The weekly union record., 1864-10-01
Gen. BidWell Defended.

/ coUiai0s the following communication from
+ G. NJ. Hanson. late Indiau Superintendent il
reply 10 certaia charges agaias. Gea. Bidsell:
I Some person. be-; known to tie Express,
who signs himself Phoenix" in yesterdays
issue Of that journal. makes some eleven COW
ardly charges (arrayed in the form Of ones
tionsl against General Bidweli, The [ Uuion
candidate for Congress in this district. And IS
a friend 10 the General. il lis bseace | deem
il q dntv owe him as well IS myself ard the
voters Of this district, occupying the position
did ST that time as Saperintending Agent Of
Indian Affairs, 10 make brief statement OF
facts, as it wss through me, and through me
alone, that General Bldweli was authorized 10
furnish supplies for the Indians alluded TO by
Phoenix and by me the whole OF bis SC
count was certified TO On the Psi day Of Sep
tember, 1868, in view Of his drawing the mo
ney.
"Phoenix" charges that General Bidwell
made charge against the United States OF
"S75 900 for feeding a.bout four huudred ~
diaus scant six weeks and insinaaies that be
fed them Oh shorts" ard "stag neat
Now allow me to inform that correspondent
that be is either wifuily or ignorautly doing
General Bidwell gross i,jss'ice 10 making sIch
unfounded statements. In the month Of Sep
tember, $50. two tribes Of the Indians. VIZ
the Hat Creeks ard Con Cows. at Round
Valley Reservation, escaped, in view Of ma
king their way TO their old homes. intercep-
ted their movements, and owing 10 loss Of the
crops on the Reservation, concluded to keep
them on the Sacramento river where they
might partially supply themselves with flesh
and acorus. | obtained leave of General
Bidwell TO keep them upon his land below his
boatlaudiug, on the east side Of the SAcramen-
to river. There were between three and four
huadred in number. placed them under the
care Of one EDDY, as special Agent, with in
structions to procure beef, -four, meal, soap,
axes. medicines and all other supplies from
General BidweIl, 10 whom | had spoken and
from whom had engaged such supplies.
During the Indian excitement in Butte
county in Jnly and August, 1868 about one
third OF those Indians ,tho Hat Creeks took
fright and left in he pight and during the
same time about as many others were captured
aud brought into Chico by the citizfns OF
Butte preparatory to their removal to the
Reservation, making the aggregate uumoer
perhaps from three to four hundred; bai many
of those were removed in August to their
spirit bunting grounds, by m epidemic that
prevailed feariully among them. About the
lSt of September 1868, sent orders TO MY
special agent 10 obtain wagons and teams, es
coTIed by some Of the military, and immediate
/ ly remove the Indians. was Informed teams
could not be obtained without cash in advance
and as had 10 money on hand, General Bid
well very kindly hired thirteen wagons and
teams at his own expense. which was added to
his account against the Government at the
same price be paid for them. To copy The
articles and give the dates and charges IN the
bill would fill one or two columns Of your pa
per; but il Phoenix" or any one else, is deSi
rous to see the items and prices, they can call
at my room in this place, and will be pleased
to Crafty their curiosity. Suffice it 10 say
the beef furnished the Indians was good, the
-four was mostly coarse or shorts, part OF 1t
was fine and part sHpeffne-and the price Of
each was as low as l could purchase it from
any other person in tie country. No other
man except General Bidwell would advance
supplies for my suffering and starving Indians
10 that vicinity. without cash in advance; and
hold that the Government and every Union
man Mcclellan men excepted, Of course
should feel grateful to the General for his
Kindness liberality and indulgence, in this
very case, wherein "Phoenix" would fain make
LIN hHGN T. y, elAllc. WEttc - |uA Oiu>l.
Bat instead of General Bdwell feeding 400
Indians soAXT six weeks. BE fed them flush one
whole year; and instead of charging $4,000,
his bill, all told, was only S3.4o5 81. This
includes about or near,y 81 900 that be ad
vanced for teams and other supplies he pnrch-
sSed for.tbeir services. This, TOO, was done
from one to two years since. when grcenbacks
were worth nearly double their present value.
Hanpa VIII ba sla. = ba IaDrapiafToD Qf
the currency and the ulbushing ISLANDERS OF
such sycophan's as Phoenix" IS all the inter
es, he will receive by waiting for his pay.
Other destinations in the county Of this kind |
wish to notice, which know to be untrue-
unkindness to his Indians The first time |
met General Bidwe!l after I WAS appointed
Superineuding Agent, was at bis own house.
He desired to know If intended removing bis
Indians to the Reservation, saying If did, be
won'd assist me iD gathering them up, etc |
replied that, as soon as | was satisfied that /
could do better part by them than be was
doing, | woud remove them. but al present !
had not the means 10 support What were alTea-
dy on the Reservation. ! went vi him 10
the Indian ranch. where found the half OF q
large beef hanging. On inquiry about 1t, he
Informed me that maoy Of his Indians were
: very old aud many too young to provide Tor
themselves, and as those who were able always
worked on his farm, be therefore telt it bis
duty to feed their aged parents aud the little
ones, On inquiry among his ueghbors, they
: told me the same, aud on no consideration
would one of those Indians be persuaded &c
leave General Bidwel. And | am fully con
vinced that few men IN California, il any, treat
Indians with equal kindness and humanity
notwithstanding The Insignificant iusinuation:
, Of "Phoenix." From these demonstrations OF
facts, the public can judge how much the 9th
er insinuaiions against the General are worth
! In fact, those best scquaiuted with him know
be is Incapable Of any dishonest act.
q. M. HANSON.