The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-08
The New Indian SwindIe.

Aho NcW AhuiAu SWindIP.
ONB OF the latest schemes devised at Wash
ington for depicting the treasury, is the pro-
posed appropriation of nearly two millions of
dollars nomnally to the Choctaw Indians. but
reslly to agents, traders, spectators, and
lobby lists. Some years ago the Government
granted to the Choctaws, in exchange for their
old home in Mississippi, a large reservation in
and ad AGENT to the Indian Territory, which
embraces some Of the most fertile land on the
continent. AS is usual in negotiations
with the Indians liberal provision was
made for plundering the Government pros
pectively, as we'll as at the time of the rati6-
cation of the treaty, and the American people
were held and firm ly bound to not only give
more than acre for acre but to pay to the
Cboctaws, or their legal representatives, the
sums received, less costs, for the lands ceded
TO the United States, together with various
bounties and annuities. Individually, Brother
Jonathan displays marvellous shrewdness in a
trade; but the text of treaties would indicate
that collectively, as Uncle Sam, he is habitu-
ally outwitted by the most stupid tribes, and
this mystery can only be explained by the fact
that the revenues theoretically secured to the
savage serve mainly to enrich his pretended
white friends. The balance due to the Choc
taws, as footed up in lS59-6O, was 81, 1922, $50,
and on the I'd of March, 1861, an
appropriation of 100000 was made
in part payment of this indebtedness. Nothing
could serve as a better illustration of the
viciousness of the present system OF Indian
diplomacy than the fact that this money was
Immediately used to equip regiment of Choc-
tdecs for the Rebel se,Cice. 1t required but a
few artful misrepresentation of the traitorous
agent who betrayed the Government to induce
the Choctaws to consent to this ungrateful
foolish, and wicked misappropriation of their
funds, and TO convert the bounty OF
the nation to the use Of its most
implaoable foes. The Choctaws, as a body,
continued disloyal during the war, furnishing
two regiments to the Rebel armies, one OF
which was commanded by the agent who used
the funds of the nation to arm its enemies,
and who is now reported to be especially
active in pressing the claim for the balance
due under the old treaty, which amounts to
about 81, S00,0 In equity, this claim is of
course cancelled by the disloyalty of the
Choctaws. Instead of giving them
more money General Marcy, who
is familiar with the region they occupy, and
with their history and conduct, suggested to the
Secretary of War in 1868 that as they "had
taken up arms against the United States, and
had been fighting in the Rebel ranks ever since
the war began, whether it would not be a
proper punishment for their treason to take
from them all that portion of their reservation
which they do not occupy, and convert il into
new territory, which would be far preferable
for agricultural purposes to any of the other
Territories" The Choctaws certainly deserve
punishment rather than reward, and instead
of squandering more money among them, or
among the white Rebels by whom they are
represented, the proper question is whether
their surplus lands should not be confScated.