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made to tin* Secretary at War—lie was
Warned of the- consequence* which would
result unless a ditfeieut policy should be
pursued. But Col. Hogan continued to
assure him tiiat there was no danger or
prospect; of xry; and this delu-ion he kept
up until the moment that the war actually
commenced. j
But Col. Ilognn will ensi»t that frauds
have been piactiscd upon the Indians, and
that those frauds have been the cause of
war. It is unfortunate for Col. 'Hogan,
that no one circumstance in the whole af
fair tends to favor for a moment this po
sition. The great m >ss of imputed frauds
it supposed to he in M’Henry’s district. If
*o, and if indeed such frauds have been
the inducing cause of the war bow does it
happen that so few of those Indians thus
defrauded have beenfinculpnted in the war.
How does it happen that the war originated
and broke out with the Indians in the low
er part ot the nation, who are generally
known to have been the first to sell their
reserves and no one of whom was ever
known to utter one word of complaint un
til he did so before Col. Hogan ? These
difficulties 1 shall leave for Col. Ho&an
and his associates to solve ; not by his
assertions, (for they are worth but little)
hut by fact* and circumstances pertinent to
the issue.
The war evidently broke out in Gen. San
ford’s district. Now I doubt whether
Col Hogan, with all his energy, vigilance
and anxiety, has been able to procure proof
that one single fraudulent tontract has
been made in the whole district of any In
dian by any person ; and if such evidence
ha* been adduced, it is most probably un
true in fact, and more than counter-bal
anced by proof now on file in the war of
fice at Washington. Whatever report Col.
Hogan may have made to the war depart
ment in regard to the cases in this district
isonly known to himself. He has investiga
ted only one side ofeach case; lie promised to
receive evidence from the purchasers, and
to furnish them with a list of impeached ca
ses with the grounds of complaint, before
lie made out his report. This promise he
ha* not redeemed ; although for one, I ap
plied to him by letter and also by agent at
his office in Tuskegee.
But it is believed that the contract* in
thi* district are placed beyond the reach of
Col. Hogan ; for in connection with much
other evidence, it is in proof now on file
by Benj. Marshall, that he was the interpe
ter for Gen. Sanford upon the certification
of contracts—that he very generally knew
the Indians of that district personally—that
he new of no frauds and did not believe
that any had been committed. Pady Carr
also proves that when Marshall was absert
he acted as interpeter—that he knew the
Indians personally—that no fraud was
practised.
The great mass of evidence as to the
fairness of the business in ibis district, will
not be uprooted or shaken by any one sided
examination and recent report though made
by Col. Hogan.
C<d. Hogan has involved himself in a
singular difficulty. He locates the frauds
in one district, and tin war originates in
another. The frauds be says caused the
war, and yet the Indians defrauded re
main at peace and those not defrau
ded are warlike. This is a difficulty
of Col. Ho gun’s own creation and 1 must
lav? him to get out of it as best he may.
Col. Hogan has obtained the copy of a
letter, supposed to have been written by
myself, to E. Cooley 8c Co. which he lias
published with much delight and evident
exultation. He affects to think it needs rm
comment, but must at once seal my con
demnation. The publication of this lejfer
gives rise to several curious enquiries ; and
it is possible that in this instance Col. Ho
gan may have intrigued too deeply, and
afforded evidence of what has been suspec
ted, but not known, to be true. How came
this letter in the possession of Col. Hogan ?
From whom did he obtain it ? What art
did he use in its attainment ! If genuine
it was evidently a private and coutidental
comiuiiiiieatiori from one copartner to anoth
er in regard to their business, and could not
have found its w ly into the hands of Col.
Hogan but by means the most unworthy
and corrupt. The doer ami receive, ici
this matter, stand upon the same uneviable
level. The design to injure is so deep and
deadly that no means are io be left unuse 1 to
insure it. I have no copy of the various
fi tter* written by myself to E. Cooley 8c
Co. in regard to our business, and I am not
able therefore to say whether the one pub
lished be tritely copied or not; but it has
evidently pas-ed through hands vile enough
to make any verbal alteration in the Iran- j
(crihiug, tb it would be«l answer the object i
in view. However as I wish no unnecessa
ry entailing so far as regards the present
controversy, 1 w ill regard the letter at truly
copied and so discuss it.
The firm of E. Cooley !c Co. consists
of E. Cooley, L.S. Shorter, J. H. Shorter,
B- I’. Tarver, .J. S. Moore and J. S. Scott.
Upon the dissolution of the concern, the
stock of goods on hand was sold out to John
S. Scott, and the lette't and papers siip,»o
ted to be of no vihie were left on their files,
and thus fell into hi* hands. Since that
time Scott has affected to take offence, for
*ome cause not fully known to me, alleging j
at different time* and to different persons, ■
different cause*, all of which, however, are I
untrue in fact—and under cover of such I
excuses, has associated him-elf with another!
man who is also my enemy ; and the two i
have formed rather a suspicious acqitain- j
tance with Col. Hogan, and the trio have i
held a counsel over the letter in question and
ventured upon iu publication. Os those
men, I only ask one favor; it is to publish
all the letter* 'which 1 ever wrote to E.
Cooley 8c Co. or any member of it in re
gard to any branch of their business—and
also every letter which I ever wrote to
Judgf 1 arrant, the agent for that district
upon the same subject. Ifthey would only
do this, I should not deem it necessary to
say one word in my defence; for it would
then appear that so far from advising or
encouraging fraud, I bad done all in my
power, at any stage of the business to pre
vent it or even it* appearance. Those let
ter* nre all suppressed ; they never will
be permitted to «ee the light of day ; and
one letter alone, which unexplained might
do me an injury, has been selected and
published without any allusion whatever
*
to those proceedings and succee.d ig it.—
Such trciitmeni is about as fair as I have
any right to expo, t trom such adversaries.
1 have said, and 1 now repeat, that Scott
and hi* associate, have formed rather a sus
picious acquaintance with Col. Hogan. I
| will state facts only, leaving others to draw
' their own inferences; my object is not to
■ make charges. Soon after Col. llojan was
' appointed investigating agent, he spent a
short time at Fort Mitchell: and whilst there
Scoit spent one night at the same place, and
had, as he said, mm h conversation with Col.
Hogan ; and was by him put f. ily in pos
session of all Col. Hogan’s views and inten
tions. He seemed the next day quite puffed
up and consequential as well as mysterious.
In a short time therealu r, Col. Hogan went
to Mobile, &. during bis absence, his (Scotts)
brother and bis aforesaid associate stationed
themselves upon the llalehicbubbe Creek •
and as the eitimis stated were holding daily
counsel* with the Indians, advancing them
goods mid money; and as was supposed, and
no doubt truly, were instructing the Indians
to complain, and preparing to re-purchase
the same lands. When they had had suf
ficient time to mature their plans, and do
their work, Col. Hogan returned and open
ed hi« investigation amongst those very In
dians. As might have been expected, ni.znv
came forward, complained and denied hav
jing sold. It is remarkable, that most of
| those complaints were against lands which
I had been re purchased by farmers, improved
I and made valuable: and that the compltiin
| ing IndiansTived immediately in the neigh
borhood, some of them upon the same lands
—and that no one of them Ind ever before
been known to utter one word of complaint
or dissatisfaction. On the contrary, some
of them had been known repeatedly to say,
that they had sold their lands, jt is also
remarkable, that in a few days after the in
vestigation, Scott himself came all the way
from Tallapoosa to the same town, and re
mained their a day nr two w ithout any know n
business, and did not show himself in Co
lumbus either in going or returning, al
-1 though each time he passed within a mile
ol t-.wn. It is equally remarkable, that a
number of these same contracts had been
previously purchased by Scott himself and
been re-sold, and he had received his full
shne of the profits; and xvhat is more re
markable than all is, that with these very In
dians the war first commenced.
Not long after the close of this investiga
tion, Col. Hogan went again to Mobile a
bout that time Scott left Tallapoosa, and
gave out that he was going to Texas ; in
stead of doing so however, he went to Mo
bile, where he again saw Col. Hogan, as
proven by Col. Hogan’s letter herewith pub
lished. Why he should have said he was
going to Texas, when he was going to Mo
bil.—why he should have gone to Mobile,
and especially at the time Col. Hogan was
at home, lam unable to explain. So m an>
circumstances, supported by the fact that
Col. Hogan should be able to obtain a pri
vate letter from Scott for publication
which, if ofauy use, was to destroy contracts
in w hich Scott himself had an interest, to
iny mind, shows a community of interest and
purposes between them of no ordinary char
acter. Its foundation may have been laid
in the reversing and re-pur< liases of con
tracts—or it may have been in their eflbrts
io defeat emigration ; or it may have been
in some other matter not known to any but
themselves.
Perhaps a single ray ol* light may be
shed upon this whole proceeding, from the
fact, that after Co). Hogan had been bis
grand route in Sanford's district—and after
i lie had reported upon the case in MrHen
i rv’s district, he did, at Tuskegee, propose
; that if certain speculators would make out
a written estimate and proposition for the
i sale of their whole interest in the Creek
j nation, he thought his(( 01. Hogan’s)friend
!in Mobile would purchase. Now, mark !
this was after Col. Hogan had positive
knowledge ofall frauds, if any. If there
were frauds, he ought, not to have permit
ted’Zi.v fritnds to purchase and if there
neieno frauds, be is inexcusable for con
tinuing the charges. Col. 11. may take
; which horn of the dilemma he pleases. But
suppose the sale had been made. Who
that knows Col. Hogan can believe that
his time would not instantly have been
changed? —Who knows what inducement,
(apart from feelings of friendship) he would
have had for such change.
I propose now briefly, but fairly, to exa
mine the copy of the letter imputed to mv,
and which Col. Hogan has so kindly pub
lished, after its very honorable obtainment.
The letter bears date Ist March, 1836.
Now mark the dates. Since that time mi
contract has been made by E. Corley 8c Co.
for an Indian reserve in any part of the na
tion. The firm was long before dissolved,
and McHenry was not then in office. Such
a letter written iu March IS3G is out of the
question ; it never was, it never could have
been done.—lt may, however, be a mis
print, and 1835 instead of 1836, maybe
the true reading, and we will so consider it.
The letter says—“ I have just r< tinned
from Dr. McHenry’s;—when there Var
go sol.l and certified his land to Dr. Bil
lings 8c Co. for 86000, and then gave
back S3OOO of the money, and took a bond
for the occupancy <;f the land west of the
river. 1 left at "the agency, Hayden and
his son, Gen. Woodwar 1, Stone, Mcßirde
and Collins, the w hole Columbus land com
puny, and a host of others, with, 1 fiendt
believe, four hundred Indians sill around
the hill. Certification* commenced late
yesterday morning, and about sixty were
taken through. The agent will Ij at home
certifying the whole of next week ; and in
that time most, if not all the laud, will be
swept that is worth a notice. I have the a
genl’s promise, to meet us at any place of
our appointment on the Monday afterwards,
and to obtain this, I have had to interest a
nother man in our company ; so far as re
gards McHenry’s district I am to give him
one eighth part. It is unnecessary to men
tion names ; the thing was necessary, and
was therefore done.” Upon so much of
the fitter only one explanation is necessary.
This occurred w hen Dr. McHenry was oti-
Ij bound to attend to the office one week in
four, and received a per diem pay accord
ingly. He had the power, but was under
no obligation to act atjmy other time.— He
wa* therefore in the habit, for the accom
modation of purchasers and Indians, of go
ing at other times to different parts of his
district to certify contracts, but for doing
to he demanded and received pay. Our
Indians resided at a considerable distance
from the agency ; and as it was both diffi
cult and expensive to curry them so far, it
was very desirable to take tliem to some
more convenient place, and thereto be met
by the ngent. 1 would not make theappli
cation to the agent myself, because upon
previous occasions I thought he had not
j treated me well, and therefore interested a
■ nolher person with me, who was supposed
to have ihore influence w ilh the agent, and
through him made the arrangement. 1
might possibly have done the same had I
applied in person. With the sixty contracts
“ taken through,” the lotir hundred Indi
ans hid out round the bill, and the many
persons left at the agency, 1 bad no kind of
interest or concern w ith. 1 went to the a
gency only to arrange a time and place for
doing our own business, and to report the
i result to the company. The letter pro
ceeds, “ Now ifwe are to do any thing,”
(mark, up to the Ist of March we had done
nothing.) “ ton must instantly upon read
ing this letter, lay all other business aside,
and gather up as many Indians who can be
depended upon as possible, and Corby or
Craven anti one of the Greisons must come
on with them toward the agency in Chain
tiers. T)ie others with the other Greisons
must remain behind, and collect and come
on with another company.—When you get
within five or ten miles of the agency, stop
where you can get water and provisions,
and send a messenger to us at the agency,
to let us know w hereyoii are, and we will
meet you on Monday morning with the a
gent and proceed to business. Your mes
senger must reach us on Sunday night.
Camo your Indiansont ofsiuht of the road.
I You need give yourselves no trouble about
the value of the land—l will arrange all
that.”—Col. Hogan un doubt flattered him
self that, with a credulous community, he
could induce the belief, that this portion of
the letter unexplained, would be proof of
fraud of the deepest die. But let us exa
mine the matter closely—and see how it was
understood between the partv writing, and
the party to whom it was written. In the
j foregoing part of this paragraph, there is
i either a misprint, or a mistake in the origin
al draft ; for instead of reading “ gather
up as many Indians who can be depended
on as possible ;” it should read “ gather
up as many of our Indians who can be de
pended on as possible, it was never inten
ded by the writer, or the persons to whom
the letter was addressed; that any other In
dians b t those from w hom we had bargain
ed tor their lands, or who had promised to
sell to us, should be brought. The two
Greison’s were directed also to be brought,
because they were intelligent half-breeds,
well acquainted with the Indians, and very
able to identify eat It one. Amongst those
with whom we had bargained for their
j lands, and those who had agreed to sell to
us, were some who could not be depended
| upon—who would go with us at our ex
i pense, and sell to some other purchaser.
Such I desired not to be brought. I dirre
j ted the whole company io be encamped five
or ten miles from the agency, out of
ol the road. This wasdonesitnply to keep
them out of the veacb ofopposition or inter
ference of other purchasers and other inter
preters—for mmy of them were it: the ha
bit of overbidding, and doing every other
act before a man’s face to break o(T con
tracts. I directed no trouble to be en
countered on account of the value of the
land, and promised to attend to that myself.
No contract could be certified only at the
appraised value of the land. Tint t appraise
ment I had already secured, and therefore
there was no necessity for farther trouble on
that account. With this explanation. Col.
Hogan is welcome to all the good this part
of the letter can do him, and I will cheer
fully bear all the harm it can be made to do
me.—But lam sorry to inform Col. Ilo
gan, because I know he will be both sur
prised and chagrined to learn the fact, that
tins was a mere recommendatory course,
and never was acted upon nor carried out.
Ihe Indians did not come on as advised
ami expected—they were not camped in the
woods out of sight of the road—the a
gent was not again called on to meet, and
•lid not meet the parties—and all the busi
ness they ever transacted in that district
was done in the agent’s office, in the face
<>t day, and subject t<> the criticism and op
position of all who had any to make. It
may, however, afford Col. Hogan some
consolation for me to inform him, that E.
Corley Co. lost nearly the whole ol the
purchases which they had made in McHen
ry s district—the liidianshaving given them
the slip and sold to others, by which laud
advances and all were lost. They did,
however, succeed i . having a few contracts
certified of little or no value ; and if Col.
Hogan era? thinks one of them fraudulent,
so far as I am concerned, he may give it
hack to the Indian if to be found, or if not
“to his friends in Mobile.” Mvinterest ibi
dispute in McHenry’s district is not worth
the labor of this defence. But to the let
ter. “ Stealing,” it say s, “is the order of
the day, and out of the host of the Indians
at the agency , I don’t think there were ten
true holders of land.” This part of the
letter I exceedingly regret —not because it
affects me individually, forthereis not one
word or syllable in the whole letter intima
ting that myself or any of tny associates,
had in any way been concerned in any sue It
practices. On thecomrary, the whofecon
text of the letter is in reprehension of it,
and guarding my co-partuers against it.—
But my regret is, that the remark is too
general ; it may apply tonne and all who
were concerned io the purchase of Indian
lands, and may subject me to difficulty with
men for whom 1 have all possible respect.
I had heard so much about fraud and land
stealing—and there was so nmeh confu
sion and excitement at (be agency—such
repeated quarrels and rows, that like ma
ny others, I fora time believed a state <>f
tilings existed, the equal to which had never
been known. Had I been called upon at
the time, or at any moment since to testify,
I could not have identified a single ease as
fraudulent—nor can I now. The remarks
in mv letter, therefore, were unwarranta
ble.
Let its again return to, and peruse the
letter ; “When I left, there were not more
than eighty reservations left in all Tttcka
hatchee—they will go to-morrow ; then will
follow Thoo-loceo, then Ki-ar-li-ja, then
Oak lar-sar-say, then Eu-fmt-la ; and in
two weeks the whole host of Philistines will i
THE STAN HI II II OF UNION.
be in y our quarter, and rely upon it, they
will carry all before them. Now Scott may
wrap himself-up in his Indian blanket, and
say all this is impossible ; but I say it is not
only possible but certain.” Now I ask the
camlid reader, whether this por ion of’ the
letter is approbatory or condemnatory of
he practices alluded to, w bother what is said
is not only as matter of opinion ; and whe
ther its obvious tendency was not to rouse
up Scott from his lethargy —to apprize him
of approaching danger, and urge him for
ward to the completion of our business
when times were eaM? But lei us again to
the letter; “When I see such men, with so
few advantages, getting so nmeh valuable
land at §lO per tract —and see how much
money we have paid out, the power we have
had, and the quantity and quality of land
we have received, particularly when 1 think
of the reason why these things are so, 1 can
almost tear my hair from my bead. There
is yet time to do something; but I almost
despair of its being do te.” Here again I
indulged in speaking about the let ms upon
w hich others had obtained, not of my own
knowledge but upon rumor. I know and
complained that the lands which we had ob
tained were inferior inqualitt, and that we
had paid extravagantly high tor them; and
yet by some strange process this is tortur
ed into evidence of fraud against its. It is
the most irresistable evidence of the very
reverse— the price paid was not only ample,
but in some instance extravagant ; this was
inexcusable, because Scott professed to have
great power and influence over the Indians,
and ought to have been able to make better
bargains. There was, however, a reason
for all these things hinted at, w hich was to
me a source ofih itation.
In many’ instances we had purchased lands
from Indians and made heavy advances.—
Instead of carry ing them to the agent, hav
ing them certified and collecting our debts,
they were postponed unjustifiably until they
would fall into the hands of some other pur
chaser, by which our debts would be lost.
Whilst these things were doing, other In
dians who owed us nothing, would be car
ried before the agent and certified, receive
the whole of their money, and very often
some one in the employment of the firm
would trade them out of their money before
they had tin opportunity to spend any of it
in our store for ordinary supplies. This
was annoying and unfair, and afforded just
cause of complaint.
The letter next says : “If Scott’s Indian
wife was at the devil, 1 should have some
hope. We shall go into the strife and do
what we can; if you will join us, well —if
not, well; we have plenty of money ; vou
need not come unless you will drill y our In
dians, and prepare them to receive ten dol
lars in the store for every contract certi
fied.” It was believed that Scott’s wife
took tip too much of his time: that in at
tending to hi r be neglected his business.
We had determined to go into the strife—
not upon what was understood to be the
new plan. Inn to purchese all we could from
th r/g-A/ Indians. We were willing for
the others to j >in us if they choose, and
would come and help : to do so, we had pre
pared plenty of money ; the ten dollars in the
store was not to be the full price paid for
the land, but each Indian should receive
“ten dollars in the store.” We wished to
get clear of our goods, and the object was
to induce each Indian, as a part of the
trade, to “receive ten dollars in the store,”
the balance of course he was to receive in
money, plenty of which bad been prepared.
The Indians were to be drilled—that is, told
and made to know, remember and repeat
the contract to the agent—and not to per
mit other interpreters or purchaser- to make
them violate their agreements. To show
clearly that there no intention to sitbsfi
tide or personate Indians, and that my ob
ject was to deal only w ith the true and pro
per ones, will most clearly appear by the
very next sentence in the letter: “Be 1 sure
to bring two old women, (it should be the
two old women,) and if you possibly can,
besure to bring Tal-lar-har, an old woman
ol Thob-10-ces-town, who is the mother, or
mother-in-law of John Reed an interpreter
who was killed last year.” Now upon re
ference to the roll of locations for Titob
loc-co-town, it will be s-en that Tal-lar liar
was located upon a pret'y good piece ot
land, and in the event of being able to get
it, so pirticular was I to have the right per
son, that I gave as full a description of bet
as I possibly could. Had my object been
to personate her, another old [ndi tn woman
would have done as well. Surely Colonel
Hogan did not mark well this part of my
letter, el.-e he would have seen that of itself
it is a full refutation of his whole attack up
on me.
We now come to the last sentence in the
letter : “The whole show will be up in a few
weeks from this time, and all the Indians
who do not sell will lose their lands.” Here
is a plain declaration of opinion—that the
Indians ought to be urged to sell their lands;
that we ought to lose no time in purchasing;
and the reason assigned was, that all that
did not sell would lose their lands. “Thi.-
system has not been working more than
three weeks, and upwaras of I,ooocontracts
have been certified. The stream is getting
wider, deeper and stronger every day. If
things are radically cl tinged, as to money
in Tallapoosa, 1 will furnish funds in papet
money to certify the balance ; if not the
Indians may be disbanded, and we will quit
the drive, for I will stand the pa-t ptdl no
longer; and if Dr. Scott adopts the rule ol
settlement, at the certified prices, it imnt bi
a good rule, and shall apply to till cases.”
In regard to the operations ol other pe -
sons, lite number of certifications, lite man
ner of their obtainment, I again spoke not
from my own knowledge but trom rumor,
and it was all urged as a reason for more
diligence in the prosecution of our legiti
mate business. A change, and a radical
change ui our business at Tallapoosa was
■necessary.; what that change was has been
stated, and is to be found plainly and forci
bly stated in other letters whence Colonel
Hogan obtained the present. Ifsuclt change
was made, I w-as ready to furnish funds to
complete our business; if not, I would bear
the imposition no longer.
In some instances laud had been certified
at more than the appraisetl value. 1 be
lieved it io have been done in consequence
of a connection with some other trade w ith
the Indian about the money ; and I insisted
that I sho' Id be charged only with the ap-
praised. and not the certified prices. Thus
have I game through the whole of the letter,
jand have endeavored to pre.-ent it in pre
cisely the sense in whit It it was understood
;by the parties. It proves most clearly, that
all of my purchases up to the Ist of March,
j 1835, were believed to be fair, ami the
I .amis were then paid for. It urges my co
' partners to more activity and diligence in
j their business, and throughout contemplates
dealing with no Indian but the rightful ow
ner ofthe land.
The letter alleges that whilst we wereh
ing idle and doing nothing, the whole world
was in motion—that whilst we were getting
but little land, m.d that of an inferior qual
ity, and tit high prices, others were believed
to be getting much land of tin- bea quality,
mid fora mere song. That even the lands
for which we had bargained, and which
were promised to us would be lost, unless at
once secured.
Since the Ist of March, 1835, to the best
of tny recollection, there has been no con
tract certified to in Sanford’s district, in
which 1 have any concern whatever; conse
quently by the letter in questi m, all my
contracts in that district are good. The
contracts in McHenry’s district, to w hich 1
am a party, and made since that time, art
like angel’s visits, “lew and far between •”
nor is there one of them hut what ought in
t my opinion to be sustained before any tri
bunal.
| As to the letter of Mr. Tarver, 1 have on
; ly to say, that I have no concern with it,
' and net •rw as consulted about it. What
may have been his objector intention is un
known to me ; but if it was improper, he
certainly thought better of it afterwards, for
I do not believe that since that time he has
made or certified a single contract in the
whole Creek territory.
That the present attack upon me has
been the result of a conspiracy between Co
lonel Honan, Scott, ard one or more secret
partners I have no doubt; their motives I
seek not to know; but I wish them all now
distinctly to understand, that they are incit
ed to make any and all exposures and dis
closures in their power affecting the fairness
of my conduct throughout the whole of the
Indian business. I have done no act, ut
tered no word, that I should be uttwilimg
for them to herald forth to tiie world.
I know the world is lull of such men as
I Col. Hogan, who are miser«nle unless thex
can live in a storm. With such men I wish
to have as little to do as possible. There
are others (and he is also of the number,)
who are always ready to cry out against mo
nopolies and speculations, and yet they are
generally the very first to embark in them.
The good or evilopinion ofsttch men is alike
indifierent to me. I never expect them to
do me good, and 1 shall take care they do
me no harm.
No man has any right officiously to
intermeddle with, or inquire into my bmi
r.ess transactions with other persons, be
them red or white ; but for tlie satisfaction
ofall who really wish to know' the truth,
and to make up an honest opinion whether
I have dealt justly or unjustly by the In
dians, I beg to r fer them to the annexed
documents. In addition to this I will fur
ther add, that long ago, rather than have
Col. Hogan to act a.-judge upon my rights,
I proposed in writing to the Secre.ary at
War, that all contracts unapproved, in
whit h I was interested in McHenry or Tar
rant’s- district, should be appmvt d and de
livered over to Judge Tarrant as e.-crows
and by him to be delivered to me upon my
again paxing into hi- hands the certified
price of me land—that thereupon Judge
Tarrant should be constituted the final ar
biter betxveen the Indians and m\self; and
in all ca-es where he believed the wrong In
dian had been certified, the money should
be paid over to the proper Indian ; but
when he believed the right Indian had -al
ready been certified, the money should be
returned to me. The proposition xvasjust
and equitable ; but the Secretary did not
think that he had the power to accept it.—
What more cottld Col. Hogan or any other
man ask of me? He mm h mistakes me if
lie believes that I want the land of any In
dian without purchasing it from the right
owtt'-r and pa ving every dollar that I agreed
to pay. I neither kno- nor care xvh- liter
Col. Hogan believes me sincere or not. —
I hose who know me best, and w hose good
opinion 1 hope ever to retain, will not
doubt me. I feel that I have extended this
defence to a great extent; but as it is the
; last time I expect to pay my respects to Col.
Hogan, I deemed it proper to occupy the
whole ground.
I must be excused for “ passing by nn
! noticed,” Col. Hogan’s friend, the editor of j
the Montgomery Advertiser. With him/
land the partisan warfare in Alabama, I nei-;
ther desire or seek any connection.
! Editors publishing Col. Hogan’s exposi- ‘
tion, will please copy this defence, if’not as'
an act of justice, they will do it as an act
of business, tint! forward to me their bills
for payment. ELI S. SHORTER.
Columbus, Wth June, 1836.
I was one of the firm of E. Corlex
and C. mpany, and generally remained
at the place d< ing iht ir bii.-iness upon the
Tallapoosa river. I do know that Eli S.
Shorter, xx ho xx as also a ineniber of the firm,
and xx ho furnished ueai ly .'di the niouex lot
purchasing Indian reserxes, repeaiedlx am
rirongiy urged and advised John. S. Scott,
myself mid all others interested x'ith the bu
siness, by all m< sms to axoid purchasing
li out wrong Indians, and to keep clear ex ei
ol doubtful or di-pmed cases. 1 also know
that when he learnt that some of the pnr
< liases had been disput d, he remon
-traied warmly and earue.-tly with Scot;
lor permitting stub claims to be pm
chased. I also knoxx' that ■once, and om <
only, Shorter was present at the agent’-
office, (Judge Tarrant) when three Indian
xvere presented to have their lands ccrtifie<
to the firm, one of them seemed to faulte
iu the examination. Shorter asked pi rmi
-ion ol the agent to examine the Indians .
w hich being granted, a fexv questions tver
asked w hen Shorter remarked that liedoub:
cd whether it xvas the right Indian, and d<
• lined having him certified. But for h.
own oljection, I believe then, and do ve
that lite agent would have passed the cot
tract. 1 also know that Slimier did writ
one or two letters to the agent urging Im
to all possible vigilencc in the examinatio
ofthe Indians presented for certification t
the firm, alledging that he had done all ii.
his power to prevent mistakes, and hoped
that none would happen.
I also know that the full certified price
of all such contracts certified to E. Corlex
&Z. Co., xvas paid, mid each copartner xvas
charged with bis full proportion.
I also know that die letters and papers
supposed to be of no use belonging to E.
Corley 8c Co., upon its dissolution fell in
to the hands ol'Scott wl o purchased om
the stock of Goods, debts &.c. Tiiat some
time thereafter, Scott became much offended
with Shorter for some cause not distinctly
known to me, and repeatedly threatened to
injure or ruin him, or to have satisfaction.
W ithin the last month, I had a conversation
with Scott upon the subject, in xvhich lie
admitted that in all the business done at
Columbus with the Indians in which Shor
ter was interested, he had acted honestly and
fairly, and that if’any man had ever dealt
fairly and liberally by the Indians, Shorter
so. With regard to the contracts
of E. Corley 8c Co,, with the above excep
tion, Snorter never was present at the mak
ing or certification of any contract. In
the conversation with Scott refered to Scott
farther said, that there was but one ivrong
••oiltract made by Shorter &c Scott at Co
lumbus—that the Indian was brought up
by Davi I Ilardr-idge—that Shorter believ
ed it to be correct at the tint ■. but xvlu n he
afterwards found it was wrong he xvent and
gave it up. ELIJAH CORLEY.
Georgia. , ) Personally appeared
Muscoge county. ) before me Elijah Cor
ley, who after being duly sworn, saith tiiat
the tacts contained in the above statement
are true.
Sworn to and subcribed before me this
16th June. 1836.
SAM’L. E. BUCKLER, j. p.
I James S. Moore, do state that I was
book keeper and principal clerk for Shor
ter, Tarver 8c Co. iu Columbus during the
time ofthe pun hases ami certification of
Indian contracts by said concern.—
During the same time in the same house,
the purchases of Shorter and Scott were
made. Scott professed to be personally
acquainted with all the Indians from whom
be purchased, and to have bargained for
mm-h ofthe lands after the execution of the
treaty, and before the commeuemeiit of cer
tifications. Scott produced the Indians
made the contracts, ami Shorter furnished
the money and generally attended to the
certifications. Shorter repeatedly urged
Scott to the utmost dilligence in purchasing
from the right Indians, and to let alone
doubtful or disputed eases. I have often
heard Scott say that Shorter xvas the most
fair and liberal manto the Indians that lie
had always done them justice.
I never knew or heard of any money by
frauds or force being taken back by Shor
ter and Scott or Shorter, Tarver 8c Co.,
from any Indian from xxh*m tluy had pur
chased land, but in several instances the In
dians deposited their money or a portion of
it in their hands lor safe keeping to be
drawn or traded out as they might think
pioper. I know myself that Siu rti r was
so liberal to the Indians that he was :•
i rent 'favorite xvitli many of them and
that even those xvfio bad been s ttl< <i
with an 1 paid off in full, were in the
habit of coming to him for small sums ol
money or articles in the store, and 1 do not
know that one ever applied to him in vain.
Shorter was always remix' to listen to any
error in their business, and eorrected if it
existed—upon one occasion I remember
that an Indian, I think by the name of Si
lar-chi was understood to c< mplain that hi?
land had been sold by the xxrong Indian
Shorter sent for him explained to him, the
case and offered to pay him two hundred
dollars rather than have any dispute about
it as the contract had been approved and
; re-sold ; to this the Indian agreed and the
i amount was paid him .*i money. This xvas
■ bes >re any investig ition had b.-en orde ed
|or spoken of. Os the purchases made by J.
J. Fannin up tn a given time, Shorter 8c
Gordon had two-thirds. I knoxv that for
those lands Shorter 8c Gordon paid to Fan
nin the full certified prices, for 1 was pre
sent at the settlement—farther, Shorter had
no interest in business of Fannin.
JAS.S. MOORE.
Georgia, ) Personally appeared
Muscogee county, j before me James S.
Moore, who after being duly sworn saith,
that the facts contained in the above state
ment are true, to the best of his recollection
and belief. Sworn to and subscribed be
fore me this 16th June, 1836.
SAM’L. E.BUBKLER, j. r.
I. William C. Bissel, do state that I xvas
for sometime principal clerk for E Corlex
81 Co , in Alabama during the time of their
purchase of Indian reservations—that Eli
S. Shorter freqnettilx in person -and by let
ter, urged John S. Scotland all others con
nected with the business, to be cautious in
the purchase ofland—by all means t» deal
with the true and proper owners—to avoid
doubtful and disputed cases, and to let alone
the business, contracts and Indians of other
purchasers. Shorter appealed to me pri
vately to watch over as well as I could, and
see that his instructions xx-ere obeyed. His
whole and uniform course from the first to the
time of my leaving there, seemed directed
mainly to the pun hase of lands fr<e from
difficulty. He never fora moment encourag
ed or countenanced the personating of Indi
uis, but uniformly spoke of such practices
in the mo.-t severe terms.
I have no doubt (bat the full certified
price of every tract of land pm chased by E.
Corley & Co., xvas bonafide paid. I have
io interest in said purchases, and never
iad any. I left the employment ofE. Cor
ex 8t Co. some months after the Ist ol March
1835.
W. C. BISSEIL.
Columbus, Georgia, ) Personallx- np-
Mvscogee county. j peared before
ne, Wm. C. Bissell, who, after being duly
worn, saith, that the facts contained in the
<>rcgoing statement arc true. This I9lh
June, 1836.
Test— JOHN FONTAINE.
Mayor.
1 Jatnes E. Glenn, jr., do state that I
vas very often at the store of Shorter, Tar
er 8c Co., in Columbus, whilst they and
•hotter 8c Scott xvere purchasing Indian re
•rves— iu the business of Shorter & Scott,
■coii usuallx purchased the land and Shor
r fiiruislictl the money mid attended to the
rlifications.
I lit <>w that Shorter was almost daily tir
ing Scott to caution in the purchase of
.ands, to be sure and have the proper Indi-
ans—to let the Indians and contracts of oth
er persons alone, and to have nothing to do
with doubtful or disputed cases. Scott as
sured him that he personally knexv the In
dians from xvhom he purchased—that he
purchased and would purchase from none
tint the proper owners of the land.
I have over and often heard Scott say
before Shorter's face and behind his back,
that he was the most fair and liberal man
to trade with Indians that he had ever seen
—that he had paid them promptly, &in all
things treated them justly. He further said
the Indians w ho sold their land at that house
could never have any cause of complaint—
whatever might he said of their treatment
at other houses. So far as my means of
knowing extended—and they were very
ample—Scott in my opinion, paid Shorter
only a just tribute. I have no interest
whatever in said purchases and never had.
J. E. GLENN, Jr.
Columbus, Ga., ) Personal! appeared be-
Muscogee county. f fore me, Janies E.
Glenn, Jr., who after being duly sworn saith,
that the fact contained in the foregoing state
ment are true.
Test—JOHN FONTAINE, Mayor.
Mobile, February 26, 1836.
Sir—Your letter of the 18th inst. came to
hand as > xvas leaving Tuskegee, and I had no
time to answer it. The information you re
quired can be obtained in Columbus, from any
of your friends, viz : Messrs. Hudson, Blake,
McDougald, Dr. Mills, and a dozen others who
accompanied me through the District. Thev
have kept cop’e tof all cases reversed. I have
no time to make out lists for any one, but if you
will call at my office in Tuskegee, you will be
shewn a list by Major Abbott. As to the ca
ses of Fannin, I understood Mr. John D. How
ell to be his representative, and believe he at
tended to all such cases, and as for Dr. Scott, h&
is here, and presume will soon return to the na
tion, he tells me he has not been to Texas.
I am your ob’t serv’t.,
JOHN B. HOGAN.
Capt. C. Removal.
Texas.
From the New-Orleans Bee.
By the arrival of the schooner Col. Fannin
from Velasco, xvhich place she left on the 29th
June, we learn that the Mexicans have advanced
as far as the Nueces, betxvecn 5 and 7000 men
commanded by gene-als Urea and Bravo ; 200
of which had marched from San Patr'cio.—
The Texian army were in (he neighborhood
of \ ictoria. M. B. Lamar has been appointed
commander in chief. General Green and
Felix Houston are on the march to join the
main army at that pla-:e.
We further learn that pari of Mexican arrav
xvho had been in Texas with Santa Ana, and
who have been obliged by General Urea to re
turn to Texas, have refusi d to cross the Nue
ces, stating that they will not enter Texas a
gain.
General Santa Anna has been taken to Col
umbia and put in irons, with a strong guard
over him—his suite is with him.
Matamoras, Tamaulipas, June 9th 1836.
My dear friend : —I am sorry to inform you
of our situation. We are detained here for
nothing but to keep your ignorant of the ene
my’s intention ; they xvill soon be doxvn on X'ou
in great numbers. Four thousand will leave
here in four or eight days for La Bahia, it is
supposed via Nueces or San Patricio, and as
many more by water, in 15 or 20 days from
V era Cruz, to land at Copano, or Brasos, it is
not yet ascertained at xvhich place, they xvill
make a war of e termination and show no quar
ters. My dear friends, you see xvhat treating
with a prisioner is, but you must make the bosl
of it; you can fall back to the Colorado, and
call all the men to the field, for if you do not
Texas is gone. They have heard that the
President is at Velasco with a very small
guard and they say they xvill have him" in less
than two weeks. I think you ought to send
all the prisioners through to San Augustine, for
safe keeping. You will have from 7to lo’oOO
troops to contend with, many of them cavalry,
well mounted to murder women and children.
Now soldiers, you must not spare any pains for
the sake of saving us ; we are willing to be lost
to save Texas. We are not in prison, yet but
to-morrow we shall have quarters in the Cala
boose. We have good friends xvhich produce
•it present forbids me to mention for fear of de
duction. Urea is commander in chief of the
Mexican army, and says lie will not stop short
of th.) Sabine river.
You must now work head xvork as well as
fighting. Blow np Goliad and Bexar; you
have a sufficient force in the field at once again
—be united—let the people of the United
States know what kind of a wai they make of
it, and they will certainly come to our assistance.
1 do not consider our lives in danger, if in close
quartsrs, To give you as much infotmation as
possible, my letter is in this small hand. 1 bid
you adieu in 1 aste.
Our cause forever,
Your friend,
A- TEAL.
T concur with all that has been stated above
and foregoing.
Your ob’t serv ? t.
H. M. RAMES.
Matamoras June 9.
The messenger who carries this, is strongly
recommended by all the friends of this place—
the news he carries is of the greatest impor
tance to 1 exas. In God's name be governed
by it ! 1 expected to have carried the news
to 1 exas myself, but to Lave been made pri
sioner xvas not xvhat I expected : I was to have
est this evening, through the assistance of the
friends to our cause, at 12 o’clock this day
I xvas called up by Gen. and obliged to
give security that I would appear at any time
I was called upon, or that I would not leave the.
city, or else be imprisoned in the Quartel.—
Capt. Teal and Carnes are prisoners also. I
hope if their bad faith at the Mission Goliad and
elesewhere, will not fully open your eys to the
profideousness of these unprincipled xisretches
in the detention of our Commissioners in this
place, as well as im self and four of my men,
all with passports from General Feliscola, you
will hereafter act on principles of relation re
gardless of consequences to us. if you had shot
the officers already taken, 1 have no doubt tho
second attack xvould n t h; ve been made.
The information is so full in the other docu
ments and letters that it is unnecessary for me
to go into detail ; the advice in them pay all at T
tention to and for heavens sake pay strict atten
tion and profit thereby. To Galveston, amjt
Matagorda, and your prisioners look well. Our
situation is bad, but death can ease our trou
bfes. 1 am your enemy’s prisioner,
Maj. W.P. MILLER,
Legion Cavalry.
I certify the foregoing to be true copies ofthe
communications sent by General T. S Rusk, to
this Department.
A. SOMERVILLE, Sec. War.
War Department, ».
Velasco, June 20,1836., )
A splendid sword was presented to Mak
Donald Frazier, in. .New York,on Saturday.
Gov. Marcy officiated on the occasion. '
