Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-04-18
LOCOFOCO MANAGEMENT OF THE
INDIAN AFFAIRS.

friend has sent US, from Washington, a copv
of Report made 10 the House of Representa-
tives of the United States, by Mr.. Stuart of Iii
nois. in behalf Of the Committee on Public Ey-
penditures. Ii contains the most astounding in
formation OF the nefarious management of the In
dian Department of the Government, by the late
Locofoco administraon-and shows direct par-
tcipatIon in the profits Of the contracts of The De-
partment, by high officer Of the Government
These facts should be spread before the People.
that they may know what became OF portion of
the immense amounts of the public money expen
ded under the Van Buren, Administration.
BY the Report, which is now before US, il an
pears that, in carrying into effect the Treaties with
tha Chickasaw Indians, contract was entered
into by Government with Capt. Simeon Buckner
for the transportation, in good and sufficient Steam
Boats, from Memphis, Tennessee to Little Rock,
or Fort Coffee, of as many Of The Chickasaw In
dans as might be designated by the superinten-
dent of the emigration. Under this contract, Can
tain Buckner did, in fact, transport 3OOI of the
Chickasaws. For this service he received the
sum Of Sl08,544 so. The Committee show, con-
clusvely, that if the Government had bought all
the Boats and transported these Indians on its own
account, Il saving OF upwards of $4,000 would
have been made and if the Boats had been hir-
ed, saving of over $4,000 would have resulted
The Committee state /" that, in this case there has
been an objectionable neglect OF all prudence aud
economy in the disbursement Of the public mon
y
| The Committee go on 10 say, that " in view of
these facts, II may well strike others with equal
surprise rs the Committee felt when the fact was
disclosed, that for these services and under
The same contract, Capt. Buckner ,oas aliotced by
The accounting officers Of The Treasuy-and, on
The I'd July, 1s4O tcas pdid-the further sum of
S3I I49." Ii appears that only 300l of the tribe
could be persuaded to goby hoals-the remainder
preierrng to travel by land-and Buckner was
paid this S37,149 Tor transporting in boats the In
dians who travelled through by land, and for
whose transportation he had made no provision.
Alter careful examination of all the evidence"
the Report says, the Committee are constrained
TO say that il not sufficient 10 warrant the &C.
counting officers in considering, much less in al
lowing what would not have been received by
Justice OF the Peace 10 sustain Judgment for one
cent; much less would a higher tribunal have
awarded Judgment upon it, for S37,749."
The worst feature of this case however, re-
mains yet to he slaled-the participation in IT,
namely, of high officer of tho Governments
IL was through the influence of Col. RICHARD
NJ. JOHNSON, THEN VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES, most uuquesiion-
ably that this extra and Unauthorized allowance
was made. This Coz. RICHARD NJ. JOHNSON,
then Vice President OF the United States, has been
nominated, in some parts of the Country, as the
DEMOCRATIC Candidate for the next election
of President Let the People ponder upon these
things Let them consider what fine thing it is
to live under Locofoco Administration.
The Report states, that from thorough in
vesiigation of this case, The committee are con-
strained to say, there evidence TO justify
the accounting officers Of the Treasury in allow
ing this large sum of money. The testimony Of
Captain Buckner states, that he was introduced
by Col Richard NJ. Johnson, who attended with
him almost daily, until the re1uiston was obtain
ed. There is some reason TO believe that these
daily risits ofa popular Vice President had more
persuasive influence with the accounting officers
in passing this claim, than the strength OF the tes-
timony BY which il was susiained."-. Alias.