The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-05
THE CHOOTA WS.
Their yreasy with the Uuited States-A
Grab for aSOO,OOO.

8rRD tOF &SUO,OUUs
The Washington correspondent of the Ne v
York JoUrTodi of Commerce wrtes:-
In September, 1880, the Choctaw Indians
Ceded TO the United States by treaty ten million
acres OF lands in the state of Mississippi belong
ing to the ChOCtaw nation, the bulk of which
have since been disposed OF by the Govern.
ment. The question OF payment was agltated
every Congress until the year 1859, when the
Senate, on the Gin OF March, passed resolution
as fol,ows:-
Resoiued, That the OhoctRws be allowed the pro-
ceeds a the sale OF such LANDS as haye been sold by
the United states the first day of January last.
Oeducting theret,Om the costs OF their survey ANA
sS ad S esS Se Saa
al secured, ana estimating the soip issued ia lieu
ther that they also be allow twevs ana S'a haf
cents per sore for the esldue of sa iandy.
an account to be stated with the Uhoctaws, showing
what amount is due them according ~ the no we
prescribed principles of settlement, and IorJ soe
The amount sisted by ths Secretary OF the Inte.o-
under this order e4 nibts the tollo wing faot', VIII.
treaty Of Sepienbe "a, is 30 (tCres) TO- a2sI
Secured to the On. ctaws for
AciTaliy s'id by the United 'O'V1
eSanted' S.aiet Swey 6y ;nSisss 10 ' 'O1S
tne state Of Mississippi As
swamp lands Rnd for rail. .---.-
roads ana sch o1ie c:es). I's95,Ss 'sss s9s o.. o..
. lo i2}1ss 81
the proceeds of the sale OF such
siate'. on the ist day OF January, 1859;
the Secretary OF the Interlor repor cd
the proceeds of said Ian ds to 1855 573 Us
And The senate having awarded TO ne
residue of said lands, the Secretary
repostPd the residue 10 be II76,374 Ol
acres, aud allo we'd therefor, at l2l5 -
cents per acre "zzu'7'9
-
Chootaw natIon S. U7s, GA 81
of"the costs OF servey ana sale, and all
proper ex"enditures aud payments
un der said treaty" the Ccretery Oft
Interior charged the expenses OF sur
vey and sale at 10 centB per acre upon
(iO 423 i6S 50 acresJ max tlOi2 3a 2e
lures M under the treaty n1 4OS5 O5a 81
Total amount of ch ages ....... Sjc95957 90
This sum deducted from the $S 07o, Ala 30, - -
left due the Choctaws the sum o..... SI9si 24' ~
Several deductions were made by the Senate
from the gross amount. till the net sum asserted
by them to be due was 81 1892 $50 S5.
Congress on the I'd of March. 1861, made an
appropriation OF $500,000 on account of the
claim, which, deducted from the aggregate net
amount, leaves still due 1882, 560'S5. ASout
three years ago another attempt was made to
get the amount, and last year the item or the
above sum was actually inserted in the Indian
Appropriation bill. Mr.. Window, chairman OF
the Committee on Indian Affairs, opposed 1T, had
it stricken from the bill and the whole matter
referred to the Indian Committee. The subject
was considered and a favorable report presented
at the last session, but not acted upon by Con-
gress. CONGRESS, however, by Joint resolution,
afterwards referred the matter to the Joint
Committee OF the two houses on Indian Affairs,
directing them TO report at the next Uhls) seS.
sion OF Congress.
At a recent meeting the Joint committee
directed Mr.. Window TO make a report to the
House in favor of granting the claim, 80 1t Is
highly probable that this large sum, which has
been engineered by very shreWd and partly
successful lobby Tor so many years and who
now have the matter just where they want it,
will be tackled on the end of one of the appro.
pration bills at the last of the session when there
will be no time TO debate il, and II great care be
not exercised it will pass. Suppose the whole
sum were appropriated, how much would reach
the ChoctaW nation? The ChoctaWs had better
attend TO the business of collecting moneys for
then selves, or they may live to see the happy
day when the money would be appropriated,
and another day when they would be swindled
"IDjuns."
The $500, 900 appropriated in 1861 reached the
Choctaws just in time to be used in the equip
ment of regiment for the Rebel service. 1t
will be remembered that the first Indians en-
listed in the Rebel army were two companies
from the ChoctaW nation, who participated in
the battle of Wilson'S Creek, Missouri where
General Lyons was killed, August 10, 1861 Two
Choctaw regiments. under the command of
Douglas Cooper, U. 8. agent for the nation,
when the war began, served the Rebels
throughout the war.
Cooper Is now a principal member of the
lobby, having this and other Indian Jobs IN
charge. The opponents to the claim urge that
the conduct of the nation, only forty males of
whom were loyal during the war, warrants a
forfeiture of whatever title IN equity they had to
the amount. The whole subject needs close
watching. If Congress approprlates the money
it should be done in such manner as TO make
the payment directly to the Indians.