Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-06-30

I1ndlcate, anu WIN WHOm we iIcHCH
their daily language. Joseph James is ih
son ST 1 white father aAd Indian mother
and with his brother Baptiste, the Unite
States Interpreter, is among the NEST intel
ligent Of his tribe. He Gas we'll us Papii,.
Belmard. and Auburey) follows on SINAI
scale. farming and raising stock, buys ant
sells when NECESSARY, speaks English, In.
dian. and, think, some French, and i
quite as shrewd and keen in his bargains
as though he were a white man instead o
half-bred. His contract was made afte1
several days reflection aud full consulta.
ton with his brother, The United States in
ter prefer. Belmard is Frenchman.. IS he
speaks French and English; is an ihtrili
gent man, full y competent to all the ordi-
nary business of life, and with hot the
slightest mixture of Indian blood, or any
knowledge af the language. His wife
Adele is half-bred daughter Of Clement
Lasett French trader. has all :he man.
ners aud habits of white, is acute aud in-
teliigrnt. and converses well in probably
two more languages than Yourself In
deed, it 1 am allowed to venture an opin-
ion, should say that Mr.. aud Mrs. Bel
msrd are quite as competent TO superin-
tenn your bargains as you or your agent is
to superintend theirs. The prices fixed
By these persons were simply accepted by
US, and are four and fvefold the amour.
which you have jus, beforr in !, our treaty
with the Shawnees, agreed 10 p-y.tor better
lands; and have vet to learn HAT code
Of mortality which considers the Indian
fairly paid for choise lands by the Com
missioner Of Indis'i affairs at sixty rents an
acre, and is shocked at the inquiry inlet
ed Oh white man with half bred wife
when an individual pays him three dollars.
That these lands could have been sold fol
little more money had they been hawk
ed about in the market and efforts made TO
get purchasers, and the sale delayed till
the country filled up, is very possible bu,
that proves nothing. and is common 10 all
contracts. The price was more than we
had intended 10 give-more than had ever
been offered before, although IT was well
known the vendors were anxio1s to SELF
was the price fixed by the owners them
selves, after consultation with each other
and their friends. and WAS all that any
man could afford TO give AZ that time TO
make it q desirable Investment. Three at
least, of the vendors, being white men,
could have pre-empted quite as good land
at one dollar and twenty five cents an acre,
aud intended, OH consummation OF these
sales, to do SO. No approach 10 fraud, de-
ceit, or misrepresentation was praciised
upon them. The contracts were TO have
no effect, nor ans possession taken,iia fa,i-
~ Il a. nd r..
chase. money was 10 be paid in cash when
the deeds we're made.
But to return TO the object Of this letter
NV colleagues are absent from the Terri
tory, and cheerfuly assume this defence
upon myself. Your report on these con-
tracts makes, IS have shown, fierce char
ges Of fraud. lf,hey are true, am dis.
honest man; il false, you are slanoeteI.-
One of us, then, disgraces the office he
holds, aud it is time to know which is the
man. In view Of this, prapose TO GU. SIT,
compact that If you shall. before the first
day of October next, make good these char
ges TO the satisfaction oil the President he
Shall at once remove me from ofhce aud
il on fail, the same penalty shal! be mel
ed out to you. Yea have sown your ml>er-
able, baseless, inexcusable ealumny broad
cast over the Union. and now l solicit, /
challenged defy you to this test. /. there
is a spark Of naniness IN your composite
on, YOU will not shrink from it. desire to
goad you to its acceptance. Office. IN my
estimation is fhttle value; reputation is
priceless; and my only fear that you will
decline this offer is based upon the cogeni
evidence that your estimate OF these com
moditiea is in an inverse ratio to mine
shall make this letter public. aud await
your early reply addressed TO E'ston, Ptn-
sylvaniA. express the hope that your
reply will be Categorical. distinct, and "a
positive acceptance or refusal Of my pro-
posal. without any evasion Of the point or
creation of ne. Issues. will make no
other issue, aud enter into no discussion
with you until this is disposed Of, and your
re DIV, il not published BY yoruseli, will be
published by me.
Respectfully, &C..
A. II. FEEDER.
G. ". MANypENNy. Esq, Commissioner
of Indian Affairs.
Commissioner Manypenny 10 Gore,n"r
Reeder.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
Office Indian Affairs, April 81, 1885.
SIR: received on the 23d inst. y our
letter of the 80 utimo. in which, to my
surprise you arraign me for any Official ac-
ton in respect to the reported speculations
of certain governmental officials in Kan
sas. in Kansas half breed lands, although
that action, as is evident from the docn-
ments which accompany the report from
the Secretary OF the Interior Of the l.t OF
February last, to the speaker OF the House
of Representatives was predicated upon
official reports Of Agents Clarke aud Whit
6elu, dated in November last, and calling
my attention to the subject. As both these
gentlemen addressed me in their official
capacity as Indian agents, and as they de-
rive there appointments from the same
source as you and myself, and seem to
speak from personal knowledge of the facts
they communicate. il is somewhat singu-
lar, especially as they reside in your vicln-
~, that you should have deemed them IN.
worthy of notice in our chivalric zeal in
defence ofyouiself and official associates
in the territorial government, from what
you are pleased I, denounce as a "slande-
rous" attack. Had not your passion en-