The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-31

Office Indian hDdirS, Mdrch 3, 1883.
SIR; | have the honor to eNclose, herewith
a report made to this office by Edward F. Beale
Esq, Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the
State of California, which, in view Of its i'm
pOrtant character, and of the urgent necessity
for immediate legislation in regard to Indian
affairs in that State, respectfully recon-
mend may be laid before Congress at the earliest
moment.
That this may be done without delay, the
original report is transmitted.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
L. LEA, Commissioner.
Hon. H. H. H. Stuart,
Secretary Of the Interior.
To Luke Lea, Esq, Commissioner Of Indian 4
fairs
SIR: On my arrival in California, in the
month Of September last, Immediately enter.
cd on the discharge of my duties, as expressly
required by law, to "exer0ise administrative
examination over all claims, and accounts, and
vouchers for disbursements connected with In
dian affairs in the State OF California" and
also to exercise general supervision over the
official conduct and accounts of the Indian
agents within my SUPPLEMENTARY and also to
discharge the duties Of superintendent in rela-
ton to the Indians themselves. And in dis
charge Of these duties, have from time to
time made communications to your office, and
now make a general report, to show, as nearly
as possible, the condition of our Indian rela-
tons in California, and to suggest the measures
which deem necessary for the future we'll
being Of the Indians, and the better manage
ment of the public service in relation to them,
in that State. In doing this, premise, what is
well known to YOU that our laws and policy
with respect TO Indians have been neglected or
violated in that State; that they are driven
from their homes and deprived Of their hunt
fairgrounds and fshing-waters at the discretion
of the whites; and when they come back to
these grounds and waters to get the means Of
subsistence and also when they take cattle and
stock from the inhabitants for food they are
often killed thus giving rise to retaliation and
to wars and in this way a state of things exists
there which is not known in the other parts of
the United States where the Indian intercourse
laws arc enforced by the Government and In-
dian territorial possession is protected by the
Government. This anomalous state of things
Is necessary to be remembered in order to I'M
derstand the operations of the superintendent
and of the agents in that country.
To remedy this state Of things, and to secure
to the Indians some resting place and supply
saton for the country taken from them, the
established policy Of making treaties with them
was adopted by the Government, and several
treaties made, all Of which were rejected so
that now the Indians remain without practical
protection from law or treaties, and tho Gov
eminent officers have to do the best they can to
save them from death by massacre or ktarva-
ton For that purpose tho rejected treaties
stipulated for "rcSerUCSH for the Indians to live
upon, and for supplies Of food and part Of
the food in the form Of beef cattle, was imme-
diately contracted for, and some part delivered
but in sOme of these deliveries great Irregular
ties occurred, (which have heretofore commu-
nicated to the great injury OF the Indians and
the Government.
The following official questions and answers
between myself and agent Wozencrait, will
exhibit what | deem irregularities in his off
cial conduct and as lac is now in this city, he
can give the explanations which the case may
admit Of.
lsmordndum Of CONVERSATION of Superintendent
Bedle lOith agent o. M Wo=encrgtt. San
Francisco September IA, 1852.
"QucStiOn l. With whom were your con
tracts for beef madel
"Answer The first with Mr. S. Norris.
90 ?. BY whom were they issued to the In
diansl
al. By tho traders appointed by myself
90 3. What proof had you that they were
issued to the Indians?
"a. No other proof than tho word of the
traders themselves
90 a. How were the weights estimated
"A. By asking any persons who might BIO
on the ground to say what they thought the
average Weipht of the drove IN he
90 5. Have you any further proof than the
mere word Of the traders that the Indians ever
received tho beef without paying for it
n. None have not any. generally saw
the beef which was issued during the ncgotia-
ton of the treaties It was not weighed
90 g. Have you not given drafts on the Gov
eminent for cattle which are not yet delivered
"a Yes.
% 7. Have you not ordered beef to the
amount of fifteen hundred head, TO be delivered
between the Fresno and Four Creeks without
ever having been in the Four Creeks regiOni
H. | have never been to the -Four Greeks
region, but have ordered the beef
q s. How many Indians do you suppose
the -Four Creeks country to contains
A. | do not know.
90 9. If you did not know, how could you
determine the amount of cattle necessary Tor
their subsistence
"a. From what was promised them by the
treaties.
90 10. How do you know that the Indians
Of the Four Creeks ever received any Of that
beef!
a. Nothing further than that was told
so by the traders at the Fresno. have nc
proof OF it.
90 H. How far is the Fresno from the Foul
Creeks
n. Eighty miles.
80 IL. Do you not know that, in some in
stances the traders who issued and the con
tractors for the supply of the beef were thu
same men
a. do
90 10. Were the contracts made by you
verbal or written!
a. With MIR Norris my contract was sim
ply verbal one; with Messrs Savage & Halel
it was, on my part, the acceptance from them
Of proposition, which | understand was the
same rs q contract,
d" have sometimes, when on visit 10 the
reservations seen the traders killing beef Coz
the Indians, but do not know whether it was
the BEEF furnished by me or not. 1t was the
impression on my mind, however, that it was
the beef of the Government. was told II
was So
acknowledge the above answers as those
made to L. + Bealc, in reply to questions put
10y him, IN hls official capacity as Superintend-
eat of Indian Affairs for California.
90. Nj. Wo2rNcRAFT
u s. Indian agent"
certify that the above is true copy of the
original in my possession,
.t T. + BrALE
1ttno,,,fos,, Ia,t I,J,o.
Settlement made by Col. Williams 10 the under
signed this 7ih day Of June, 1852.
"That Dr. Wozencraft proposed TO Colonel
Ur;Il;,,ns that la uould piVo 10 him lWilliams