The daily union., 1854-12-14
.sgaaIHoeule RJeEgt

section referred to- according to the put upon
IT, requires the department to invest all moneys held In
trust Tor Indian tribes in stocks Of te United States
There funds in the treasury TO considerable
amount arising from accrued interest lands &s7 ~nen
IL would be good policy invest but in view Of the fact
that United States stocks held ut very hh price IN
comparison with safe State stocks bearing ike rate OF
interest and nasmuch the government is itself engaged
in purchasing in its stocks high premium it has been
deemed best await the approaching session OF congress
in the hope that will take such action as may be nece
sary extend the authority and option OF the Secretary
of The Interior regard the investment Of the moneys
of Indian tribes.
The fifth and by Limitation of law the last, volume of
work containing information relative to the history
condition. and prospects of the Indian tribes IN the
United States in press and it is hoped will be ready for
distribution before the close Of the next session OF Con-
gress
deem it proper call attention to the claims OF In
dams land bounty for military services rendered to the
United States Under the of September, 1850,
siderable number of such claims presented and al
lowed but decision having been made that Indians are
embraced by that act there are many equally just re-
naming unsatsfed The subject not having been under
the jurisdiction Of this office am not apprzed oi !he
particular grounds of that decision but the distinction
made has caused much dissatisfaction ana as II rs Dut
lust that all should be compensated for their services
would recommend such legislation as may be deemed
necessary them the value of this right in money
and providing for the adjudication OF their claims in this
office - .
bands of strong indians, who have from time to time
become severed from the tribes to which they belong
They are generally in deplorable condition, and are
great annoyance the white population They ought to
be removed to their tribal home or some other disposition
made of them and TO accomplish which an appropriation
bv Congress will be necessary there funds
at the disposal of the department applicable
deem il my duty to call attention to recent ransac-
ton of character clearly illustrating the proprety and
duty of strictly adherng to the policy of exercising as far
as possible such supervision and control the moneys
pyabe to the Indians will to them the full ben
Eli thereof and prevent their being heeced by designing
men under corrupt and niquious contracts or obligations
which their ignorance and simplicity hey nave Dee IN
duced or seduced sign by the recognition and alloy
of demands against them nhVlnR
alton in right or justice.
1t having become known that the Menomonee Indians
had manifested dissatisfaction with the treaty made with
them in lS4S and that they were probably entitled to
larger compensation than that stipulated for the lands
which they thereby ceded they were induced 70 enter nlo
contract with individual to prosecute claim against
the therefor and to agree to allow hm one
third of the sum which might be recovered About the
same time large amount of claims OF traders and Others
were raked up 70 be against the Indians and to
be paid out of such sum, although fund had been set
apart by the treaty Of ls4s and applied by the Indians to
the settlement and payment of their Indebtedness and
which was doubtless considered amply sufficient to cover
all The Just and valid claims against them The compensa
ton for the prosecution and recovery OF these CLAIMS
the Indians understood to be Onehaf the amount 80
recovered the two transactions were apparently IN d
ent hands but there be no doubt but that they were
the joint and partnership operations between some three
individuals. See accompanying papers IN the Appendix
marked A. B, C,D,E +, G, Il, ! J, K, !. N, n, and
O. of which b, G + G, and II but recently came into
particular attention is called. Letter Fl IL copy OF
an agreement with individual who had but recently
been the agent for the Indians and was therefore, doubt
less supposed to be able exercise influence them
by which, for contingent compensation of $4,000 he
obligated throw obstacle in the way OF the trans
actions but to aid and assist in bohin obtaining the
largest possible from the government for the Indians
and all the claims against the latter that could be pro-
cured be paid of that There thus to be
speculation of considerable magnitude and of threeod
character The government the Indians and the alleged
or pretended claimants against the latter were all to be
levied on BY ingenuity and slful calculation, the claim
in behalf of the Indians worked up to half million
of dollars and those against them to about ninety thou
sand dollars the third part of the and the half OF the
otheramounting to upwards OF Two hundred ana eeyen
the agreement mentioned in of success OF the
scheme TO be divided mainly entirely between some
three notwithstanding quite handsome fortune for
each out of one poor miserable Indian tribe to say moth
ing of the further drafts which would no doubt have been
made the Menomonee portion OF the fund if the plan
had succeeded
Having become satisfied from examination into the
affairs of the Nenomonees and their relations with the
government that they were justly entitled to some addl-
onal for the lands ceded by them under the
treaty Of lS48 consequence of the quantity thereof having
been underestimate at the time that treaty was made and
Mississippi suitable for them the supplemental ar
tces of May H. 1854 referred to elsewhere entered
into by which they given another and an acceptable
home, and additional allowance made to them OF $780,
oOO which increased by the Senates amendment in
the sum of S92, ,6SG making the sum allowed to them
S242 sss TO be divided into fifteen annual nsalmens
commencing with the year 1867 and which is solemny
and acredy pledged TO be paid and applied under the
special direction of the President of the United States in
such manner, ana OT MS VIII pest W
improve their condition and promote their permanent well
fare And any diversion of this fund for any purpose in
slightest degree interfering with these great and beneh-
ends would be not less dsgaceu to the government
than it would be injurious to the Indians
In the adoption of this OF justice towards these
Indians the department acted upon the principle announced
in the annual report and which take occasion here
to repeat there absolute necessity for the en-
oynent by Indian tribes of attorneys agents 10 attend
TO their business the seat of government and that in
their dependent condition. it is the duty of government
as their guardian to all matters of business char
acter with them to be conducted to preclude the
cessy of the intervention Of this class of persons The
arrangement with the Menomonees made not only
without any such Intervention in their favor but as well
known contrary the wishes of the persons as
sunng their attorneys and in despite OF such in
uencs they could bring to bear aganstt and yet these
individuals have had the and hardihood to go
into country of these poor deuded unlettered Indians
and surrep,ousy obtain from them the papers marked L.
NJ and n appendix for the purpose OF ching from them
The sum Of S6S33l 6 Of which S80895 33 to be for the
payment unjust and unounded claim for services in
procuring the additional allowance which was voluntarily
made to them through the instrumentay OF the depart
ent and Senate and S87436 81 for various other
claims against them which, in view of the settled policy OF
the government not in the slightest degree bound to
recognise respect and which possibly entitled to as
little consideration the Of justice as the other de-
mand These sums too sought TO be obtained from
these Indians which, already stated is otherwise sa-
credly pledged and which cannot be diverted without
violation pghted faith ard justice cannot forbear
expressing the hope that all having any agency II
the administration of Indian affairs whether connected
with the executive legislative departments of the
ment hereafter will resouey set their faces against
and rown down all attempts to secure the allowance or
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