New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-04
LETTER FROM GOV. REEDER TO SECREr,a,
MARCY


MARCY.
SHAWNEE MIssIOs, X. T., June q, lsS
The Eon Ia. l. M.'ey. Secretary a STATE Wasa.ss.,
SIR: As promised in my brief note Of tho "A,
ms, from New York, avail myself Of the IT,, =
1oriunity to re. 10 your letter Of the l2rh. ~
letter mentions a. causes Of complaint against pss.
tie opinion of the President, purchases Of Kas..
halfbreed reservations, made by in The rerrt-,
" of kansas - aud also Z" other sp,culaons In lsni
" OF the Territory Of Kansas, apparently in volsSs
" Of Acts of Congress and Of regulations Of the m
partmeuts and n TIE same time invite any sxrln
stio1 which may desire TO give in regard 10 the ch.
acter ard extent Of the transactions above referred
ard cartier larry Tho matters referred 70 10 ha e,e
q. W. Clark, Indian Agett dated May :, lsJ3.
| am thus put upon my defense to two ssD,,,
char, g.; first the pucha.e of hqlf-breel 4nsss an1
and secondly. other spocuGtons IN lands of the T.v,
tory apparently In violations Of acts of COngress a.,
regulations OF the Departments. Toe very ce,s,i
manner in which the charges are STATED The ems,
absence Of any spe,t,eh ion on which 10 make ana,
or raise IN issue AID the omission 10 state in a.
particular the President sees any wrong " have b.,
committed and what act OF Congrass or reealsioo
tie DEPARTMENT. have ben violated. are matter A
regret and embarrassment to me, hecause they .rcah
confidence in the peg'inei &C Of my reply
need NOT IL form so eminent jurst ss younsei
bay imrossihe il Is on matters of crnins,oa and IA
Tense to attain justice and truth without distinct asi
eouyocal specification OF the charge on the Oae AZ
and dir ct full and pointed answer 20 IL on tie Other
In the absence of these, parties may wander ia sik
issues departures evasions and certaii ties wiacr
ever reaching conclusion and thersion, with In
hgIest respeot take the liberty OF calling your after
ton TO this feature OF your letter, ua apology s
myself in case shalt engage 10 the discussion Of mat
ters which the President may not cOn-ideS Ia issue Or
shall not be suiic entity full and certain III speaking
tie point in which be sees the wrong.
IL r. aiion 10 the first charge, of purchase Of hLi
breed Kansas auds, have to have TO say thai hsy,
purchased 10 such lands at all. Wi otbes, han
AGREED 10 purc' are them ia the Contemplated pur
cbRse shall receive the sanction and appf00a 100 q
the President; and this, in my opinion, Il msierA
Rno substantial difference. Ulul The President By
lis appreciation, and the vendors by the execution q
tbeir eds cousummate the NE contract Il pecluds
Us from any interest 10 the land, aud even the pnylen
of entering upon o. possessing il. Neudere aad yea
does until then pr.scryo all their nights unchanged as
unaffected and ii the President shall not asent 70 ID
con,rsc = il will Ice the same though they had nsye
been mace. If there is any wrong IN tbe matter, III
not a wrong committed, but at most only sroagg
ten pied, ard in the face OF al, probability srog
which We exeected 20 be sanctioned by me PreslfnL
Tie papers we're susmitted by US 10 the Presbter
on tie - day OF ia usry last for his approval and
tie Government been for years IN tnc babit ~
provn similar contracts, we did not spprehend az
difficulty wba.evtr. They were referred 10 tho lnaS
Bureau and the Commissioner reported adversely y
The confirmation alleging thar the vendors had
rebt 20 se that there was DO evidence OF ihen coz
peience Ia manage their owu Gialls, that there yeas
evidence produced by of the value OF the laod, to
be transaction Rad not been brought 10 the Dotcsd
he Indian Agent that no certificate was P'eaeuett
the Pre- prove the official character OF an Oc1
whom the Presiden hod appointed, aud that the py
chase money (which was 10 De pad IA cash wien "
deed wa maoe had not been salii, e0ty secured 81
Il at ia the opinion OF the Commissioner The eontaG
was demo- eiizng aud dlsgraceiul.
Whether this last reason was b6sed upon TIE a.
sumption % actual fraud in the contract. or on N
Commissioners idea that public officers had no hgh
to purchase, confess l have never BEEN abb, sfef
careful examination OF the report, 10 discover "a
receiving this re ort the President on tie - dayd
January without rejection or approval, orered the
paIers 10 be returned, doubtless with yeg % enable
Us TO supply the formel deficiencies demanded by ne
business regulation of the Depar mens OF winch We
had been Ignorant. We inferred, of course That TIE
last reason above WIS not concurred in ny the Fec
cent. or he would at once hsve dsspproged toe coz
tracts and terminated the whole proceedings.
We proceeded TO supIly the f,rmal defcsnces sh
in the beg ming Of May last, again laid the papenN
fore the President with an argument and brief h'n
myself to prove by the opinions of Att0rneystfeodl
the decisions Of The Supreme Court, that the va
doTs had q right 10 sell-depOsitiOns proving nG
ideItity-their competency 10 manage their w
Affairs and the value OF the land-proof that the ~
ter lad been brought 10 the noice of the Indian AS
and that be had made no objections, TO which ~
now my own assertion, that distinctly stated 70 ~
thGt We Lad agreed 10 purchase lr-ot and so8i
erdeavor 10 contract for others; and althouh
CLARK denies, in a general way, that the matter "
brought before him, he is contradcted by ny aleg
ton and the Oero-iiOD of dislneEested wi'uess.
These papers were not acted on by the Presidents
to the 25il May, and | have no knOgledge ihsttk
have been a, ted on up 10 this time. To the msuS
contained in their aud my letters Of April |, lssaf
Commissioner MaDypenpy, which thu PfesDent
formed me be had read, / have but little 10 sdi
less INV after ton shall be called 10 some part1ss
20 Lrrnr that fII4
p.tent to manage their own affairs, and wolhE
the aid OF lie Presifont in doing 20. We knes~
the transaction was honorable and fair thf0sfl~
free from all fraud ana deceit we believed thefh
tie right TO sell, and We believe so STILL aud dno4
il is Ioesible we may be mistaken in his p1teA
vet We would rot be guilty Of 70 much di,rePeas
The President ss to believe that he would csse
futh al error cause of removal We also belesesS
We Lad the ri. ht 10 buy as any other IzdisSs
provided the TRANSACTION was a lair one, aud msS
By no mpoeiiion, dee. il, or fraud.
We have already shown that the hdnsaotna
marked by fair and honorable dealing lhrespn
and hat the vendors had ample opportunity ~
sultatiOn ard deliberstion, and Tor this rei9 -
depositons row before the President. nstn
dent is not satsfed on this point | earnesiy - II
that may be il formed on what paticaar nc ~
from NE, and upon which facts his opinion IS - -
and it will be ny pleasure TO disProye any sss
statement tending 10 rare a doubt IN ma ouJo
IT, az the Commissioner alleges, there
department that the deed in such case shtn - a
ecuted in presence Of the agent, have ony 4.
that as yet RE deed remains 10 he mace, A -
vendors and the President have control o. s11 ,1k
matter, and can direct how the agreeaehs ~ -,
contaminated, that the matter was even ~ vA ~
rance Of it, necessity brought to the nont ~,
sgeDt, who furnished bis Interpreter 10 ssss "A
ing the agreement, and considered the 80, s
one. cannot conceive it TO he on his pom
President ia embarrassed, for even if The asri,as
TO be treated as deed and ii Mr. Clark x.uxp
10 ouiweieb my own and The Opposition o. go, a
ested witsess, there can be no complain, n I'D
except for the violation Of an artificial rue 4"
we were i norant. ia cak
If these es plantations have not toucnea .ssnsuLl
which has raised the Presidents .mhe.l,s, h.s
would, 10 view of the fact that the Pfesiseo hsss
the ncmn.iaIa cnniracfs depOnlnone. 6ct ~.