New-York tribune., 1875-02-04

thew could not be we'll founded The COMMITTEES
thought that about 572 light be the correct number
but reported bill providing for commission
simply to ascertain how many of the Indians hsd
offered to comply with the 18th article Oh tne
treaty This bill was passed.. and 1900 new claims
were registered by the Commission appointed IN
accordance with its provisions. The rapid growth
of this claim is wonderful. The only legal registra
tion ever made contained 100 names; the first iegai
one $40 more and the next, some years afterward'
| l,349 more.
EDWARD EvERETTs REPORT.
| The report of this Commission referred to the
Indian Committee of the Senate, and EDWARD
Everett made report upon it on Feb. ~, ls's' no
showed concusivey that at least 1000 names OF the
last registration must have been fraudulent because
tho known number of Indians who remained east OF
the Mississippi was not great enough to furnish 80
many heads of families, and he recommended that
800 Do allowed and that 100000 acres be gwen In 1u
payment of all the claims. Congress never took any
action on Mr.. Everett's report, but, IN lsi2. ap-
pointed still another Commission. The proceed
ings before this Commission were of most DIS
graceful character, as is shown by the pro
tosts of Claiborne, ono OF its members Inc
most fraudulent claims were admitted, and Clai-
borne was challenged by the attorneys of the Choc
taws for exposing and opposing them The report
Il
ment in $50 cases, and they say that "all the
Choctaw claims under the 18th article OF the
treaty have been finally determined" The number
Of claims allowed by both Commissions and passed
by the Department in addition to those registered
by Ward, was 1l55. TO settle these claims the
United States gave S4,1Ol acres of land and In lieu
of reservations scrip amounting to S1,S9992O. HAIR
the scrip was delivered to the Indians themselves,
and the other half retained by the United States
and interest paid upon it, the scrip being reckoned
at 81 Is an acre. or, in the aggregate SS779OO'
Interest on the sum was paid until 1852, and then
the principal paid, the amount due at that time
being SS72 0OO and this sum was accepted as full
and final release of all claims under the 1ith article
Of the treaty by the tribal authorities OF the
Choctaws and the paper giving this release to the
United States is now on file in the Second Auditors
office where it may be seen by any member OF Con-
gress who has the curiosity to inquire Tor II.
RENEWAL OF THE CLAIM.
But the ChOctaws were not slow in renewing
their claim, though the Government never for mo
ment assented to it. Finally, in 1855 new treaty
was made in which the United States agreed that
the following questions should be submitted to the
Senate
ID whether the Choctaws are entitled to or shall be
allowed the proceeds OF the sale OF the lands ceded by
them 10 the United States by the treaty OF Sept a. $780,
deductn therefrom the costs OF their survey and sale
and all just and proper expenditures and payments un
der the provisions thereof; and IL what price per
acre shall allowed TO the Chocaws for tho lands re-
naming unsod, in order that final settlement with
them may be promptly effected; or
C) Whether the ChOctaws shall be allowed gross sum
in further and full satisfaction OF all their claims ma
tonsl aad individual, against the United States, and II
so how much.
The Choctaws presented their case, and the claims
on which they principally relied in support of their
demand to the net proceeds those arising under
the 14th article Of the Treaty of 1880, which, as
have Just shown were fully settled in 1852. The In
dian Committee reported in favor of awarding
them the net proceeds and say in their report that
the most considerable item presented by the ChOc-
taws as basis for their claim had its origin in the
14th article of the Treaty of 1880, &c. Following
the recommendations of this Committee and with
out any explanation Of the matter that enabled the
Senate to understand what it doing, that body,
on the assurance of Mr.. Sebastian that when the
account was stated it would be between $S00000
and $1,0O0OOO, ON March o. 1859. awarded such q
sum as the Interior Department should find the net
proceeds of the lands amounted to, and it is this
sum of nearly S3 100000 that the House pur-
poses to pay.
THE WHOLE CASE IN NUTSHELL.
To sum the matter up, then this net proceeds claim
arose ont of an article of the treaty of $780, which
the Choctaws themselves did not suppose would af-
feet more than 200 families and of which only 100
families ever legally took advantage. To settle it,
reservations were given to l43 heads of families,
amounting to 33 1O acres under the original treaty
and under the acts of 1887 and 1872 there given
in addition to l55 heads of families scrip in lieu of
reservations amounting to 39992O acres and finally
one-haf of this scrip was redeemed at par, the
mainder having been sold by the Indians or located
and paid for in cash ($S720OO the constituted au-
thorites of the nation giving to the United States
"a final release of all claims of such parties under
the 14th article of the treaty" And now the House
of Representatives proposes to pay to these Indians
S2000000 more on account Of these very same
claims. After this is done, what will prevent the
Indians from renewing their claim for few addi-
tional millionsf They receipted in full for them
once can they do any more after this proposed pay
ment is madef
The award of the Senate covered claims arising un
der other articles of the treaty, andthe amend
ment TO the Indian bill proposes to pay those also
They amount in the aggregate to about S9OOOOO,
making the total amount $2,9Sl,247 30. 1t can be
easily shown that these claims are as fraudulent as
the one | have considered, and if any member of
the House doubts the truth Of this assertion refer
him to the letter of Solicitor Banfeld to which
have before referred.
Of course the principal reason why this amend
ment ought to be defeated is that it is fraudulent
and that its passage would simply be robbery of the
Treasury. There are other reasons, however, that
ought to be considered by Congress. The fact that
lobby agents will get large fees from it has already
been mentioned. am further informed that nearly
the entire claim has been sold for about 25 cents on
dollar and that if it be paid of it will go to
the Indians, but that the money will be divided up
among the men who have advanced on it at such