Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-27
Washington News.

claims arose under the 14th article of the
treaty with the Choctaws made in 1880, and
are for land scrip. This 14th article provided
that each Choctaw head of family wishing
to remain. on signifying his intention to do so
up to a given time, should receive six hundred
and forty acres for each unmarried child over
ten wears, three hundred and twenty; and for
each child tat date of treaty. under ten years,
one hundred and sixty acres. These grants
we're to include the improvement or part of it,
fof the head of the family If they remained
five years on the land, then the patent was to
issue in fee simple, but not until then. The
agent, when applied to for this right, con-
ceived that there were too many applicants,
and on that or other grounds discontinued
registering their names and reporting their
applications. The indians appealed to the
President for redress, who decided that he
could recognize ne claim to this land unless
the name was found on the agents register.
In 1884, however, that functionary authorized
the agent appointed to locate their reserva-
tons, to select for this class Of claimants the
quantity of land to which they were entitled,
provided he, the agent,) after due examina-
ton, should be of opinion that the said claim
ants had endeavored to comply with the 14th
article mentioned above; the land (Choctaw)
SO selected, to be withheld until Congress
might legislate On the subject.
In 1887 Congress provided for commission
of inquiry on the subject. This commission
went to Mississippi and made report, result
ing in the passage of the act of August %,
1872. providing, in turn, for commissioners to
nize every such application thoroughly;
whether each claimant had done his part un-
der the 14th article mentioned above, and
whether each had failed to get his land
through the laches of the Governments agents.
If so, then the Secretary of War should issue
scrip Ito be located on lands in Mississippi.
Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas) for the
same quantity of land to which each might be
entitled One half thereof was to be withheld
until the claimant had settled upon the other
half
Some of the claims now acted on here, were
acted on by this adjudicating board. But on
a revision, the chem Secretary of War non
concurred in the awards lin these particular
cases. of the board; and, therefore, disallow-
ed them Another class is of cases where tes-
timony was taken by the board, but not ad-
Indicated upon for want of time. In 52-'53
Congress passed acts authorizing the Secre-
tary of the Interior to review the former ac-
ton Of the Government in the cases requiring
him to investigate them anew, and to decide
them under the principles of the act of 1872
This is what Secretary McClelland has just
been doing Some 300, 900 acres are involved
in these claims, in all. He has, probably al
lowed all the claims whore laches of the Gov
ernments officers produced the trouble; but
not where the action of individuals, who haG
forfeit their rights under the treaty
A CHANGE IN THE CHIEF CLERK OF THE
NAVY DEPARTMENr.-We learn that on the
lst pro1imo John Etheridge Esq, SO favor
ably known as the efficient Chief Clerk of the
Navy department, retires from that position.
to be succeeded by Mr.. WEIGH, at present at
the head of the DEPARTMENT. corps of cor
responding clerks. If we are not mistaken.
Mr. Etheridge, who is on the other side in
politics, rendered his resignation in June last.
when it was accepted on condition that he
would remain until the Secretary could ar
range to dispense with his services as Chief
Clerk, which required some time. Mr. Eth
eridge during his service in that position, has
been distinguished for his industry and ur-
banity; having discharged the delicate and
arduou6 duties of the Office in all cases to the
entire satisfaction of his superisrs, and the
many heightened gentlemen with whom
he was so frequently thrown in contact
We judge that the exceedingly onerous char
acter of his labors, and his disposition to
leave the Secretary free to bow to the party
custom Of the day, in the matter of having a
political friend as his nearest adviser concern
ing the business of his department. induced
Mr.. Els resignation. Those connected direct
ly or Indirectly, with the service, however,
will be, one and all, gratifed to learn that he
has consented still to remain in the Depart
ment, in the discharge of the duties, from
which Mr. Welch has thus been called; though
we do not yet know whether he has agreed to
continue there permanently. His successor
Mr.. Welch, has also been long in the Depart
ment, and was recently offered the Chief
of a Treasury Bureau. His quail
fications and experience fit him admirably to
supply the place of Mr.. Etheridge, which is a
difficult task.
BUSINESS IN THE PENSION BuREAu.-The
employees Of the Pension bureau are as busy
as beavers. During the week ending to-day,
ten of the clerks there were engaged on
bounty land cases which had heen susnended