We determined by a majority when we passed the bill that the fund ought to be paid back to the Creek orphans. but we coupled with it a provision that $106.000 of it when paid to the Creek orphans should be charged back to the Creek Nation. and that is the main point in controversy. Charged back. why ? Because it is alleged that the Creek Nation was in rebellion. and that this amount of $106.000 was taken from the fund belonging to the Creek orphans and used to pay loyal refugees of the Creek Nation who were in Kansas. The then governor of Kansas. Governor Crawford. was in the city here a short time ago. if he is not here now. and a very intelligent gentleman who conversed with him told me that the governor said that while we were feeding these loyal Creeks who were refugees in Kansas. there were other Indians of other tribes. and other tramps. who wentto live with them andwho were fed with them. that a large part of this fund was expended not on loyal Creeks but on a motley mob who were gathered there. they being among the number. and that it wasproven to him. then governor. that a large part of all the beef that was fed to them were the cattle of the Creek Nation that were driven there to be fed to them. They were supported. in other words. upon their own meat. their own cattle were used to feed them. Other Indians of other tribes were fed there at the same time. and then the whole %mount of $106.000. much of which dishonest agents may have put in their pockets. was charged up against the Creek orphan fund. The Senate said. the Creek orphans must be paid. but we will charge that amount to the Creek Nation. If you turn to the treaty of 1866 it appears that there was then a settlement made by the Creek Nation with the United States for its participation in the rebellion. There was. as the letter from the Indian Commissioner now lying on the table shows. $200.000 of the annuities due to the Creek Nation taken by the United States and applied to the purposes of the United States on account of the conduct of the Creek Nation in rebellion. and $100.000 more that he refers to taken on account of this feeding of the loyal refugees. That was taken in full settlement of the account between the United States and the Creek Nation growing out of the rebellion. To sum it up. the cattle of the Creek Nation were taken and used in great degree to feed the refugees in Kansas. . Only part of those refugees were loyal Creeks. many of them belonged to other tribes. and some white men were there who were not of the tribes and yet were supported with them. Then $100.000 is charged up on account of that fact to the Creek orphan fund. We say that cannot be done.
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refugees