Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1868-12-24
The Indian Bureau and its
Transfer.


the War Department, in all proba
bility has the same source as tn,
opposition to Mr.. Jenckes' Civi
Service Bill. The Bureau is a con
venient place in which to stow away
certain politicians who have claimi
upon the members Of the House Of
Senate. ...
It is now as it was during tht
administration of Mr.. Lincoln, there
are more pegs than holes in whicl
to put them, and the first duty of Z
politician, actuated by selfish mo
tlyes, is to increase, rather than di
minish the number of these holes
The discussion which is inevita
Bile when the prOpos tion comes
fairly before Congress, will develor
the inefiiciency of the Bureau I'll
not the actual corruption of its
agents to manage the Indian af
fairs properly, and preserve sucl
relations with them as assure
peacn.
1t is a notorious fact that sys.
tematic swindling has been prac-
ticed. The Congress has, with a
single exception, been liberal in its
appropriations to meet the stipula-
ted annnites of the various tribes
and its appropriations have been
very generous. If Congressman
will be at the pains to examine the
records, It will be found that tile
Government has dealt uprightly
with the Indians, making its appro,
prlations promptly and in accord
ance with tho annual estimates
founded upon known sums due the
tribes by treaty stipulation.
Had these appropriations been
honestly disbursed we should have
avoiden many costly difficulties,
and had at least spasms of peace in
the long history Of our Indian af.
fairs. But the fact is, we believe,
capable Of demonstration that the
Indian agents, as . class, have so
managed affairs as to deprive the
indians Of the benefit of their a,
nuities permitting traders to cheat
the ignorant red skins, and chisel
them out of their moneys by selling
to them spirituous liquors and tri.
des at an advance Of many hundred
per cent. upon cost. IF tho agents
avenot prolited by the spoils, they
are a more virtuous set of men than
usually get office.
Even the Commissioner who
)lcads for the retention of the Bu-
eau in civil hands, insists that
here shall be no division of power
II the Indian affairs. The business
ihould be wholly intrusted to the
'ivil or military departments and
ret he knows that hardly a year
,asses, as matters are at present
constituted, when the military is
lot called in to settle difficulties
constantly arising, The power is
livided, and as the civil arm Of the
Government is lacking in executive
orce to compel observance Of treat.
es, it seems to us that the wisest
hing that can be done will be to
rtrust the whole business to that
department. that can unite to civil
administration the executive encr.
" necessay, in the absence of con-
tituted law, to enforce the obscrva-
ion of treaties by both Indians and
whites. rH.,
tits probable that the affairs Of
he Bureau would be managed with
omewhat greater severity by tile
Var Department; but it is also Ger.
nin that II would be conducted with
reater integrity than we're its func.
ons are intrusted to mere politi.
ians who accept the positions Of
gents, because they hope to make ,
good thing ont Of It, We can
Junt upon the absence of that sort
+ official cupidity if the affairs of
10 Bureau are placed in the hands
7 those whose interest it is to :
aintain agoOd understanding with
e tribes, since a rupture of friend
relations would devolve upon
en- all the hardships and dangers
campaign upon the plains and !,
the wilderness. We should, he. =
1es, get rid Of that intense folly n
hich now and then sCizes uron '
Iilanthropic Peace Commissions
5, who seem to have derived their =,
ras of Indian character from II
impbell's Wyoming and Coopcr's 9,
wells, and who insanely distribute Of
them the very weapons which m
ry aitelward employ to slaughter p
g pioneers and the troops sent u
t to defend them, and put an end 4
their forOys upon the settlements. In In
ReinadG Commercial. "