Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-06-30


however, in passing, that II it is true, a
YOU state, that three, at least, of the ven
doris, being white men, could have pre-
empted quite as good land at 81 25 pc
acre." you have, in agreeing TO give then
double that sur, for their land, exhibited
degree Of disin,er-sttd benevolence and
selt-sacrificing literally which permit M.
to say, has few PARALLELS in the history o
spr culatIons in Indian lands.
! You maintain that all individual" IL
accepting. public office, does mol forfeit hi,
right ITO buy land and make profit by it.
This sir, depends entirely upon eiteum-
stances. Ii the land is fairly in the mat e.
ket, open TO sale and free competition. and
no special proh;bitio,i, either expressed OF
Implied, exists. no one can justly question,
that right; but even in such cases question.
might arise rendering it of doubtful pro-
lpriety. II, however, as IN the case OF the
Kansas half-breeds lands, you contend that
the Government lunctionarIes have a right
to set the laws aud the regulations OF the
department at defiance, and treat them as
nullities, then we differ entirely, and |
take issue with YOU upon the subject
So long as the right of the reserves to make
such sales. or Of citizens 10 purchase these
lands, is decided adversely by the consti-
tuted authorities, it is the duty of every
Government official, high and low, to set
all example Of obedience aud respect for
the laws and regulations as interpreted by
the proper department.
You say my colleagues are absent from
the Territory, and cheerfully assume the.
defence upon myself" This is certainly
creditable to your spirit, II not to our
discretion. So far, howeverer, as this
championship relates 10 Judge johnson or
his contracts, | protest against the assump-
ton Oh your part OF his defence. That
gentleman has lately been in this city, and
during his stay here several interviews
took place betwecn US. in which we free
| ly disc Used the facts connected with these
transactions; and | must say his statements
and mode Of defence differ materially from
yours, and he did not admit that you had
any pecuniafy interests in them. re-
ques'ed him to reduce his explanations
aud statements 10 writing. and |, in return
pledged tnyselt upon receiving them TO
make certain CONCESSIONS, having no mo-
tive or desire to do injustice to any man
while acting in the discharge of my pub
lie duties or otherwise. He did not, how
ever, comply with my request. and de-
elined TO disturb the repor! which had
made on his contracts.
In respect to yourself. will frankly state
that, with the admissions of your letter be-
fore me, ! have not, so iaI as you alreon.
cerned, any retractiuns or concessions TO
make, What Was merely mater Of
inference or conjecture in my report of
January last as TO your collision with 9TH
ers in the purchase of halt breed lands,
you boldly admit in your recen, letter OF
deiente, or rather, OF attack, and throw
yourself upon the country for the vindi-
cation OF the propriety of your conduct
SO far as regards the value OF these reserves
and the fairness ofthe consideration which
yoIrseli and associates agreed 10 pa,
therefor, the public mist Judge between
your assertions and the conflicting evil
dence Of responsible. and dls;uterestrd ofIi-
GERS of the Indian department residing in
the Territory, to which have before ad.
veTted as accompanying my report 10 the
Secretary OF the Interior.
If, owing to their high official positions
there was indelicacy aud improprir,y in
the executive and judicial officers of the
Territory III participating as conveyancers
and witnesses in the attempted purchase
OF these halt-breed lands, that ndelicacy
Is rendered more slrikinglv manifest by
your confession that, for "conyeniencr
sake" the deeds were made to one OF the
parties whilst the Others, equally interes-
ted as grantees, acted as witnesses. Should
the contingency ever arise when The In
dian reserve shall have no alternative left
but to submit the arbitrament Of his rights
under the contracts to tribunal thus inte-
rested, and thus con. tituted. he might
had himselfin III predicament of the lamb
III the fable.
In relation to the singular proposition
for ia compact" between us, by which it
shall be agreed that, in given contingent
Icy to transpire by the first Of October next
the President shall remove one OF us, |
have to remark that have no bargains o
make. aud certainly none of this charac-
ter. The power of removal as well as o:
appointment is vested in the President, and
- SSSuS W me tnat III Is ntltntr consistent
with my position or rrspeetfuld to the
President 10 entertain your propositinn.-
Were to do so, however, with profer
OF the communication TO which | az. Eow
replying and the other testimony lii the
| Indian office, ] might safely rest the
case.
As am no, in the hsbit of publishing in
the newspapers Of The day the official cor
res pondence of this Office, | must leave to
y GU the pleasure of giving this communi-
cation to the public.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEO. w. MANYpENNY,
Commissioner.
Ills Excellency A. II. REEDER,
Governor Of Kansas Territory,
now at Easton, Pa.
The New York Herald ON the Know Moth
ing Platform,
This is what the Herald, The Chief Organ oi
Know Nothing Ism, tasto say OF the fhiiadel-
phn Plaltolm,
The connc, has printed a long docnment,
Called platform, and signed r. Is. Bartlett ol
Kentucky. Il is much longer Than such docu,
meals usually are and abou. fiiy lines as long
~ Ia A 4