The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-22
5h N ATHs
DEFICIENCY siLI.

ae II supply DEFICIENCIES in the appropriations for the
service OF the hscal year ending the 30h OF June,
The PRESIDENT stated the next amendment TO be 10
strike Out the following item
"For payment TO the Seneca Indians Of New York for
moneys wongfuy withholden from them by agent ap
rotated by the government for the of their af
i as per repor OF Taos. b. Stoddard comra So
ed by tho Secretary OF War TO make the requisite nves
gaon pursuant to the direction contained the fourth
section Of the act OF twenty seventh June, eighteen hun
ded orysix making appropriations for the Indian
dollars aud my Providd That the Secretary Of The
Interior is hereby required upon payment of the money
'is IL
amount due from said agent"
Mr. ATCHISON. trust thai the Senate will not con.
cur in that amendment This appropriation has. been
IN he shape OF separate BILL Il is now recommended
as an eu-a portion Of the deficiency by the Secretary
Of the Interior will state the facts briefly.
In the years 1896 '37 and 3S there were certain funds
belonging the Seneca Indians. portion OF them to be
paid by the agent the agent OF this government for
these Indians lie retained them in his hands and never
did pay them account for them. There other
Iunds-no the funds OF the government of the United
States, but the funds OF these Indans--which were
placed in his hands and Under his control for their use
and benefit had beenthe case with former agents with
He embezzled this money cheated the Indiana. diverted
il to his use, and paid them dollar OF it. The
amoua. was some $4,000 An act OF Congress was
passed. authorizing the President 10 appoint commits
soner who should go and examine into this matter. and
see whether this agent had embezzled this money OF the
Indians, and withheld il from them not This commits
aones name was Soddard. He went and Instituted an
investigation into this matter and made his report. He
found that the sum o 6000 hero proposed be appro-
praed was due 10 the lndians-that had been enbez
zed by ha! he had swindcd them out OF that
member OF the Committee on Indian Afars-ihs matter
has been brought before and believe there never has
been any dissent IN regard to the matter Now the Hose
Of whether Tor the first time or not,
an NO, certai-have inserted this appropriation 10 an ap
wopriaiion bill and have sent it to the Senate Tho
Committee on Finance propose TO strike it out have
stated briefly the sum and substance Of the matter, and
hore that the Ssnate will not adopt the amendment
Mr.. PEARCR rscoect that two years ago. when
hs Indian appropriation bill was up for consideration in
TIE Senate, an amendment appropriahng this sum was
offered by an honorable senator from Delaware, e Mr.
WALEs] The Commiltee on Finance had refused to in
rt the appropriation after having examined into fully
waAthsn iamll. With all the papers and facts Of the
general recollse,ion Of the grounds upon which The SEN
ss ysy deliberately and after full discussion rejected H.
Ih,s man Styksr II very true, received and embez
,lsa .ns danSs e ne indians But not ~ an In
anment lndsan sssnt no ~as agent for the Seneca
tribe Of lndans and this sum Of money consisted but ia
,%a p.l. s he ss,.y ,sesiysd on ihis Govern
A,hem from the State Of New Yosk, and money frous
uds sources do not reoolIsss ths exact amounts Nv
neral recollection s. thai very large amodnt Of this
SAies N any SaRpe whatever. Now il the government
q NE United Ses is liable fof any amount, it is only
liable iof so much OF this embeZzenent was derived
from TINS government, and paid into his hands as
Indian agent But he constatsd an agent by these
Indians and as their agent held their money Besides
the trust reposed n him BY the government OF the United
him by the Indians themselves He was their constitu
ed agent Tor all those purposes and a. their agent re-
ceved this money dare say that the senator from Ken.
lucky Mr usDrswoopl will .emembe! that Chen this
subject was under discussion before. the question was
asked anybody could say that he bonds OF this Indan
Ren could BE- made responsible Tor any oil these pecu.
at,oDs upon .hs government Do not remember ,ha,
that his bonds coad not be made liable to the United
States certainly the United States could not be liable 10
,ns's lndians was perfectly willing to admit that il
he agent OF the United States had moi paid over the
money put into his hands for thesc Iadians then the
United States ought TO make the amount good 10 them
bu The Indians had made bin their agent TO hold this
money or them and 70 invest for them. Why hcn he
ea The United States arc responsible at all undoubtedly
they are responsible only for that portion OF the funds
which came into his hands as The Indian agent for this
government This appropriation does not make this
examination and think. therefore, that ought no,
topas it,
Mr: MILLER was in favor Of retaining this par, Of
tins agent received the money and appears from The
scs IN the case that he has paid that money into
The hands Of ths Indians, and consequently they have
ios he money II also appears by the report which
msue oy lhe commissioner appointed under the authority
o. h. aw, And The one made by the War Department.
bat thus money received by this Indian agent in his
omela capacity- was paid to him az the Indian agent
anu sacn u was to be paid over by him TO the In
dians II may be that be also considered by them
tne agent OF the government. and that we acknowl-
soged this man as agen, in the transaction OF this
business ~ Is also stated in that report and in one Of
he reports OF the Secretary Of War; that the policy OF this
government in treating with the Indians, in ali funds
winch thsy are TO receive, not only directly from The
United Sxes but from all the differ States that contract
wan them and form treaties with the Indians has been
a NE money is to be put into the bands OF our agents.
nst no o,oer thi,d person should at the same time
oe sealing with these Indians.
ana, ST. u can be shown by reference to the different
pots mat thus money not put into the hands OF this
xenl he request and direction OF the Indians but
anpsr ai lhe direction OF the Secretary OF War; and,
:, W plrecuon OF this money made by the government
"ssnhgton Now, sir II may be true that this man
no' technically the agent OF the United States in this
ssI Ina he merely blythe consent OF the Indians, re-
al moneys yet they trusted him because this
Korefnmenl appointed him. They trusted him with that
money because he agent, and il these poor In
T ans nave suffered from default OF an officer OF the
oa''ed states entrusted with this money, | say our
tsnment Is legally and morally bound to the Indians
-. .nat money which placed in the hands OF it's
AGENT Not only that sir but the Secretary of War, in
ae ssuma'es has recommended this appropriation, and
epmmitee was appointed and upon their report being
s sue he Secretary OF War estimated this part OF
"s ~ expenses OF the government
ohoe all these circumstances IL appears TO me, that
"ough he may not have been technically the agent of
m government in this matter, yet he was recognised as
uen, me Indians received him SUCH and therefore
~ ",uoughl to 70 pay this claim.
eiam,nc the subject will find this is the last appropria
n MI 'he whole bill which ought to be struck out II is
known that from the foundation of this government
an NV united States have assumed the Office OF protector
wv Wv guardian OF the Indian tribes-and such, few
J ago, they extended their and protection
oief The Seneca Indiana. in the State of Nav York