Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-02
THE EXEcITTIvE ppINr,Nc
A CURIOUS DEyEt.opupNr

Inc committee OF the House of Representatives
are diigenly engaged in ieuetng out tho abuses of
tue 'a'e Administration. They have recently
brought 10 light one IN the Indian Department, by
wheh me Government sustained a loss Of sI2n OOO
'h'"ush the gross violation Of the law by the Com
missioner, Harris. We have no, spacc now
Tor the particulars Of this transaction. In eonnex.
ION with II, the Committee makes n s,ranee ,ev.I,
hon, respecting the Commissioner, c A Harris
IRON which, 1t appears that that individual W o. en-
gagged IN specializing in Indian ti,es willis, in Office
the fact was known to Mr. Van Buren-he was
permitted to resign without explanution-and the
papers relating TO the affair have been abs,rac,ed
rom The War Department. See the substance Of
the committees Report, copied from the Baltimore
Patriot.
WAsHIseros, April %.
on the 4th day Or July, 1896, c. A. Harris was
appointed Commissioner Of Indian Affairs. During
his continuance in this Office, he assumed TO tnke
upon himself the Office Of discussing agent of thu,
department, Calming that, as Commissioner Of In.
dian Affairs he had the RICH, ~ ofieio TO exercise
mat o. discussing agent. lie was permitted thus
10 act iOr the space OF year. in violation of the
sound principle which would place these Offices in
separate hands, making them checks the one upon
the other. These offices had always before that
time, and ever since have been, thus separated
The unbridled control which this union Of the two
Offices gives the officer the large disbursements
OF the Indian department needs no comment
II opens wide field, in which without any check
dishonest officer may speculate. for his private
gain, with the public funds. This nigh, be done
an many ways, nni with but little risk OF detection.
l,Cl hu H.,
funds iiom the Treasury before required for dis
bnFsemen' IN the public service, and place them IN
dePoshe IN some bank, at interest," or in the sale o,
exchange. The committee have much reason ia
believe that this has been done, in many instances.
but they refrain at present from any specific CHARGE
wishing now only to point attention to the tempta.
ton TO which the officer and the danger TO which
the public FUNDS are exposed Ivy the union Of the
two Offices.
% the 10Th Of October, 1885, Mr. Harris resign.
ed hls office OF Commissioner Of Indian Atf,irs'-
ms resignation IS made by a letter Of ha, date TO
The Secretary OF War OF which copy Is furn;sh
cd in the report and which letter was endorsed
".3eeeptd-.N. y. b."
In tins letter of resignation reference Is n,dc n
letter from Gen. Porter TO MIR Harris. and Of
wh'eh me latter was asked explanations. lie fails
IN giving them, and resigns.
cnrsory eNaminauon OF this letter from Porter
20 MIR Harms shows that It contained matter nj
mysterious Impotence. When, in the sLsence OF
MIR Harris, this letter OF Porter found lis wav into
tile hands o the chief clerk, its contents were IN
him so Startling that he felt himself constrained Nv
sense OF duty, TO lay the letter before the Secre
tary of War MIR POnseu under similar iu,nres-
SONS, no doubt, laid it before President Van Buren,
The sentiment with which that letter insured ia,
President is manifested Ivy his call upon MIR Harm.
ior an explanation. hir Harris letter OF resigna.
ton informs US that he attempted an explanation
which was not satisfactory to the President. Wher
called on TO make further explanation, winch he
ing unable or unwilling to do he IS permitted TO re.
sign ms once. The committee, attracted by the
Important consequence. followed this letter OF Por
Ter 90 Harris, and induced TO believe, from m,
mystery thrown around this resign ion that some
hing was "ro;ten IN Denmark" which it was thei
nuty to investigate, made call upon the Sccrct.r,
m War Tor tins entire correspondence. To this cal
The Eeply was received which follows:
D-pariusHf Of Var, Feb g. 1872
Sir: In answer to your letter Of the Is IN ms ant
embracing resolution Of ihe Committee on Pubh,
Expenditures, requiring "copies of correspondent,
which took place m October, 1885, between MIR Var
Barren, President of the U. States, and C. A Harris
then Commissioner Of Indian Aflirs, and eonsls,ins
OF the following lotters-ono from Mr. Porter to Nj
Harris, one from the President to Mr. Harris. call
ING for explanations Of the letter Of Porter; the teny
OF the President; and the resignation OF MIR Harris
II have TO enclose copy Of MIR HaTfis's letter nj
resignation, with endorsements, showing that the
President accepted II This is the only record OF
paper tharcan he found IN the Department relating