Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-03-28
WASHINGTON NEWS and GOSSIP.

Inc Choctav INDIANS -Inn Clpo ID ONO VI
the most civilized Of the Aboriginss. They
are in the immediate sighborhood of the great
States that lie on the west side Of the Missn'
sippi, occupying that extensive tract OF ooun'
try which, in parallelogram form, lies imme-
distely west of and adjoining tho state OF
Arkansas, between the canadian, q tributary
of the Arkansas River, on the north, REQ River
on the south, and having the State of Texas
on the west.
Their population, which is already $4,000,
Is rapidly increasing. Although their landed
property is hold, according TO the Indian Gus.
tom, as q community or tribal right, yet they
are cultivators Of the soil, having reduced and
holding in severalty their farms and tracts,
which they cultivate, and from which they
derive subsistence. The chase is abandoned,
and they are gradually advancing in civilisa-
ton, and in those pursuits which, under tho
wise management Of our Government, is ele-
waiting them in Q social point of view.
They have q regularly organised assembly,
consisting Of four Senatorial districts, each
sending four Senators, and assembly dis
tric.s, from which there is one representative
to every thousand people. The Senate are
elected for two years; the House Of Represen
tstives annually. They meet once year at
Doaksville to legislate for the tribe. Tho ex-
ecutive consists of chief for each district,
elected qusdrennially, and these chiefs assem-.
BILE at the Same time that the Legislature does,
and form sort of executive council, the sig.
natures of two Of them being necessary to give
effect to an act of the Assembly.
They have eight principal schools, consist
ing of from fifty to one hundred pupils each
Their language is reduced to soritten form,
and elementary works in it have been pub
ished.
They are peaceful people, possess among
them men of ability, are under religious pre-
ccpt, and exercise decided influence for good
upon tho wild tribes that roam around them.
There is q tradition in the tribe that there
were three brothers, named Choctaw, Chieka-
saw, and Muscoges, who came from the far
West, each giving his name to nstion-the
first two, to wit: the Choctaw and Chickasaw
are now blended, speaking the same language
Tbe Muscogees are now known as the Greeks.
From the Creeks sprsng the .Seminoles Tor
Wanderers,) a tribe whose acts of violence il
required years to repress in Florida.
Purssrs' Advances under Orders from their
Commanding 0hicers.-The trouble which
grew out of the act of the purser of the Uni
ted States brig Bainbridge in paying his com.
mander more than he was entitled to by law
under that officers order, has occasioned the
preparation of the following circular, ad
dressed to those in the naval service charged
with making disbursements of public money
As 1t is Of much Importance to all pursers in
the navy, We publish it entire, as follows:
CIRCULAR.
TREASURY APARTMENT,
Second Compt'r's Office, March 20, 1856. /
Sir: The second section Of the Joint reso-
luton for the relief Of pursers, DC )" approved
March 8, ls49, provides " that every disburse-
ment OF public moneys, or disposal of public
stores, made by order of any commanding Off
Ger Of the navy, which shall be objected to BY
the accounting officers of the Treasury in the
s settlement Of the accounts Of any d.bursng
discussing officer; and the commanding Off
Ger by whose order such disbursement OF dis.
bursement or disposal was made shall be held
accountable for the same
This enactment docs not authorize an allow.
ance of public money by the purssr, to the
commanding ofhcer, or to any other erson or
his order The disbursement presupposes an
Indebtedness, and whether the objects for
which the Indebtedness accrued were sane.
toned or not by law or regulation, the purser
would be entitled to q credit for payment
therefore, when made by order of the DOM.
handing officer. But the disbursement must
be for some service rendered, or article fur
nished. For instance, if q clerk not allowed
by law be employed, or If an excess of the
regulation complement of cabin furniture, or
II unauthorized provisions or stores Of any
kind be purchased by direction of the com.
mander, and by his order the purser has paid
for such unauthorized service or supplies. the
purser Will receive credit for the payment,
and the commander will be held accountable
In regard to advances or loans, however. the
laws Of January 81, 1923, and August 26, 1912,
are not repealed or modified by the Joint reso
luton of l849 The sixth section of the act of
august 70 lS42, declares that it shall not
be lawful for purser in the navy to advance
or loan any sum or sums Of money, public or
private, or any article or commodity whatever.
or any credit, to any officer in the naval ser.
vice under any pretenoe whatever" To allow
Purser to advance or loan to q Commanding
ofdcer on his simple order the funds provided
for tho expenses Of the ship and tho wages of
the crew, would be dangerous to the seryice
and unsafe for the Treasury, leaving an Oman
door for coll usion and fraud. No credits viii
be allowed to pursers for advances or loans
hereafter made by orders of Commanding
officers, no matter how frequent or peremptorS
such orders may be.
l am, very respectfully, your obedient SER
want, JoHH M. BRopHKAn
Comptroller
Louisiana Land Titles.-A case recently
came before the Land Office for decision. in
which the claimants rested their title on a
Spanish survey. The Board of Commission.
srs recommended the claim, making that sur.
vey part Of the record, and Congress con.
nrnsd 1t accordingly. Before the csn6rma-
ton, tho United States deputy surveyor had
executed survey somewhat at variance from
that executed by the Spanish authorities.
1t has been held that although the survey
was made before confirmation. vat m ;tva.