Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-01-07

Was dlfrufsfdi uY tlft consent q
, the United States government L
B accept deeds for The occupied tract
from lhe Cherokee nation, by lh
j $4,000 written a. a consideration
on The face nl each deed and By
J the statement of the secretary anl
{ bis assistant attorney general ,whel
: the deeds were executed, that no
ono acre more Of Cherokee land
would be attained By the unilel
States government, but By otierinI
tho nation O sufficient amount o
money % execute deeds
Ques sihero any record In ihl
Office Of the department OF the in
terror sustaining lhe opinion tha
the $500, ,OQO Of The act Of March 8
1883, was upon a re-appraisemen
Of the occupied lands; II so wha
are they2
Ans. There never was an ap'
praisement Of these lands at all.
Quos, Whatisyour understand
ing Of the language Of the secretary
Of the interior when he says In i
statement, "all the lands,n in re-.
sponse to a resolution from the u
s. senate, asking for information
on the subject
Ans. My answer Is, that he
made no such statement.
Statement Of Mr.. l.. B Bell:
| was a delegate in Washington,
representing the Cherokee nation
in the year 1884. During the ses-
sion Of congress, we were instruct
ed TO make application for a detail.
ed statement OF the accounts Of the
Cherokee nation with the govern
ment Of the United States. That
statement was TO show an account
Of all moneys received from the
government on any account what
ever under the several treaties,
together with an account of all
moleys paid to any OF the citizens
Of the Cherokee nation under said
treaties, the time when paid and
from what source derived. We,my-
self and j. &. Scrimsher, delegates,
submitted a certified copy Of our
instructions and asked for the stat
ment that tho instructions required
Of us. The secretary informed us
that it would take from six to eight
months for an extra clerk to make
the statement, but referred me TO a
report made by the department Of
the interior in obedience to an or
der from the court of claims in the
matter Of the North Carolina Cher
okees against the Cherokee nation,
which report showed in detail the
funds Of the Cherokee nation, to-
gether with a detailed statement Of
the lands disposed of undor the
treaty Of 1866, and price at which
they were taken by the government
together with tho amount of funds
advanced by the government on
lands Of the Cherokee nation west
of the Arkansas river.
The summing up showed bal
ance Of 1884 900 or thereabout,
against the Cherokee nation on ac-
count Of land. | made no further
effort to gain information on the
matter. | directed the attorney
for the Cherokee nation to ask
through the court of claims, in the
matter Of the North Carolina Cher
okee suit for the statement we were
required TO get. We never got any
additional information. recog-
nize Doc. /, 4S2, that is Doc. 10, as
substantially stating the condition |
Of lands west Of the Arkansas riy-
er, as shown by the information de-
rived from the secretary Of the in |
terror, in 1884. / fully believe the |
$500, 600 appropriated March 3, |
1888, was intended as an advance |
ment on all lands west Of the Ar
kansas river. / arrive at this con-
clusion from the act itself and the
placed upon ii by the
officers Of the United States govern
ment.
D. W. Bushyhead's statement.
! have seen the appropriation
net Of March 3, 1883, appropriating
My construction of the
act is, that it was a final settlement
for the occupied lands. The as
sistant attorney general, is the
legal adviser Of the secretary Of the
interior; the deeds were made out
IN his office where they were com
pleted ready to sign our names.
asked him how can the United
States get the balance Of the unoc-
,upied lands. His answer was that
here are two ways, one by purchase
md the other by force, and that
orce was not the thing to be taken
nto consideration. The question
vas asked in the presence Of the
delegation and Col. Phillips.
Ques. Was your attention ever
Iirected to the danger Of the United
itates authorities some time claim
ng that the money was an addi-
ional payment on all lands ives.
f 96 degrees2
Ans. At the special session of
he national council in 1888, there
fas a difference ofopinion express
d, but my own opinion was, that
nder the treaties was the only
'ay the government Of the United
tates could occupy these lands,
nd so stated in my message to the
ahonal council. Ny position was
ken in accordance with the trea-
es and instruction TO the delega-
on.
Ques. You understand that the
Of the interior under
ands the true condition Of these
nds2 I
Ans. lie is a clear headed law !
ar generally.
Ques. In answer 10 a senate res
ution Of Dec. q, 1884, Mr. Teller