New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-02
INDIAN LOBBY FEES.
MISMANAGEMENT in THE INTERIOR DE-
pARJMENr

sENTATIyEs OF THE CHERoKEEs COMPENSATED
FOR PRETENDED SERVICES TO THE osAGEs-A
REMARKABLE DEFENSE BY ACTING SECRETARY
CowEN.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRiBuSkI
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-On the 1st OF Feb
ruary last THE TRIBUNE published letter asserting
that Mcssrs Adar and vann two Indian lobbyists had
been Illegally paid fee OF $4,000 for as ator
oeys for the Usage Indians. The next day Mr.. BoSy
offered a resolution In the Senate which was adopted
calling upon the Secretary OF the Interior 10 FURNISH
information the nature Of the services rendered py
these asking for the authority for such expenu
ure On the 18th inst Assistant Secretary Cowen sent
to the Senate reply 10 this resolution, from when IL
appears that the Department holds that tue oSaees
were indebted TO Messrs. Adar and Vann for valuable
services discovery of great fraud IN the sae OF
their reserve lands and inducing the Senate to set
aside the pending treaty concerning the same
In reply assertion it is fair to Introduce an ex
tract from the report of Vincent C0yer United states
specaI Indian Commissioner for 1869. transmitted TO
the Senate az the same time and showing who pointed
out the fraud and put forth efforts to have the treaty set
aside shows that the price OF the lands was not
l2t cents per acre stated the Assistant secre-
tsry's reply Mr.. Coiyer says
The Osages, who humber 400 souls, found TO
be 10 almost complete state OF destitution Their ex
ensivc tract o. land. containing about S0OoVV acres
yearly One-hrd Of which is good as any land 10 Nan
sas ibcy had been induced TO part with at price so
low Os cents per that the transaction had become
been an outrage and that the ratification OF the treaty
confirming il uy the United States senate would oe
public Calamity, i sent a telegram East when was
widely polished in the Associated Press calling gen
Grad its unfair character evil effects aGa
COMMITTEE in New-York promptly followed up tins
uOtice by petition 10 the Senate demonstrating against
the passage % The treaty
The reiiton referred above dated Feb 3D. 1862
more than eight months before Adair and Vann were
heard OF matter which was Nov 10, 1862 accord
Ing TO Secretary Governs reply and signed by Peter
Cooper, B,ulamin n Martin, Edward Cromwell, Benia-
min latham. VIM. T. Blndgett, l. Grand b. Cannon
Vincent Coiver David Dows, Jonathan Sturges. Henry
Bersh Jackson S. Schultz A. Roosevelt, Geo. c. Col
Inns the Rev. ]. NJ Buckley the Rev. II W. Beecher.
the Rev II. Crosby, the Rev. f. II Chaplin, the Rev. r.
A. washbnrn, the Rev Thomas Arnitage. and the Rev.
Stephen H. Tying jr. 1t shows who were instrumental
In having the treaty set aside. and how very valuable
were the services OF these pretended attorneys In the
case. Subsequently the same citizens procured the
enactment Of law Sections IL and -. act approved
July 49, 1870 providing the sale OF the Osage lands
for per and for the removal OF the OSages 10
the longing the Cherokees in the Indian Ter
ritory lands be purchased from The Cherokees
and there no claim the part Of either Adar or Vdnn
that they rendered any aid in this transaction.
On July g. 1870 John V. Fdrwel, John d. Lang, and
Vincent COyer appointed as Commissioners " 10
visit the Osages. and II upon consultation with the
tribes asceftaned that they accepted the prOpo-
stion OF Congress Committee assist them to
learned that they visited the osaces and on Au
gust 2recevcd the following letter in relation to the pro-
posed purchase Of Cherokee lands:
WASHINGTON. Aug. @ 1870
GEHTIEMEN: Your Board having arranged 10 be pres
cut at cOuUcn % be held with the Osages, In the
Cherokee country with view To establishing the tribe
upon reservation there 70 be purchased from the
say to thar is desired that the price to be gwen
for land shall not exceed 30 cents per acre. and tha
in making The arrangements with the Cberokees your
endeGvor VIII be TO subserve The Interests OF me GOV
eminent well those OF tie Indians and 10 effect II
possible the purchase at even less price. The matter
is left discretion aud sound JUDGMENT, however
IT is expected that the Obj will beaccoDp1shed
TO The satisfaction OF all parties interested. Very re-
WIN F. CADY Acting Commissioner.
Neither Adar nor vauu aided the osages in this trans
action but one of them least did take part in the
work for which this special Board of Commissioners was
sent to the O,ages aud quotation from the report Of
the Commissioners viii show what part 1t was:
There discussion about the price OF the
were To paw for IT. We fully explained
srucuons Of the Government that they were not TO pay
than 90 cents per acre IN case they could not agree
with tie CnerOkees and they referred 1t 10 the Presi
Col Vdnn, agent for the Cherokee was early on
the around looking after the interest OF his people and
jealous endeavoring TO get 81 20 per acre for this
land from Osages. SO earnestly did he press this
that the OsagcS seemed at time ~ be fully per
that they pay that price for the new land
and hDdered our pLCgrTss & S tho p seS
ident would not make them pay more than 81 cents an
acre.
observed that the only part Col vann took in this busi
ness was hinder the Commissioners in their abors
with Osages, and at the same time he was in the
employ Cherokees looking after their interests
and trying defraud the Oages by exacting rs cents
more per acre for Cherokee lands than the fixed
price, And yet Secretary of the Interior has paid
hun and Adair $4,000 for acting attorneys for the
Osages in case OF which this really Outgrowth.
Mr.. Cowen says in hsireply
The first official knowledge that the Indian Office
ana Messrs. Adair and Vann whenthe late above
mentioned flor s29O0CO presented for ac-
iiOn The Commissioner Of Indian Affairs, III a letter
dated July 9, 1874, transmitted said contract, &c.
On the FIRST day of May. 1874, two months and eight
days previously Enoch Hoag, superintendent of Indian
Affairs charge of the Osaees sent the con-
tract to the Indian Office with accompanying letter,
OF when the following is an extract:
The Hon +. p. SMITH, Commissioner: Enclosed trans
hit FROM Ascent Gibson contract between e. n. Vann
and W. p. Adair and the authorities OF the Usage
Indians bearing date Feb 1873 wherein said Vann and
Adair claim have procured the defeat Of the Usage
treaty Of 1885, and 10 have procured the passage OF the act
providing sale of their reserve III Kansas ID 1870
whereby the trbs receive about 81 10 per acre
under latter than under the former And for this
to them from proceeds Of their land sales 230OOO,
and Their receipt snal De valid voucher to the Gov
also lnclOse protest, reclting the history OF
paper No l. accompanied by statement of the chiefs
aud councillors. dated Aug 81 1873, properly attested
The protest which is addressed to the President.
tans among other statements the following, after set
ting forth the facts Of the first sale
BY what means such contract, or seeming con-
tract was obtained IL is unnecessary 10 recite; but
realizing bow homeless and destitute would make u.s.
we anxiOusly desired that the contract might be
iected by the Government While knowing that we our
selves were pOwtTess. aud yet in EXTREMIST need of
help some and distinguished ChrrOkees presented
Adair, Col Vann, BOudin0 and others;
they were great men, having almost Unlimited
power at Washington. We made an agreement that II,
through them the railroad contract was rejected by the
United States senate, they might sell our lands, and
nave one-hs Of the excess the railroad price for
their services The contract with the railroad was re-
iected aud superinte DdeU told us that