Year: 1872

an Old Cherokee Highlander.


MUsKoGEE, ]. T.. July "a, 1872.


The subcommittee deputed ny the House Com
mittee on Indian Affairs to conduct certain invest
cations in this Territory closed up Its business
here to-day, with the exception OF making per-
sonal examination and estimate OF o large tract Of
land belonging to the Cherokees, lying west Of the
nnety-syth degree of longitude, and which is to be
ceded back to the United States government for the
use Of the Osages and other Indian tribes, most OF
them being warlike and predatory.


These are the lands In respect Of which Mr.. 8. 8.
Smoot, OF Washington had made contract for the
extraordinary contingent fee detailed In my last
letter from Fort Gibson, anl which, II the contract
were carried out, would net that aspiring lob
byist an amount ranging between 100000
and $3,0O0Ooo. Two Of the delegates who
made that contract with Smoot were examined to-
day before the committee their testimony being
to the effect that, having had reason to dread that
the price Of the lands would be graded down to
something like twenty-five cents an acre, they were
willing to make the most liberal terms with any
one who had influence enough to secure fair price
for them and to effect reconsideration OF the
award already made, fixing fifty cents an acre as
the price Of that portion Of them assigned to the
Osages, which Is by far the most valuable portions
that SmOOt was indicated to them as q most sue
cessnl lobbyists that on the prestige which he en-
joyed and on his assurance that he had large
circle of most influential friends, who would also
require pay for their services, they had entered
into this contract with him; that he had already
obtained for them the reconsideration of the de-
csiOn in the Usage matter, and that they
knew nothing and cared nothing Of the means
which he employed so long as those means were
effectual. They had even been led to believe that
the visit Of the subcommittee to the lands in ques
ton WAS step in that direction brought about
through the influence Of the all-powerfu Smoot.
The indignation Of the committee at finding its off,
cial action thus made use Of by an INSCRIPTIONS
lobbyist may well be imagined. The trip came
near being abandoned altogether; but cooler
counsels preyailed, and Messrs. ShanKs Burdett
and Smith set or this evening for the lands lying
west Of the nine ty-sxth degree.


FAIR PLAY FOR THE INDIANS.


The committee has been now four weeks in this
Territory, has taken large mass of testimony and
has gained an insight into Indian affairs which II
never conld have attained without personal visit
From all that l have seen and heard l am
led to believe that the most elfectual
measures will be adopted for the cancellation
of the Smoot and Latrobe contracts, aud, If pos
sbc to compel the restitution to the Indians OF the
immense sums out Of which they have been de-
proceedings were instituted against some OF the
parties for being engaged in conspiracy to rob.
to the old ''Champerty" law in England which
makes 1t criminal for lawyer TO prosecute actions
for q contingent fee. Such o law would break up
the swarms OF claim agents who now roost in the
neighbOrho0d OF the departments at Washington
and would save the National Treasury the millions
Of which 1t is annually delrauded by the operations


THE IsDIAN's AVERSION TO WORK.


believe that referred In one of my previous
letters to the remarkable rarity OF Indians in this
Territory, which IS exclusively reserved for them.
Along the line Of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas
railroad stations are established and places Of
business and accommodation opened, the people
around are all white, having their right Of domice
either as licensed traders, employees of the rail-
road company, as persons necessarily connected |
with the transaction of railroad business or as
citizens of the Indian nation from having married
Indian wives. Where the road is still in process |
OF construction there are to be seen, in suitable To-
lures or large canvas tents for the accommo1a- |
of the hundreds OF mechanics, laborers and oncias
These are moved from week to week,
according as the gangs Of men are moved |
Of the indian occasonay an odd one applies
and gets work as laborcr, but he generally drops
o neE ty9 thoroughly assustea St a,S.a with
and persistent toll. The railroad men say that the
Indian is natural born aristocrat, and desptses |
w he Would ara rather an mSrHa
sented to them by the construction Of TIPS railroad


line, they Go not take any advantage OF the chances



have to be brought from Texas, Kansas and Mis-. |
souri,.


RAILROAD EMPLOYEES.


The teams employed In the work are also from
these states; but the bulk OF the men are foreign
ers, principally Irish and Swiss Their wages are
IRON So TO 81 so q day; and men who own their
teams get So saw In Kansas paper the other
day an advertisement or 500 more men and
teams at those rates. There are already from
eighteen hundred to two thousand men at work,
but the company Is straining every nerve to have
the road in operation as lar as the Red River by
October next, so as to command the next Winter
trade of Texas am told that there has been very
little sickness among the railroad hands since they
have come into this Territory, and can very well
believe 1t. this region Is remarkably healthy and
well watered.


THE INDIAN TERRITORY.


doubt whether any other portion OF this broad
land can present such beautiful, rich, magnificent
region Of country as that assigned TO the Indians.
1t is no wonder, therefore, that there Is so much
anxiety manifested In the neighboring States to
have the Indian title extinguisned and the Terri
tory opened to public settlement. Large numbers
OF people from Missouri ana Kansas, not content
TO walt for Congressional action in the matter,
have already crossed the border put up rude
log cabins and planted and fenced corn fields, cal
culating to obtain squatter rights In this way; but
for the most part these enterprsing American Cit
izens have only come to loss and trouble and either
have been or are being expelled from the Territory
intruders the troops at Fort Gibson having bcen
sent there principally for that purpose.


INDIAN OR AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP.


What will be the policy OF the United states gov
crnment In that respectf That is the question