New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-13
FROM WASHINGTON
OUR INDIAN POLICY.

during the last thirty years. The business Of the
Indian Bureau is greater than many of the Gov
ernments of Europe. 1t requires high executive
talent to manage it with any degree of success.
Its affairs are intricate aud multifariOus. There
are perhaps hundred treaties with the various
Indian tribes covering nearly one hall the terri
tory of this Government, extending from Canada
on the north to the Gulf of Mexico on the south,
and from Missouri on the east to the Pacific on
the west.
The Commissioner Of Indian Affairs is sup
posed to understand all the laws and regulations
of the Department, the numerous treaties with
the various tribes and the laws regulating Indian
Reservations lie is also supposed to know how
the laws of Congress are executed, and by whom,
and what is the general result.
This Bureau has often been declared, by those
who are acquainted with its widely extended busl-
meas, to be of sufficient importance to constitute
senarate and distinct branch Of the Government,
under another Cabinet officer, called the secretary
of Indian Affairs.
This Bureau now disbuTses from fiye and half
millions Of dollars up to six and n half millions an
nually for the benefit OF the various Indian tribes
Congress supposes the President suppOses, aud The
people suppose flat this money goes to beneht, IN
struct and ciylizc the Indians; and what Is thelr
surprise and disappointment to learn from enlgrants
who now come in contact with them tilat tney are
wild. suen. indoent, drunken, worthless set OF
beipgs. whom every emgrant considers it a virtue
to Kill aud every Spectator legitimate OBJECT OF
pnpder Is this result u necessity 0l the INDIAN
nature which no treatment could have obyiated, or
il if BROUGHT about by causes acting legItnatey on
them through our Government
i hold TO the latter For several years past |
have come in contact with many OF the western
tribes. and incidentally been knowing TO fhe con-
duet of the Government agents. The Indians hold
these AGENTS and the Government supposed TO be
represented by them, in the most supreme con
tempt; not for their want Of power but for their
Wing cheating deceit, and general faithleFsness.
A large proportion of this immense fund is OF but
little service to the Indians for the reason that I'M
der the present system OF paying annull.o ana pro-
viding for treaty stpulGtlOns the dishonest agents.
and Government officers, claimants aud clan agents
generally, pocket the money instead at paying II
over to the Indians, or using II Tor Their Dencht
Thousands of men have become rich, aud thousands
more expect 10, by these frauds. | viii relate a
few which have come within my knowledge.
About the year 1850 Congress appropriated
xGO 600 for the Pottawatamies in Kansas, for ugr-
cultural purposes. This lay in the Treasury Tor
several years, no one feeling wiling TO see 10 us
propar disbursement. At the annual payment oil
The tribe in 1856, M. G.. W. Ewing appeared on
the ground with this money, and offered to disburse
il per capita among the tribe one halt for the other
To this the Indians demuTed. After two days
spent in negotiating, they finally gave nm, was
told - 900, when he was not entitled to one cent
The Indians took their part aud squandered it. Not
one acre Of ground wgs poWed or fenced, nor any
agricultural implements purchased with this money
MIR Ewing then came ON IN Washington, and de-
handed for his services, which were voluntary on
his pari. $4,000. Nj. AiaDypenny rePudated the
claim but II has since been allowed and paid by the
Department See Annual Report oi l-II.
The ease OF Richard ThOms"ns clam against
lie Meuomonees. where a small service was ren-
dered voluntarily, and, believe, against the law,
claim was set up for il Of over ~Sp,UO0, and he
arfralv ,of o-fr So nna - ,Ai"4 ;he Indians
protested that they owed him nothing: and Col.
Manypenuy resisted, and finally became 80 angry
that be- resigned because 81 these numerous vi
ainics being TOO honest 10 lend himself 10 dciraud
ilo conddrg Indians.
The c,irn Of Ewing n Thompson the same per-
sons amounting q over 80. 100, against the shaw
ne-s. Was oi q similar character, and Was paid.
The claim Of II. II. Rice Of 80, eco was re-
pentsdly rejected hy Tie Comm -iOncr Of Indian
Affairs but was paid last month through the man.
agement Of Charles l.. Mix, Chief Clerh.
John Y. Cochrane, claim agent, formerly Chief
Clerk of the Indian Bureau was the agent of this
claim. lie j constantly pressing claims upon the
Indian Office and has more success than oil other
agents combined. for the reason that the present
Chief Clerk Mix is supposed 10 be ! silent partner
Of his.
Tie Sac aud Fox claims now before the Indian
Department amount "a over $4,000, and are
being pressed for payment by Ewing aud others.
These as Kansas Indians, and tie claims ought
not 10 be SLOWED.
The newspapers are now announcing The threat
Ton, tt,..fl lttt5a sF
Nebraska Territory, and the inhabitants are calling
for troops To protect them. The news has just ar
rived here that the agent, W. ID. Dcnnison, for
mtrly a clerk under Nix, hps run away with all The
Inln funds. aid 10 be between $3.50 10
so. 900. leaving the Indians entirely destitute.
Tins catalogue might be continued indefinitely, a.
every transaction has this colnring.
Another source Of fraud, and one Of the worst
FIXTURES of the ease il the contracts for furnishing
good, 10 the Indians. These arr MANAGED by the
Chez Clcrh of the Indian Bureau Mix. The
dry goods purchased annually amount 30 from
$40 900 To- $500 0ID. One firm IN NcW-
York has had this contract for Thirty years
or more. and such are the evils connected
with the letting Of these contracts thai no merchant
prctcnds now 10 BID against Them. Dir. Mix acts
for them and always has managed with but two eN-
ceptions, 10 give this firm the contracts. For par
ticuars of yain0us instructions thrown in the way
of other contractors, refer YOU 10 :. Il. thittenden
y Co., Broadway Aew-lcrk.
TIE Old firm. Cronin, Hurxtial < Sears, for
mery Grant \ Co.. have made immense fortunes
out OF those contracts. Al Indian Traders, Agents
.Nr lay llp large tortm.s-sOmc al thom said 10
amount Ia millions.
Mr. Nix owns M elegant city residence paid for;
farrn in Virginia well stocked with horses cattle
aud slaves; las elegant carriages and carriage SER
wants; has family Of fourteen children, lives like
nabob, aud all on Il sgiary OF $1,000 per annum
Mix has been in the Department about thirty years