Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-01-14


execute tho deeds for The lands.
with the exception of the Osage,
If the money had been sufficient
amount TO make tho land 81 25 per
acre. We reported the matter to
the national council, special ses-
sion in May 1883 and they gave us
the authority and directed us to
execute the deeds and accepted the
money. The deeds were executed
according to our instructions and
the appropriation of S3OO. 900
March 3rd, 1888 was set for con
sidoration on each and every deed.
The Usage lands was paid for i'm
full in 1872. So far as the Usage,
lands were concerned the $500, 900
was bonus, for the lands had bncn
paid for in full.
Ques. Was there ever an ap-
praiscmcnt of the lands west of the
Arkansas river2
Ans. There was an arbitrary ap-
praiscment under an act Of con-
gress in 1872, not authorized by
the treaty of 1866. The lands
were appraised varying from II 10
cents per acre to 81 10 cents per
acre, making an average of Al IA,
then after that the president raised
the price to AZ. 40 cents. The Paw
nee lands were appraised at 63
cents and was raised TO 10 cents by
the president.
Ques. What de you understand
from the reading of the $500, ,0O0.0 90
appropriation; was II due under
appraisement?
Ans. ! don't understand that
was called to give my opinion as
to the construction of the law. You
have. the law before you. ?
Ques. How do you account for
what the secretary Of interior says
when liz answer to senate resolu-
tion dated December %, 1884, ask
ing for information on the subject
when he says, "The money was
on account Of all the lands Of the
| Cherokees west Of the Arkansas
river2
Ans. l had no connection with
the shaping of the letter nor the
inquiry contained in the resolu-
tion and consequently / don't
know what actlated it, but I do
know that the statement is in con-
flict with the act of March 3, 1888,
rs we'll as the terms of the deeds
executed under that act and
know further that the letter you
refer to was submitted in the cattle
lease investigation, the design of
which seemed to be to wrest the
land from the Cherokee nation.
by E. G. Boudinot as part of his
statement. Because instead of
making the entire appropriation as
recommended by the secretary,
there was an amendment offered TO
Senator Dawes for the appropria-
ton of 100000 which was sent
down to the secretary of interior
by Senator Dawes as well as / re-
member asking his views on the
matter and in reply the secretary
addressed letter to the chairman
of the senate appropriation COM
mittee, the wording of which l
can't remember exactly, but was
something to this effect, but il the
view expressed in department let
ter of January 18th when l recon-
mend a sum sufficient TO pay for
the whole tract of land west of 9G
then | have to say tho appropria-
ton of the sum of $500 900 in ad-
dition to amount already paid the
| Cherokee nation is not deemed to
be in excess of the value of the
lands occupied. But if q PROPOSE.
ton of that kind had been submit.
ted we could only have submitted
it to our national council, with that
view understood the last clause
But we were specifically instructed
to accept not less than s1.25 fol
the occupied lands.
Ques. You say the secretary in.
tended that probably the govern.
ment might pay for the whole
amount of land and recognizing the
fact that we could not accept the
money if rendered as for the whole
bulk Of land. i will ask this, dc
you not consider the appropriation
bill of March 3rd, 1888 as such O
proposition?
Ans. No, 1 do not, l have a
letter of the secretary Of January
18th which contains recommen-
dation for an appropriation sufii-
cient to pay the Cherokee nation for
the whole body in question that let
ter was addressed TO congress; but
seemed not acceptable to congress.
The letters quoted we give in
brief.
On the 9TH of January, 1888,
Messrs. Wolfe, Ross and Phillips
addressed letter to Secretary II.
NJ. Teller, which reads:
Having received full authority
from the Legislature Of the Cherokee
nation TO dispose of our lands west
Of 96o and convey in trust TO the
United States and being specifically y
required to adjust accounts fol
tracts already occupied, copy o.
which we transmit, we submit the
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