National Republican., 1876-09-15
how DEMOCRATS DO THINGS FIDELITY
TO PUBLIC OBLIGATIONS.

can people at this crisis in our history is
the fitness of the Democratic party to rule
this great country. For fifteen years we
have had no practical experience to guide
our judgment except in State and munich
pal: governments. Here it has outheroded
Herod and blasphemed (stole) an octave
higher than any other party. 1t has
shown such utter destitution of public and
personal morality as to forever set at rest
the question of fitness to control national
affairs. What that party would have done
had the management of great war fallen
to its lot may be learned from the ex-
perience of the city of New York, now
burdened with a debt of S125, 600, 900, a
sum equal to one sixteenth the national
debt, not one dollar of which is due to q
great war, but to pure extravagsnce and
rascality. How they have managed in
time of peace, how much honesty and o.
pacity they have displayed may be gath
cred in part from the public records, but
the whole truth can never be known. We
know that they fostered the rebellion,
gave aid and comfort to the enemy, dis
couraged the Union cause, and did all in
their power to cripple the Government
thus protracting the war, and more than
doubling its cost.
But it is not with this phase of Demo-
cratic capacity we now propose to deal
There is slowed away in the public docu-
ments silent history of one of the most
gigantic wrongs ever inflicted by great
party and nation on a weak and conflding
people.
In 1885 a treaty was made with the
Cherokee Nation, cedIng certain rights on
specified conditions 1t the year 1916, un-
der Polk, another and explanatory treaty
was made. In these treaties the Govern
ernment agreed TO pay the Cherokees in
round sum 5000, 900, and to pay for Ger
tain other equities, including removal and
subsistence, price of reservations held by
individual Indians, spoliations and expenses
Of executing the terms of the treaties.
June 70, 1888, Congress added 81, CAT, ,067,
under the impression that this sum would
cover all contingencies and leave the S.,
900, 900 intact The execution ran through
several Democratic administrations until
1S4S, when a report was made by the Sec
retsry Of War, W. L. Marcy, from which
the following digest is made. (See Ex.
Doc. 65, Both Congress, 1st session, b. Of
H., 1S47-4S.)
l. The gross amount appropriated was &c.
CAT ,O67-S5, 900 900 for the payment of lands
east of the Mississippi and the balance for con-
tingent obligations. The whole settlement is
based on a misconstruction of the plain mean
ing of the treaties, which was doubtless done
TO cover the frauds practiced and make it ap-
pear that they had dealt honestly and honor
ably.
Q. The principal sum, s., 900 900, is used as
the basis of two distinct settlements: One with
the Cherokee Nation, and the other with the
cold settlers" or that part of the Cherokees
in the West at the time of the final removal.
The same is true of 100000 appropriated for
expenses.
5. The whole cost of the entire transaction
is charged upto the Indians twice and deducted
from the sum aforesaid.
4. The item of $500, 900 for lands purchased,
100000 for national funds, and S22, ,O2S SO
committee expenses, are charged twice.
There were removed and subsisted
II, ,225 Indians, at $53.33, the price fixed
by law, and at which it could have easily
been done. This would give as the actual
cost $597, 567. Instead, however, of keep
ing within the law, contracts were made at
higher price, then cancelled, then a new
contract was made at $685. per capita,
and $s1, 900 paid indemnity to the former
contractors. This, then, would give about
81, 1876, 134. But there were charged for
1000 Indians more than went at $103.25
per capita-a clear steal Of 5000, 500 on
numbers, clean loss of S597, 900 on extra
prie, besides 1851, 346.8S3 damages after
ward spaid on the contract. The account
show sthst this item of transportation and
subsis tence was charged up three times
first TO the Cherokee Nation, then to the
"old 81 tiers" who had removed them
selves furty years before, and finally against
the special appropriation of 81, 1,647, 057. In
each of these charges the number of In
dians is varied and the amounts different.
The whole cost should have been S597,-
567, and the actual charges for this service
foot up So, s24, Asa. go.
One hundred and forty four thousand
three hundred and sixty-five dollars are
paid in damages on q shoe contract for
people who preferred moccasins. Modern
stealings can hardly equal this; $145, ,97G.54
are charged as stolen by officers; mistake
of s102, ,921.25 occurs in summing short
column of accounts. The amouHt of S17,-
SCI Al, due from citizens to Indians, is
charged twice and deducted from their
own money. The settlement gives the
Cherokee Nation one third the balance left |
and the 'old settlers" two thirds, when
the law is exactly the reverse. Thus the
Nation is allowed S1S4, 071.2S, when it
should have $419. 1853. 96, the very reverse
of the law. A mistake of $500, 600 is ad- |
mitted, without stating in whose favor
The old settlers never claimed more than |
one third, and no part of the $500, 900 |
national fund, or the 800, 900 acres of pur-
chased land, except in their organic ca