*»
4
" About 750 of the Indians, many of them of the best character of soldiers, were borne on muster-rolls as deserters. Of course none of them were entitled to bounty under the law governing such cases. The agents of the "Indian Ring" inform these Indians that I have their bounty, and am withholding it, in order to create dissatisfaction and gain an influence for the furtherance of their own ends.
" The books of the Paymaster General will show for whom I have collected bounties ; and for any one that I have collected and withheld, I will pay sevenfold.
"As to the second bounties, I collected them after obtaining three opinions of the Attorney General in my favor. Drafts were issued by the Government in the name of the soldier, and I could not use a dollar without their endorsement. If that was forged, it is easy to discover and punish the forger. I have sent to the Indian country, to the soldiers, on their order, about fifty thousand dollars of these drafts, and the balance is being transmitted, so that the Indians will get the entire amount due them.
"No complaint would have been made if these drafts had been delivered to the IT. S. agents or the members of the " Indian Ring," but whether in this case the Indians would have seen their money is extremely doubtful.
"All the rumors about frauds, &c, are the work of the regular Indian Ring, who, finding their power obtained under the late Administration quite gone, seek to put on an honest face and gain favor with the powers that be.
"JOHN W. WRIGHT.
"Washington, May 3, A. D. 1869."
" I do hereby certify that I am a delegate of the Cherokee Nation now in this city; that I aided Judge Wright in making out the claims of the Indian soldiers; that I