Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-30

An examination ofihe vouchers on file will snow
that the only evidence upon which this large sum OF
money was paid by the discussing agent consists
first, Of receipts given 10y the conductors Of the In
dams as to the number Of Indians and The amour.
OF bagsagei and, second, the certificates of the
clerks n The ste 'mboais to the time the deren,
boats were detained. The committee arc not nrs
pared 10 say that II is The general practice Of the
GsouIsng agents OF the Government 10 make pay
menis OF the public money upon evidence 90 Uttle
to he relied on; but, it has been done in more
cases th'n this one, the suggestion NAV be WORTHY
Of consideration, whether, IN all cases higher evi.
dence should not he required than the conscience
al an Indian conductor or steamboat clerk
The necessity Of the Obligation Of On oath i'm ali
such cases will, we think. lie manifested by m ~
animation oithe various items oftho above accom-,
-especially OF That In relation To the amount nj
baggage, being O6i TONS md charged with FREIGHT,
! age TO the amount Of S5I $50. With the know.
edge that the stock Of the Indians had been lrivsr
/ across by land, we are at loss TO conceive wb,,
rcms Of Indian property could have constituted
| This large total Of baggage. They must have car
RED nm unusual amount of paints and blankets Tho
regun,ionsofthc Indian department, in other coses
have assumed thot 80 pounds per CAPITA WIS far
/ average Of the baggage Of Indians This NAV Lc
! assumed ns fair average for a race whose trayeu
ing equipments are usually gun, a box of p,iot.
aud blanket, and perhaps bow and nrrows :
especially Is this average full, when npplied 10 n
large body composed of warriors, tquaws. and
chId'en. Thirty pounds per capita would have
ven 10 these 3.00l Indians 4j tons Of b,oe,re
instead Of 1904 tons, with which they were chr,
cI
a like examination Of the other items Of this te
count will prove them upon a scale e1uallv extr,.
VACANT with that for baggage. The chirgc for d .
muuage or detention Of the boats is almost ruu,l
20 The value OF a steamboat; and when divide,
am NJ the four boats (which nun her only. Of riob,
vas tmp'oYed.) would mike tho demurroro nj
thirty five doys TO each boat at 800 rer day. ard
/ Amounting, IN the whole, 10 a detention of NOR
ft'an Tour months. The price prid Tor trarsporia.
ton oil these J.OOl Indians, composcd OF unrr,o,.
'qunvs md children, from Memphsio Little Eo- X
AMI Fort Coffee, s, beyond doubt, more than am.
pie ''''
Suppose The Government had bought the Cop,
boats eaeh nj 500 900, their whole cost would h. 20
been $4,000. To have hired hands boueb, ali
| Inc iuel, and paid all other expenses Of rnnoios
these hosi', estimating the expenses at SIOU psf
day, and Tho time employed in removing the Indian.
| NJ 50 days, would have required the lurtber SON,
/ o. sl2OOO. This mode Of ofcc,ing the removal Of
these Indians would have cost tho Government
/ SJ2OOO being GIG. 574 81 less tlan was p,iJ A.,
Captain Buckner, not counting the bost,I vb,cb
would have belonged 20 tho Government.
Suppose, again, tic Government had sJon,ed
smother mode, nod hired these four boats eneb M
sEVO pcf Jay, and that 80 days would have been
! rqu'Ied 70 remove the Indians from Memphis to
r'N O'uee nc eHponto 70 the Government by
TINS node would have been e2i 900
Ibs above estimate, both ~ 10 the time required
10 mlke the removal, md for the daily hi,e Of TIC
boiis, Is believed n he large yet, under tbi, eli
m''e had this course boen pursued there would
have been saved, IN expenditure ofiho public funds
the difference hetwcen s2f 600 md Sos 5fg So
belnga clear saving Of 354.54f so.
The Committee submit these facs and estimate,
m order 10 sustain the conclusion NJ which they ar
fTe-that IN this case there has been an unparjon
able neglect Of aIl prndonce aud economy in the
disbursement Of tho public money, and such n,
we'll merits the seyorcst censuro.
In view Of these facts, il may we'll strike other,
with equal surprise, or the committee eit when tbs
Tact was disclosed, Tint for these same serv,ess and
under The same contract, Captain Buckner was al
lowed by the accounting officers Of the Treasury
and on ths ~ Of July, 1910, was n,J. the C,,,bs,
sum Of s5I I49l l. my be we'll asked, upon whe
g'ounif The committee will attempt 70 explain