Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-12-19
CHEROKEE NATION TURNED DOWN.
We are Knocked out for 81 iii, ,2S4.7O
BY the AttOrneY General.
A Washington dispatch of the


A Washington dispatch of the
18th, says:
The Indian lobby. which has
some Missouri qualifications, has
sustained a disagreeabie shock. A
claim for 81 Ill ,2S4 20, on which
the lobby seemed TO have a cinch
last year, has been tied up by the
new attorney general in a way that
causes great grief. Two or three
years since the lobby obtained the
insertion in an otherwise straight
forward bill of a provision for an
investigation Of the long standing
accounts between the United States
and the Cherokee nation. None
of the statesmen of the period saw
anything unusual in this provis-
ion. The provision went through
without question. The United
States acts as banker for these
nations" and it is not extra
ordinary for the Indians to come
in and want TO know just how they
stand. The lobby has longer
memory than congress has. When
the law reached the interior de-
partment subordinate officials were
put to work on the accounts he
tween the government and this
tribe. To the astonishment of
everybody except the lobby, the
officials of the interior reported
that they found to be due the Cher
okees the sum mentioned above,
81 III, 2S4 20. They made a re-
port to the effect that the reason
this debt had not been known
before was thar it chad been i'm
properly charged to the treaty
fund" They explained that it
was "the amount paid for the re-
moval of the eastern Cherokees to
the Indian Territory" fifty years
ago, and charged against the Cher
okee nations account without
right.
Here was the testimony of the
interior officials that the United
States owed this money. 1t was a
confession of judgment. The
white Indian lobby blandly pro-
posed that immediate payment be
made. The economists of the
house were astounded. They had !
no defense. Partly to gain time,
partly in the forlorn hope that
there might be a mistake some
where, Mr.. Dockery, of Missouri,
got into an appropriation bill a
provision calling on the attorney |
general for report as to the le-
gality of the claim before il should |
be paid. Mr.. Harmon has sent
his report to congress. He knocks
out the lobby completely. Trea-
ties and laws are quoted TO show
that the amount, the bulk of it at
least, has been properly charged
against the treaty fund. Mr.. Har-
mon reviews the series of the
transactions. He finds that the
United States owes the Cherokees
one Item of $50 2S; another item
of s3400 for land to be added to the
principal of the school fund, and
a third item of $40, 406.25, which
was Choctaw money taken for the
relief of the loyal Cherokees dur
ing the war, and improperly
charged against the Cherokee ma
ton. This is all. according to Mr..
Harmon, that the United States
owes the Cherokecf on the old ac-
counts.
"This claim" says Mr.. Har-
mon, sis based chiefly on the use
Of the word properly The U. S.
agreed to make iair and just set
tlement of all moneys due the
under the treaty of
1885, which said settlement shall
exhibit all money properly ex-
pended under said treaty. II /.
more was intended than a .
mere reiteratiOn of the obligations /.
Of the treaty OF 1885, without any !.
attempt to settle its disputed con-
;huction, it is difficult 10 imagine
any occasion for the treaty. The
language which follows that Just =
quoted removes all doubt viz, and
shall embrace all sums paid for
improvements. ferries, spoliations,
removal and subsistence, etc. Ger !
ain purposes for which it was
agreed that money had been prop
srly expended under said treaty
are here recited, and that OF remov-
Al is one OF them.
1t was to the Indian lobby like
up 81, III, ,2S4.70 when the
interior officials reported. 1t will
be to the Indian lobby like losing
81, III ,2S4 20 when the Attorney
Geparol', End;n, ;s l,oo,,-.