The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-29


for the houses that burned the hordes OF cattle that
were driven of, and for other property destroyed and
stolen. Every statement OF the committee OF 1894 goes
10 show that the laid claim was the that con-
sdered by them and the only question reference
10 this indemnity Tor lands taken from them and Tor
which the Indians expressed themselves as being willing
10 receive 100000 at the date OF the treaty.
but. sr, is exceedingly strange that the committee
OF 1874 relied uon the letter Of Colonel Hawkins, when
not only he, but the members OF the committee them
selves went far admit that the report must be
imperfect from the very nature of the The claim
also shown TO be imperfect by the Of Colonel
$4,000 OF which we have already paid only $s5Ooo
The report, therefore, IRON the committee Of 1924
based upon msconcepton Of that committee ~ TO the
character OF the claim which was submitted to them.
The Creeks had two claims; for indemnity tor
the spoliaon Of their lands. for which they 10
Iss az squyalsni oy lecs'yns land upon ,ho forks Of
was for indemnity for the destruction OF their properly by
the hostile Indians during the Il the coniound-
1924 which created all this difficulty; and il seems the
chairman OF the Committee ON Finance Mr.. HUNTERl
has fallen into the same misconcepon which that
Mr.. President, there are great many other doc
uinents which orfy this view have taken; but really,
sir these CLAIMS are pTovsblaly Of SO lle general IN
honorable senators upon claims possessing SO little gen.
era interest," that will fobear pressing the consideration
OF them at this time. will say, 10 conclusion that the
government in the negotiation OF 1914 made certain
promises to the fulilment of which it became bound.
and that it has since failed to fulfil its promises The
agent disappointed by the reduce this claim
to certain amount. This done and Congress has
paid forty cents upon dollar upon the claim reduced
find by calculation that this leaves yet unpaid balance
OF $4,000 have shown that the report OF the
miiee Of 1924, which is the only authority which has
been adverted to, founded upon gross msconcep-
ton OF the character Of the claim submitted TO them The
Indians had two claims. and not The claim for land
was the submitted TO the committee in 1924, and
the claim for indemnify for losses and spolations The
government has recognised this TO be imperfect and
unsatisfactory estimate and accordingly ordered pro rata
distribution TO be made.of forty cents upon The dollar 10
the several claimants Such, sir the chief and prom
nent facts in the and appears TO that they
unanswerabe. shall, sir, without further OBTAINING the
Senate with this matter, submit the amendment which
Mr. HUNTER One word, sir, as 10 the fact upon
which the senator from Arkansas Mr. SEBASTIAN rests
his Argument. He says that this allowance made,
and estimate made by Col. Hawkins, the sup
position that il was to compensate the Creeks for the
lands only On the contrary i appears from this letter
House in their report in 1924, that he referred to their
claims OF every description. He says
81 believe the time of drawing the lines of the treaty
W %oe sayS eseS ss sa The he
sufferers Their was besegcd for eight days.
properly but What they could carry off, when they
70 Coweia Some Of Coosando, Tuskegee, Coweta, and
Tallahassee had their houses burned and their stock and
provisions desroycd-some few to considerable amount
but mostly 10 q trivial one"
reie to this for the purpose of showing that this est-
designed 10 cover their claims Of every descrip
ton, because ii not certain clear matter that
they entitled to indemnity Tor these lands; and il
they were, who was TO say whether $4,000
$4,000 was 10 indemnify them for eight millions Of
acIes!
| Here was war in which the tribe was engaged, and
when the United States made peace with them. they or
dered the commissioners TO indemnity in the
shape OF lands la exactng thai, OF these losses
fell upon the friendly Indians and for the purpose of
sfyng them-not that the government did not think the
tribe responsible for injuries they had inflicted, but for
the purpose OF satisfying and compensang that portion of
the tribe who had been friendly to the governmental
was proposed to give them such amount
thought would be enough 10 settle all their claims of
every description That sum wAs estimated at Ss5, 5,000
and that amount was appropriated. though Col. Haw-
kns thought ha, less amount would satisfy them.
think il probable that some further evidence of
larger claims in than furnished by the report
OF Col. Hawkins, and the committee thought they were
$4,000
Mr. SEBASTIAN. Mr. President the very language
to which the senator refers shows that il had reference
alone to indemnity for land, and not claims for losses
He 81 believe that at the time OF drawing the treaty
lines $4,000 would have been received equiva-
two other docunents /, occurs in The previous part Of
this letter. and shows 10 what claim II applies He says
that they complained that the land given in exchange for
the obstruction urged against the signing OF the
treaty. The claim for indemnity for losses knowR at
ha, time and by referring to another part OF the letter,
you will thai Colonel Mitchell says that months be-
fore the signing OF the treaty they had been taking
inventory o these very claims, that they constituted
no casse o. complain. INT At hs tune Of the treaty Bp. !,
taken from the aes-the friends OF the United States
for which they did not think they had received equiv
slent in the land given them in exchange That is the
cause which delayed the treaty for months before they
finally signed II.
And sir il Is further shown in letter signed the 9Th
OF August for the purpose OF expressing their dssas-
faction at this very point in the negotiation. in which
they say that they did not regard the exchange
equivalent And here, sir, is the very phraseoogy. in
letter of the 18th from Col Hawkins, in which he says
he thinks 100000 would have been taken equva-
lent the time Of the drawing OF the treaty lines show
ing distinctly that IL for the spoaton OF their
which they supposed they had received no equivalent
II this exchange OF lands, giving them lands in the
forks OF the Coosa and the Tapoosa that he had refer
ence when he spoke of the $4,000 being equiv
lent.
These other claims were based upon letter OF the 23d
OF April But that not the subject OF contest s the
time SO far from that they had been for months pre-
cedng under instructions from the acting agent OF the
United States, making out inventory OF these claims
and schedule OF them, preparatory 10 the captuation Of
Fort Jackson 10 isi4.
MIR. UNDERWOOD MIR. President. wish 10 make
an inquiry of the gentleman from Arkansas, IMr Ss-
DasrAr.l | wish 10 ASCERTAIN what commission or
what individuals made the assessment OF damages for
has already referred Of 1877 And wish further TO
certain, il whether that Of damages for
these Indians had been made before subsequent
to the Appropriation Of the 6s5ooo that was made to sat-
isfy their claims II the gentleman can give me any in
formation upon these points, will thankfully receive IT,
| Mr.. SEBASTIAN ! can answer the senator upon
these points The first sCbedule--that by which tho
amount Of leases sustained by each Indian was ascer
taned-was part accomplished BY the agent residing