Arkansas intelligencer., 1843-07-01

leading items, the claim should be reduced by
$SS4,S76 30, being the over-charge in the mum.
Der OF persons, in the number Of wagons and
horses, and for the return of the wagons.
have not noticed abstract No. 49, which IL for
party of 23l claimed by Mr. Ross, and as reported
by }. Drew, N. B. Daunenburg, and Capt Stephenson
west 2l9 because this party went bv water have
no means of ascertanng of their
moval but allowing whatever might be necessary to
carry them to the point of embarkation. their trans
Portation by water must have been comparatively
Cherokee removal at $40 per head; that upwards of
2000 were remov that parties about
eight day from Tuscumbia, Alabama, to Little Rock
to this be added their subsistence, and liberal al
iowance OF time and subsistence for their vel by land
70 the steamboat landing, and from Little Rock to
their lands west, tho amount ought not to reach, by
very large amount, the contract price Of s65,SoO.
cording to the agreement (as Mr. Ross calls it) with
Gen Scott but nsteadof charging what this party cost
(wthout speaking of the length of time Of any
present. the abstract if they
would be wholly inadmissble. party under Lieut..
Deas Lett Waterloo 9th April, 1898, and turn
Cd over to the agent west tho LIST May No estim-
ate was submitted for this party as General Scott
states in his letter of November I5th with
In the contract he states in his letter of 2Gth Oc
tober and yet Mr.. Ross the basis Of land
Portation in making out this abstract.
Ihese statements are made to show that there is
wide onerence in Mr. Rosss view OF this matter from
that taken by the Department, and refer to the
counts as if they fully ched and by
evidence there not one solitary voucher of any
KIND, except the certificate of John Ross himself. If
IT was agreed that he could claim beyond the estimate
II must be on equitable grounds and not because the
contract with General the case and must
therefore be supported by dsnerested evidence that
the was Unavoidable that the wagons and horses
were used the rations claimed for actually issued and
the various other expenses fairly incurred and
ry As far the S65, $50 go, settlement with the
Government is required all beyond, in the
able aspect, is like any other claim be properly sus
tanned, In the words of General Scott in his letter
of l4th November. in speaking of L. Ross requston
to Captain Page, you will therefore that the ab-
stracts fully by the returns for
soap, and forage; that similar issues made for
the same time, part thereof to the persons.
horses. ponies, and mules and that the prices charg
ed for tho articles which you shall find have
been properly issued, not too high" Here have
nothing. 1t seems to me that Mr.. Ross has author
ity or power to present such claim or if it could be
allowed, to receive it, He was authorized with
raj other Cherokees to enter into agreement with
General Scott for the removal Of the Cherokee nation
He and they into it, but / know of authority
of it l sure that the power given to them
jointly not at end, for it to have been
ierred for special purpose which was answered long
since. |-...
By reference to the letter of the Secretary Of War
of 23d May 1888, it will be perce that he
meant to authorize General Scott to make dcfnite
arrangement with the Cherokee people, that should
provide precise fund for the emigration by their own
agents. The power given ''to enter into agree
ment with the agents of the nation for the removal of
their people. The expenses attending the emg ration
Of tie Cherokees fully ascertained by past
periencc, and it is presumed you will find no difficulty
in making such an arrangement while it will secure
their comfortable removal in the most agreea
Bile to their chiefs and headmen, will efectuay pro-
the interests of the United States and prevent all
unnecessary delay or useless expenditures" This
seems to be very explicit, but not than the a.
greemont ITSELF The first letter from the Cherokee
delegation proposes to undertake +" the hole business
rsmocing their people the west Of the river isss
sppi." The communications either side, prior to
the presentation of the estimate show shat the agrec
ment embraced /" the entire removal and subsistence
of the Cserokees." The letter communicating the
innate. spoke of the necessity of Immediate arrange
mens that preparations might be at entered upon,
and depots of subsistence established the whole
route; adding "your approval of the estimate being
known, and basis established regulate expenditures
the immediate amount required will be specified The
General replied. first August in your note o! yes
terday you estimate that s65 $50 will be the
ry cost of every thousand Cherokccs cmgrated by
land from this to their country" He calls the
innate extravagant and gives reasons, in refer
to the wagons and horses, for thinking so; pre-
that the wagons from the high estimate for their
hire, must be each drawn by five horses, and
quests reconsideration of the several items of the
innate. This had. and on the next day the dole
cation again presented the estimate without alteration
except by small addition for soup and it was finally
agreed to.
This correspondent m ,kes n plain contract, in my
opinion, for the entire removal ut which
TO say the least OF it, very liberal NO one thought OF
an extra charge it not once limited that eighty
days few for the journey. that, if great
length of time was occupied by it, more than the
This idea seems have arisen November afterwards
Tho distance to be travelled is stated in the estimate
at 800 miles; the daily journey was of course compu
ted 10 miles. 1t is certainly very short distance
move in a day, with the wagon and horse facilities
provided for the feeble and the young 1t would seem
that the journey might heve been performed according
to the contract, and thought all parties when was
made and il for their convenience they chose tt
prolong it, to spend more money upon it than they
cd for the ought not to fall upon thos
who did not partake of the indulgence.
The distance, upon examination of the journa
transmitted by Lieutenant Deas, of the army of the
nted disbursing agent of the treaty par
ty conducted by John A. Bell, appears to be, by th
route they took but TOT miles, which they performed
in SO days. from llth October to 7th January, 1889
both inclusive. They travelled very lesurey ma kin:
for one day only miles, for three days only Is mile
fifteen days. scverally, l2 miles; and for the residue
the travel, various distances, running from to Il
miles They six days stationary. and spent clever
days in crossing the several rivers in their way From
this it is obvous that the time stipulated
for was abundantly long, without any inconvenien
haste and that the disaqce by the route selected BY
one partv is less by 100 miles than the computa
ton in the estimate Of Mr. Ross and his associates
How, thon Mr.. Ross eaa. with propriety. charge Ia
for the time employed in making the journey. from
28th August to 17th january. 1883. according to tn
first abstract 1875 days wagon hire and agents pay
and 80 days forage for tho wagon aud riding horses
and for travel. according to the second abstract IL
DAYS wagon hire and agents pay, &nd l35 days fora
and travel. between 10th October and 27th February