Coffin next came forward with a suggestion that Indian colonization in Texas would be far preferable to colonization elsewhere, although if nothing better could be done, he would advocate the selection of the Osage land on the Arkansas and its tributaries.[670] Why he wanted to steer clear of the Indian Territory is not

[Footnote 666:  “...  I would most respectfully suggest that a Treaty be gotten up by you and the Sec. of the Interior, and sent to me and Gov.  Carney and some other suitable com. to have ratified in due form and returned.  And you will pardon me for saying that the Treaty should be a model for all that are to follow with the broken and greatly reduced, and fragmental tribes in the Indian Territory, and may be made greatly to promote the interests of the Indians and the Government especially in view of the removal of the Indians from Kansas and Nebraska as contemplated by recent Act of Congress.”—­COFFIN to Dole, March 22, 1863, Ibid., Land Files, Southern Superintendency, 1855-1870, C 117.]

[Footnote 667:  Cutler to Dole, May, 1863, Ibid., General Files, Creek, 1860-1869, C 240.]

[Footnote 668:  Ok-ta-ha-ras Harjo and others to “Our Father,” April 1, 1863, (Indian Office General Files, Creek, 1860-1869).]

[Footnote 669:  Same to same, May 16, 1863, Ibid., O 6.]

[Footnote 670:  Coffin to Dole, May 23, 1863, Ibid., Land Files, Southern Superintendency, 1855-1870.]

evident.  The Pottawatomies[671] asked to be allowed to settle on the Creek land,[672] but the Creeks were letting their treaty hang fire.  They wanted it made in Washington, D.C., and they wanted one of their great men, Mik-ko-hut-kah, then with the army, to assist in its negotiation.[673] Opoeth-le-yo-ho-la had died in the spring[674] and they were seemingly feeling a little helpless and forlorn.

Thinking to make better progress with the treaties and better terms if he himself controlled the government end of the negotiations, Commissioner Dole undertook a trip west in the late summer.[675] By the third of September the Creek treaty was an accomplished fact.[676] Aside from the cession of land for the accommodation of Indian emigrants, its most important provision was a recognition of the binding force of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.  In due course, the treaty went to the Senate and, in March, was accepted by that body with amendments.[677] It went back to the

[Footnote 671:  A treaty had been made with the Pottawatomies by W.W.  Ross, their agent, November 15, 1861 [ibid., Pottawatomie, I 547 of 1862].  Its negotiation was so permeated by fraud that the Indians refused to let it stand [Dole to Smith, January 15, 1862].  At this time, 1863, Superintendent Branch, against whom charges of gambling, drunkenness, licentiousness, and misuse of annuity funds had been preferred by Agent Ross [Indian Office General Files, Pottawatomie, R 21 and 143 of 1863], was endeavoring to persuade Father De Smet to establish a Roman Catholic Mission on their Reserve.  De Smet declined because of the exigencies of the war.  His letter of January 5, 1863, has no file mark.]