, 1859-06-17

FLED issues to the Indians and to the Indian Depart
ment, thus coniusedly blending together the two
branches Of the lndian and military service The
goods disposed of by certified issue TO Indians were in
payment for the services Of our Indian aides PAT
KiNIM and others, and had no connection with the
Indian service whatever neither is there any appear
ance OF such blending OF accounts on the face OF the
papers, The goods turned over to the Indian Depart
ment were used by that department to keep the dis
affected savages from joining the hOstiles, and eNpe-
rence has shown that it had the desired effect But
how this account has any connection with the Indian
Department accounts is known only to the Sd Audi
tor. II is well known that the Commander in-chei
Of the volunteer forces also Superintendent Of In
dian affairs at that critical period, aud that in these
transactions only obeyed my instructions.
As TO issuing iaons to the wives of volunteers, en-
plOyees aud families it is sufficient to say that hu'
manty dictated this course, their means of subSist
ence had been cut off in consequence Of having been
driven from their farms by the enemy and obliged to
seek refuge in the town, or in block houses. Had
this not been done, their only alternative would have
been to Leg, starye or steal.
To have issued ratons in kind, as the Sd Auditor
would have do would have been entirely impossible
as all well know they could not be obtained. We
were obliged to subsst upon principally what we
could get, for which we leaped about from rock TO
rock, upon our legs, Of which have two So also
with clothing. We were obliged to take such as we
could get, and thank God for that.
next come 10 the 63Sk bushels of wheat delivered
by ThOs. Linklater to Capt. o. Shead, which is not
otherwise accounted for. Capt. Shead commanded a
his receipt that Of his lieutenant, was as good
voucher as required. The wheat was doubtless
used for forage; but be that as it may certainly am
not accountable for it any further "Quartermaster
Gen. Mers accounts represent Quartermastcr Weed
tO have received from him 55 horses which has not
been discovered that he has accounted fOr' Upon
examining Gen. Nillers accounts, lind that such is
the case but by referring to the voucher it will be
seen that it is a mistake. The voucher held by Gen.
Miller il receipt TO Mr.. Lewis Ensign, the agent who
purchased the horses As Of the horses receipted to
Qualtermaster Hathaway for, the other 10 were
paid for by me, as my accounts OF purchases VIII
show. This receipt Mr.. Ensign required to satisfy
Gen. Miller that the horses were turned over to me,
and was doubtless inadvertently used as a voucher by
him. The Generals accounts show large surplus Of
horses, and this error will account for 55 Ol them.
Mr.. Atkinson has been very particular to notice all
the points that would seem to initiate against US,
without stating all the facts they are to be found
upon the face Of the papers. As general thing,
there is very little wastage charged, and still there is
found to be large surplus Of many articles. How
did this occur? Why by disposition on the part OF
all to account for the utmost fauhng. Horses were
captured from the enemy and sold for scrip which no
officer had to account for. Many articles Ol camp and
garrison equippage partially worn out were faithfully
brought in and sold for something, and helped to
duce the debt. SO also with damaged subsistence
stores Ny accounts were purpoSey left to appear as
they are, without any attempt to iocre them to bal
lance In some few instances there is small def
cheney, and in others a considerable surplus. Their
being voluminous is surely serious objection TO
to them. If sufficient time and money were expended
on them, the case with the Oregon accounts |
have doubt mine well all the accounts of this
Territory, could be brought into shape that would
satisfy even the Sd Auditor. There are doubtless,
many things, Irregularities &c, that to those
quanted with the circumstances attending the opera
tions of the OuartermaSter and Commssary Depart
ment at that gloomy period of our history, seem
strange and unaccountabe, but that any attempt to
defraud eau be shown will not be charged to us. I
have already made this communication lengthy, and
fearing shall occupy too much space, am admon-
shed to close. With request TO publish the forego-
ing, remain, very respectfully, &c,
CHARLES Z. WEED.