The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-10-20
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT, OCT. 20, is47.
Indian Relations.

among and Fox Indians, because of the treatment
We told, but vouch for the truth of the
port that great the ofhe tribe, and so i'm
possible has been do them from the violation,
by the United States OF the treaty puatons that the agent
Major Beach, who has been with them some eight years;
Foxes for several pas-in fact since the Black
Hawk war-have been peaceape ana relied entirely ana
implicitly upon the treaty supuiatlons Tor support and pro
lection
agency, they accustomed to do for their aiions
and their annines. But, by some unexplained cause,
Washmgton s and they Were Consequently kept about the
agency suffering only for food but for water until dis
the neglect of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Washington. 50 loud says our informant, became the
distress Which he was compelled 10 witness every day paid
the annues Of money without the requisite nstruc
tons from the department. and then resigned his post
The above article taken from the " Baltimore Sum-"
appeared, short time since, in the "St Louis Republi-
cam and in paper OF Saturday evening last we pub
lished, from the Union" of the city, short but
satisfactory REPUTATION OF its statements. This however,
not sufficiently full to show all the circumstances
nor do justice to the humane policy and great efficiency
of the officers here charge OF Indian affairs, who have
been attacked plainly evident for the purpose
of screening the conduct of fathless and guilty agent
lending himself to certain traders, and to deter the de-
parment, if possible, from carrying into execution law
of the last session in relation to the payment of In
dian annuities and we had applied for and re-
ceived full information upon the subject, which is
otherwise of much interest, in relation to our Indian
SYSTEM we have hastily thrown it together, and now
publish il for general information 1t will, think be
clearly that the grossly improper and extraordinary
conduct of Mr. Beach, the agent for the Sacs and Foxes
who served through several preceding administrations
and was heretofore regarded intelligent and upright
hac the vho at The
time led to the mass of the Indians of the tribe being
cruelty and shamefully injured in their rights and in
terests.
Indian annuities are not paid till time in the fall
generally in Octoberas 1t is lar better to defer their
payment till the approach of the season when the
Indians are compelled TO make use OF the money IN
providing necessaes and for the winter than to
make it at an earlier PERIOD when it would be of com
paravey little immediate use them and much, if
most of it, would consequently be squandered in gam
bling and folicking 10 which is known the Indians
unfortunately greatly addicted, or for mere rnkets and
articles of no substantial value to them whatever. An
Indian provides only for the wants that felt and has
been known 10 part with his blanket for mere tie,
even dram OF whiskey, when the weather warm,
and again purchase back upon the approach of win
ter at an exorbtant price.
In the case of the Sacs and Foxes the annues for the
years 1si3 1884, 1915, 1916, and for the present
1917, paid to the agent for distribution, the
nth August 9TH Sept, 2sth August 18th Sept, and I'd
Sept of those years, respectively Thus it will be seen
that he received them earlier this than of
the former years, when complaints made and no
inconvenience or suffering alleged If suffering ex-
perenced this year from the Indians being assembled and
tlo h,uo ham 4,
suence of gross negligence and improper conduct on the
part of the agentfrst in not applying portion of the
funds in his hands, which subject to the order Of
the Chiefs their relief; and, secondly in permitting or
encouraging them to assemble before he had received his
instructions and ready to pay them. This is a mat
which is easily arranged, will be seen from the
fact that in former years there was no difficulty in his
keeping the money long he desired which he did I'M
til he made all his arrangements and deemed most expe-
ient to pay Thus, in lS43 he received the annu
tiles the 18th of August, and did not distribute or nav
them till the It'll of October, keeping them in his pos
session nearly two months In 1874 he received them on the
9Th OF September and paid them on the 18th in 1915
he received them the 2Sh of August and paid them over
the 9th OF September in 1916 he received them on the
18th OF September, and paid them on the 9th of
October, retaining them in his possession six weeks
and THIS year ne received them the I'd of September
and within ten days after he arrived at his agency ac-
cordng to his own return, made the payment and as he
alleges, without having received his Instructions al.
though expressly directed by the superintendent not to
make il until after he received them.
The amount of annuities placed in the hands of the
agent this year, to be paid to the Sacs and Foxes was
sl 900 The instructions of the department "a copy of
which has been furnished us, and which we shall pub
ish in few days,) enjoned the superintendent a
strict observance of the law of the last session of Con
gress which required the money to be paid to- and dis
rbuted among, the heads of families in proportion to
the number of souls in each unless otherwise provided
by treaty. and forbade the payment of any debts there
from until the same should have previously been ex-
aLnned and found correct In its great anxiety to frame
these instructions to protect the Indians and at the
SAME time to do injustice TO others, the department
ordered the superintendent of Indian affairs at ST. Louis
to Washington with the view of consulting him person
ally, and Of avalng itself of his great experience and
knowledge of the internal affairs of the several tribes
While here, he received the annuities for all the tribes
within his superntendency and left for his post about the
23d 2Ith of August TO make arrangements for the
distribution OF the 10 different agents by the time
the instructions reached him, which were prepared and
mailed ON the 30th.
On his arrival at ST. Louis, he there found Mr. Beach.
the aren't who had come down for tho annu;t;as