The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-07

war.
We publish to-dNy. exclusively. an import
sns communications from Inspector General
Marcy. Of The Usiisi States Army. relative to
the present system OF dealing with the Indians
on Abe Plains. Ailcr many years OF experience
IN the Indian country. and having enjoyed
sbundsnt means u inscrcommunicstion upon
this subject with Generals sherman and Sheri-
dan ssd The President elect. the Inspector
General inclincs Ia tho same opinions which We
have repeatedly expressed In these columns,
and whish have boon maintained BY every mill
tary officer who knows anything about Indian
character or Indiss wArfarc--nAmely, that The
management Of insl1 affairs should be Gen.
tred in the War Derartment. and trou that
eeptre distributed shrongh tss military aatho-
rites. General Marcy directs hii Attsntion
mainly 10 ths efforts NJ Mr.. Tayior. Indian
comnIssioaer. which were peryissenily made
by thai grnslenaa ~ tss meeting of the psacc
comnlssioncrsheld IN Chicago 10 October last.
70 oppose ressiuti0a transferring the Indian
Bureau 10 th- War Department, mi his rsoom-
mendAiion thai every soldier saosid be Will
drawn from the IndlAn eonatry. ~ tho citation
al many striking iacss IN tbe history Of our
relations with the Indians. az well a. the sup
port which he hrlnys 10 ~ arguments from
the written opinions q Grant. sherman and
sheriisn. Cs,crag Marcy completely negatives
tie views Of Commissioner Taylor. 10 Ia
urged that the prescmt syS.cG ~ employing
civil agents Is not only rnsc 1icyoGs, bat expsn-
awe, ~ these oili-ials have 10 be salaried.
while tho army offers would perform the same
service as part Of their regular military duty.
General Marcy shows that up 90 1919 all the
disbursements ol Iadian annuilies we're usade
then fairly dealt with, receiving IN that Con
grcss appropriated for them. Their commis-
sions, their personal honor and their future In
life preserved these osicers from the suspicion
Of fraud. Bat II is notorious that such Il not now
tho case; but, on the contrary, . good deal OF
the enmity on the part Of The Indians IL pro-
voked by tho corruption Of civil agents who
are tempted 10y the opportunity, and. perhaps,
compelled by the smallness Of their salaries
(dftecn hundred dollars year., 20 cheat ths
red man. in order 90 enrich themselves, in
which thoy have In mauy cases succs eded Ia
perfection.
To the allegation of Mr.. Taylor tia, tho
transfer of Indian affairs 10 the War Dspars-
ment would be offensive to the Indians General
Marcy responds that in many cssas, and IN
some Of which he was himself the direct agent
between the tribes and General Sherman, the
Indian chiefs requested that the disbursements
should ba entrusted 70 army officers. and not
to the civil agents, in whom they bad no conf
dencc. General Grant, in hn report 10 she
War Department some time ago. touches upon
this Indian matter, saying that he earnestly
tho control Of ths Indians be- transferred
to the War Department. aud calls
special attention 10 the recommendations of
General Sherman upon the subject which
be adds, have his most
earnest approval.
The humanity or the question the shock
ing idea OF extcrmination--ir urged BY thoss
who would institute policy Of peace, u
treaties made only 70 be broken; q policy ~
with the savagcs and submitting
10 their cunning and apparently humid. propo-
sitions, which when ecceded 10 only give tlmo
10 the enemy to ooncoct fresh plans 81 VEN
yeauce. This result has been 30 frequently
developed that il would he useless now 10 re-
~ srI. ~tl
sites few Of them, and they are sanicien. 10
prove the wisdom of General Sbcrman's words
in his communication TO General Sheridan on
the nth Of last October. General Shernau
says :--'As to determination Il is Cor he In
dams themselves TO determine. We do not
want TO exterrrinnte or even fight them. NJ
best it is an inylorious. war, not apt 10 add
much to our fame or personal comfort and
for our soldiers. to whom we owe our lrsi
thoughts, it is all danger and extreme labor.
without one single compromising advantage.
To accuse III Of iuaugurating or wishing such
war is TO accuse ns Of want Of common
sense and OF that regard for order and peace
which has ever characterized our regular
army. Tue SetucHlcnt OF kanHu5 and Colo
RADIO, the injustice and frauds heretofore prac-
tised on the Indians, a. charged, are not Of
our making; and know the present war did
not result from any acts OF Ours. II was begun
and has been carried on by the Indians in
spite Of our entraaties and In spite of our
warnings, and the only question to us
ia whether we shall allow the progress OF
our Western settlements to be- checked
aud leave The Indians free to pursue their
bloody career or accept their war aud fight
them"
lie further informs Sheridan chat no win say
or do nothing to restrain our troops from doing
what thoy deem proper on the spot. and will
allow no vague charges Of cruelty or inhnman-
ity to tie their hands, but will use all the