Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1842-05-05
Correspondence ofhe Baltimore Patriot
NtnIheroN. Aprl -.
ANOTHER CHPTER IN .NR. LAY ~
NEW .INltLNISTR. IIInA


II would he difficult matter, Were rhere Time 10
l'ffrt nul all the Ahsca ni The late administrations t.,
send daily record d dark aud hitherto cour,aleI
and mysterious deeds. from this time 10 tho end or tho
session. \ metc superficial peep iuta the documents,
based upon partial examination If the Depaftiapnis
connected With tie Committee Public Expenditures,
has dAclep d oi the startling evidence, Of
corruption aud nal administration. MI Benton. IN
stead ot having such horror III the Nalpoe Admins
ton Nheh he has made the thcmo OF many sreeh,s
IN aud out al tuprpes could have. Tor the cOIrnpoua en-
sendaf encouraged aud defended n counterpart 81,
lar rs there was The machinery tur ,unp evil for all
that conceived ordone during The Walpulc Admins
tratlun.
Tie NIX, chapter in the history of exppsons " Inch
haye been brought To bgh slnec the " h4 Alnin.lra
ton CAME into ppWrr ~ upon tho subject of DcpDis rs
tablsh,d IN Alhansasby {. A. Harris or onlprnting
Indians Mr.. Stuart Of Illinois, from the Committee
un Public Expenditures. reports al length upon this sub
Ieet and the substance If the report Is that the Com
mlttc ia the course ol their Investigations lave become
sim,n a0d nimnlahal,tlso gWqeeted with the c-tab
nission,ro Iadon A0als Of Dopots in Arkansas Hdirr
they deem Of sufficient importance 10 be ald balrc the
ilausn
Tie committee have mol investigated the whole sub
ect as 1t is understood that the War Department have
ordered such an inquiry 10 be instituted, and therefore
better calculated 10 elicit the whole Truth.
II would seen. they shy, however, thai on the 2Gh o
April. iS37. {. \. Hams, as Commissioner OF Indian
Ailnfs adresscd Il letter 10 Lieutenant J. b. GGlysou
assistant eonlnA4ary of Subsistence al New Oreus. d
rerllne INN II make imnedatf purchase o nlnn ration
tothe amount ol 100000. hwillIesoea. htmthe r.
port o the Commls o1cr ot Indian Ma r. dated Fob. q
1872. that these provisions were purchased ia opfi Hu1'
hft in the civ ii New Orleans. No previous u5ur,
was gyon that proposals would be received or The sup
ply Of these provisions by cuairaci to procure that supply
by the forrest bler aud at the least expense to The Gu
vrrnncni The l3lh section Of the act organizing th'
lndan department, approved The 30th Of June, lebl
Provides THAT all HefchaadNc required by Indian tfra
" sa br purra,tl under the direction pl the Scceta
~ oNar upon proposals 10 bc rcccic"d tobe dnse o,
notices previously 10 bc grca.' The regulations OF h
Department apply the Term merchandise 10 all Indian
supplies Ii ~ plainly to be seen, that by this letter u
Tho Commissioner, aud its execution by purchasing cs'
supplies IN the olcn market III the city u New Orleans
The provisions Of the law directly violated TIL,
supplies purchased for, and afterwards shipped L
the depot IN Arkansas.
The committee in Justice to Mn Harris, refer 10 th,
following letter, addressed II hun by Capt Collins, a
explanatory Of his for the purchase Of these pro
Visions AMI his establishment Of the dcpols:
Wan DErARruEN1.
OBier Indian .lBa1s, .3prd %. lS3I s
SIN: II has been deemed advisable tonahc purchase
al provisions al New Orleans for the subsistence # lnd
ans Ncst of Arkansas IN order h guard again, any tail
Of supplies by contractors or otherwise The assist
ant counssary of subsistence at that city VIII aeeor.
Inply purchase millions of failons Immediately, ~
ahis.h funds have been forwarded 10 him. An agon
will be appointed by this Office, to receive Tic property
al New Orleans and forward II 10 Fort Gibson anil II
intended that this business shall be 81 ansaceda TIA
HE raons shall be- carried t. Their defamation during TN
present season OF navigation on The Arkansas
This measure has been adopted rs one OF prudent pre-
caution and The provisions thus obtained are designed l.
meet any emergency which may occur IN the subsistence
of Indians generally, aud viii be reserved for that Pur
bose Very. Sc.
c,pt. II. u. G. Colrlss, G. J. HARRIS.
PliHcipal Ugbi;sing trent, Ind Dept,
iiHie Rock. .IlhHaSGs.
twill be seen from tins letter that the object oi til
Commissioner was to guard against any failure 81 SUI
plies By contractors ortheWlsr,' thai It was adeple
as measure OF .'prudent porauiion." While the CON
mtoc are willing 10 cuuccdc correctness Of motive IN
dupng these precautionary measures they caunot ind
in the facts of this case. any Justification for t'htHc
his par to comply with the positive enacmcnts oi III
law. They can find satisfactory reason Ia Jnstii
him in purchasing these PROVISIONS al NV oreals
rather hanai ST. LOUIS, Lou'svlle,o Cincinnati. whe
they could have been purchased al less cost to the u
yernment.
The consequence to the Government happening (roI
Tins violation of the law by the Commissioner, and iro
the manner and place at which the purchase was mad
may be seen By reference to the following staiemen
} furnished by the Second Auditor
Statement s0iuing The disposition ~. and loss derrn
on. provisions p,rchascdm ls37, and sent toIrha'o
for the subsistence q enigra.ing and other indian
Z Sc.
. Lieutenant J. b. Grayson pur-
II chased, under authority Of
k the Indian Department. pro
n visions amounting TO tho sum
n of sHuptu
r OF which ne issued the value Of s. ,925 -
II And TUNED over TO Captain
Is Brown the residue l9O.0i} ii
"a ----- 100000
{, Captain Brown sent the amount received hy him
e Capt r. u. Collins who accounted tor the same
J. the manner follow ing:
ic issued to indians Sln,sol
II s5Nl by han for 5000 Is qrantily, (part
- f.f Amount y which ccst 1870