The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-18
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Transfer OF the Indian Burcau TO the
War Departaont - Recommendation ms
n aha f10yarnmaNnf

Transfer OF the Indian Hureau TO the
War Department - ReeOmme endaGi0ns
10 the Government.
The Senate Com mittee on Indian Affairs had
a prOtracted session yesterday, the purpose
being TO consider the House bill TRANSFERRING
the indian Bureau to the War Department
The committee after q thorough examination
of the subject, decided to report against tue
transfer, and in Its stead unaaimously recon-
mended the chairman TO prepare bill erecting
that bureau into q separate department with
the same functions as the other departments Of
the Government, aud they assign as their rea-
sons for adopting this course the suggestions
and recOmm endattons contained in the report
summer, and inithe report which will acco n
pany the bill they will submit the following,
taken from the report OF said Peace Oommls
sion:-
This brings us to consider the much moo'ei
QUESTION whether the bureau should belong 20
the civil or military department OF the Govern
ment To determine this properly we must first
know what Is to be the future treatment of the
Indians. If we intend to nave war with them
she bureau should go to the Secretary Of War.
II we intend TO have peace, 1T should be in tue
are wholly unneccss lry; and hoping that the
Government and county Will agree with us,
we cannot now advise the cnange IL is possi-
BILE, however, that despite our Efforts to m ain
tain peace. war may be forced on us by some
tribe or tribes OF Indians. In the event OF sucn
an occurrence, IL may be well 10 provide in the
revision of the intercourse laws or elsewhere
at what time the civil jurisdiction shall cease
and the military Jurisdiction begin. II thought
advisable, also Congress may authorize the
President 10 turn over TO the military the ex-
elusive control OF such tribes as m ly be COn-
tinualiy. hostile or unmanageable under the
plan which we have suggested The chief du-
ties OF the bureau VIII be 10 educate anu instruct
the Indians, The military arm of the Go 7ern-
nent is not the most admirabl adapted 20 dis
charge duties Of thls character. We have the
highest possible appreciation OF the OH 3er5 Of
the army, and fully recognize their proverbi Il
integrity and honor, but we are satisfied that
not one In a thousand would like TO teach In-
dian chlldI en- to read and write, or Indian men
TO sow and reap. These are EN- ph hatically civil,
OCpuDntiODS. Rut Al n
that the present Indian service is corrupt, aud
this change should be made to get rid OF the
dishonest. That there are many bad men con-
nected with the service cannot oe denied. The
records are abundant to show that agents have
ernment and driven the Indians to starvation.
1t cennot be doubted that Indian wars have
originated from this cause. The Sioux war In
Minnesota is supposed to have been produced
In this way. For long time these officers
much on account OF honesty and qualification
as for devotion to party interests and their will
lingness 10 apply the money of the Indian to
promote the selfish schemes of local politicians.
We do not doubt that some such men may be
in the service of the bureau now; and this leads
us to suggest, third, that Congress pass an act
fixing a day, not later than the lst Of February,
1869, when the offices of all the superintendent,
agents, and special agents snail be vacated.
those vino have proved unit will
find themselves removed without an
opportunity to divert attention from their un-
worthiness by professions of party zeal. We
momentous Importance, as IL respects both the
honor and interests of the nation, as TO require
for It's proper solution an undivided respon,
sibility. The vast and complicated duties now
devolved upon the Secretary of the Interior
leave him too little time to examine and deter
mine the multiplicity of questions necessarily
connected with the government and civilizi-
tlon of race. The same may be said of the
Secretary OF War AS things are now it
is difficult to fix responsibility. When
eIrors are committed the civil department
blames the military. The military retort by
the charge OF lnefficiency or corruption against
the officers OF the bureau. The Commissioner
of Indian Affairs escapes responsibility by
pointing TO the Secretary of the Interior, while
theory he may be responsible, practically he Ia
governed by the head of The bureau. We there
fore recommend Indian affairs re committed
to an Independent bureau or department
Whether the head of the department should be
made member OF the Presidents Cabinet Is q
matter for the discretion OF Congress and your
self, and may be as we'll settled without any
suggestions from u.s.
new commission should be appointed or
the present one be authorized to meet the Sioux
next spring, according TO our agreement, and
also 10 arrange with the NavaJos for their re.
moval. II might be well, also, in case our sug-
gestions are adopted in regard to selecting Ia.
commission, SO as to enable as TO conclude
treaties or agreements with tribes confessedly
at peace. looking TO their concentration upon
the reservations indicated. In the course of q
short time the Union Pacific Railroad will have
reached the country claimed by the Snakes,
Bannacks, and other tribes, and in order To
preserve peace with them, the ommissiOn
should be required 10 see them, and make with
the m satisfactory arrangements