Arkansas intelligencer., 1846-02-07
REPORT OF THE CHoCTAw AGENT.
CHocrAw AoEScY,(
Senksnkrr ~ I9A5 I


OH ;-Ous OF tho pfincipa, events that has
occurred IN The western suprentendency during
The Past year. is the arrival Of 1900 Chociaws
from Mississippi, being portion Of those who re
ma'ned 10 their former country afier its cesson
ApPrehsnsioos were expressed in my last repor,
that the provision 10 the treaty OF cesson excIud
ing ihoss who might thus remain from all futur,
participation in the annutes, might create dissen.
sion between the new comers and their western
brethren. Fortunately, Congress, by directing
the investment Of one.half Of all that may be due
the Mississippi Chociaws for reservations, has
secured them an income sufficicn, to place them
on unequal footing with the rest Of the tribe. So
tar. those have who emigrated appear to be en-.
tlrely satisfied with their new Location. Many OF
them have expressed great qualification at the
signs Of improvement everywhere visible among
the Choctatws west, and few have offered 10
return to Mississippi for tn. purpose Of undeceiving
their brethren in regard to the character Of the
country, concerning which considerable misap-
prehension exists; the grossest mssialements hav.
ing been industriously circulated among them.
With the settlement Of their land claims, which
will probably be effected this fall the motive for
deception will cease, and am induced 10 hope that
the contemplated project to complete the emf.
grafton Of tie remainder before the close Of this
year will be successful.
Considerable excitement has existed Of late
among the Chickasaws. This tribe, you nre aware.
isParlially incorporated with the Choctaws, and
constitutes one Of the four districts composing the
Choctaw nation; though in point Of fac. compar.
atively few Of them live in the particular tract
styled the "Chckasaw district" The great ma.
jori,y, avaiing themselves of a right secured by
treaty, reside in different parts OF the three Choc.
taw districts. The chief and other officers Of the
district government, including delegates of The
"General Conucil of both tribes. are required
by law to live within its limits. These officers,
all Of whom arc elected for stated periods by the
people, are of course regarded by the ngents Of
The government in the payment of annuties or
the transaction Of other necessary business, the
proper representatives of the tribe. An attempt
was recently made to restore the old and long
since abandoned system of governing by hereditn.
ry chiefs, and TO throw the whole power Of the
tribe into the hands Of two or three Of the most
ignorant Of its members. The real object, as it
subsequently, was to benefit few design.
ing persons by securing to them, through the ngen.
cy Of nominal rulers, the control of the large
....- Ia-;.od c.o.. .Ls. Ct:~L- r--I TIL -r
fort was sustained by decided majority, consist.
ing generally Of those living out of the district,
induced mainly by their Jealousy Of The district
officers, and their prejudices in favor Of Indian
customs, as we'll as a variety Of minor causes un-
necessary here TO specify. A regular govern.
mcnt was organised. The former king, or head
chief, an uneducated Indian Of inferior capacity,
was placed at its head, with another Indian Of like
cha rac,er for his assistant or "disbursng chief"
To this latter person was requested TO pay the
annuity for lS45.
On ihe other hand, il was objected that such a
course would be contrary 10 regulations establish
ed by the whole tribe voluntarily, and never re-
scinded; tina, the parties advocating it were the
dupes of traders, who were the real authors OF
the measure and that it would clothe the mnjori.
,y with too great degree Of power oser the un.
doubted rights Of the minority.
Under these circumstances, considering the
regularly constituted authorities from whom the
remonstrance came as The representatives OF the
tribe, in the absence Of any proper evidence TO
the contrary, caused tho money to be paid IN
the usual mannsr-dislrbu,ively 10 individuals,
share and share alike; conceiwng that no sub
stantnl injustice could be doue BY securing to each
one the portion due him, but that great evil might
and probably would, result from the course dePres
GATED by the minority-a minority falling oue ek
lie short Of its opponents numerical Sed eFttt'
Iy SURPRISING them in point Of :cs'ssiss'<-,
: As might be expected, the div ision- ofthe mon
was sa sIac.ory to the great majority Of nll par
ties s,ill The previous contest had gwen rise to
much ill.leeIipg. Two Of the rival leaders ut
lacked each other during the payment. u was
with the utmost difficulty that succeeded in Sc.
M ra,iny them, and preventing general row,
t,rh. if II tud occurred, must have led 10 fatal
have considered these details as not inappro.
,r;,ts. in a general view Of the state Of Indian
affairs in this superntendency, as i serves to l'
lus,ra,e ono of the evils resulting from large an
n,ic,. Il is due 10 the Chickasaws 10 steles that,
in oiher respects, the impressions produced BY my
recent visit among them were highly favorable a
.,o,eInent made the more cheerfully, as some m
;u.,ce was Internationally done them in my last
report.
.II.d road from Missouri and northwestern Ark's
- ,ha N. and N.west section Of Texas, emigrnnts
nd M travellers depend entirely for substance and
s,rooa anon Indians Of this tribe, generally Of
~. I'll, Mood. Their cabins usually constructed
hv 1 themselves, are generally sheltered BY shade
,;ees and ia situations chosen with degree OF
- s,e md regard for comfort not always found
ar,ong frontier settlers. At several Of then
s"nses .aw looms and spinning-wheels OF theii
"..n ,,.nufacture, some Of them nude oy sell
laugh, mechanics.