The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-28
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
uspor, of tho comnl..,onsr of Indian An.,r..
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Office Indian Affairs. November 30. lS46


Since the last report the emigration Of Indians from
east OF the Mississippi 10 the new homes set apart for
them west OF that been as follows: One thou
and seven hundred eghty-slx Choctaws and sixty
iour Chckasaws, from the State OF Mississippi three
hundred and twenty three Mames from Indiana par
~ yariolsy stated at from hundred and nifty 10 two
hundred and fifteen OF different bands from New York
and one hundred and four Creeks from Alabama. Nine
hundred and fifty Saes and Foxes have also been
moved from Iowa 10 the country sell apart ioT hem souih-
west of the Missouri nyer.
The contractors for the removal OF the remaining Choc
Jaws in Mississippi failed TO proceed with the emigration
OF those Indians according 10 the terms OF their contract,
prominent one OF which was that they were TO act
with the greatest energy and industry, and TO all
proper and persuasive 10 induce the said Indians
% remove within the shortest practicable period" The
emigration had lar ceased that the agent OF the gov
,Tnnent Major William Armstrong, reported the con-
tact forfeited, and took charge OF party who had
sembed for emigration, and removed and subsisted them
under the direction and al the expense OF the government
was evident that under the then existing arrangements
little or further emigration could take place, and that
the contract certainly could not be carried out with
IN the stipulated nme,, ending the 3lst OF next
month Evidence being furnished, however, that the
business could be transferred 10 other and more efficient
SCENTS BY whom the removal could be effected by the
h June next and II being important to complete with
the shortest practicable PERIOD and the proposed
proceeding appearing the time better adapted than any
other to that end, the department consented TO
new arrangement extending the time for the completion
Al the business the period stated aud taking satsfac
tory security for its completion by that time.
Under the arrangement thus male, active measures
were adopted and now In progress, and the latest in
egence indicates that the whole emigration win be ac-
complshed by the time limited. Two thousand were
expected TO leave for the west during this month"; and the
remainder in different parties within reasonable periods
thereafter
emgrate thirty permitted to remain to gather their
fall crops condition OF removing Immediately there
after.
regretted that in consequence of the improper in
terrier influence alleged her
interested white PERSONS the removal OF these Indians
could not be effected without mourning the expense OF
sending company OF troops TO them into CON-
plance with their treaty stpuations. The time fixed
Tor their emigration had expired, and May last de-
sgnated for their removal They were, however, then
willing to remove and petitioned for further delay They
were allowed until August when they promised to leave
without causing any trouble or difficulty but at that time
they refused to go unless arrangements were made for
the payment out of their annuties of alleged debts
acted subsequently TO the ratification OF their last treaty
This had before been positively refused both by the de-
partment and the President Provision to very large
amount had been made for the payment of debts
an agreement between them and this class of their
creditors, and by authority of a resolution of the
Senate of the 2lth of February last, their annuites
were already subject to charge of twelve thousand
five hundred dollars annually for five years, for
the payment OF remaining balance OF those debts The
debts contracted after the ratification of the treaty, if
contracted al ALL allowed to be incurred with full
knowledge that the Indians required to remove
and that all their means would then be necessary for
their comfortable establishment at their homes in the
west They were probably incurred by a conparatiyelv
few and they the more idle and vicious of the tribe and
would have been very UNJUST especially to the upright
and INDUSTRIOUS to permit the means to be taken
to pay them, particularly when those means alrea
dy sufficiently reduced by the existing charges upon
them These debts were, therefore, regarded private
transactions between the creditors and the individual In
dams who contracted Them and the President determn
ed that they should in way be recognised Just
fair demands upon the annuitles Of the tribe Out of
spirit OF revenge, or in the hope of coercng different
suit the creditors and Others interested did all in their
power to prevent the Indians agreeing to remove indu
cling them to believe that if they would hold out in their
determination, the government would yield All peaceful
and persuasive means having been exhausted there
no alternative but to send troops to compel il necessary
compliance with the stpuatons of the treaty which
the law OF the land il the duty of the President to
fully carried Fortunately, the mere presence of
the troops was sufficient to convince the Indians that
thew had been deceived and to induce them to 60 PROMPT
y and quety and they are by this time establishing
themselves in their new homes. Much credit is due to
Mr. Sinclair, the superintendent of removal for his great
hHnness and activity, and to Captain Jouett, the COM
nande OF the troops, for his peaceful agency in carry
ing out the views of the government,
The emigration of the party of New York In
dams | regret to state, turned out less fortunately
than there was reason to anticipate The department
was unwilling to undertake the emigration of less
number than two hundred and fifty, as the ex-
penses considered too great to be incurred for
here IN September, 1915, that that number ready
and willing to go the succeeding month"; an agent was
appointed to take charge OF and accompany them; but
upon the express condition, afterwards reiterated that no
party OF smaller number than two hundred and fifty
should be started He was required to report when the
requisite number were prepared to go, when further and
more detailed instructions were to be given. Early in
November it appeared that there not many will
ing 10 60 that fall, and the agent informed that the
measure must be abandoned for the present. but few
days after he apprsed the deparm that two hundred
and sixty had enrolled and further instructions and
funds Tor the expenses OF the party on the route
sent TO him. Finding, however, on the sth of Decem.
Der that the party had not set out although he urged
70 use activity and diligence, the department wrote to
him requiring the abandonment OF the measure for the
present. as was too late to go by water AMI the gov
eminent was unwilling to subject the Indians to the
hardshps and discomforis of land route, and was in
grafton OF the party In that manner would give rise.
Information afterwards received rendered it very doubt
l whether there in fact than very few in
Vduals disposed to emgrate; and the subject had
among the Indians generally commissioners were APP
pointed to attend general council OF the tribe the ID
vi June last In order TO ascertain the real wishes of the
indians, 1t being the deermnato on of the department to
abandon any further proceedings in the matter, should
appear on investigation by the commissioners that there
were not two hundred and fifty who really wished to en-
CRATE The emigrating agent duly notified of the
appointment OF these commissioners and the object
Wnen, appears, that instead OF awaiting the result of
ms investigation, and the further orders of the depart
nen he went to work and collected all whom he could
nauce to JOIN him, and started with them west The
number he afterwards reported TO have taken west was
Two hundred and fifteen; but as the sub-agent for the
new York Indians reported that only hundred and
nyhree OF those Indians went with him, any beyond
ha number must have been from Canada, who accord
ng 70 the instructions, should have been excluded
No intelligence OF these unauthorized proceedings was
IeWed until the party was considerable distance on
e toute and hence there was not time sufficient for
making those preliminary arrangements which were