WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1830
178
from the character of the publication, that it had been composed by the late Ex-Agent, before his decease, and transposed to suit "Tekatoka," for publication-The personalities in which he has indulged are harmless; they can injure no one. In his great anxiety to abuse others, he has failed to vindicate the late Ex-Agent; but, by the attack which he made, he has stripped his memory of that sanctity [with] which, by universal custom under ordinary circumstances, it ought to have been re- garded. He has arraigned the late Ex-Agent on his official acts, and he shall be judged as the living. In pursuing the investiga- tion of his conduct, it will not be necessary to call upon the Editor for a Supplement' to his paper; but it is we!l enough to say to his friend, the curtain may drop in character of a Supple- ment. When the first number of the "Standing Bear" was written the Ex-Agent was living-giving to him sufficient time to respond to the charges made against him. He did not respond while living. His friend, after his decease, presents himself as his champion, but is very careful not to offer a refutation to any one of the charges. The charges are of such a character as cannot be refuted. They are founded in truth; they shall be repeated and substan- tiated by incontrovertible evidence, derived from himself, mani- festing clearly that the object in addnssing a letter to Mr. Mc- Kenney, of the 1st of Dec. was intended as an excuse for de- linquency in the discharge of his official duties. The valuation of the Indians' improvement formerly owned by them within the ceded territory, was completed as early as the month of June, 1829, and the Register signed at Dwight Mission, by the persons appointed for the valuation, the Agent being one; but, up to this hour, many of the Indians have not received the certificates of the valuation of their improvements from the Agent. They have been withheld. How does that tally with his letter to T. L. McKenney, of the 1st of Dec. following? He has no right to value the im- provements until t_hey were abandoned by the Indians; and if he signed the Register as being correct, knowing it to be otherwise, in which light was he to be viewed? He evidently retained the Register for the purposes of specula- tion, affording himself and his friends an opportunity of defraud- ing the Indians out of one half of the value of their improve- ments. For, had the Register beEn forwarded to the War De- partment immediately after its completion, the money would have
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