Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-09-17

at this time, the State was maintaining a
battalion in active service against the In
dians, in addition to the government force
employed in the same district. This sup
! ply of fool contributed largely towards
putting stop to the war, and opening
the country 10 the miners. Throughout
all this section extending southwark from
the Stanislaus river about two hundred
! and fifty miles, and occupied by many
| tribes of Indians. peace has been unin-
terrupted since the period in question,
when they were furnished with food"
4 Commissioner Barbour, to execute the
stipuIations of the treaties, made con-
tract with Colonel J. c. Fremont TO fur
nish the requisite amount of beef. This
contract, however, was not concluded
until the commissioner lascertained that
Fremont's proposals were the lowest Of
all those offered. There was no express
authority of law 10 make the contract,
and yet the general authority with which
he was clothed to treat, coupled with the
emergencies of the occasion, fully justi-
fed him in assuming that the. legislative
and executive departments would sane
ton his purchase, which was to termin-
ate the war, and save the Indians from
perishing. The emei gency was pressing
for him to await Instructions from the
department, or for the Congress to meet
and make the necessary appropriation.
and your committee believe that the go.'
vernment should recognize the act of this
agent, when it is manifest that he acted
in good faith, and as most humane, dis
Greet men would have done under simi.
lar circumstances. The liability was in
CURED before the treaties were submitted
10 the Senate, and yet it was not for the
personal benefit of the agent. The GO
Ivernment derived great benefit from the
purchase; it secured our citizens in the
unmolested enj nyment of the rich "gold
diggings," and it saved from ruin and
death the Indians whom our citizens had
despoiled of their homes, and destroyed
their only means of subsistence. Hav-
ing derived all these advantages from
the purchase which made this liability,
would it be generous or just to one of our
agents or citizens to refuse its payment,
because an appropriation had not been
made? Or will it be pretended if Con
gress had been in session at the time and
been made fully acquainted with the
emergency, that it would have refused
the appropriation? - ,.-a.
1t would be unjust to our national rep
utation to suppose that Congress would
have allowed those Indians to perish from
hunger after our own citizens had des,
poiled them. 1t was cheaper to feed
than fight these starving savages, and
the food furnished by Barbour was bet
ter economy than TO have maintained
battalions and regiments to subdue the
Indians. Was Barbour trustworthy for
upon this, in measure, depends the an
swer Of the question whether he acted
in good faith, and from a laudable de.
sire to advance the interests of the pub.
lie Your committee attached so much
consequence to this point in the case. that
they sought, by inquiries directed to per-
sons who were acquainted with him, for
information which would enable them 10
speak positively upon that subject.
Letters hereto appended from the Hon.
Archibald Dixon, senator, and from Hon.
William Preston, and other representa-
tives from the State of Kentucky, contain
the fullest endol sement of agent Bar
bou's integrity and trustworthiness. In
one of Barbour's dispatches to the de-
partment, he says: "The commissioners,
urged by calls Of humanity, and the voice
of the Shole country, could do nothing
less than agree to furnish provisiUns sti-
pulated in the different treaties" Again
he says: "after consulting with some of
the officers (U. S. in command of the
escort, and rejecting on what had been
done. and knowing as well as 1 did the
necessity for something to be done to Sc
cure the peace of the country, and save
not only the lives and property of the
citizens, but the Indians, from destruc-
ton, determined to make a conditional
contract with Col. Fremont" In let
ter to Fremont, he says: al have had
many proposals offered me to furnish
such supplies; but regarding your offer
as the lowest and best of any yet made
by responsible man, and believing as
l do. that your offer is fair one, l have
concluded 10 close with your proposition,
&c.
The contract with Fremont was, that
he should furnish beef at fifteen cents
per pound, for the use Of the Indians,
and to comply with the stipulations of
the treaties. The price was reasonable
at that time, and place; this fact is fully
established Col Fremont purchased
a large number of beef cattle in the
Southern part of the State, and hired dri.
vers at heavy cost to drive them to the
designated place. The cattle were driven