The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-08-27

Our washington Correspondence
WASHINGTON, August Is, l8t9
End,an 7yadeys- The Overwhelming Po,cer of the
Secreiayy of the Late,tm-Impmtant Dsc,s,sn-
Arrange Of Pay The Hon. John ML<an-
Contemplated Rescue.
The great mass Of the people have no sympathy
with the cormorants who now importune the ad-
minisraiion for rewards, in return for their part-
san services Political trcksters excepted, they
desire the public business to be honestly transact
ed, and wish to be made acquainted with every
thing connected with the operations Of the general
government.
The Indians, the pure 'natve Americans" with
all their ferocty, have relatively suffered more
from white men, than white men have from them;
and will this state of things continue until the
red disappears before the encroachments Of the
pale face. Notwithstanding treaty obligations, we
find that wrongs 10 the aborgnes do not alto
gether cease. The Great Spirit seems to have for
saken, and the Great Father, al Washington, ex-
ercises an impOtent jurisdiction over them.
Certain claimants and their agents, however, re-
ceive attention from the chief director of the
Indian Department now than In times past; and The
following, index to other official transactions,
may be reclted About the year 1901, claim
for two or three thousand dollars presented to
the government against the Pottawatomes. The
to the trader, was sheet or two of letter paper,
the items written IN the French language, and, in
stead OF dollars and cents, the words "plus"
and "skn" were employed. The claim Was
adudicated at the instance OF the Indian bureau,
and disaowed In 1902 this T" Monsieur Tonson"
came again, and second time was denied. On
two other occasions II shared similar fate, and
was considered as finally quoted. For period Of
twelve years, we believe, the claim slept; and
scarcely had the Secretary of the Interior put on
the exterior garb OF office, before the ghost, for
fifth time, appeared! The winning eloquence EN-
ployed by an attorney, caused Mr.. Ewing, without
requiring strict examination, # any at all, to
write few lines Tor the payment OF the money.
This was brought to the Commissioner OF Indian
Affairs at that ime, (Mr. MedilD, who, being
aware that the stale, antlquated clam was not sup
ported by competent proof, and that former execu-
tive officers had considered and decided against it,
referred the order to MIR. Clayton, the Second An
dior OF the Treasury, who, on two or three pages
OF foolscap, gave an opinion against the allowance
OF the money, tor the stated, and sent to
MIR. Parrish, the Second Comptroller, saying that
the claim ought not to be allowed, unless the order
Of The Secretary OF The Interior be binding on the
accounting officers of the treasury. The Comp
trOller, we believe, has repeatedly checked the
drawing of money out of the exchequer when not
satisfied that the object was righteous. Being a
democrat, and the administration wing, and the
attorney for the claimant desiring it, he submitted
the papers to Attorney General johnson, for his de-
cision. This gentleman decided in favor of Mr..
Ewing's proceeding, and the money was paid.
The secretary's order thus OVERRIDE all the checks
and officers Of the Treasury department. The
claim was nearly half century old, and was al
lowed, notwithstanding the final adjudlcauons,
and the six seven treaties, within that period,
with the Pottowaamies, which treaties, it is said
settled all claims. u not strictly, the proceeding,
We have reason to belleve, is substantially true.
The Pouowatamles seem 10 be unfortunate. w.
G.. and g. w. Ewing brought In an account
against them for S40,35i. For the larger portion
of this money the chiefs and head men had given
their notes. On this and kindred subjects, the
former Commissioner of Indian Affairs, In his an
nual report last December, remarked, Gin the
course Of an argument why thrty-thre certain
claims against different tribes amounting, in the
aggregate, TO sl62,sos, nearly the whole of which
Is against the Pottowatamies, the Names aud the
Sacs and Foxes, should not be paid,) that the |
charges are generally against individual To-
dams, and would, therefore, seem to be indi- |
yidua and not national Liabilities; and that |
there is great diversity In the amounts, 80 that |
great inequality and injustice would result |
from their beng paid out of the common funds
As the claims now stand. 1t is Impossible to make
any safe decision in regard to them short of re-
lecting the whole and under the circumstances,
the bert and probably only practicable mode OF |
making any satisfactory and final disposition of |
them, would be for Congress to authorize the APP
ponment OF a commissioner TO investigate them |
on the spot, with power to take testimony and
anime witnesses, in order to ascertain satIsfac-
tory how far they should Justly be regarded as
national or individual liabilities, whether the
charges just and reasonable and all other facts
and circumstances which should be taken into |
in making final decision upon |
them. The recommendation has not been COM |
Piled with; but Mr.. Ewing in this case, as in the
other, ordered the amount the face Of the claim
to be paid, and the attorney, Western wing ex-
member Of Congress, boosted that he made five
thousand dollars by his professional tact. The
money will be taken out OF the Pottowatamic an
nuily, which the law says shall be pad per capita
TO these Indians.
These things are talked Of in Washington, and |
my information comes from respectable quarter |
from gentleman known for probity and veracity. |
II they are not true, the organs Of Mr.. Ewing |
have en- opportunity to speak in exculpaton. We |
have though hit II due to the public to make known
these two cases, selected from among others,
winch may in due time be proclaimed TO the
world, through the medium OF the press. The
Secretary is prompt IN business, and he may not
deere delays by the toilsome operation Of an in
vesteation.
The Hon John Mclean retired from the Post
Office Department upwards Of twenty years ago.
Several days since, in adding up his accounts, we
are informed IT WAS discovered that the govern
ment owed him balance Of four hundred dollars, |
which he may expect shortly to receive, a draft |
having been already prepared for him.
II was stated, few weeks since, that an Anne |
rican citizen was put ashore somewhere In the !
Straits Of Magellan, by the officer in command of
a vessel from the North, bound foe California. |
The Secretary OF the Navy has ordered Captain
Gardner, Of the Vandalia, which will shortly set
rail- TO look in there, and recover the man. If the
savsges refuse TO make a surrender, few hot shot
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