Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-31
COMMUNICATIONS.
COL. BENTON'S HISTORY.--ON THE REMOVAL
OF INDIANS FROM GEORGIA"


"COL. BENToN'S HIsToRY--oN THE REMOVAL
OF INDIANS FROM GEORGIA"
con.inaed from he National Iatslgsneer e vorsm5sr o.
70 TEE EDITORS or TIE NATIONAL nersLLiexxcrR.
GENTLEMEN II Col. BENTON had been as solictous to
make just report of the circumstances connected with
the making of the treaty with the Creek Indians, at
Washington in January 1926 as he has been censure
the administrations of Jefferson Madison Monroe, and
to convict them of having acted in bad faith towards
Georgia in negectng to fulfil the compact with that State
of 1902 and libel me- should have been spared the
pleasant duty Of commenting his history, and you,
gentlemen the trouble of publishing my remarks upon it.
Col. BENTON charges in his History published in
the National Inteligencer of the 18th ultmo:
First That " a great fraud in Indian treaty (the
treaty with the Creek Indians Of January a. l826
detected and frustrated'-by himself, of course.
Second. That {" Mr. McKenney, (meaning me- the In
dian bureau clerk, was the actual negotiator of the
treaty." and
Trd That this great fraud was with his (my) cogni
zance."
Thus ga great fraud is announced and with it am
connected under what form of participation COL BENTON
leaves the public to infer 1t shall be my business to
show the great injustice of both the charge and the i'm
pication; as also that neither the actual
nominal negotiator of the treaty. will do this by
showing
FIRST In what this alleged great fraud" consisted.
Second. That, fraud fraud, it was not in the
sredy."
Third. Who, and who alone, were concerned in it,
Fourth What sort OF "cognizance' had OF il, and
when, and where and by whom it for the first time
made known to me as also what was my action upon it,
and what steps taken by Mr.. Barbour in relation
10 It.
rely for full and satisfactory exposition of the fore
going propositions upon report made by me to Mr. Bar
bour at the time, and which made in compliance with
his call upon me in the words following:
State what you know of the progressive steps taken
by me Mr. Barbour) in regard the late treaty and
Immediately preceding the opening of the negotiation
and which led to its execution and particularly
eS list Of The money hic the chiefs prepared containing
The phich they require should 5epaid 10 them
diGteLy, and IN His city"
The entire report may be found in American State
Jake from IL than win cover the grounds en-
braced by the foregoing propositions and this win be
contained in the following extract
"DEpARTnEsT or WAR,
'OGcs Indian 16dirs, Nay l5 1926.
The treaty then drawn as it appears in its pre-
sent form without its supplemental arce and agreed
= At this period and after The signing Of the treaty,
Ridge and Vann brought paper TO me, saying the
chiefs had agreed the payments to the persons whose
names were upon it, and in the opposite each
spectivey.' told them it their affair the treaty
providing for payment of the whole 2l1,6OO dollars
to the chiefs of the nation Immediately after its ratih
caticn and it would be for them the chiefs) to make
whatever distribution Of the money they might esteem
proper but suggested that it might not be the best
mode the nation interested in the distribution, and
might except to it.
81 then took the paper to you and explained these
views You much engaged at the time, and answer
ed that you presumed il their affair, and how
ever proper it might be to more general equaiza-
ton of it through the nation, yet you supposed It must
rest with them.
II returned and asked Ridge and vann their object for
having the apportionmen made heref* They answered
they wanted it counted here and sealed up and given to
each person. preferable to having ii done in the nation
al told them it could not be done here but the
cashier of the Branch Bank would doubt obge them
by seeing it 80 counted and sealed
"This afterwards became a subject Of consideration
with you. You spoke in regard to it and 1t hav
ing been ntmated that probably the inferior and less in
tegent of the chiefs might not know what arrangement
made as to the sums and the manner OF applying
them for Ridge and Vann, and asked them to state
distinctly whether every member Of the delegation knew
as well they did the mode which they had adopted for
the distribution Of the money! Ridge frankly answer
ed No; but that 0pothleyohoo and Charles Coonells
knew, and that was enough
al reported this to you when you directed TO send
for the delegation This after tie supplemental article
Of tic treaty agreed 10 and sent 10 he Senate They
came. You then represented to them the danger that
might arise from partial distribution Of their money
as their people home might not submit to it. You
answered They knew what they were doing You
then directed the interpreter to that had no de-
sire TO control that over which the treaty had given them
the power but as the paper had been handed to you,
YOU wished to read it. and know whether they had all
agreed have the disposition made Of the money which
was therein Indicated They answered, each and ndvi
dually Fes, repeating that 1t their own arrange
en and the fears you had expressed in regard to the
probable effects Of such upon their people at
home need be ndulged for that they would see that
their people ratified the arrangement as in the event OF
any dissatisfaction they had their annuity and this very
money, and would apply 1t as to satisfy oil and that
that very paper and all that has been written would be
read and fully explained in council to their people
their return home. You told them you still had your
fears, but could only advise,
ss"THO. L. MCKINNEY.
To Hon. JAMES BARBOUR, Secretary Of War"
Now, Mr.. Barbour knew whether this response to SO
much Of his call is contained in the above extract was
true or He endorsed its truth by adopting and
sending the whole report to the Senate.
Mr. Barbour says, in bis note addressed to Mr. Benton
and Mr. McLane which accompanied my report: !" Its
distribution THAT is the apporonment Of portion Of
the price to be paid for the lands by the chiefs among
themseves) cat their instance is considered affair OF
this Government except far as humanity
cd in preventing disturbance. To my advice they the
chefs replied their authority representing their tribe
had not questioned the sale Of their lands and
they could not the proprey of its being doubted
10 the receipt of the purchase money and that they were
willing to be responsible for all consequences"
The foregoing shows that the great fraud consisted
in o certain proposed distribution Of portion OF the
arising Of the sale of their lands the chiefs
who made the treaty among themselves and that however
UNEQUAL or unjust might be their people at home it
was matter that concerned themselves that it was not
in the treaty !" and that my "cognzance" Of their
r. hutin the m not known. and Il