Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-06-15

Tn commenting upon the foregoing. " first call attention to the operations of tn Indian service, comparing, for convenience the first and last years included in the abov, table, ending June 30, 1852, and June 30 1858.
 The total amount expended in 1852 i, the Indian service was S2, S37 252 67, aAc the total amount expended in 1858 wa. S4,s33,04 0'-showing an increase O l,995,7S7 40 in the amount drawn from the treasury in the latter over the former year; and yet, without doing injustice tc any one, we may assert without hesitation and can sustain the proposition to the sa. tlSiactlon of any intelligent mind, that the Indian business has been more economical. ly administered in 1858 than in 1852.
 ~As most striking and principal item, it must be remarked that of the S4, ,S33, ,O4O O7 carried into the foregoing table as expendi lures in 1858, Sl,193, 1S6 29 had been re- celved from purchasers of Indian trust lands, and deposited in the treasury of the United States, and was drawn out again in that year simply to invest in safe and pro- ttable stocks of several States of the Union bearing an interest of six per centum per annum, which is now collected semi-annu- ally and paid to the Indians, or applied for ther benefit as treaties require. .
 The amount of stocks thus purchased in loo8 was Sl ,379,000, costing, as stated above, only $l, ,193, 1S6 20. The differ ence between the stock and its cost-viz: sloo,Sl3 1l-thus becomes permanent lnterest-bearing capital in the way of profit for the benefit of the Indians on whose ac- count the purchase was made
 As a second item of apparent increase |. .2t expenditure, it may be stated that S23O, l3S, proceeds of stocks which ma tnred and were redeemed in 1S57-'8, and S'3,I16 43, net proceeds of stocks sold. amounting in the aggregate to 5303, ,914 43. VS invested in other securities, at a profit of about S190 900 to the Indians.
 The results thus attained reflect the highest credit on the fidelity, prudence, and tact ot the secretary of the interior.
 As third item of the apparentin expenditure of 1858 over 1859 if is to be Nmarked that s52l ,9O3 S9 was paid in 1898 to Indians on account of lands ac- qulred since 1853, and for the purchase and communication of permanent annuities and similar liabilities to Indians in tbe nature of a debt, originally fallino due in future years, but now extinguished bv . present payment in gross.
 A further sum of Sl25, 900 was absorbed Tn ls5S by the removal of the Sem;nolos from the State of Florida. After tbaSo marauling Indians had cost the IIn;tod States millions of money and thousands of lives of good citizens, by wise arrangements Nd sklliul management the entire portion of the thbe which had remained in Flo rlda wasinduced to abandon the lurking places Tn which they had foiled and eluded our troops, and to emigrate peaceably to the county that had been provided for them west of the State of Arkansas
 From s2, 2,144,004 61, the aocreoate If these four items, subtract S1 .995. 7S7 40 the amount of apparent increase. and if is shown that the expenses of the general operations of the Indian service in 1s5s were less by S14S,217 21 than were tbo expenditures for the same service in 1s5o But the efficiency of the service has no. been impaired by the reductions; on tba contrary, our Indian affairs have been com ducted with increased energy and success.
 In 1852 we had only forty-seven Indian superntendents, agents, and sub-agents whose supervision was, with the execution of few agents in Oregon and California limited to the frontiers of the States west of the Mississippi and on the northwesfxn