, 1863-02-14
Letter from Capt. Mullan.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Dec. 2, 1S6

| proper
and constitutional-as have tendency to quiet
our political troubles, and restore the country to
the Constitutional status enjoyed by it two wears
since
That the President has been to a great extent
biased in his acts and course during the past
three months by radical thinking and acting men,
few here doubts but the voice heard from the
west, northwest and north in the late elections
speaks so significantly that our hope is that things
stern, yet moderate and constitutional. vii! guide
the future.
The South has in the field large and well ap-
pointed army. Her Generals are active and un-
firing, and the people are aroused to such pitch
of desperation that the proportions of the rebel
lion, instead Of being on the wane, are on the in
crease. Under such circumstances as these-dis-
putations and Earrings in our own army-dis-
placements of men high in position, who have
had the manipnlauons of the army, and dispo-
,sition on the part Of the Government towards
arbitrary arrests and imprisonments, together
with the belief on the part of many that the war
is waged for the negro, have had an effect which
the friends OF democratic government tremble
to see. The hope Of all conservative, though
determined Union, men is, that the winter will
not close without Congress having placed upon
the statute books the true causes and objects of
the contest, and the manner in which the execu-
tive is to carry out such enactments as the law
making power shall deem needful and necessary
fto pass. believe the President to be honest in
his intentions, and disposed to do rightfuly those
things that will once more restore us to peace
and prosperity. Could he Danish from his pres
ence evil counselors all would be well.
In regard to those special matters of interest
to the Territory, Colonel Wallace has in hand
several that will engage his time this winter. and
which, if the all-absorbing topic of the war will
allow, will be pressed through to successful ac-
ton. | remember before leaving Walla Walla.
the subject of our mails east of the Cascades had
been one upon which we exchanged views; and
one IN which l with yourselves and Others had
complained. and with every right and the prev
alent impression was that Col Wallace was not
only TO blame for direliction of duty but with
most culpahle neglect of our growing interests -
As was free then to charge Col Wallace with
part Of this neglect, l am equally willing and
frank now to do him full justice in the case
called at the Post Office Department on my
arrival here, and learned from Mr. Mcclellan the
Second Assistant Post Master General, all the
facts Of the case, which are these: That Colonel
Wallace and the Post Office Department were
both imbecile to act in advance of any action bv
Congress; but Col Wallace introduced bills es-
tablishing routes to ColvIle, Hegatp, and to the
Nez Perce mines, as soon as he heard that neces-
slty demanded these rCutes and that the Bu-
reau acted as soon as Congress had acted and |
learn from the Second Assistant Post Master Gen
eral that COL Wallace has been almost importun-
ate in his application at this Department to get
these lines put in full operation.
And that too, while these things were going on
that the special agent sent to Washington Terri
tory was writing letters to the Department sta tng
that services on many Of these routes were not
needed; and it actually left the Department in
dilemma to know what it should do but re-
garding the Delegate the man better convers-
ant with the true interests Of the Territory than
the agent acted from the representations Of the
former and not Of the latter. This is in general
outline the true history of our mail facilities east
of the Cascadesj and it is simply matter of JUS
tice to Col Wallace that the truth be set
forth
have laid before the Post Office Department
the feasibility Of line from Hellgate to Laramie
to tap the present overland line at that point
which has been favorably received and think
Col Wallace who has already contemplated l.ne
TO st. Paul-will modify his own views to the ex-
tent Of adopting the Laramie route l adressed
letter to the Secretary Of War, in regard to the
same matter-with view of getting wagon
road from Deer Lodge to Fort Laramie The
Secretary Of War endorses to Congress nv rec
still further repairs of the wagon road from Deer
Lodge to Fort Benton, and 5O,OOO from Antoine
Plants to Hellgate, which if passed will put the
line in a good condition for trave!-when not
blockaded by snow.
l am anxious to see the route by Cark's Fork
opened and if we are ever driven to the neces-
sity putting on steamer t Clark FORK cross
ing to run up the Pen dseille lake, il will be an
economical measure, and with moderate appro-
priation, we can make road from the head of
Pen d'reille lake TO Hegate. COL Wallace will
ask for lands to aid railroad line to the Column
bia, and TO the Sound; and for an extension of
the surveys, which last is doubtful if he get.
Messrs. Nesmith and Harding feel deep inter
est in the overland mail line, and will favor either
the Laramie route, or Salt Lake route, according
as the disposition of Congress will determine.
The question of a division of Washington Ter
rtory-in advance Of any publicly expressed wish
on The part ofthe people east Of the Cascades will
not likely to come up this session. More than
ordinary interest is felt in the growth and pros
perity of the Pacific just now and | am sanguine
to believe that additional parties for exploring the
mineral wealth of the Rocky mountains, will be
set on foot during the coming year.
had hoped by this time to have been enabled
to forward 10 Lieut.. Hughs the balance to pay
such of the men as were not paid on my leaving
Walla Walla; which believe amounts to about
three thousand dollars but have been DELAYED
on account of the iniormaliues of the Indian De-
partment vouchers, which | took in part payment
for property sold. The matter comes up to-mor-
row for final settlement-when will notify Lieut..
/ Hughes, by Telegraph. The Bureau here, with
/ great Justice, complains that the Indian agents
| have tailed to render their accounts and though
| it will not do single creditor of the Government
injustice, it meets me constantly with these otec-
ti0ns. Every dollar OF tie vouchers issued by the
agents will be paid by the Government; b1t it is
the intention of the Department to prosecute such
agents and bondsmen in case they do not render
promptly their accounts.
would advise every agent both Of the last and
present Administration, therefore, to do this and
promptly and it is a matter in which each agent
should feel that he is doing his duty to himself
his bondsmen the Government and its individual
creditors
There was also disposition on the part Of the
Indian Department here to Gnore those holding
the vouchers-and only to recognize the orig ma
holders; but on learning this l protested to tht
Department against it, as doing grea injustice tC
every one; and at their request submitted the
enclosed letter. A favorable ruling has sine,
been had so that those presenting the vouchers re
ceve the pay for the same. The letter explains
itself. | enclose to you, also, decision from thu
General Land Office in reply to my let er askiny
whether or not officers of the Army were enti
tied to all the provisions of the Pre-emptiol
law.
1t has always been question upon which
myself have had no doubt, as it was based upoi
equity and right. For have always claimed tha
no officer has lost any of his rights Of citizenship
by being in the Army. So thai by the decision
an officer of the Army is and always has bee
since the passage Of the law as much entitled t
all the rights and privileges Of the pre-emptio
laws as all other citizens. append the decision
am busily engaged on my map and reports
which hope to get completed by lst February
But in addition to this for the last Two weeks