund by the instructions, 10 hare
regard 10 any capacity or disposition 10 rem
der services Which may be discovered in chill
dren
The President, by the instruction that the
distribution should be made, not per capita, but
TO be regulated by merit of any kind, threw the
door wide open TO the exercise of every species
OF bribery and corruption.
Proceeding, as the committee suppose, on the
policy OF selecting agents from sections remote
from the sphere Of those local Influences likely
to bias their judgment, the President proceeded to
appoint Gen. Simon Cameron, Of Pennsylvania
and James Murray, Esq, Of Maryland, to pro
coed TO Prairie du- Chen, to distribute the half
breed and debtclaim fund, sci apart by the
| treaty.
| 1t is clear from the evidence that by one of
the commissioners at least, his new official sta
ton was regarded as aiiording fine opportunity
Of enriching his friend, if not himself--lor the
proof is indispuable, that DIR. ID. NJ Brodhead,
who is shown 10 have had most friendly and IN
innate relations with Gen. Cameron, took with
him 10 Praire-du- Chen at least $4,000 in
notes of the Berks County and Middlelown
Banks of Pennsylvania--of one OF these Banks
| Cameron was cashier; and the other circum-
stances detailed in the evidence, leaves no doubt
of the fact, that Cameron was either directly
concerned in the purchases made Of half breed
claims by Brodhead, or that with full know
| ledge of them, he connived at and sanctioned
\ them in HE offieol sho-..s.-
The evidence Of Charles III Stewart, gentle
man actively engaged as attorney and agent in
advocating many Of the debt claims, details
circumstances which put this point beyond all
cayil.
The result was, as admitted BY Brodhead
himself at the close of the commission that he
was the holder OF half breed claims allowed by the
commissioners for the amount of $4,000, for
| which he had paid only about $4,000 How a
transaction gross and scandalous and which,
but for the responsibility assumed by the dis
bursting agent, major Hichcock) in refusing to
pay the certificates issued to Broadhead, would
have been consummated, could have received
the sanction OF both the commissioners demands
some further inquiry.
The haf-breedtund by direction Of the treaty,
was TO be distributed under the direction Of the
4 President. BY the instructions to the commits
sioners from the Department of War, they We're
required, among other things, to hear the state
ments OF the chiefs, publicly made, with regard
TO the rights Of the applicants which, of course,
would include the degree OF relationship, and,
as in subsequent part of the Instructions the
distribution to each Of the rghtiul claimants
was to be made in proportion to the "value and
extent OF services or supplies rendered the In
dams, and the capacity, disposition, and lnten-
ton 10 render them in future" The statements
Of the chiefs on these points We're also intended
to be received. These statements Of the chiefs
thus publicly made, if not controverted or dis
proved, were, by the Instructions to be held
conclusive distribution upon such indefinite
principles, necessarily opened the door to the
practice of great partiality and lavoritism. But
the instructions, if complied with properly, were
well calculated 10 check any gross injustice
/ The direction was that the statement Of the
chiefs should be publicly heard; that a list Of
the respective claimants, setting forth the name
age, sex, degree Of relationship, and amount
awarded, should be afterwards presented to the
chiefs in council receive their assent by their
signatures, and thatthe payment should by made
to each of the claimants, and his receipt taken
on list furnished to the dlstributngagent by the
commissioner
In all these respects, tho instructions Were
| disregarded by the commissioners. lhey uiu
not hear the statements OF the chiefs who at
tended the commissioners, in council or publicly,
nor did they read the award in council when
made. The proofup this point is, that Nlcho-
las Boilvin, after the awards were made out, and
a council of the Indians called, took the
chiefs into room by themselves, and when
they came out they simply called for the list,
which, when Produced were signed by them
without being read. The Indians were then
removed beyond hearing, and the awards were
L.an1. Lnin1. ,,rnnnnt ~ nrnnlN cnlnnlainnd Of