New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-04-28


thought be va mistaken told min l kney that
some property at Prairie du Chieo had been cell.
rad be4r informed that M. Rice had beea appO,nte
ssrpt 10 eel IT, ard that be had made the sale and I
e tie Office really believing that the Chef Clerk VS.
N rpr fer could barely believe that the Fort Smell
ing p,oper.y in Minnesota had been sold While l wN
49, I r,turted 10 my room, in WIZARDS Hotel and
.ddes,d sro,her letter 10 the Secretary Of War and
his letter OF the 2si was in reply 70 tAst letter Tns
il rather sskwsId recital OF the pfincipS fs1tsm
Ise,etce 10 the matter 90 TAI a. am scquainisd via
them. - -. c.. Ia.
TO TIE Territory il 1913 what the character OF tos
sram;rAt,cn Won u.see of the reservation az rtV
Spellrgi
Question 5ll (by the Chairman. When Wa 'os
lss; tire YOU were in the Territory
Answer. wss lsst there in O.ober. L WAS sasc
there in June. was there again in August rescsea
TIE Territory fist. ser the passage OF the ACT rnuer
which the sale wss authorized. some tms IN AfrL u
il after OF consequence 70 know the precise dste
| think have some menorsnds at home from vntcn
| could furnish them. With 20 state TO the COMMIT
tee that have fet myself in this sitter IN the
Light OF prosecutor or even OF pressing the matter
sIy further than felt i my duty as cii,en. from
my kDowltd ge Ct that region Of the country-a duty
which fet that every gentleman would owe to ms
country to his party ard to seut!emeo Of the sane
party who were charged with wrong, or who were
supposed 10 be implicated in wrong. never alowea
myself to hsrbcr the feeling as TO Whether A. u, orr
Lad done wrong. stated in the House that, in my
opIion it great oversight in selling the prop
eiiy. have stated TO the Committee that ws'a
,eiy unfortunate sale; and Is pretty hard tor mss
WHO feels thst lie has knowledge OF the value OF the
property 10 for the II sste or TO go
count /, the fact that intelligent gentleman should
have sod the property for the price which they did, v
the mapter which they did.
Examination b. Mr.. Iarlkaer.
Qretticr 5l2 Is your opinion that the Secretary
OF Wsr ewpis- round and proper DISC retion under
tie act of Congress, in deciding to make sae OF that
Answer. could rot give satisfactory answer 70
The inquir. without shit!e explanation: thiak the
eserye might have been reduced to thousand acres
without any detrimeut whatever to the Government
but must say think It xtreu ely njudcious to have
sold tie improvements the fort, and sufficient gsound
around it for military depot
Question 5l3 Can you state 10 the Committee what
tt quantity of ard embraced in tne entire res
| .rvation
never had aIy purpose, have had any object, to
investigate or inquire specifically into the amount Ut
grounc, anything connected with IT. and ever since
have felt that it was my outy TO brig the subject
before Congress have net turned TO the night or leh
| have reytr read lne nor have Travelled out OF
my tracks TO esin anything in reference to IL. felt
that would have discharged my duty as citizen by
simply bringing the matter before Congress, and stat
in what knew. Had regarded myself in the light
| OF prosecutor, would have taken an entirely differ.
,nt course frcm what have taken in the matter and
nv testimony and NY remarks must therefore, as
matter of course, be general in their character MY
| opinions upon ANYTHING have seen or known, aui
| never sfraid to give frankly aid fully Now in an
swsr 10 the question gay again, that | think pot-
tiop of the ,eseye might have been sold without detri
meDt TO the public service, and that the Secretary VI
War might, in the exercise Of sound discretion. have
| sod all except perhaps thousand acres around tho
Ouesti,n 5l4 10 what valuable purpose could that
thousand sri the buildings have turned BY
| the Government 49,
at the head of large steamboat navigation on the Mis-
.isippi River and being one Of the moot healthy and
beautiful sites in the Northwest the extended re-
u up te the Red River Of the North viii always
require military depot at that point for storing cup
plies troops and quartering troops. IL the Govern
ent wants quarters for its forces portion OF the year,
there is probably point in America superior to this.
| GU, sion 5l5. NJ former inquiry extended to the
entire reservation as originally set apart Have you
any knowledge OF the quantity OF land contained N
before il was reduced by act of Congress some ycs1s
| Answer. could not tell you. Tbs. is matter that
be detein ined by reference to the records OF the
1aIG Office. am not a surveyor, NOR have !. 90
| remarked, investigated this subject with view OF
telling any thing that had net learned IN the ordlasry
process Of my business, ard my Wits TO Minnesota.
would have no difficulty in being able to go an
opinion as to what the policy ,f the Goyernmen',
without being able to give the Lumber of scres thesu
| were in the reservation.
Question SIC. DO you think the Importance Of the
reserve at that place a. military depot, would at
all justify tie expense Of keeping up for that pur-
| Iotel
Answer. have no question of il. think It 10
matter of financial policy to keep up the place, inds-
| pendent Ct the public service; wcan independent Of
lis being indispensable as a reserve for military
depot.
Question 81. | would ke to know your views -
to Il precise purpose for which It should he used %
| military depOti
| Answer. stated that it il, in my opinion, important
to keep il up as depot for military stores and asa
place for QuarteTng troops that not wanted for
mme date service for that vast northwest region. Is
is with difiideLce that give an opinion upon mill
tary matter because there older and wiser heads
than nine; but have an opinion on the subject, ana
am firmly fixed in that opinion al Gen. Scott or
| any other military officer could be. l may DO oil
J wong, but that is my opinion nevertheless.
Question 5I8 understand from your statement thee
| YOU CONTEMPLATED becoming bidder, IN whole or IN
part for this property, which cold ini June, 1897
Did you examine the property with q view OF pu''
obesDgti
Answer. would refer to the statement already
aee in ply little narrative for answer TO the question.
or..,ion i,a nd Won make an examination in June
for the purpose Of purchasing the property in wh0'e or
| in part
Answer. Since Is4s had been from one TO four
| times year in that region. had from the fact Of
ny living in the West, and having rather mania for
| land, examined that reservation always when was
| up there. know the country there almost well ~
did from my dwelling hoDse 10 the post-ohice in my
| town. When wrote the Secretary Of War, / wrote
| after having maturely reflected the subject and
lay there what believe. would have been willing
TO have gore TO the extent Of the money could Iaiss
10 buying that property at the price which stated In
my letter. wou d have sold property at cash prices,
10 be appraised by persons to have raised
the money to have puTchas ID the property at four
times the rate at which i. sold-tnst is, at four
tin $ll per acre. for which have been informed il
sold; for will say to the Committee that do not
Ano1 to day the price the property was sold f)r.
know what have heard, but did not feel like 3D.
dressing letter to the Secretary Of War after had
| Informed him that, if ese did should bling
| d matter before Congress.