The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-02-04

not worth more. Here were eight
hundred thousand acres Of land in
Kansas, of which two hundred thous
and acres were selected by the set
tiers themselves, these two hundred
thousand acres Of land embracing
every stick of standing timber
on the whole tract, and every
visible out cropping of rock
or coal, and every mill site or desira-
BILE valley. Tho residue Of tho land
could not be in that country, at that
time, worth more than one dollar an
acre, taken in the aggregate. I know
this because there was land at the
time being offered for sale in the inn
mediate vicinity Of this tract at
eighty cents an acre. I knew it,
moreover, because college scrip was
then selling at from sixty to eighty
cents an acre, subject to location in
detail on what Thomas II. Benton
used to call "thc ears and eyes and
heart of the public domain" And
when man could buy scrip and with
il purchase the best of tho land pick
ed out in detail for that price, I knew
that the refuse Of tract of land in
Kansas could not be worth more than
a dollar an acre in the aggregate.
But with the charge against me on
that subject is coupled one against
my successor in the Department of
the Interior, Mr.. Browning. 1t is not
my province to defend him. He
needs no defense, apprehend, as far
at least rs this transaction is concer-
ned. That is my judgment. Deeming
the contract not binding, he adver-
tised for a bidder for these lands, as
he says, for a number of months in
the leading journals of the country,
and he obtained not one bid at a
greater price and only one bid at a
dollar an acre, and he contracted the
land to that bidder. He, however,
had additional evidence on this sub
ject. He had sent out appraisers
under the provisions Of The treaty, he
appointing one and the Indian tribe
appointing another. The Indians ap.
pointed Colonel Phillips, formerly, l
believe, a writer for the New York
Tribune, and for long time during
the recent war in command of the
military district including the Indian
territory. The Indians knowing him
personally, and confiding in him, Sc
lected him as their representative to
sit in judgment on the value of this
land. The Secretary ofthe Interior
appointed another, whose name l
have never known. These two gen.
tlemen went to the territory and ex-
amined the land in detail, section by
section, and reported the adjudged
value of each tract. The average
value placed on it by these commiss
toner's under oath was ~ % Z 10 per
acre." And Secretary Browning
says, in an official report made to
Congress, that he deemed it for the
interests of the Indians to sell the
whole in one sale for q dollar an acre
rather than to sell it in detail-in
dribblets-for few cents more per
acre.
He thought it would be worth more
to them in the end to be sold in q body
tor a sum Of money certain, than ia
permit it to be eaten up by the ex
penses which must necessarily accrue
from q sale in detail. But although
this land was sold to Joy according
to Mr.. Browning's idea Of the mean.
ing Of the treaty "for cash. in hand,
has sale proved to be merely theoret.
ically leash in hand" Not one dol
lar was in fact paid down. The mat
ter ran along for more than year
without dollar Of money being paid
and the Indians expecting the inter.
est at least, but receiving neither in
terest nor principal and being in need
Of funds, sent their delegates to
Washington to attempt to arrange it
Learning the condition of this bust
ness, and being satisfied with the frs,
sale made by me-preferring it to the
second sale made by my SUCCESSOR
they requested the Commissioner Of
Indian affairs to take such steps Of
might be necessary to ratify it. Iu
order to carry their wishes into effect,
supplementary treaty was made,
ratitying the first sale. That treaty
was sent to the President by the
Secretary ofthe Interior, and after
receiving his approval, was submitted
to the Senate and ratified by nearly
unanimous vote. If l remember
correctly there were but three votes
in the negative. Thus the sale made
by me, denounced in such unmeasured
terms, was ultimately approved by
the Indians, by the new Commiss.
Toner Of Indian Affairs, by my sue.
cessor, Mr.. Browning, by the Presi.
dent, and by the United States Sen.
ate. | need only add on this point
what l said in relation to the extern
sion of the Burlington and Missouri
River railroad grant, that had not
at the time, have not now, never had
and never expect to have, one cents
worth of interest in the subject mat.
ter of the treaty.