The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-05-01
California Indians-nare Proceedings.


aud in an embarrassed condition.
California Indians - Rare Proceeding
The country has been some time since informed Of
the extraordinary proceedings OF the agents sent BY the
last administration to treat with the California Indiana
and the enormous expenditures they had occasoned
without authority of law, and without accomplishing
any beneficial result. These agents or commission ere,
under original appropriation Of twenty-five thousand
dollars, spent amount OF money. and the treaties
which they negotiated and proceeded {, comply with At
heavy cost, rejected BY unanimous vote OF the
Senate. Every school-boy ought to know that treaty
engagement is not binding until sanctioned by the
President and Senate; and II it requires the expendi
ture OF money 10 execute it, an appropriation must
pass both branches Of Congress TO provide the neces
sary means Blu, the California commissioners enend
into treaty stipuations requiring immediate fu6lment
and before the Senate could be consulted, they un.
derook TO get apart resasVeiiors for the indiana,
and supply them with cattle AID provs,ols 10 large
amounts under the si uations OF heir unsancoped
treaties, which, in the end, were rel udiat.d by the
treaty making over This stcimen of msmanage-
men, and ncomIetency harm onizes Ie fecily with
he ordinary achievements OF The late admnist alton,
whose capaciy to ave eel unequal 10 the sim
plest task and whose undertaking., attended with
expense and often with corruption, almost always ended
in failure
The management of The California Indians not on.
" exhibits the usual iucompetency OF The late ad.
minsiraon, but the customary reckessness and prof.
legacy OF lis agents. A document printed by order of
the late special session OF the Senate throws addi
onal light this point OF the The new su; erin.
enden, of Indian affairs for California, h. F. Beale,
etq, in his correspondence with the department, reveals
some startling facts touching the conduct OF those who
preceded him. He states that the grossest ignorance or
mismsnag had been display BY The agents Of the
government, in the contracts for the ulhlment Of The
eced treaties. which were characterized by neglec, and
official reckIessness that amounts Of cattle had
been placed 10 the hands Of traders TO be delivered TO the
Indians while temptations all kinds OF fraud had been
held out TO them by the want OF vgilant superintend.
ence and he encloses statements to show chat gov
eminent property, for which drafts had been given
and various liabilities contracted, placed in the hands
of irresponsible men, has been squandered in eve.
~ direction bui that in which il should have gone"
Among those statements is memorandum OF converse.
lion he had held with of the agents commissioners.
by which appears that the supplies stipulated 10 be fur
nsbed The Indians were pu, into the hands OF traders.
without requiring any other evidence that they vere de-
Tweed Than the word OF the traders themselves thz, The
weight OF cattle was estimated without ihs trouble oil
weighing that drafts on the government were some
times gwen in payment for cattle befor. delivery;
and that. in zone instances. the contractors the
identical traders who trusted TO deliver The supplies
TO the Indians without evidence Of delivery. Not having
space 10 pursue this subject further the present moment
we conclude with the following statement OF j. H. Brooks
which is among those communicated by Mr.. Beals q
above mentioned which puts the matter in clear light
San FRANCISCO, September n, 1882
On about the 18th OF Augus, 1881 was appointed by
Msior Jaes Savage, the Indian trader the Ffssno
take charge nineteen hundred bead Of cattle that
delivered The Indian agents, Barbour and Johnsts by
Colonel J. G.. Fremont, the river San Joaquin
My Instructions from Savage were that when delivered
cattle the Ssn Josquin Kings river, and to other more
southern Indians, take receipts for double the
number actually delivered, and make second delivery
in should return to the band aud when 10 Indan'
the Fresno deliver onc-hrd ess than recepted
for also had orders sell all beef could to minor,
which did to the amount Of sb nut SID ~ $50 d
deliver cattle his clicks to b. sold to the midas on inc
San Joaquin at twenty-five poe ~ und and koow
| that such sses sdc 10 ihose Indians
In October received write oder fom Savage 10 oe
liver Alexander Cooley head Of Cattle 70 Dc
driven TO the mines, and there sold TO miners ana ohe
was also eqoested, In the communication I, de
sroy the oder soon as read, which was done are
read IL aloud in the presence OF Cooley. p Rainbo' jose
| De Soto and Tne1d ore McNabb. In November :"
ceiyed similar order delvef = Cooley ionf hundred
and fifty head hich DONE The best Fese were
be sod possible, and the ensnd'i :, % a.
by Cooley elsewhere About The last Of Aove"oe', -
| OF December, moved the cutie IN my p ys .... -.
/ -. Eo.na All delive,ed TO p. Ksobol person sp-
j t,t So g. :, receive ,hem, eight huadrsd head
| [ also gave to Savage receipts 70 inc nunoe'
bundred head which hnd '@ken - - ..' ~. .na
Ter The o,e went on the Fresno, none wore ever oev'
| - - a,ha,n Indians. although know that TON
49,, .,i.f of ibs tribe the San Joaquin. Frequently
sen, after them. Some were sent % The nd'ans worsn
! - 60 an the "Coarse Gold Gulch," and others TO
| - NJ s,nobo on tho San Joaquin. Usia had cbstge o.
/ h., rancho and partner Of Savage, sud hss
- .,ne OF the attic had charge OF in th.ir corral
give the above account to E. T. Bsse, saPen'enaaA'
of Iodsn affairs and iaten II 80 official ssr mer'
JOEL II. BROOKS
| certify that the above is correst copy Of teongn'
| l., nv ,o.s,s,ioc e.. r. BEALE
\ s III erin enient niisa Ahans
L r.. uas.a.nura Is. AMrnIcA -Iha EmpRIor on