Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-11-18


40 sssssS - = s
rnIoh9zPA4TMENT.
Lzrza. A nj, ,ss.oszpr INDIAN Arrssse,
nHsswEsso hueHAx You've
H. IN bsxecd7Seccl & ss publisheda few Us
s1sce aS5ab1 lracl Of fhe ktter Of Brigham Yo@(g.
gcserdps (AUies and periHeendent OF lndianTas- ]
lairs 10 the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs in resG
ton to the condition Of the Indians of that Terrific
~, and the expenditures Of that superinteadensy.
Sabjoined Is the reply Of the Commissioner:
OSFIcs ConNlsssqNER OF IsDIAS AFEAIRs. "a "a
sT.8s 81 II q WishingtO1, Nov. III 1851 -
Sin: Your communication Of the 18th of last Sep.
tember has been received and would Dot require =
place this office in lhe wrong. vhen,in fact, What
ever difficulties exist hsve resulted from yonr own
CONDUCT, AS the Superintendent Of Indian. Affairs
for Etah Territory, II was your duty to keep su-
peryisory control over the different agents. and to
see that they did not supersede their authority. It
your duty also to notify them Of al things per-
tanng to their duties, and especially to keep them
in their expenditures within the appropriations made
for your superintendency. Their reports were made
to you, and by you transmitted here, You cannot
therefore, plead ignorance of their Transactions
Knowing then, the amount of the appropriations
and being fully advised Of the affairs OF the agents.
and that money could not be taken out Of the trea
sury without an act Of Congress, you have allowed
the drafts to exceed the appropriations 10 the amount
Of $50 30 to the close Of the fiscal year ending
30th June, 1857 When the agents were notified
that their drafts could not be paid in consequence of
the appropriations hav ng been exhausted, and re-
buked for exceeding them, they replied that they had
no information from you on the subject. These COM
,munications passed through your hands, and yet
you seem to have passed them by unnoticed. With
full knowledge, then, Of all the facts you took
steps, far As this office is informed to protect the
info
the proper sphere of their duties. On the contrary
you seem to have been disposed to encourage these
things, as is evidenced in your orders to Agent
Hurt, sending him to Csrson's Valley at heavy
expense to the government, when it was well
known that the services Of an agent we're not re-
quired in that quarter; and again, when you cited
out an expedition yourself and conducted it north.
ward out Of your superintendency, to give presents
to Indians not under your control. From all this it
follows that if your drafts not paid you have
right to complain because you knew at the time that
the appropriations on which they were drawn were
exhausted. f
But even If the money was in the treasury ready
for the Indian service in Utah, do not see how it
can be applied to the payment of your drafts until
they shall have first passed through the strictest
scrutiny, for this department has information from
reliable sources that far from encouraging amcable
relations between the Indians and the people Of the
United States, outside of your own immediate COM
munity, you have studously endenvored to impress
the minds Of the Indians that there was differ
ence between your own sect, usually known rs
Mormons, and the government and other citizens Of
the United States that the former there friends
and the latter their enemies In addition to this.
you have been denouncing this government and
threatening armed resistance to the authorities
sent out by the President Indeed. unless you and
your coadjutors are. most grossly misrepresented.
and your language msquoted the appt of those
authorities among you is all that is necessary to
r IA
never have been intended when the appropriations
were made by Congress that the money should be
used in arousing savages to against own citi
zens, to enable subordinate officer to carry on
reasonable practices against his own government
The rule Of this Office is withhold annuities from
hostile or antagonistc attitude towards the govern
ment; and know Of no reason Why the same rule
should not be applied to- you at this time but
the appropriation has been exhausted it is not neces
sary to consider that question now.
You saw the troops must be kept away, for it is
these may expect to find the greatest amount Of
hostile Indians and the least security for persons
and property" The troops are under the direction
of the President, and ii il fair to presume that he
woulo not send them to Utah Territory unless there
was necessity for so doing; and if it be true that
wherever the greatest number Of troops are, there
are to be found the greatest number Of hostile In
dians it arises from the fact that the troops are
cessary ut such places to preserve the peace and
keep the Indians in subsection. There is reason
why persons and property should be any the less
secure in the neighborhood Of the troops there
any reason why peaceable citizens should object to
their presence. II it is your intention to preserve
peace, the troops will not interfere with you but if
you intend otherwise, then it is necessary that the
troops should be on the ground to enforce it.
1t is much to be regretted that such state Of A.
fairs should exist and it is always with great reluc-
hot fhoC
citizens should at any time require the strong arm of
power to compel obedience to the laws, or that q
subordinate officer should far forget his duty As
to use his official position to inj portion of
his fellow citizens and to ALLEVIATE another portion
from loyalty to their government. But, when con.
WINGED of the existence of such facts the Chief Ex-
ecutve has no alternative left but to crush out rebel
lon and for this purpose all the powers Of the gov.
eminent are placed under his control. ~
Your claim for double salary cannot be allowed,
for If it did not come in conflict with the gene
raj rule which forbds :he payment of two salaries
not be entitled to it f,r the that you became
superintendent of Indians affairs by virtue Of your
appointment Of governor of the Territory and al
though these Offices have since been separated yet
you had not, at the date Of your communication,
been relieved from the duties appertaining to them.
whenevert shall be ascerained that the expenditure
was properly made it will be paid, should Congress
make An appropriation for that purpose.
You say the department has often manifested
itsappreval management Of the Indian affairs in
this superintendency, and never its disapprovas"
The reverse of this is the fact This office has often
found fault with your conduct and to prove this i,
is only necessary to quote you own language. One
extract from your communication to this Office dated
Great Salt Lake City June 26, 1867 will suffice
You there say, for the last two years have ex'
perienced the greatest difficulty in getting my &C
okoIs at tho ont. NH has