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k>* mii( witlioul your knowlsdg# and ftontnrrtn**,
tie utstttr liow cogent thsir reasons might bnva
t»«sn; believing that it would be used for specula-
five purposes, an I firmly believe that an YY’ood-
xvard’s object in requesting the list.
1 hope, air, that you will consider the foregoing a
sufficient apology for permitting the list to be taken
•ut of the office.
I am, sir. your obedient servant mid friend.
JAM Lb LEONARD
* Litter—so. 3.
h*i*isitions of tht citizens of Macon county.
Tuskeoeb, May Vth, l&3d.
Mmor Thomas J. Abbott: p,
BIR—We, the undersigned cili/en* of Macon
•aunty, induced l»v thediaturlmnces which recently
have taken place In the lower part of the Creek Na
tion, and the unfriendly symptoms evinced by the
Creeks there, having Imd n conversation with some
•f the company speculating on Indian reserves, the
same being also contractors to tetnove or take off
the Creek Indian tribe by emigration, and in that
••nveriation having informed them that the Indians
• •!’ this District were for the most part so far as wc
••uld learn, desirous and even anxious to emigrate
Immediately to Arkansas, hut were kept from so do
ing, and detained here by the unsettled state of their
awiirs, and more particularly of their lands, Dinner-
•us complaints having been made hy them of hav
ing in tht matter of the sale of them been persona
ted fraudulently hy others, and of having never
themselves alienated «r conveyed them, and being
made to underatatid hy said purchasers of Indian
lands, and also contractors, that if they could pro
cure a cepy of the complaints that had been made
before Dr. M’llenry and Col. llognn in the Land
District of snid M’llenry, marked for'reversal ant!
already reported on, they believed they could com
promise and s ttle with the complainants, anti then
smnudiauly remove them. YVe hate,inconsequence,
called upon you with a view of procuring such a
eapy, undersfamling that a schedule of these
I. Ciena, n . uud iunuechutelj I saittbiuid to i suures tow aid personal or poliucnhlistiuctiuti. Tot i peavhed eases, witli the grounds of eomplaiut, be
retary at War, a direst charge against you, J | am informed that at a very early stage of the inves- j lore he made out hie report,—This promts# he ho®
tigation of Indian contracts, and even before he had ■ not redeemed ; although for one, I applied to Inin by
commenced, he did remark to Gen. Woodward in letter, and also by agent, ut his office in Tuske-
substniice, that "there were ssvcral persons about 1 gee.
Columbus that he would lie glad to pass by unnoti- | Hut it is believed that the contract* in this district
ceil; but as for Gen. McDotignlilnnu Judge .Shorter, ; are placed beyond the reach ofCol llognn ; lor in
he would be dumiied if he did not intend to u*e ! connection with much othef evidence, it is in proof
them." Upon receiving this information, l felt
any other man would feel under the same circuit!
dec ide upon my right*. His subsequent course to
ward me upon all occasions down to the present ino- j
Jamas ft.
the ftesrstary _ - i
for having certified the case of llo-mar-ho-du, who tigation of Indian contracts, and
was located upon W. 32, 14, 23, and that the recer
tification was in favor of A. .Seals At Co. The
morning alter my letter had been sent to the War
Department, in conversing with Mr. J. A. Hudson
upon the subject, he stated that I must certainly
have been misinformed, for that you had been appli
ed to and urged to re-certify, another case of the
character, that you had refused to do so,and had de
clared that you never had re-certified sueli a con
tract. I immediately sought an interview with each
of my informants and the following was the result,
Richardson did not are, nor did lie Amur, that the
contract had been rc-ccrtified—he was prevent at ( j o
the investigation and saw the contract reversed—that , whom I resided, nndjiy whom I am West known, 1
he w as so vexed and disgusted that lie left the square J hnveheen ready at all times, and am yet ready
and was afterw ards informed that the land had been |>j ( l Col. Hogan defiance, or to give him full i
re-sold nod re-certified—and in the re-certification, I mission logo on and do me nil the harm of which lie
tfiat you stated publicly that you did not know that j i*cnpable, either by means just or unjust— honora-
you ware authorised to act, and gave notice that hy | hie ( ,r dishonorable—true nr false. 1 have by no
acting you were not to be considered ns inclining act provoked his wrath, and am very sure that 1 shall
any manner of responsibility. Neevcs says he did j never implore his mercy.
n°t nn.l doe. not knot' of Hit re-ecriilirttlin.i- j r „, prftrm i a j,,„if v hi, Ini, Minrk upon
I hnl I|« wn.nn* of the firm o A Son .A Co.-thM , HnSi-nikit.* to .lit.w llint fraud* hnv, I,eon
il.cy informed him tl.at the laud had boon rr-piir- ] prnrli ; p( ||„ |1nn | n ,|, sn , ln , llP ,„le ofihcir land.--
i that in those frauds I largely parlicipattfd—that such
te.pi
i hie by Benj. Marshall, that he was the
for (Jen. Hanford upon the certification id
most, if not all tht laud, will b« swept that is worth s
notice. I hu\e the agent’s promise, to meet us at
any place of our nppohitment on the Monday after
wards, and to obtain this, I have had to interest an
other man ill our company; so far as regards Mr*
Henry's district I am to give him one eighth part. It
is unnecessary to mention names ; the tiling
necessary, and was therefore dune.” I poo so i
t much
stances—exceedingly tin willing to have such u Judge. contracts— that he very generally knew the Indians
of that district per*oiialfy—that lie knew of no frauds,
I did not helitve that any had been committed.
funned by several members of the firm of A.
A Co. that the land teas resold and re-certified. Li tid
ing upon this close ami particular re-ex a mi nation,
that the proof was deficient. I, the tame day. wrote
again to the Secretary of War, stating the facts ape- i
far ns I could learn, has been marked by i Paddy Carr oImi proves that w hen Marshall was
the spirit of hia threat nt the outset ; but relying up- absent, he acted as interpreter—that he knew tlielu-
the justice of the intelligent community among dians personally—that no fiaud was piactised.
10m I resided, and J>y whom I am best Known,! ! The great mass of evidence as to the fairness of
I have been ready nt all times, and am yet ready to the business in tliis district, will not he uprooted or
I i.;.i r*,.i iin.,nn.i.A n .,n<i '» *••«« 6dl I M ||,| k»» |) |,y any one-sided c x«mi nation and recs nt re
port, though made by Col. Ilugun.
Col, Hogan has involved himself in a singular
difficulty. He locates the frauds in one district, and
the war originates in uiiother.—The frauds, he says
caused the war, and yetllic Indians defrauded, re
main at peace, and those not defrauded tire warlike.
This is a difficulty of Col. Ho gan s own creation,
and l must leave him to to get out of it os best he
may.
Col. llognn liasobtaincd the copy of a letter, sup
posed to have be/j/MVMtlen by myself, to K. Cooley
A Co. which lie lias published with nine It ilcligt and
evident exultation. lie effects to think it needs no
comment. Imt must nt once seal my condemnation.
The publication of this letter gives rise to several
chased mid re-certified, uud called upon nnd rc<
I.im hi. |,rm.«rlion ,.f ill, pnrrlm.o mmi.-y. | rrnU(ia - |rrltntcd «„»»•..«(! the piuwimis of lliH In-
Olem. »ny» ll.M he did not „r nml.lor. imt kttntt , | ( j llI9 „.|; ,<rnve them to tt.ke op arm.
tlrntthe re-r ertifieetion hn.l hero mnrfe—Imt wnrfiri- ,, 1C w |,i lp ,. 1 Thc ohjeel of this effort iit.m
‘ ** 1 *“ “-I.—•• **C - ..Ij.mnnti. iln.lltl Col IhlflM
ta |)*r.b>.. all w» evwld (ram tk, rmU w
»«r« willing fur tht oili.ra to joiu u. if tbV. 7koi.
would come sod help; to do.., we h.J piVp.rtd
of money; the ten duller, in the .tortwV,. oouoUm!
loll price putd for the leud, but each Indian abould »
ccivo “ ten dollar, in the .tore.” We wi.h.,1. .
ch ur of our *ond., and the object w«. to induct!/.fi!
Iliduin, nan part of the trade, to “ recei.e ten dollar, in
the store, the hulaut e of course he was to rcceirs
money,plenty ol which had hren prepared. ThVtli*
mis were to be drilled that is, told .nd made to know
remember uml repent thc contract to the e„si,t_.„,p
permit other inlcri.retcrs or purchasers to make them
violate their agreements. To show clearly tli.f p,!™
» us no lotcntion so rubHilnlr or prrruunti Indian. .VI
that my ohjoct was to deal only with the true
ones, will most clearly appear by the rerv next
111 the letter : “ lie mire to briny two did wmi,.. i.
should lie the two old women,) and if yuu possibly
be sure to brills Tel-lar-bar, an old woman »f Thob-lll
.. ccs-towtij who IS the mother, or mother-in-law of job.
nnd expensive to chitv them so fur, it wndviry do- t Hood uii interpreter who wy. killed last year.” Now
alilo to tnko them to sonic more convenient place. I u l"’" reference to tite roll ol the Im-nfiun. forThob-loa.
-,w e* -
iible to yet it, so particular w ns I to hare ihertrkt
son, tlint I gay« ns full a description of heraa 1 pos.tbly
could Had my object been to personate her, anoth.r
eld Indian woman would bays dona ns wall. Hurele
Col. Hoenndid not mark well Uiinporlof my l'etn, r
'■* “” u, < 1 l |nv0 "ten that of itself it is a full refutation of
of tlm Idler only one explanation is neccssaiy
This occurred when Dr. Mcilunrv was only hound
to attend to the office one week in four, and recei
ved a per diem nay accordingly. He had the pow
er, but was under no obligation to act at any other
time.— lie w a* therefore in the habit, for the uccoiii-
inodntiou of purchasers and Indians, ofgoing at other
times to different parts of his district to certify con
tracts, hut for doing so he demanded atid received
pay. Our Indians resided at a considerable dis
tance from the agency ; and an it was both difficult
the application to the agent myself, because upon
previous occasions, I thought lie had not treated
me well, and therefore interested another person
with me, w ho was supposed to have more innuetire
with the agent, and through him made (he arrange
ment. 1 might possibly have done the same had! ! J*
applied in person. With tint sixty ,'ontracta “taken i his whole attack upon me.
1 . . . . i \\ e now come in flip In**
ring hi
,, , c miL tun round ol' investigations
in-, my belief Of n niisrepresenlalmo by »”">«"( i „„pot n ,m„ it became important f
the bra! ol A. Seal. *■ <- «”<l Hint I loll U my fiu- ||i|n |(J fi|1(1
out some oilier excuse for the
lllin i y I Ctl H« t H J l<. «>ul ilia earn.,
plain to admit of n moment's doubt,
himsell'very generally believed to have been instru
mental in producing the war—not designedly, blit
that It naturally grew out ofhii* course «f policy du- j curious enquiries ; audit i* possible that in this in
i. To relieve* him- stanre Col. llognn tnny have intrigued too deeply
{is i
honorable man, promjn!} |0 I'Ctmct
and
charge against you. The letter making the charge j
was written one dny, and the letter explaining nnd
retracting it written the next day, and nil about the
time of drafting the letter first herein mentioned.
Thus, sir, I hope you will poireive that u hilst 1 hnv
plaints was in your possession, in order, that hy fur- 1 been and am determined to maintain
niahing ihe gentlemen ulluded to, with the same,
there might no longer he any specious or good as
signable cause on this account, for their delay in
tht emigration of these Indians, or the subsequent
Attention of them. «
Tour sotnpliauee will oblige, eery respectfully,
▼••rs, #«.
JAM EH HOWARD,
JOSEPH V. CLOUGH,
JOHN riNCK.MID,
C. G. HUSH.
WILLIAM PI PICKARD,
MOSES PEARSON,
JACOB HEGREST,
W. I*. MEKKIWEATHER,
J DRAKEFORD.
tntren—yo. 4.
Affidavit of J amt $ Leonard.
State of Alabama, .Montgomery county.
Personally appeared before me, Robert Parkgr, a
justice of the peace for said county, James Leonard,
who, being duly sworn, deposeth anil saith that he
has been engaged in the Creek Nation for several
months past, ns an nssixtnnt of Col. John B. llognn,
who has been charged with the investigation ol the
frauds committed on the Creek Indians, in the sale
sf their reservations : that about the Inst of April,
Col. John B. llognn, left Tuskegee, where he had
established an office far more convenience, and
went to Mobile, to attend, as lie snid, the district
court; nnd that about thc 8lli iust. this deponent be
ing in said office, General Thomas H. Woodward,
who is one of tho emigrating contractors, came into
said office in company with Alai. Thomas J. Abbott,
who is the certifying agent for this part of thc Creek
Nation. Major Abbott exhibited to Woodward a
copy of n letter he hail written making n report of
his late visit to Fort Mitchell—some conversation
commenced between them, when Woodward re
marked that he, as a friend, iwlvissd said Abbott to
immediately quit that section of flic* country, that
the Indiuus wanted no agents there ; that they were
ablo and capable of attending to their own affairs,
nnd that thc Chiefs Imd said so to Captain Page.
Major Abbott replied that he should not quit his post,
that his conscience acquitted him of all harm, and
he should not go, and take his advice. Woodward
went on to sny that aa to Col. llognn, lie, Wood
ward, and Hogan could not remain in one town or
the sniuo place together.
This deponent says that nltlinugh tho language
here used inav not he the exact words used hy snid
Woodward, ihe substance of his remarks are cor
rectly nnd justly stated, and that ho thinks die name
of Cant. Page was the officer mentioned that re
ceived from the Indians, tho information that they
wanted no Government Agents in the Creek Nation.
JAM EH LEONARD
ft worn to, nnd subset ihrd before me, at office till*
36th May, IMO.
ROBERT PARKER, j r.
r.Rrruii—so. ft.
1 linie the power, I linvr
been and i
\ n rights
to cast (lie responsibility upon some other parties;
no mutter wit* imierctl »<> 'I' 1 ' 1 c * rn l lc<1 '
|irr.riv«tion with him •llmteil I*" "th*r con.uler.-
lions.
I regard the discuvsion of the question as to the
cause or origin of the war at lit is time ns peculiarly
unfortunate. Hofar as Georgia and Alabama are
and afforded evidence of w hat has been before sits
peeled, hut not known, to bn true. ||o\\ mine ibis
letter in the possession of Col. Hogan? From whom
did lie obtain it ? \V'lint art did lie use in its attain
ment ? If genuine, it was evidently a private and
Confidential commnnifatiun from one copartner to
another in regard to their business, and could not
have found i s way into the bands of Col. llognn
hut hy means the most unworthy and corrupt. The
matter, stand upon the
• design to injur
, , ....... . , . |t ..i,c«t„c.l,iti..iiff.cienl/.»rr/.ej.r«rnJ,lliM war in I .loer ond the receiver, in iht
ncn.imlo.i.ly reftnnlful <;f the ri K hl.nf oilier.. A. | I n |.nnlli,i K form doe. exist— Mine unenviable lot cl. II
the letter fil.t mentioned i. known to ym, I foil H ,| |M ln ,„y ofonr people (men. women,nod children) - deep .ml dead!-, thnl no me
dt.e, no less to yotMltnn my.ell.hut Him you should , h , l( J,, l.otcL.icd-Ihul hundred, hue
be put in possession of the trhole farts precisely ns i
the? exist
Xe.peetf., Hr, your obedient servant.
ELI ft. SHORTER.
through,'' the four hundred Indians hid out round
the hill, and the many persons left at the agency, 1
had no kind of interest or concern with. I went to
We now conic to the last sentence in the letter* “ Th*
w hole show w ill he up in n few weeks from this tims
mid nil the Indians w ho <!• not sell will lose their lamia
means are to he left mm- meet you <
, , .,i.i , i* a plain declaration of opinion—that the India**
the agency onl y to arrange a tunc nnd. place for do j ought to be urged to sell their loud* ; that we oucht io
iug otirown bnaiucss, and to report the result to the j i«i«» »»«*im»» . >n .i .i.~ h u
eom|inny. The letter proceeds, “Now if ice are to
do any thing,” (mark, up to the 1st of March ire had i
done nothing,)“ you most instantly upon reading this 1
letter, lay all other business aside, nnd gather tip as |
many Indians whoean be depended upon as possi
ble, and Corby or Craven and one of the Gmuons !
must come on with them toward the agency in j
Clutiiibeis. 'I'lie others with the other Grcisnus
must remain hrhiiid, nudcollect and come on with
another company.—When you get within five orten
miles of the agency, stop where you ran get water
and provisions, and send n messenger to us nt the
agency, to let us know where you arc, anil we will
nnvcu. cn oo,mn. m ...... been sed t.i insure if.^-I have no ropy of vnriouslet-
ruined—thousands essentially injured.and the whole ten written hy myself to E. Cooley A Co. in regard
unday morning with tit agent and
excited niul convulsed to its very centre. , to our business
not able therefore to
f q I troubled waves.i
from the honorable Lli S. Shorter, addreafrd to John I . U J*,’If.
At such a time eve iy man of any influence,' instead whether the one published he truly copied or not ;
of adding fuel to the lire, should pour oil upon the , hut it has evidently passed thiough hands vile en-
Scott—E. Corley, and M. M. iV S. II. Craten— j
Tallapoosa. i
Columbus. March l, I83fi. i
Gentlemen—I have just returned from Dr. M'llen- '
ry’s—when there, Varga sold and certified his land
to Dr Billingslea for six thousand dollars, nnd then
gave back three thousand dollars of the money, nnd J
took h bond for the occupancy of the land w est id j
the liver. I left at thc agency llaxdenaml his sou, }
Gcii. Woodward, Stone, M'Brydo and (Jollius, the
whole Columbus rompanv, and ii host of others,
with, I firmly believe, four hundred Indians hid out i
all around the hill. Certifications commenced late j
yesterday morning, nnd about sixty were taken)
through. The agent will he at home certifying the j
wlioluof next week, mid in that time most it* not nil !
of the land will lie swept that is worth notice, f
have the agent's promise to meet us at any place of j
our appointment on the Mondny afterwards, nnd lo ]
obtain this, I have had to interest another man in
nur company, so far ns it regards M'llenry’sdistriet
—I am to give him one-eighth part. It is unneres-(
snry to mention names—thc thing was necessary
nnd was therefore done.
Now, if we are to do any thing, you must instant-
that the undivided attention, ami
an miglit bt am-
ploved in nrresjiug the evil—subduing the enemy
and restoring peace to a distracted country
(hi* shall have been done, an inquiry
more propriety he instituted into tlif
led to the war. Upon this inquiry, i
When j
itlimiieh
amirs which
far as I am
concerned, I am always ready to enter, tor the. j
reason assigned I would have prefared it* postpone
ment ; hut as Col Hogan will have it note, I yield a
reluctant consent.
| The prime cause of the war yitist he obvious to
I any man who i* at all conversant with tl»« I iat«»ry
I of Indian n flairs for the last ten years in l'.orida. ;
I Georgia, uml Alabama, and who has particularly
' tinted the progress of this business. In nit early ‘
, stage of Gen. Jackson's administration, it was both
! wisely and Immnnelv determined, as soon ns possi- j
I hlc, to remove ihe Heuiiiudes, Creeks, and C it
| kees west of the Mississippi,
was uinde made known to the thr
number in each tribe promptly refused to go, de^Jar
I cd that they never would go, .
j sooner die upon their native soil. r l his lflftgnngc
they have uniformly used since, and yet use. 1 he
| time at length arrived when the Seminolcs were
called upon and required to reftftive, aceording to
| the express teiinsof their trenty ; they were not
ghto make any verbal alteration in tlia trnnseri-
liihg, that would best answer the object in view.
However, as I wish no unnecessary cavilling, so far
as regard* the present controveisy, I will regard the
letter ns truly copied, nnd so discuss it.
The firm of E. Cooley iV Co. consists of F.. Con
ley, F- H. Shorter. J. II*. Shorter. B. F. Snrvrr. J
S. fteott. Upon the disolotiou of the concern, the
•lock of goods on hand was sold out to John 8.
Hroft. and the letters and papers, supposed to he of
no xnine, were left on their files, nnd thus fell into
hi.* hands- Hinre that time Seott has a fleeted, for
somcrause not fully kimwn tome, alleging at dif
ferent onuses, all of wlftrli, however, are untrue in
fact—nnd under cover of sueli excuse*, has associa
ted himself w ith another man w ho is also my ene
my ; niul the two have formed rather n auspicious
acquaintance wit Col. Hogan, and ihe trio have held
a roimscl over the letter in question, nnd \ entitled
This delertninition I ,, |'°n if* piiblidniion. Of those men, I only ask one
(ribe* ; n large ) Favor; it i« To pnlxliwli all the letters wliic li l rxer
...^.ul to go,ilc*Jar- ! " cote to F.. Cooley A Co. or any member of it, in
d dint they would } cegitfd to any hrntirh of their business—and also e-
• very letter whielt I ever wioie to Judge Tnrr.'iNt, the
agent fortluit district, upon the mime subject., if
they would only do this, i should not deem it neces
sary tosnv one word in defence ; for it would then
appear that so fur from advising or cncoiiraginc
/y upon reading this letter, lay all other business j / fiiiulmrdm/ wl.icfi wasrrnn- 1 fra mf, had done all in rnv power, n( any sfnge of the
u.ulo niul Riillirr up ns many Indians who ran l.e ready, and for■ i ihei I a , S h„*inr«». I” prevral if,' or even its ' nppcnrnare
depended on ns pasaihle.aad Corley or Craven, , ««H. So -non “ «'•« «"'«^ "n', c " u.e f.’.r fu^- ! Those Infer, sr. all ,oppressed ; fhev nev'er will ha
one of Ihe l.rn rsons mn». enmo nn w.lh .hen, lo. j 1 ‘ , ' ,- lir ,. 10r cmiM he ! |Kff.nill.d to sec the ligh. of day ; and one Infer n
[Marked Trirate.]
Fm f Mitchell, Alabama, May lflth, 1§36.
Mr. James Leonard :
Dear ftm—YY r s have war and rumors of war with
us. anti all is excitement. T. 8eott and D. Neves
are here kept prUnnrrs, and take my advice, tnv dr. j of land we have received, particularly when
IjCD, snd leave the Nation. The public is much ex- **-*-
oiled toward* Col. Hogan, Abbott and yourself.
Leonard, leave, or you will sec Vickabiirgh eases,
la haste.
Yonr’s truly.
YV.M. J. BEATTIE.
ward* the agency in Chambers. The other with
the other Grierson must remain behind, and colled
and come on with anotherrnriipauv. When you get
within from five to ten miles ol the agency, stop
where you can get water, nnd provisions, nnd send
a messenger to ns at the agency to let us know where
you are and we wifi meet you Monday morning
with tho agent, and proceed to business—X’our mes
senger must reach us on Humlav night. Camp your
Indians out of sight of the road. You need give your
self no trouble about the value of thc In mi, I will ar
range that.
Stealing is the order of the day, and out of the
host of Indians nt the agency, I don’t think there
were (<■* true holders of land.
When I left, there were not more than eighty re
servations left in all Tueknbntchee, they will all go
to.morrow, then will follow Tfiloh-locco—then f\in-
lign — then Onk-fnn-snr-thn—then En faii-ls, mill ill
two-weeks the whole host of Philistine* will he in
your quarter, and rely upon if, they will carry all
before them.
Now Scott may wrap himself in bis Indian blan
ket, and say this is impossible, hut I sat} it is not on
ly possible but certain.
When I sec such men with so few advantage*
tirer delay could lie assigned, no further couM be
permitted; and what was the consequence ? they
went
permitted to sec the light
lone, wliieii unexplained might do me i
i injury, hat
»nr and I as a rmann, not lliiit j het-n aclaciail nml pnl.lislmil without any niln
ll.cy lmd lies' defrnued, hot that they do ioteod j - hnlever to those preeeediop it. Ho. I, trentme
to remove, to ihe first campaign, the Hrininnle-
rvere v'ietora, nod nre vet muster* of the field.
Creeks hud, nnd yet have, the same repngnanea to
removing; they acted in concert with the Semi-
nolcH—they perfectly understood the progress of tho
war in Florida—They were stimulated to the same
deeds of war niul daring ; and ns they saw the dny
for their removal was almost at hand, they determin
ed to redeem their pledge to the Seminolcs, anil ac
cordingly sounded the wnr-whonp. Let the war
with the Creeks result a.* did the campaign in Flor
ida, nnd we may reasonably expect n war of the
sain character with the Cherokocs. 'Flint the war
with tho (.'reeks was inevitable I firmly believe; hut
th.it it may have been hastened in its commence
ment hy other circumstances, is possible nnd even
probable. Thai Col. Hogan has, by bisnets niul po
licy, contributed largely to accelerating the war, I
believe few well informed persons can doubt. The
safest course that could Iihvc been pursued to prc.
vent a war was to hasten emigration. Every Indian
emigrated would so far have reduced the chan
proceeding it. Hurli treatment
about ns fair ns I have any right to expert from such
The ! adversaries.
I have snid, and I now repeat, that Hcntt ami hi*
associate, have formed rather a suspicious nrqunin
proceed to litieinrs. Your messenger must reach
its on Sunday night. Camp your Indians out of sigh
of tilt 1 r°fld. You need give yourselves no troiihl
about the value of the laud—i will arrange all that.” | whence Col.
— Col. Hogan no doubt flattered himself that, with change
a credulous community, he mold induce the h» lief,
that tlii* portion of the letter unexplained, would be
proof of fraud #tf the deepest die. But let ns ex
amine thc matter closely—and see how it was un
derstood between the party writing, and the party
to whom it was writtc
this paragraph, there is either a ninqn
j take in the original draft; lor instead of reading
| “ gather up ns ninny Indians who ran be depended m* ru-nrix
| onna it n-n.l " pnllirr ..|> n* ........
i of our Indians w ho ran be depended mi as possible.
; It w as never intruded bv the writer, or the persons
I to whom the letter was addressed. that anv other In
dians but those i whom we had harg.lined for
j their lands, or w ho had promised to sell to us, should
he brought. The two Groison’s were directed also
1 to lie brought, because they wi re intelligent hnlf-
| In cede, well acquainted with the Indian*, and very
aide to identify each one. Amongst those with
‘ whom we had bargained lor their lands, and those
w ho lind agreed to sell to us, were some w|n» could
not he depended upon—who would go w i111 os at our
expense, nnd sell t•» some other purchaser. Such I
desired not to he brought. I directed the whole
company to be encamped five or ten mih»* lYmii t!i<-
tho agency, out of sight of the road. Tin* w as done
simply to keep them out ol the reach of opposition
nr interference of other purchaser- ami other inter-
peelers—far ninny of rhnn were in thr habit of over*
bidding, nnd doing every qthcr net before n man’s
face to break off’ contracts. I directed no trouble to
he encountered on account of the riilae of tne laud,
nnd promised to attend to that niym If. No contract
could he certified only at the appraised value of the
land. 'Flint appraisement 1 hud already secured,
and therefore there was no necessity for fnrthei
trouble on that account. With this explanation.
Col. Hogan i* welcome to nil the good this part of
the Idler ran do him, niul I will che« rfullv hear nil
lose no time in pun basing; nnd the reason sssicicd
was, that all that did not sell would lose their lands
“ This system bus not been working more than thrsa
weeks, and upwards of 1,000contracts have been cerfi
fied. The stream is getting w ider, deeper soil stronc*
every day. It things nre radically changed, as to mo
ney in *1 slbipnosa, I will furnish fu nils’in pnpar mens*
to certify the Imlnnee; if not, the Indians m»* l*« dis
banded, nnd we will quit the drive, for I will stand tho
past pull no longer; anil if Dr. Scott adopts the rule of
settlement, nt the certified prices, it must be a rood ruU
and shall imply to nil ensrs." • *
In rognril to the operations of other persons,the mint,
her of certifications, the manner of their obtainmest I
again spoke not from my »wu knowledge, hut from ru
mor, nnd it woe nil urged ns n reason for more diligence
in the prosecution of our legitimate hosinese. A chines
nnd n indicut change in our business at Tallapoosa was
neccssM.iv ; wlmt flint change was has hern stated, and
is to be loiinil plainly and forcibly stated in other letters
**' ,1 ‘" r,_l Hogan obtained (he present. If such
ah*, I w ns ready to furnish funds toeoni-
plcfc our business; if not, I would hear (he imposiiiim
longer.
In 9otuo instances lnnd hns been eertifiad at mere thaa
the appraised value. I hdievs-d it to have been done in
consequence of n connection with some other trade with
thc Indian about money ; nnd I insisted that I should be
In the foregoing part of 1 charged only with the' op/.raised ai d not the ees tijied
1 'prices. Thun Imvc I gone through the w hole of the let-
ter, mid have endeavored to picseut in preriselv i), e
sense in w hirli it w ns utideistood hy the pm ties. It provea
t clenrly, that all of my puicl'inses u|i to the first of
i* believed to lie fair, nnd the lends
were then paid for. It urges my copartners to more ac
tivity and diligence in their business, and thinuchout
conic-.ophite* dealing with no Indian hut the rightful ow u .
cr of the laud.
The letter allege* fhnt whilst tee were !x ing idle and
doing nothing, the whole world was in motion— that
whilst wc were getting hut little land, mid that of nn in
ferior quality, mid high prices, others were believed to
be getting much lnnd of the best quality, ami fur n mere
song. That even the land* for which w’e bad bargained
nnd which were promised to an would be lost, unlrss at
once secured.
Situ c thc 1st of March, lt’3f), to the best of my rerol-
l**i turn, there '.him been no tract certified to in Hanford's
district, in which I have any concern whatever; rouse-
nueiitlv h\ the letter in question, all mv contracts ia
ihnl district are good. The cotvtrnct* in Mrllrun's dia
trict. to which I am a party, mid made since that time
ngcl's \ isits, “ few niul fur between;" nor is
nt them hut what ouglit in inv opinion lo b*
like i
tauce with Col. llognn. I will state theta only, I the harm it can lie tnnilo to do me-—But I
getting so much valuable land nt ten dollars per ; **° r n ' va, ’» nn ^ in the event of xvnr, the emigration of
tract, seo how much money irs l.nvo paid out, Ilia 1 l,w,,nn w n.dd a« f,.r l.nve reduced its minor-
poirer we Imxe lind, nnd sec theganliltj and
LETTER—SO (V
From Opot hie Yohoto.
Tuckahnte.liea, Feb. ]4, lA3fi.
Dssn rniKSO—1 hnvo been waiting in anxious
expectation to see you lor some time, but hnvc boon
disappointed. Owing to the many complaint*,
which nro lodged with me daily, from the Chiefs of
the different towns of Judge Tarrant's district, com
pels mo to address you n low lines in behalf of thorn,
to inform you of the frntuU, which are practiced on
them datlv in that district. Y’ou lining tho only
friend nt this time to whom we can look for protec
tion. or in whom we ran confide, compels mo thus
to address you. Tho Chiefs inform me. that the
white people have persuaded nearly all tlioir people
to sell their lands, and alter having had their Innds
certified to, nml received their money, have been
of tliA reason why those things nre so. I can nlinoit
tear my Imir from my head. There is yet time to
do something, hut almost despair of its being done.
If Scott’s Indian wife was at the devil, I should
have some hope. YVe shall go into the strife and
do what vve|e.an—if you will join us well, if not.
well, we have plnnty of money. You need not
come unless von will drill your Indians, and prrpsn
them to receive ten dollars in the store, for evei v con
tract certified. Be sure to bring tiro old tromen, and
if you possibly can. be sure and bring Tnllnt-lutr—
nn old woman of Tholh-loco-town, who t* the
mother, or mother-in-law of John Iteed, an interpre
ter who was killed Inst year.
The whole show will he tip in four weeks ft
Indian xv mild so far have reduced its impor
quality * lance. Col. llognn wits placed in a station where
I think 1 was able essentially to pi *»inotete.migrati«»n, or en
tirely (o defeat it. It was his duty to promote if hy
all the means in his power ; the government expect
ed him to do so, rml the situation of the wltolecoun-
try required it of him. Instead, however, of doing
so, lie eliosa fn use nil bis art, power and influence,
to prevent nnd defeat tire emigration until the v\ hole
buxines* should he remodelled, reorganized,nnd put
upon a footing to suit his own particular views and
interest*. To attain this object, he conducted the in
vestigation* upon a plan so as to indues the Indians
j to believe they had been cheated—to encourage
complaint*, and to delay a final dccission until the
, lime limited betwnen tire government nnd confine
| tors should expire, (nail tliis. Col. llognn trilled
i with the instructions under which he acted
leaving others to draw their own infearcuees
object is not to make charges. Soon after Col. llo- |
gnn was appointed investigation agent; be spent » |
short time nt Fort Mitchell ; nnd whilst there Hcntt i
spent one night at the same place, noil had, ns lie
snid, mm It conversation with Col. llognn ; and
was by him put fully in possession of nil Col. Ho
gnu's views a mi intention*, lie seemed thr next dti) j
quite puffed up and consequential a* well ns in} »te-
rimi*. In a short time then after, Col. Hogan went J
to Mobile, and dining his absence, hi* (Hcotls) i
brother and his aforesaid associate, stationed them-j
selves upon the Ifatehiehiihhit Creek ; nnd ns the j
citizens stated were holdingllnily counsels with the j
. I Indians, advancing the goods and money ; and a* (
• was supposed, and no doubt truly, were instructing
; the Indians foeotnplnin, nnd preparing to re-pur- i
chaee the same Innds. YY’hen they hail had suffi
cient sufficient time to mature their plans, and do;
I their work, Col. Hogan returned, and nnenod his ;
1 investigations amongst those very Indians. A*
miglit have been exported, many cante forw ard,
i complained and denied having sold. It isj-emarka- |
I blr, that most of those complaints were against !
! lands which had been re-purchased by farmers, iin- [
j proved nnd made valuable ; ami that the complain- !
' ing Imlin/ts lived inmtedia.'ely in tho neighborhood,
i some nftitem upon the sains lands—nnd that no one ;
i of them had ever before been known to utter one j
word of complaint or dissatisfaction. On the eon- j
frarr, some of them hid hren known repeatedly
i sny, that fhev had sold (heir lands, ft
s ill he
t, that
ml did
inform Col. Hogan, because I know he t
both surprised nnd chagrined to learn flic fn
this wnsn mere recommendatory course, and
was acted upon upon nor carried out. The I
did not come on as advised ami expected—the
not camped in tire wood* mil of sight of the i
hr agent xvns not again called on to meet, n
not meat the parties—arid all thr business fhev ever
ttnnsae.ted in that district wnsilone in »ho ngeot’s of
fice, in the face of day, ami subject to the rtiticism
nnd opposition of nil who Imd an v to make. It ma y,
howev er, afford Col. llognn some consolation for
me lo inform him. that E. Coney A Co. lost neat ly
the whole of the purchases which they had made in
Mil enry’s district—the Indians having given them
thc slip nml sold toothers, hy which land advances
and nil were lost. They did, however, sneered in
having a few contracts certified of little or no value ;
nnd if Col. llognn eren thinks onr of tIrem framln- |
lent, so far ns I am concerned, he inav give it bark !
to the Indian if to he found, or if not •* to hi* IVicml« !
in Mobile." Mv interest in dispute in M’H»-nrv’*
district is not worth the labor of this defence. But j
to the letter. 14 Stealing,” if says. “ i* the order of j
the dny, nnrl out of the host of the Indian* at the 1
agency, I don’t think there were ten true ho Id or* of |
land." This part of the letter / exceedingly regret
—not because it affect* me individually. I’m there i«
not one word or syllable in the whole letter in'iiiM-
ting (lint myself or any of my associates, had
w n v been concerned in any aticli practice!
flic contrary, the w hole context of (fie frrrer
UH(nincd before anv tribunal.
/V* to the letter of Mr. Tarver, I have only to *av,ihsl
I have no concern with it,nnd nevervvn*rousultrd’shoul
it. V'hat timv have been hi* object «#r intention* is us-
know ii to me ; hilt it' it was improper, he rer'tainly thought
better ot it «Jt**rwards, for I do not believe ihnl since
that time he lint* inaile or ccitilii-d s single contract in tht
whole ('reck tenitorv.
That the present attack upon me hns been the renull
of n eonspimex between Col. llognn, Scott, and one or
mure secret pnrturra I have no doubt . tbeir motives I
seek not to know ; hot I x*i.“h them all now 'distinctly to
understand, that thry arc invited to make any and all
exposures mid tli«e log ores in their power alVrcting tho
fairness of mv conduct throughout tire whole of the In-
I Imvc done no art, uiicied no word, that
killing for them to herald forth to the
dian husiiie**.
1 should he u
world.
I know ihr i
w ho are i
lltia lima, nnd n'll ilir Indi'niia' , tvii’n"ii'i'i'nV>l aHI.'viii I eiriM Mm- «ialioa of thrpn\ minifnt. nnd nclrd
lose their Innds.—This system Ims not been work- | badtaith to the people ol hi* own s'ntc.
is ah
rnni knhle, that in n few dny* after the investigation, | reprehension of it. nnd guarding
ftcott himself came n!l *he way from Tallapoosa to ( against it—But tnv regret is, that tie
the same town, and remained there s dny or two i
without nnv known business, nnd did not show >
himself in Columbus either in going or returning. I
although ene.li time he passed within a mile t
■ >!l;
ing more tlmn three weeks, niul upwards of one
thousand tracts hnvc been certified.—The stream i*
getting wider, deeper nnd stronger every dny. It
tilings nre to be radically altered as to money at Tal
lapoosa, I will furnish funds in paper money, to certi
fy the balance, if not. the Indians may be disband
ed, and xve will quit the drive, for I will stand the
past pull, no longer, and if Dr. ftcott adopts the
mads to give it up again, by the very men who have i I'* 91 I, 1 • .
henght tlieir lauds, either hy force, or talcs raised , at the eertifsdprtees, it must he n good
* * rule, nml shall apply it to all rases,
j Respectfully, Ac.
J ‘ ELI ft. ftffORTER.
far ths purpose.
They have been told hy these men, that it was
Hsnsral Jack sun’s wish, that they should not hold
money, ami that they had been sent ns agents to re
ceive their money, nnd hold it until they arrive in
Arkansas : and consequently m grent tunny of them
ha ve given up their money* thinking that wliatso-,
ever their Great Father said could not lie otherwise
10.
than for their benefit, and whenever these tales ro, u'*ieiiccd^certilying.^ my bnsim
sretdd fail, it hns been taken by force.
not settled, I am unable
It was their calculation to* have emigrated last lL ,cr f' ni,< ^ yon have not closed the
.11 tlieir csitle, corn, nml , Q>Hc.v, »n» n.ll do it tor me—if vnn
fall, and consequently sold all their
every thing necessary for a support, ami nre
laft in a state of starvation. It is their earnest re
that yon should come up among them; for it ' ""-"''"B of l‘"«l will ‘ n 1 *""' •>"> l>n . v
LETTER—^
From Benjamin P. Tarrer :
Sir- Mr. Corley gav e me time to he there lo close
I the trade with him until I could gef out, or until they
course
hen I shall he
trndowtth Mr.
m e not dispns-
oniicxion in the
nt this time, hut
them
d to go
matter.
into it, but I prefer your
There is nothing going <
i highly necessary that something should he done
immediately.
You will please answer this aa soon as you re
ceive it, and inform me nt what time you can go up,
m whether you go or not, in order that 1 caa inform
the Chief* when to expect you.
Your friend. his
OPOT1ILE * YOIIOLO.
mark.
CM. John Tt. FTngan, Fort Mitchell, Hussell county,
Alabama.
i.r.TTr.a—*o. 7.
Columbus, February ifttli, 183ft.
To Col. llognn ;
. ft**—Having just returned lioinc from Mississip
pi, and being informed that in your recent inv estiga
tions, you have deemed it nrressnry to mnrk for re
port In the \\ si Department, sex ri nl contracts made
by Shorter A Sett, Shorter. Tarver A Shorter,
Benjamin P. Tarver, Eli S. Shorter A Co. and J. J.
Fannin, with Creek Indians. Mr. Tarver and my
self were both in Mississippi, Scott in Texas, and
Fannin dead at the time of your investigation, so
that neither of us were or could he present, p the
fore ask that yon will do me the ju
with a list of nil such coutrnrts. w itH the grounds of
complaint, before you make your report, that I inav
bs prepared and offer through you to the Depart
ment, such evidence and defence n* may he in mv
power, f am interested in each one of the esses
•ortifisd to said parties.
Respectfully, your obedient servant.
ELI S. 8IIORTER
ten dollars or five when certified, nnd get all the ha-
t lance hnrk, nml ert four hundred or five hundred
contracts certified with filly Indians, is all thc game.
I .lodge Shorter hn* just returned from Dr. M ’Henry’s
• —lie state* the different »p<*rtiliitnr« have about h\o
hundred Indians hid out, nnd certifying at night.
Y’aign is certified to—without n rush we art* gone.
B. P. TARVER.
Jns. ft. Moore xvns married on to night. Tho
judge think* that the lnrge*t proportion if not nil thc '
, land that is before I)r. MTIrnry, will he certified oh
I this week, now is thc time or never. Hurra hoys —
here goes it—less steal all we can. I shall go for it,
or gei no lands—now or never.
i BENJAMIN P. TARVER.
LETTER — XO. P.
logger of Eli 8. tyartrr. to Col John ft. Hogan, pror
ing himself on honorable man.
Ctdumbu*. Fch. 24th, 163ft.
Ill—I Rti\jmt informed that yon have been fur- J tween him nmltl
•islied with a copy of a letter drafted by myself by interest or concei
quest, and intruded lo be sent by Bird ViUp.tfrick. ! only *
Esq. end other settler* in the Creek territory, to the | my'si
Ssrrytary of YY'nr, in relation to nur Indian matters,
•nd that you particularly object to o«e statement in
tfi« letter, to wit: that you had certified approved re
served Oontroets. | Usve received such information
from Df. YV. A. RicintrJi»on, Daniel Nusvss uud
From the C ol ambus Herald.
TO Till: PI BLIC.
I have nlways felt unwilling to obtrude mv.*elfup-
thc notice of the public through the medium of a
newa-pnper, but the demand upon me to do so nt
this time is of a character that 1 may not disregard.
This is a contest neither of my own provoking or'
seeking ; but as it has been pusned upon me. I have j
no choice hut to meet it. In doing so I shall tm» ns- ;
to furnish me I tail thc character or feelings of other* further than
may he demanded by a due regard to my ow n vin-
' dicotion.
| Col. John B. Hogan, late “ superintendent of* In-
1 dian removals,” and lute “investigating agent," ha*
made his appearance in a Montgomery paper, and
ha* presented to the public a perfect “salmagundi”
of mutter. -So far as 1 have been able to dissert nnd
analyze it* contents, it consists efa violent personal
alterentian between himseltnml Gen. Woodward J
; a controversy between himself mid the contractors
J for emigrating the Creek Indians, and a personal
attack upon myself. — With the controversy hetw ecu
j Col. Ilngaii and Gen. Woodward, or with that lie.
contractors, i hnvc no manner of
propose to reply to nnd repel
production as concerns
If personal.y. Why Pol. llognn has, from tho
very commencement of hi* official career, been
disposed to mark me ns a victim, is best known to
himself; for up to that time we were unknown to each
other, and consequently I never could have given
biin cmusH o( stfwM««. or kindred or •bstiusted his
It of Col. II.
When Col. llognn wnHnppointcd tothr office of
’ investigating agent, it was believed that a pruperdis-
| charge of hia duties w otthl not require hut n few
weeks;and be
; tigation into alt contracts not acted upon
: xident, xvns no expected or desired.” Hi* duly only
required of him to nitc.-ul each town o1 Indians alter
giving them due notice—to listen to any complaints
w hieh might he brought before him—to take d
| the evidence adduced, and report it to thc depart-
Intent. I ns lead of this. Col. Ilogan Assembled the
Indians, tent runner* after absentees, commenced *
, at the head of the roll, nnd called iq
I hi* turn, and entered into an examination, tint only
of “ contract* not acted upon hy the President," hut
into all, whether acted upon or not, fiom the first to
1 tiie last day of certification. Uneven went sn for
aa to enter into such examination, xvhenthe Indians
had *nhl, been paid, and emigrated to Arkausns,
! audio some instances when the Indians appeared
1 before him, and admitted that they Imd sold, been
j pn»d. nod were satisfied, he told them they were liars,
i nnd lie wottld reverse the contract. Hurli n course,
i upon such a people, could not tail ot creating com
plaints where none had been before heard ot or an
ticipated. It served however to create delay, to
I procrastinate emigration, to create excitement niul
j disaffection amongst the Indians—and to obtain for
i th»' time being tbrir confidence, that he might more
effectually mould them to hi* own purposes. Flic
effect was soon seen and felt by the settlers in Ala-
1 harna. The storm was anticipated—appeals were
made to the Secretary at War—he was warned of
onsequenee* which would result unless n dif
ferent policy should ho pursued. But Col. Hognu
continued to assure him that there was no danger
or prospect of war ; nnd this delusion he kept up
until the moment that the war actually common
red.
But ('ol. Hogan will in«ist tint frauds have been
practised upon the Indians, nnd that those frauds
have been the enuse of war. It is unfortunate lor
Col. Ilogan, that no one circumstance in the whole
affair tend* to favor for a moment this position. The
great mass of imputed lYumU i* supposed to ho in
McHenry's district. If so, and if indeed such fraud*
have been the inducing cause of the war, how does
it happen that so few of those Indians thus defraud
ed have been inculpated in the war ? Ilovv does it
hnpprn llint the war originated nnd broke out with
the Indians in the lower part of the nation, who nre
generally known lo have been the first to sell their
reserves, nnd no omt of whom was ever known to
utter one word of complaint until lie did so before
Col. Hogan ? These ditYu-ulticti I shall leave for
Col. llognn nnd his associates to solv e ; not l»v his
assertion*, (for they are worth hut little) but by tacts
nnd rireuiuxtniiees peitiueui to the issue.’
'Fite war evidently broke out in (Jen. Sanford’*
district. Now I tbmbi whether Col. Ilogan, with
nil his energy, vigilance am! anxiety, has been able
to procure proof that one single fiaudulent contract
lot* been made in the whole district of anv Indian,
by any person ; and ifsncli evidence ha*'been ad
duced, it isinost probably untrue in fact, nnd mote
than counter-balanced hy proof now on file in the
war office at Washington. Whatever report Col.
Ilogan may have made to the w ar department in re
gard to th*' cates in this district, i* only know n to
himself. He has iuv estigated only one side, of each
case; he promised to receive evidence from the
putshuserv, him! to finuitk tk«Si wkk S hn *f tal
low n. It is equally remarkable, that a number of [fraud and land stealing—and there
general: it may apply to one nnd all w hn were eon- . .
corned in thepurchnae of Indian land*, nml tun v | ‘i lul ‘^t* If' rr °'
subject me to difficulty with men for whom I have 1 il% Wr ° ’ npni
nil possible respect. ( had heard so much about
orld i* full of such men n* Col. Ilocsn,
able unless they can live, iu a storm. \V ult
such men I iv i«h to have n* little lodo a* possible. There
err others, (und he i* also nt the number,} who tire al
ways ready to cry out ageiust monopolies nnd specuU-
lion*, nml yet tbev nr« generally the very lint to ini-
Imrk iutheni. The. good or evil opinion of such tneu is
alike imlilteirnt to me. I never expect them to do me
good, und I shall take rare they do me no harm.
No man Iim* any right officiously to intermeddle witli,
or inquire into im hu'-ines* transaction* with other per
sons, lie them red or white ; hut lor the satisfaction ofsll
who really vv i«h to know the truth, nml to innke op sit
honest opinion whether I have dealt justly or unjustly
hy the Indians, I beg to refer them to the annexed docu
ments. (ii addition to this I will further mid, that Irng
ago, rather than have Col. llognn to sat ns judge upon
my rights, I proposed in w riling to the Secretary nt \\ sr,
i that nil contracts unapproved,in with h I was interested
in McHenry or 'Farmnl’* districts, should he approved
1 and dclivi red over to JudgeTurrnnt ns escrow* snd by
j him to b rt deliven d to me upon my again pay inc into his
< hands the certified price of the land—thul tnrrenpou
i Judge Tarrant should he constituted the final Hrluter be-
tw cen the Iiidi:.ri* nnd myself; nnd in all case* where ha
! believed the wrong hnlinu had been certified, the money
! should he paid over to the proper Indian; but when he
; believed the right Indian had a!remix been certified, the
inoncv should he r* turned to me. The proposition was
list nnrl equitable; btrf the Secretary nid not think he
uni the power to accept if. IV Imt more could Co 1. Ho-
\ ran or any other man ask of me ? lie much mistake*
| me if he believes that 1 want the laud oi any Indian
without purchasing it from the right owner ond paying
pay. I neither know no t
Hognn believes me sincere or not.—
Those who know me best, nml vv hope good opinion I hops
these same contracts had hern previously purchss-
I by Scott himsrlt’aml been re-sold, and hn had
d his full share of the profits ; snd wnht
•'ll | fended thi* defei
infusion nml excitement at the agency—such re- , time I expect to pn
peated quarrels and rows, that like many other*. I ' od it proper to
for ft time believed a state of things existed, the equal
to which had never been known, lind I hecn cell
ed upon at the lime, or at any moment since, to tea-
-f.
Irtte
therefore, were tin warrantable
Let n« again return to. nml peruse the letter
logan as pro* ‘'When I left, there were not more than HO resetvn
nil, iiHl.lislM'Y ! l, ; r ' nil Tnr kn, »il.; ,, rr-- ,|, c.v „ ill K. nmr
row—tlo’fi w til follow rhob-foeo, then Ki-ar-li-ga
^ ti ,,,. IM ,,^ , , ^ 0,, Oak-lnr-snr-sny, then En-fan-la : and ititu.
t o At I; hi I s, n i MI ;'«I iV r i n U v nl f''.'.i. "i'lo- ' ll,c \ vl "; le ,init V 1 ' PyHistiiiPs "ill l.r in vmiii
im* nt home. / am imnhle tn evolnin. Snmnnv | quarter, and r»uy upon It, they wtll^earry a II befnri
Se.ott may wrap I;
I Irel'that I have ex-
great extent; but ns it is thr last
respects to Col. Ilogan, I ilrrtn-
, .i.,.,,.. ; f eetvcii ins ini| share ot tint profits ; am
i x press v •• «•, \.\ I » | remarkable than all is, that with these very Indiana
•nets not acted upon bv the Pro- . J
the war firstcnmmsnced.
Not long after the close of this investigation, Col. | ri 0'‘ 1 MO » , * f nv, ‘ i ‘i<’idifinl a single
Hogan went again to Mobile, about that time ftcott | , ,, i ! tw ran I nmv. riin remark*
„ I left Tallapoosa nnd gave out that lie going to
Texas ; instead of doing so, however, lie went to
Mobile, where lie again saw Col. Ilngn
ve„ by C.o\. H ogan’s letter licrovv
h I nil i n it in | M’hy he should have said hu was going to Texas,
■ when he w as going to .Mobile—w hv lie should have |
gone
gnn was nt homo, / am niiahlr to explain, fto many
circumstances, supported hy the fact that Col Ho- )
gnn should he aide to obtain a private letter from j
Scott fot publication—which, if of any use, was to
destroy contracts in which Hcntt himself bud nn in- 1
terest, to my mind, shows a community of interest j
and purpose between them of no ordinary clmrar-I
ter. Its foundation may hnvc been laid iu the rc- 1
versing and rc-nnrebases of contracts—or it ina v I
hnveheen in tlieir efforts to defeat emigration ; or [
it may have been in some other matter not known to !
any hut themselves.
Perhaps a single ray of light may he shed upon ^
this whole proceeding, from the fact, that after Col.
llognn had been his grand route in Hanford’s dis
trict—and niter lie had reported upon the cases in
.Mr Henry’s district, he did, nt Tuskegee, propose,
that if certain speculators would make out a written |
estimate and proposition tor the sale of tlieir whole i
in'cicst in the (’reck nation, he thought Ins (Col. I
Hogan's) friends in .Mobile would purchase. Now,
mnrk ! this was nfter Col. Hogan had positive ;
know bulge of till frauds, if any . If there were
fraud.*. Ii" ought not to have permitted his frit nils to J
purchase nnd if there were no frauds, hr i* inex
cusable for continuing the charges. Col. H. may '
lake which horn of the dilemma he please*. But i
suppose the sale had been made. Who that knows i
Col. Ilogan ran believe that his tune would not
instantly have been changed ?—\IJm knows vviiat j
inducement, (apart from feelings of
would have had lor such change
I propose now In iefly, hut fuirly, to examine the
copy of the letter imputed to tne, nnd which Co|
H ngnn ha* so kindly published, after if* very hon
orable ohtninment. The letter bears dale Im March,
I8ft(i. Now mnrk the dates. Since that time no
contract has been made by E. Curley A Co. for nn
Indian reserve in any pirt of tire nation. The
firm was long before dissolved, and .McHenry was
not then in office. Such a letter written in March
1836 is out of the question ; it never was. it never
emild have been done. — It may, however.be a mis.
print, ami IS’lft instead of 1866. may be the true rca-
•luig. und we w ill so consider it. ’Flic letter says
-Jk 4 I have just returned from Dr. .McHenry’s : when
ihye Yargosold uml certified his laud »«* Ift . Bil-
lii^l «& Co. fin $6000. and then gave buck $3000of
fhlwnoney, and took a bond for thr occupancy of the
laud west of the river. I left ut tint iigeuev. Hay-
den nml his son, Gen. Woodward, Htone. McBinlc
and (Tullius, the v\hole Columlm* land rompanv .
and a host of others, with. I firmly believe, four
hundred Indians all around tits hill. Certification*
rommrnred late yeMcrduv morning, and about six
ty were taken through. The agent w ill he nl home
csrttfyiag ths whsls ef ssxt weak ; and in that time
the whole ground.
I must he excused for “ parsing by unnoticed,’’ Cel.
Hogan’s lYi*'itd. lit* 1 Falilnrof the Moutponiery Adverti
ser. With him, nml the partisan wnihucin Alabama, I
neither desire or k any enuneetion.
Editor* pithlishiitr Col. 1 Icgnit’* o: position, w ill pleas®
copy thi* defence, it not as an act if .tv afire, they will do
it nsnn net ol* business, nnd lorw aid to me their bill* for
payment. ELI H. SHORTER.
Columbus, 10th June, Iflfffi.
friendship) he ajlJ |
hi* In-
dian blanket, and sav all tliis is impossible; hut I
sny it is not only possible hut certain." N«w ( n*k
the candid render, whether tin* portion of the letter
is approbatory or eomlcmiuttory of the practice* al
luded to, whether what i* said is not nnlv as matter
of opinion—nnd whether its obv ious ti mlrne v was
not to rouse up Scott from bis lethargy—to apprize
him of approaching danger, and urge him forward
to the completion of our business when times wu re
easy? But Jet ns again to the letter: “When I *<e
such men, with so lew nd vantages, getting so much
variable land nt §10 per Intel—nml see how much
money we have paid out. the power we have had,
nml the quantity and quality of land we have re
ceived. particularly when I think of (he reason why
these things are so. I can almost tear mv hair from
my head.—There is vet time to do somctiiing : hut I
nlmosl despair of its being done.” HeiC iigniu I
indulged in speaking about tire terms upon which
others had obtained, not of my own knowledge Imt
upon rumor. I know and complained that the lands
which trr had obtained were inferior in quality, nml
that we had paid extravagantly high lor them; and
yet hy some strange process this is tortured into ev i
dence of fra nd against us. It is the most irresistn-
blc evidence of tire eery rerersc—the price paid was
not only ample, hut in sonic instance extraragaut;
this was inexcusable, because Srott professed to
great pow er and influence over the Indians,
uiglit to have been able to make better bnr-
There was, however, 7i reason for all these
s hinted nt, w Itich was to me n source of ii nta-
t hit
tion
In tunny instance* we find purchased lauds from
Indian* nml made heavy advances.—Instead of cur
rying them to the agent, having them certified nnd , of
collecting our debts, they were postponed tit jostifi- l to
ably until they would fall into the hands of some
otlici purchaser, hy which nur debts would he lost.
Whilst these things were doing, other Indians w ho
owed n* nothing, would beenrtieil before the ngenl
and certified, receive the whole of their money;
nnd very often some one in the employment of the
hrm would trade them nut of their money before
they had any opportunity to spend any of it in our
Mcio fin- ordinary supplies. This was nitmiying
and unh.ir. and tit fouled just cause of complaint.
The Irrtei next sav* : *» If Scott’s Indian wife wu* nt
tli** devil, I should Imvc some hope. W e shnll go
1 do what weenn; if you will ji
1 v»»« one of ilm firm of K. (Viler A Co. end general
ly rrtnniurff nl the place doing tlieir business upon the
Tnllnpoosn river. I do know thr.t Eli S. Shorter, who
wti* also n member of the firm, nnd who furnished nearlf
nil the monev for purehnsiuc I ml iu it reserves, reprstcu-
lv nnd stronglv urged and ndvi*ed Jfltn S. Scott, myself
and all other* interested w it li the business, hy n 11 means
tonvoid purchasing fiom vvtong Indians, nnd lo keep
eleat even of doubtful or disputed esses. I also know
flint when lie. lenmt that some of the purrhnsr.s had
been disputed, he. remnnstinted warmly nnd earnestly
with Scott for permitting such claims to he purchnsen.
I nlso know that once, and once onlv, Shorter was pre
sent fitthe nrcnf* office. (Judge Tnrrnnt) when three
Indiana were presented to linve tlieir Innds certified is
the firm, one of them seemed to Outlier in the examina
tion. Shorter asked permission of the agent to examine
the Indian; which being granted, n few questions were
asked when Shot trr remarked that he doubted whether
, it vv ns the right Indian, and declined having him certified,
i But for his own objection, I believed then, and do vet,
; that the agent would have juirzid the contract. 1 also
know that Shorter did write one or two letters to the
agent urging hint to nil possible v ic ilncce in the examin
ation of ilir* Indians presented for certification to the linn,
alledging llint he had done nil iu hjs novver to prevent
i mistakes, rind hoped that none would happen,
i I nlso know that the ft. II certified price of all such enn-
trnrts certified to E. C’orlev A: fo. wns paid, nnd each
, copartner wnschnigcd with hia full proportion.
I n!*e know that the letter* nnd pnpera supposed to ha
' of no use belonging to E. Corley A Co. upon it* disso
lution fell into the hmuls of Hcntt who purchased out
1 the stock of goods, debts, Ac. That some time there
after, Hr ott her a me much offended w itH Shorter for sum®
enuse not distinctly known tome, and repeatedly threat-
1 ened to injure or ruin him, or to have satisfaction. Yv ith-
i in thr Inst month, I had n conversation with Hrott upon
I the siihjn t, in w Itich lie admitted that in nil the business
done at Columbus w ith the Indians in which Shorter
wns interested, he had noted Imnestlv andtnirlv, and that
if any man had ever■deoil tnirlv red liberally hytlicln-
' dian*, Shorter had done so. With regard to th* c°n-
trncts of L. Corley iV Co. with the above exception,
Shorter never was present nt the making or certification
tract. In the conversation with Hcott referred
to, Hcot|<^ikilier said, that there was hut one wrong con
tract made l.y Hhortet A; Henit at CoUinthtts that the
I ml in »i was brought up hy David Ifar.Iridgc—tlialohorf-
er believed it to he correct at the time, but when he at-
nrd* fonr.il it w as wrong, lie vvent^nml^
ELIJAH CORL
rnnnty.—PiiwiibIIv «ppf«re>l
hr tore me Elijah Corley, who after being duly »vv«rrt,
saith, that the facts continued in the above stctenicnt ore
crihed hrfiote me, thi'* Ifith June,
SAM’L. L. Bt'CKLEII, J- P-
ell ;
tilied.*’ It
much of hi
hi* business.
ve have plenty of money ; you need not
on drill your Indians, nnd prepare them
doll at.-in the store for every rontrnrt err-
*helieved flint HeOtt's wife took tip too
that in attending to her hr neglected
r. Jnmo. S. Moon*. Hn niiir llint I »ai bnokyrr|>rr
, tvcll— nml prinriirnl rlerk fur Slmrtrr, T»rvrr& Co. in
hns, during the time of the purchases nnd certification
Indian contract* hy said concern. Du.mg th* same
time and in the same house, thr purchases ot ».noi
and Scott were made. Srott professed to be personalty
acquainted with all the Indians from whom he l M *J" f
had determined togo intothe strifir— ed, and to have hat gained lor mm
h nf thc lauds after the
s®t upo* what waa tJiHerstood re b* th® setr plan, hut execution of th® treat* . and before the rrmmcnefwent