Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-31

bour, my making the subject known to him, to dis
suade the chiefs from the they had adopted.
Twill not stop characterize it deserves COL Ben
toms version Of this affair He knew all these crcun-
stances chairman Of the committee Of the Senate He
had my report endorsed by Mr. Barbour before him, as
also Mr.. Barbours letter. He knew in what consisted
the great fraud" and that it not " in the treaty,
and that it confined to the chiefs themselves as also
that they counselled by both Mr. Barbour and my
self not to dispose Of the money according to the plan
as decided upon by them; but to take it all home and
there make distribution of it In way more equal and
thus themselves from the probable consequences that
might follow partial distribution of it. say COL
Benton knew all this He knew, further what was the
sort Of cognzance had Of it and ne alone perhaps
knows why he did not make his History to correspond
with these recorded facts in the
But, again Col Benton says ~ ,cas the aetEaI nego-
hator Of he treaty" If this SO certainly could
have motive for denying it.. The treaty is not even
nged with fraud ,s ~ Il anT sars
employed 20 bring the chiefs TO terms The object
just and its end pacific. But was neither the
tuar nominal tnegotiator of that treaty" My po-
sition was subordinate my duties. These dis
charged faithfully but always within the circle of my
latons the Secretary of War 1t is true honored
by his confidence andhe received from me such light
my position and long experience in our Indian relations
enabled me to impart.
NV fat denial Of the truth of COL Benon's assertion
will am sure be deemed sufficient; but confidently
refer Gen. Cass whose services Mr. Barbour put in
QUESTION during the negotiation Of that treaty, and TO
whom MR. Barbour admits he owed much Of the success
of the negotiation, witness to prove the truth OF my
denial.
Irely upon the foregoing to satisfy the public that
the actual negotator of the treaty with the
Creeks or 1896 as unequyocay charged by COL Benton
in his History" and also prove what of
ion had with that alleged great fraud" which he
to have been made known to him. and with which
he connects have shown that there was no fraud,
great" or small which had the most remote connexion
wirh of Otilcer
of the Government and that the true character of the
fraud to which COL Benton refers entirely onesded
and related wholly and without the knowledge suspi
con of what going by the party acting for the
United States till after the treaty made indians
Themselves and the in which it was agreed among
themselves to divide large portion of the consideration
money agreed to be paid them under the treaty.
know of but attempt to connect g great fraud
with the making of that treaty and that by COL Ben
ton himself He admits the fact but draws over his
laton that proposed bribery ve the object of which
doubtless is to soften the features of his proposition and
hide their deformty from the publc eye. Hear him
:" The Secretary Mr Barbour) very willing to do all
this, THAT is, procure supplemental article ceding all
the lands in Georgia. 'but said it was impossible,
that the chiefs would not agree to 1t. recommended
him to make some presents to overcome their OPP
position which he nnocently declined because it
would of bribery" And then " In the
time it had been communicated to that the trea
ty already made was itself the work of great bribery
This announcement it is true, well calculated to
put in the background COL Bentons proposal to make
some presents to their opposition &c.
and it behind the shelter of this great bribery COL
Benton would hide his bribery plan But the record
tells how that proposition received by Mr.. Bar
beur and with what indignant rebuke he met it. Mr.
Barbour that his of Col Bentons proposition
should 60 to the record when he wrote thus addressing
the Col Benton md Mr. McLane For although
was advised, COL Benton is aware, to approach tn
influential chiefs with gratuities justified
urged by COL Benton) "by the usages of the Govern
men prenptoriy refused 10 do so and determined tina
,rha r;v pY-cp Of
pear on the face of the treaty.; adding as have be
fore inserted it, "ts distribution, at their instance
is considered no affair Of this Government" &C.
Now then this letter was addressed TO COL Bentor
and Mr. McLane, if Mr.. Barbours version of COL Ben
toms plan for bribery of the influential chiefs" had
been the letter. why did he not at the time
cept to it but if it is true land will doubt it, then
COL Benton's innocent Of merely proposing
that some presents be made to overcome their obec
ton &C. will have to give place TO the boder outline Of
Mr. Barbours testimony, which shows that COL Bentons
proposition was to *ppproach not the entire delegation
but the influential chiefs''-with what? "Some pre-
sents " No. but "with secret gratuics" Secret" the
very form Of bribery 1t high time after such
proposal and such rebuke Mr. Barbour flung in its
face that fuss of sort should be made to d
public attention from both the bribery project Of Col
Benton and the indignant rebuke with which it was met
To set Mr.. Barbour down the actual negotiator o
the treaty" in which great fraud" connected af
ter that, and that he cognzant of it, would have
been too daring when, in order to establish the great
fraud il was necessary to make another the actual
goator CT the treaty. when the honor Of the negotiaor
and Of course cognizance of that great fraud was
shifted from Mr.. Barbours shoulders to mine. This, il
must be confessed, most ingenious contrivance
Mr. Barbour is dead; Col. Benton knew it. No voice
from the tomb could be uttered to correct this History
of Col Benton But the author Of that History should
have remembered that the records alive, and that
their language beyond his power to silence or ingenuity
to perycrt.
repeat, the only proposition for bribery project to
the completion Of the Greek Treaty Of Washington
Of January, 1885, which to my knowledge was
by Col Benton himself was it presented he says
il was that is IL Mr. Barbours uncontradcted testimony
(uncontradicted, mean, till now is entitled to belief
And who doubts itl
TH0S. L. MCKINNEY,
Formerly Chief Of the Bureau Of Indian Affairs,
Washington.
New YoRK, NOVEMBER, 1853