New-York tribune., 1879-05-13
AFFAIRS IN INDIAN TERRITORY.

CLERK BoUDINor DENIES THAT HIT is TRYING TO
DIsPossEss THE CIVILIZED TRIBES OF THEIR
LANDS AND SAYS HE Is DOING WHAT he CAS
To SECURE TO THE INDIANS ALL THE LANDS
THAT BELONG To THEM
To the EdtfOr Of me Tribune.
SIR: You certainly will be fair enough to
publish my brief answer the dispatch OF your
spondent IN this mornings TRIBUNE relating am
Clerk OF the Committee Private Land Claims who is
referred to IN the following the dispatch Of
your correspondent:
As example the cool effrOnterv these persons
1t can be stated undeuiaDe fact that the clerk OF
the House Committee on Private Land Claims, man
who has been active in behalf OF the railroads
which are trying 10 dsDossess the civilized Tribes of
thelI ahds Is even now engaged In sending out maps
ana circulars setting orh that certain lanGs IN the III
dian Territory open 10 settlement, and urging the
cens OF these documents 10 take advantage or the
Opporuuiues offered IN defiance o the PlesdeIts proc
aInaou; These maps and circulars are stored IN the
room OF the committee named ana are distributed ana
nailcd tncreirom Whether this s being done WJA the
knowledge or conn vance OF any member Ot that COM
mitee of which Mr. Gunter, or Arkansas IA cha rman,
IS not known III r. Is presented mere the spectacle OF
committee room Of the House Of representatives being
used by the clerk OF the committee TO promote scheme
which the President and his cons advisers nave
declared 10 bee IN awful, and IN which awabltng clti-
zcus have yren warned not 10 engage.
There several mistakes in this arragnmeut Of me
which the representative OF THE TRIBUNE could have
acquainted himself with If he had chosen TO DO Be
he did not 10 50 nope you viii allow me little
space your columns.
nave not becn tor active ~ behalf OF railroads
which are trying 10 dlsDossess the civilized tribes OF
their lands" have been active FOR years trying 10
secure al the lands belonging TO the Indians IN the n
dian Territory 90 the Indians IN seyeralty; tAey
could not by any possibility be cheated ont Of them.
Your correspondent says IL is undeniabe fact that
have Cor years been trying dspossess the civilized
tribes OF their lands" l have made many speeches,
written many letters, ana delivered many Lectures all
advocating the organization Of civil government over
the Indian Territory, and the division OF the Indian
lands m seycralty. VIII your pondcnt, who is
positive please point the word speech or letter
OF mine which viii support him IN his unjust aud Unfair
assertOni
It's further stated by your correspondent that am
engaged in sending maps and circulars setting
forth tnat certain lands Indian Territory open
To settlement and urging the recipients Of these docu
ments 70 take advantage of the opportunities offered IN
defiance OF the Presidents proclamation" Inclose
OF my maps, rilh the accompanying circular from
which you can judge how much truth there Is IN that
statement.
Your c5rrespondent further SAYS: " These maps and
circulars are stored IN the Of the
mlttee named and distributed aud mailed
therefr0n." II your representative would come
TO me- ] would show him 5000 copies Of my
maps In my 40 455 est, uOrtnwcst, where they
are stored and show him how every morning take
der my arm feeu or twenty OF them 20 my committee
room 10 about that average OF letters receive
every day concerning these lands The flourish Of your
the House OF Representatives being used by the clerk OF
the committee promote scheme which the President
and constitutional advisers nave declared unlGw-
fu" loses much force wDen It appears that what
ever responsibility there is IN treating with contempt
the course or the Administration IN THIS alr must rest
alone upon the subscriber ] regret 10 say that my
friend. Colonel Gmtcr the chairman OF the COmUttee
ON Private Land Claims, does not agree with me upon
the questions or INDIAN Territory OrDulzauon hope
II any hard aEd harsh things are 20 Dr. s IN your our
concentrated upou me- for Colonel Guutcr IN the
remoest degree Responsible ior tuem Respectfully,
Washington. May g. lsI9 l.. T. boUDiSoE
Colonel BJudiuOt uses many words to darken
counsel. THE TRIBUNE's correspondent stated that
he had been for years active in behalf Of the rail-
roads which are trying to dspossess the civilized
tribes Of their lands He confesses and avoids by
saving that he has been active il trying 10 secure
the division of the lands to the Indians in severaty
Precisely that is exactly the way the thing is to be
done. The railroad grants of land become opera
tive as soon as the present Indian title IS ex-
tlaguished. That title consists IN patent issued
by the United states TO the tribes as such, aud
would bo extinguished when the tribal orgauiza-
ton is broken up as it would be by the division OF
the lands in seyeralty. The railroad companies
have never advocated taxing the lands away
from tho Indians, but have for year, kept
lobby agents il Washington, Of whom Colonel
B3udinot has been reputed TO be one, TO advocate
the division Of the lands among tue Indians IN
seycraltv Colonel Boudnot has been working
since 1878. il not for longer period, in the in
terpst of the railroad companies; and 1t has been
common rumor thar he has been IN their pay. There
is also authority for the statement that he visited
Europe il 1875 under an appointment OF the rail-
roads in IN effort 10 induce the foreign Dondholders
TO contribute to q movement to carry the Oklahoma
bill through COngress.-LdI
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