Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-07-28


perintendency, aud within its limits; but so gfea,
was his activity, efficiency, and success in the
management OF Indians, that, under peculiar cir
cumsiances OF difficulty and embarrassment in
conducting our Indian relations in that quarter al
mat time, he was selected 10 lake charge OF nu.
merouS other tribes far beyond his superin,enden,
cy, IN Ohio, Illinois, and what is now Wiscon-
sin. Many .! those Indians il was difficult to
manage, being disaffected towards our govern.
meni and citizens, from having been employed
against US during the last war with GiCal Britain,
and 10 consequence OF the inlIgues OF The agents
OF the British government and the Hudson Bay
Company, VINO made them large presents annu-
ally aud taught them 10 lock 10 their government
and cizens as friends and projectors; aud TO ours
as enemies and ocs from whom they had nothins
10 expect but Injustice and wrong. IL was only
by the most energetic measures and firm and de-
telmined personal conduct, thai on frequent occa-
sions they were prevented from breaking out INTO
open osiile, and deluging an extensive
frontier wi b the blood OF our scattered and de.
tenceess citizens. On one occasion the In
dians abruptly Withdrew from the council with
threatening words and gestures, and had
drawn up in batlle-array, and hoisled the Brush
Gag in defiance; when Gen. CasS, al the immi-
nenl peril OF his life, accompanied only by an in
terpreter, went directly among them, tore down
the flag, and tramp!ed il under his feet, and told
them ha, no such emblem Of foreign power
should wave over territory OF the United States
in his presence. This chivalric acl SO asounded
the Indians and excited their admiration for his
daring and courage, as 10 change completely the
who tone OF their feelings and they soon SUBJ
miued and entered into friendly council and sd
tisiaciorily arranged their difficulties. This is
only one Of the many instances in which General
Cas- subjected himself 10 similar risk and danger
with The same promplness aud deel mlnalion, and
with like suspicious results. He was subjected
10 great ard various Inconvenience, and his dit
hcul,ies and embarassmens were greatly in
creased by his being compelled TO lake with him
large amounts OF money, which, on account OF
The bad STATE Of the currency, he had 10 collect
and transport to Detroit with much danger an
risk. ANY one who will take The trouble 10 con-
suit the documents referred 10, will acknow
ledge The almost insurmoun,able difficulties he
had 10 encounter, and wonder how he ever sue
ceeded so well in the discharge OF his duties. II
was customary at The time 10 allow Two and
halt per cent. on all moneys discussed under 81
milar circumstances; and though some S40OO 600
passed through his hands, (most OF which he had
at his own cost and expense TO transport from the
interior OF Ohio through an unsettled country Of
about TWO hundred miles, he never was allowed
one cent. Tor il, except in what the gentleman
from Pennsylvania calls extra allowances.
Under these circumstances, we considered that
some reasonable allowance should be made 10
him for the extra labor and heavy expenses 10
which, in various way, he was subjected, and for
discussing this large amount OF money, none oil
which duties legilimalely belonged 10 him. Ac-
cordinsly in the year 1928 he submitted an &C
count for these extra and extraordinary services
for the seven years ending with 1923, amounting
to Sl4 1878 S. being al The same rate as had been
allowed 10 his predecessor Governor HulD for
similar services. Without questioning The jus.
tice Of he claim, the Secretary OF War(Gen. P. B.
Porter) submitted j! TO The Attorney General
the upright and eminent Mr.. Wirt-for his opin-
ion; ana Mr.. Wirr, deciding it favorably, said:
sIundersand the facts stated in Governor Casss
letter OF The Both November to be admitted; and
il so, can perceive no ground on which his claim
can properly be resisted. His salary as govern
or is compensation ior governor, but the services
for which he claims do no belong 10 his duty as
governor OF The Michigan Territory, and having
been employed by government TO perform these
services, he has fair claim for them nm the prin-
cipes Of gua8:nu, nlerAit. The fdcs conceded,
his RICH, is undeniable."
Thereupon, the Secretary Of War allowed
General Cass Sl0,500, being at the rate OF
IL 500 per annum for the period embraced in
the account and that sum was accordingly paid
some time prior to his becoming Secretary OF
War, and Mr.. Calhoun never had the claim I'M
der consideration, $50 far as can aScertaIn,)
and, therefore, could not have rejected il.
When General Cass entered on his duties as
Secretary of War, there was due 10 him the
same allowance for the balance of his term as
superintendent, namely: from 1929 TO July 3lst,
1881, inclusive, amounting to S3,675. This al
lowance being based on the same principles as
the case decided by Mr.. Writ, there would have
been no improperly in the accounting ofilcers
acting on the account, and paying him the
amount; but, governed by the most scrupulous
delcacy, and the incest sense of propriety, he
endorsed upon the account the following:
"In the peculiar position in which | now
stand in relation to the department, although the
charge is not only uneIceptonable in itself, but
supported by a previous decision OF the war
Department; yeti am willing i, should remain
suspended and not acted on until it can, with
propriety, be decided
Ii accordingly remained suspended until No
yember, 1887, year after he had lett the
country for France-when it was taken up and
allowed, as matter Of course.
Anolher item OF the tissue Of misrepresenIa'
lions u.s. that in addition to The other allowances
noticed, Gen. Cass was paid 270S7 dollars lot
extra services as commissioner IN negotiating
treaties with various tribes of Indians, &C. Inns
item is taken from document No. 6, and l4,37o
dollars of the amour, is a repetition of The same
sum contained in document No. ll2-nelns me
allowance, before noticed, Tor labor and expen'
ses in experimenting Indians and making DIS
bursemenls not within his SUPPLEMENTARY, grant,
ed under the opinion of Mr. Writ. Thus, instead
of being The amount falsely stated, il was only
1912 dollars; and even OF this sum The docu-
ment shows tina, considerable portion was Tor
expenses. The items have Ccen critically ana
lived, and the expenses calculated by agen.lenan
OF long experience in, and perfectly conversant
with such matters, who was with Gea. Cass on
many Of the occasions for which the allowances
were made, and who states that the actual and
unavoidable expenses could not have been less
Than 6,442 dollars, leaving Ter compensation only
6,270 dolaIs-a small compensation for prolong-
ed absences from his family, through period oil
seventeen years; great exposure, RISK aud danger,
and travel of over ten thousand milea, in birch
bark Canoes along the lakes and rivers, on horse.
back and on fool-all involving great toll and
discomfort.
OF all the posts Of governors OF Territories
that of General Cass was, perhaps, the most i'm
porant and responsible. His salary as Governor
was So, coo per annum; whilst that allowed 10 the
governor OF the Territory oil orleans, VINO nal
no SUPERINTENDENT OF Indian affairs, was So o0O
per annum; and the strong probability is, that The
dnlies of the one assovernor were more arduous
than those OF the Other.
To recapi;ulale: the allowances, as shown by
correct analysis OF the documents, which have
been so frequently referred 10, were as follows;
|. The allowances made by Mr.. Calhoun, Nov
2 1921, aud sanctioned by President Madison
and continued to him by subsequent Secreta
ries of War, Zone for ralions, from October 8
1913, to May 80, 1920 raiions per day, al
20 cents each-ior supporting the Indians, S.
6lo; and the other being Tor Different, clerk.
hire, fuel, stationery, &C., from October 9
1913, to July 81, 1881, s26,7l5.-(Ss Doc. No
ll2 p. Q, and Doc. No.244, p. y 1913 1876 OF
2. The allowances made under the
opinion OF MIR. Writ, by The Secre-
larry Of War, during MIR. Adams's
Administration, and subsequently,
one for services in experimenting
Il. =