The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1866-11-22

Of ell embelishment, are narrowed
down to these:
l. That I, - Secretary Of the Interior.
sold the Cherokee nestral lands, in
Kansas, for less than they were worth
in the Market"
2. That probably would not have
sold them for less than they were worth
unless I had been induced to do 20 by
personal pecuniary interest.
BY inquiring ofthe purchasers these
villifleB would have learned that had
no personal interest in this company or
in the sales Of these lands, direct or in
direct, immediate or remote, and that I
never owned or held, or sought to own
or hold, one dollars worth Of their stock
and that no relative or business associ-
sought to own or hold any such interest
or stock.
This leaves but one inquiry namely:
Was the price for which these lands
were sold by me less than their reason
able value, or rather, 20 far below a. to
render me justly liable to censure?
The treaty provides for the sale in ei-
ther of the following modes:
l. BY sealed bids, after appraisement,
to the highest bidder, by . legal subdi-
visions, at . price not less than one
dollar aud quarter per acre on an aver
2. In one body to responsible party
for cash at not lees than one dollar per
acre.
If sold in either mode, the treaty pro-
vides that the settlers who would have
been entitled to purchase under the pre-
emption laws shall each have the right
to purchase one hundred and sixty acres
4, SznA ,N1, 80 h. -,,I
rate from the value of improvements.
This minimum price was fixed by the
Indians themselves, after full delibera-
less than ~" sftf attorneys, including one
Of the law partners of the present Secre-
tary Of the Interior. And after full in
vestigation by the Committee on In
dian Affairs, Of which Hon. James X.
Doolittle was chairman, and of which
majority were Conservatives, the
price was not changed by tho Senate.
The truth is, as you know, no one ofthe
Indian delegates, or of their attorneys,
or of the commissioners appointed by
the President, or of the Senate commit
tee, or Of the Senate itself, as far as
was advised, ever suggested a higher
price for these lands, for the obvious rea-
son that no one acquainted with the SUBJ
ject believed they could he sold for
more. It may not be immaterial to
state in this connection that during the
progress Of negotiations this treaty was
repeatedly discussed before the Presi-
dent in person by the delegates of both
wings of the Cherokee Nation and their
attorneys, and the ultimatum Of every
controverted point was fixed by him be-
fore the treaty was signed. It is also
true, as you will remember, that the
value of these lands was . question fully
discussed, and that the delegates Of the
Southern party agreed to their sale for
the gross sum Of 500, GOO, and that the
delegates Of the Northern party agreed
to their sale for the gross sum Of $780,
900; but that when the treaty was ready
for signature one of their attorneys sug-
gessed $500, 900, which was at once ac-
ceded to by you and your associates; the
Senate, however, changed It to one dol
lar per acre. The conclusion follows,
as think, irresistibly, that these lands
were not propably worth more than the
price named In the treaty.
But as an ofacer of the Government,
holding these lands in trust for the In
dians, did not rest on this conclusion.
l sent an officer, in whose judgment 1
confided, to examine these lands, with
instructions to report to me the quality
OF the soil, timber, water, &C., and es-
peciallv the relative quantity of timber
and prairie; location of timber, and the
number Of Inhabitants. l ordered him
to report to me 1T washington in porson,
where examined him on ali points
calculated to throw light on the subject.
l also Intercepted the Indians, their
attorneys and agents, officers OF the AZ
my who had served In that vicinity,
froIoro a~A <ho v,no,p,haro - <l,o
gressiOnald delegation from Kansas. The
information thus collected satisfied me
that these lands would not sell for a
gaeater price than that named in the
treaty.
Mr.. Harlan then enumerated in detail
the reason which induced him to sell the
lands, and continues:
Being thoroughly convinced that the
interests Of the Indians required II. I
sought diligently for purchaser, and
after failing in all other quarters, ulti-
mately effected sale to the American
Emigrant company of Connecticut.
Although I was unable to find indi-
vidual capitalists who would take these
lands at the price, ! then thought, and
still think, this company could do well
with them, because they possessed extra
ordinary means for their development.
COutfOlllng, - tney 0lu, lines OF emil.
grant ships, they could secure their rap
i'd settlement; and controlling large
wealth, they could secure the speedy
construction of railroads to, and through
these lands, with other public improve
ments, which would greatly, and ran
idly enhance their value. And a. by
the terms oftheir charter, they are not
allowed 70 reccnvey lands except to act
uAl settlers, this sale . to than. "A Il
seemed 70 me, would b especially ad-
He contends that the Attornev Cen.
erals disapproval Of the sale was bes-
Cd on erroneous grounds, and concludes
- follows:
Who arc the parties that ohiect "a
this sale? Al far . I have heen