The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-03-10

the Homestead law, together with o
dollar an acre, and o speedy settle
mont of that portion of the country.
An organization under whose aus
picos upward of twenty thousand of
the best class of European emigrants
are yearly settled in the West, ought
to have received some consideration
from the Government in this sale, yet
such was not the case.
From the time this Government
first commenced tho sale OF tthe public
lands, down to the present time, no
such amount was ever realized, acre
per acre, as was realized by this sale;
but to the contrary, it can be shown
that il the disposition Of the public
lands by private entry, at one dollar
and Q quarter per acre, through the
political machinery ofparty admins
trations, the general Government
never yet realized enough to rcim-
burse it for selling the lands.
Here was sale of 500, 900 acres,
at one entry netting as many dollars
less q trifling expense-making
the best transaction in lands the
Government or the Indians ever
made.
THE "INDIAN RING" OR, SOMETHING
ABOUT LEAN WOLVES AT THE BACK
DOOR.
It is well known that, at the
time Of this sale, the Indian ring had
a plan matured for appropriating
these lands by means of pretended
purchase to be paid in deprecated or
fraudulent scrip, issued by the Chero
kee Council under the manipulation
of white Indians. The very day
before this sale was closed q message
came to the writer that unless he |
''came down" with q handsome sum,
the sale should be "busted up" It |
was evident that these parties great |
ly overestimated the profit in this |
transaction, or they would not have |
put such high price upon their
devotion TO the cause Of the poor
Indian.
Whatever may be the reputation
Of these parties for truth and veraci-
ty in other respects, they have cer-
tainly done their best to keep their
promise to "bust this up !" for
Immediately upon the installation of
Andrew Johnson's new Secretary of
tho Interior into Office, the "Indian
Ring" took the war path. That they
did not succeed was not their fault.
This matter coming before the
United States Senate, and all the
facts being fully discussed, that body
approved this contract, with hardly
a dissenting vote, and to-day the
holders of these lands derive title
under aud by virtue Of this very
contract, entered into between Sec.
retary Harlan and the American
Emierant Company. Such are tho
facts pure and simple about
which SO much dust has been thrown
in the eyes Of the public, and SO
much filth spattered upon private
reputation.
During nearly four years which
tho Indian Ring have been hunting
the parties connected with this sale,
this is.the first public notice ever ia
ken Of these charges from our side
of the house, and the present ex-
PLANTATION is without any unfriendly
feeling against those who have cop
led these lamentations Of the Indian
Ring, who were tho chief mourners
when this transaction was closed.
The Ring must have forgotten a
certain caution to people living in
glass houses.
They have q saying in tho East
that it is great sport to hunt the
tiger, but different thing altogether
when tho tiger hunts you.
J. G. SAvERY.
OFFICE AMERICAN EMIGRANr Co.,1
2 Bowling Green, New York,
February II. 1870.