New-York tribune., 1875-02-04
INDIAN LOBBY PLOTS.

LOBBY AGENTS-THE CLAIM SOLD BY THE INDl-
ANS FOR TWENTY-FIVE CENTS ON DOLLAR
DANGER OF THE PASSAGE or THE CLAIM THIS
wRRK.
ITBoa THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF rHB TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Jan. Sl-The action Of the House
upon the Indian Appropriation bill when 1t was un-
der consideration few days ago was puzzle 10
some of the oldest members. The Committee on
Indian Affairs offered an amendment appropriating
S2,981, PAT 80 for the payment of the old Choctaw
Net Proceeds claim and carried a majority OF the
House in favor of it. But when it bad been IN
grated on the bill, the bill was defeated. As the
only known objection to the bill was the Choctaw
claim il was difficult to understand WHY after II hau
been amended it should be weaker than the amend
ment itSolf The probable explanation IS that soine
of the Democrats who are opposed 10 ireSioent
Grants Indian policy desired to record their proIeS'
against it by voting against all Indian Appropli"
ton bills. while they believed that the Choctaw
clam was just one and ought to be pald Anoy
therefore voted for the amendment ana tnen 'o'eu
against the bill not account OF opposlnon 70 any
particular provision in it, but as matter OF pohcy
The opposition to the ChOctaw claim which was
made in the House the other Gay was oased ho' Oh
the character of the claim itself, but upon the al
legged feet that if it were paid tho Indians "ouio
not Get the money. A large and powerful lobby mas
been in Washington for years urging Its payment
and il ia beleyed that this lobby will receive the
jaroer mart of the money, if it is ever allowed 10
meat the objections of those who opposed the claim
when il was last before the House, an amendment
had been agreed to, providing that the money snaI
he paid directly to the Indians themselves ana WIN
this amendment Mr.. Hale of Maine and those VINO
assisted him in his fight against the claim when IL
was last before the House SAID to be satisfied SO
that it Is generally understood that when the Indian
bill comes up again this week the Choctaw claim
will be allowed.
The strongest arguments against TINS enormous
claim are not those which depend upon the probable
destination of the money should Ii be PAID nor upon
the present depleted condition of the treasury. Inc
fact is the claim itself is fraudulent, and its pay
ment would simply be direct robbery of the treas
ury. The only lust or valid claim which the Choc-
taws ever had under the treaty of 1880 was settled
long ago and receipt in full was given for 1t, the
United States at that time paying much larger
SUN than any fair construction of the treaty and OF
the facts made the Government liable for
ORIGIN OF THE CBOCTAw CLAIM
The dishonest character of this claim conclu-
syely proved IN letter written by the late Sollci
tor of the Treasury, Mr.. Banfeld. to Secretary
Boutwell, on Nov. IA, 1872 in which he gives an ex-
haustve history of 1t. BY the treaty Of 1885, says
Mr. BAYFIELD, in the letter referred to, there was al-
lands within the United States bounded substan-
italy, &c (namng the limits of the old Choctaw
country in Mississippi. The Indians held no title to
the lands and admit in the treaty that they were
simply TO hold them as an allotment Of hunting
grounds. Subsequent treaties were made with
the same TT 70 in 1901, 1803 1895, 1916, 1920
and 1880, the result of them all being that
tho ChOctaws finally ceded their entire
country to the United States. Up to 1920 the con-
sderatOn for the several cesSions money In that
year a new policy was adOpted-that of removing
beyond the Mississippi River those of the tribe
who desired to live by hunting and to civize those
who remained. BY the treaty of 1920 therefore, the
Choctaws were given about 100000 acres between
tho Arkansas aud Red Rivers, upon which they were
to live. while those who remained were to have
reservations mile square, including improvements
out Of the land east of tho Mississippi, ceded to the
United States. and could become citizens of the
United States. Besides this, 81 square miles of the
ceded country were set apart for fund to educate
Choctaw children and Sc 900 year for 16 years was
gwen to remove some existing discomfort.
But the Indians who remained did not break up
their tribal relations, and many of them still wan
dered about and led savage life As result, 1T
was impossible to make ctizons of the greater part
of then and laws passed by the State of Mississippi
rendered the treaty of 1920 necessary. This was
based on the same idR that Of 1920 although 1T
was not expected that many of the Indians would
remain the ChOctaws at first fixing the number of
families in their proposition likely to do so at 1jO
which was af.erward raised to 200. This is a very
important point, since the present claim arises
almost entirely from the treatment of those
who refused to go west of Arkansas.
The number Of those who might remain was
not limited in the treaty, but there Is
ample proof that neither party supposed it would
exceed 200 families. By the treaty of 1920 the lands
which the Indians received in the West were to be
held by them in the same manner as they had held
those in Mississippi; their right was simply that of
occupancy. But by the treaty of 1880 these same
lands 100000 acres given them in fee simple
a. long as their tribal relations existed and the
United States agreed that part of the lands should
ever be embraced in any State or Territory. This
was very important, il gave the Indians security
against all future disturbances removals and they
have to this day remained in the enjoyment of the
lights given them by that treaty.
THE ORIGINAL REGISTRATION FAIR ONE.
The 14th article of the treaty is the one which at
present is the most important This put in for
the benefit of those Choctaws-heads of families
only-who desired to remain. and the number of
whom the Choctaws themselves never supposed
would exceed 200. 1t provided that each head of
family taking advantage Of it must signify to the
agent of the United States his intention of doing
vithin six months from the ratification of the
treaty Feb a. 1891, and that by so doing he would
secure a reservation for himself. In point of fact,
the Choctaws were not afforded opportunity TO give
the required notice until three months after the rat
ifcaton of the treaty. so that when Col Ward, who
was appointed to register them. arrived. only three
months remained. During this time only
80 heads of families made claim. He