New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-04-29

" -
Apu,lsssS esnsinssiss foy ne purpose u bsyiss
ts rcservston, he afterward rented 70 scscps a.
atDS1snept from ire Department Of War. o,a''og
cate May It 1871, for an sxamioatson with we" ~
ssle a the military reserve a. Fof hPey, ~ S'o
same vicinity, thus giving tin 81 ofbeiai CoH' -,
Deiforuing the duties that IN = fke 4hs.''oo nc
wac alJesdy engaged violate. 10 this pae ':' I
sfo,al eng ageDent concluded sea opigea =, ,s HE
stain FROM Spposine faithful di-,hafEe OF tue nH
Suties by o,hefs and especially not 70 De cohpsS7'
n any interest deryable fr.m such sales' ine 49,
Il speh iIterfsr.rcc fsI TIE reas'h 1n"s M -.
sh.,.c,. N come ,tjon WITH the same subjects may
S,"r.s..d .ocsryv en- Increased and Improper iOiu-
epes Against 20 constant policy has been 20 ai.ep
eopd.1 ped 10 be LIT in aIy oooo': Hafk"o IA
.s.nce Of il occurred in the recent A'mhiS ''oh u
nsn, pie,oe resulting in q removal OF GJveroor
p~J.y f,orn the Office Of Governor OF haD-@s '"f 40
sIlsSed completely in the purcbase OF certain Indian
lsBd. in ts.t Territory. ID .nss ease Sosee' en1
The very terms Of the contraett nsd bee first sub
nitsSd 70 the President and approved by him.
6(,ov. ReedeY has Official authority whatever
ever eueh sale Of Indian la0ds; and although be
thtp made purchase at prce quite sdequats, i wse
only conditional and wac 70 depend FIR its validity on
The subsequent appreciation Of the Exc u'ive Ine
IL shown by reference TO the corespondence OF that
fubeonsry with MIR. Marcy, then Secretary Of Sts.e
So nice ard delicate President Pierce sensibhty
70 this official IMPROPERLY although large portion OF
The public were not able 20 discover the force of his
yeaseps that in special Executive communication OF
language
respects the Governor instead Of exercising con
slant nee snS g. .y Which are prone % exist 10
I'll npeIfecny organized and n~yssociIsd oommuni4rs az
cher Objects himself .1sue Of the violsion OF law
m The performance Of which reudsred my duty ihe -
Il he Territory"
Bat Mr.. Mather's fault was more fragrant He was
already ore OF con bnation formed, If not 10 pre-
vent fair and equal sae to engrOss ts benefit 70 his
Iindpr
and sccepte appointment which put Fort Smelling
N the very path Of his dntes HIS combination con-
to0plated the purchase OF Fort Smelling IRON MAYOR
hartman one OF the Commissioners who was after
ward 10 be associated with him in the sale OF Fort
Ripley. He thus openly violated and prosttuted his
official duty and made his official authority means
q political advantage, while assuming 70 be cJthed
with II for the public coed.
Mr.. Mather, from mode,ty or some other cause, in
his swn testimony does not speak Of himself with the
that Justly belongs TO him In the trans
sction II viii be seen by referring to the testimony
Of Dr. Graham that the combination OF John u Mather
and Richard Sche TO buy the Fort Smelling reserva-
ten was complete while these two gentlemen were al
Wsshington and before DR.. Graham was admitted.
IL may be inferred that at this time they bore the same
amable and business relations TO each other and to
the transaction that they did subsequently,; that MI.
GAther was the protector and active manager OF this
sIose corporation, and that Mr.. Sche was IS he de-
scIibes HIM elf ripe for speculation and Astounding In
ssafdence in the Judgment and enterprise OF Mr. Ma
tier. .. IT.
begins at the beginning, and ends only with the con-
oaason. He iDgeniousy ascertained, what was known
Ssly TO the Department of War, that Fort Smelling
vss to be sold. He fret projected and created the
sombinatiOp-Mr. Schell being only his second and
auxiliary. He admitted Graham into the combination.
He authorized Graham TO engage Steele aud incorpo-
rate in into the combination, and Tor this purpose
sept Graham abroad on his distant and difficult mis-
siop But he did il so cautiously that in the first in
stance Steele not allowed TO know who were his
associates. He observed this caution afterward; Tor
t.Lx fata niuaA nm iuya
without apparent money TO do it WITH Mather, in the
contract q purchase between himself, Steele and
Graham entered into before the Fort Smelling reser-
walton was bought, consented to describe Graham as
entitled to one third when his actual interest only
one nnth-entrely TO hide Schell from the TRANSACT
fion. He received the successful Graham returning
from his mission to Minnesota at New-fork, and
thence Graham came on to Washington 10 accompany
Mr. Heiskel to Minnesota. In the mean time, he had
sought and obtained from the Secretary OF War the
Kindred appointment for the examination and sale OF
Fort Ripley. He was present at St. Paul, consulting
with Steele and Graham in regard to the purchase u
the Fort Smelling reservation while seeming only to
be on his official way to Fort Ripley. He returned
from Fort Ripley in time to be present at the sale OF
Fort Smelling. lie even wrote the hrst agreement Tor
this object with hi name aud interest kept care
fuly out of light before Mr. Heskel commenced using
tbe quirs Of paper" he aferward applied to the same
object. He furnished all the money to be paid into the
treasury; and having received on the loth July, on
the authority of the Secretary of War $5 for this
brief of public sesvice, he was able to telegraph
y Mr. Steele that the sale of the Fort Smelling reser
vstion was confirmed; while the Hon. Robert Smith
vas slmeet at the same moment at the door OF Tue
Department protecting that II was impossible such
sale had beer made, because no one had ever heard
lfh.
The legal result is, that Mathers connection with
the sale Of the Fort Smelling Reservation talnts the
Whole transaction. His owninerest is wholly defeated
BY his completely in it in bad faith Of his official duty
Scheps interest for the invalid because
be has permitted Maher to be his agent aud repesen-
taye 1t cannot be doubted that the other purchasers
had knowledge Of Mather's official authority.
There seems but one means Of public and private
Justice on an occasion like thsn in money, for to
the public this transaction is inconsiderable but to
chast.e 20 much incompetence and indecency in Office
and make al official trans actions, intelligent equal
and honest and that means is to vacate the whole
SALE epayng TO the purchasing association lts prlnci
pal and interest.
TIE Committee has thus discharged ts duty, an IN
pleasant one reference 20 the subjects COMMITTED TO
~ " J. w. PETIT.
JUSTIN : MORRILL,,
ISAAC ~ MORRIS.