Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-12-28
%, 1868. :
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Our Indian Complications No. A
COLUMBUS Dec. g22, 1865.

,From the Cincinnati GaZette1 ''Sf-
Our Indian Complications No. A.
lssq a79w CoEbMBus Dec.l22, 1s6s.a
The letter of your regular Wasting
ton correspendent-@H. v. By of the
18th instant.in relation to Indian af-
fairs, while commanding my most re-
spectful Acknowledgements for the fat
terihg terms in which it refers to the
articles furnished by me to the Gazette,
opens the way to say something more
on the subject. T. =. aa.aaz ,lDo1i7isa
And first, let me remark that did
not tsintend to infer that all who favored
the transfer of the Indians to the ex-
elusive. control of the army were actua-
ted by improper motives. The great
body of the officers of the army who
clamor for it, do so from education and
habit, without proper and due consider
alton. From the day the cadet leaves
West Point, and enters active SER
vice, he hears this opinion, and none
other, advanced--"W have to fight
the Indians, and, therefore, we should
have charge of them.'' And this, has
been so often repeated, coupled with the
declaration "that there was comparative
ly no trouble and no wars with the In
dams until the Bureau was taken from
the War Department" thatit is received
in army circles as Gospel truth; and, Fl ON
the high position of those who give cur
rency to it, this opinion has taken a
very strong hold upon the public mind.
This is, however, very grave error, and
fyour correspondent will undertake the
investigation, he will find that the great
est Indian wars, of longest duration, and
the most costly, in which We have en-
gagged, occurred at a period before the
Interior Department had charge of the
Bureau, Notwithstanding we had not
then one-fourth of the Indians within
our borders that the Bureau has had to
manage since it was taken from the War
Departments, that event happening just
when we obtained Texas, California,
Oregon, Washington, &c. Moreover he
will further find that since the Bureau
was put under the Interior Department,
more than three-fourths of our Indian
wars have resulted from the improper
conduct of those in charge of military
posts in the Indian country, and almost
invariably these wars have been prose-
cuted against the Judgment and frequ' mt
ly the protests of the Indian Bureau.
Conceding that the corruption in the
civil administration of Indian affairs
has been as great as your correspondent
states; that it is not confined to petty
Indian traders and Indian agents, but
reaches up through all grades and enters
the halls of Congress, still the common
phrase "any change would be for the
better" should not apply with considera.
Bile force, as he claims. 1t is not the
part of craftsmanship. 1t is unjust to
all interests, and there ought, in my
Judgment, to be found a sufficient num-
Der of honest men in Congress to take
hold of the matter in earnest, and at once
and by proper Legislation, lift the Indian
ser yice up to a position of responsibility
authority and power commensurate with
the great interests involved.
Thirteen years ago, the Indian Bu
reau urged, in the annual report, the
necessity of Immediately selecting and
dedicating irrevocably suitable tracts o.
country, both east and west of the Rocky
Mountains, on the Pacific coast and in
Texas, for the homes of the Indians, and
asked Congress for proper Legislation tc
carry out this recommendation. The Blu
reau also urged the passage of such laws
as would elevate and strengthen it, an(
protect the Indians. About the sam,
time it caused some treaties to be mad,
with tribes in Oregon and Washington
territories, in order to compose tn
troubles there and bring about peace
A number of these treaties laid in th,
Senate four years before that dignife
body acted on them. Such men a
William II. Seward, Jesse D. Bright
s. p. Chase, Robert Toomb:
Benz. f. Wade, James NJ. Mason
Charles Sumner, John Slidell, Henr
Wilson, &C., &c, were in that body a
that period, and consumed, probably
one-half of the time they each occupie
on the floor in wrangling about anothe
race, while neglecting the interests {
the red man entirely. This very neg
lect was the cause of protracted war wit
its attendant calamities to thesparse Sc
Elements in Oregon and Washington =
The recommendations for the selectio
of suitable reservations never had an
attention from Congress until in 1856
when it passed the law providing for
Peace Commission. The needed 1legi
lation urged to protect the Indians an
strengthen the arm having charge (
their interests, has not to this day ha
the attention of Congress. These fac
, are worthy of the serious attentio
of all thinking men, and l r.
spectfully invite the considers
tion of your intelligent correspon,
ent to them. do not believe that tn
Quartermaster's Department would
more efficient in purchasing supplies fc
the Indians, or more faithful in the di
tribution of them than officers in tt
civil service, as your correspondent su,
gests. In the discharge of our oblig;
ard in paying to them their annuities,
great and radical reform is needed. An
by proper and appropriate legislatio
this can be effected without the aid {
the army. The stupendous plundt
growing out of the purchase of India
lands, removing Indians, and India
wars, can, if the law-making power Sc
fit, also be cut up by the roots. Sue
reform will meet with the most violer
opposition, not only outside, but insid
of Congress, but, as before remarked
there ought to be found in the Senat
and in the House honest men in su
fcient numbers to accomplish it, and thi
done, the work of civilization may bt
gin and progress without hindranc,
The army officers will not, howeve
give aid to any reform of this kind