The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-12-28
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WAsH1Ncrox. D. O.. Dec. 1s. 1871.

SDlATo1 8A1x.Al9U xnYTu1.
WASHINGTON, d. O., Dec. 10, 1871.
GsN. ]. A. WILLlAMsoM, Des
Moines, Iowa, Dear Sir :-In refer
ence TO my connection with the
payment Of Indian pensions, the
material facts were these: In the
spring Of 1855. my attention was
called to claims fled by attorneys,
chiefly by man named John w.
Wright, for Indian claimants for
pensions. Whan | entered tho De.
partment ! found him With -athers @
recognised attorneys In the different
Departments for snch clients o.
chose to employ him. | knew Of no
sufRcient reason for dis6ariHg him, or
refusing to consider claims merely
because people chose to trust him
with their business. I was informed
by the pension clerks that the evil
dence produced in favor of many Of
these Indians seemed to be concln.
sive ; and that it was sustained by
the records Of the<War Department.
If the business had proceeded in the
usual mode, those sustained by this
proof in the absence Of rebutting
evidence would have been allowed,
the names would have been enrolled,
and the pension certificates issued as
. matter Of course. But distrusting
the reliability of evidence taken er-
parte in the Indian country, and the
propriety of issoing certificates to
Indians to be collected by attorneys,
fearing the funds might not reach the
Indians, I determined TO have these
cases re-examined ON the ground, in
the presence of an officer Of the De-
pArtment, and where found valid, pay
ment made to the Indians in person.
Hence, / ordered their names to be
enrolled temporarily and / appomted
Hon: George g. Whiting Special
Pension Agent for Fort Gibson, and
sent him out to perform this service,
instructing him to see the Indians,
examine each case, take down the
substance Of the new evidence IN wri-
ting, pay those who were found to be
legally entitled, take their receipts in
due form and report those not found
entitled to pensions under the law,
to be stricken from the rolls. He
gave bond and security as any other
pension agent, drew the amount of
money deemed necessary by the
Commiss,oner 10 pay them, and pro.
ceeded to the Indian country.
He started sometime about April
or May, and before he made his re-
port, l had retired from the Depart
ment. This lie the whole case 20 far
~ | bad any connection with it.
Here my official action ended: /
made an honest effort to guard the
rights of the Indians and At the same
tho Treasury of the United States.
The man / sent was at the time prin-
cipa. appeal pension clerk in the
Seoretsry's Office, had served some
years as Commissioner Of Pensions,
a. Chief Clerk Of the Department,
and as Acting Secretary Of the Inte-
rior. bis capacity and familiarity
with the pension laws and modes Of
proof were undoubted-and his intex-
rity has not been questioned. But
suppose Whiting had been q rogue
and participated in frauds, he and
his bondsmen would be responsible,
and not the Secretary. His accounts,
however, have been adjusted by the
proper accounting officers Of the
Treasury Department. andneA
one voucher has bson JnrOwn out for
illegality or insuficiency Of proof
His report was made January 18th,
1867, four months after / bad resign
ed. Butt have examined it on the files,
and his account stands thus: He is
charged with requision 81, 900, the
amount supposed to be necessary to
pay the honest claimants, and
$3.50 found by him in the hands ofhis
predecessor, making in all e76,480.
He is credited in his report with
something . go, 900 returned to
the Treasnry-a little less than $780,
600 paid ont to pensioners, including
$500 or $500 commission. And ali
of this has been approved by the
Auditor and Comptroller as legal and
correct-except S1,049 suspended
s'for informality," want Of proof OF
munster in as officer" or something
OF that sort. But these slanderers
ssy Judge Wright has been arrested
for fsand connected with this matter.
He says in a published card that he
has not been. But suppose he has
been, and suppose he is guilty, how
does that affect me? Ibid not put
any money into his hands, 0 trust
to the sufRciency of his evidence
Prove him guilty and you justify my
caution in not trusting him with
money or pension certificates, and in
not relying on the evidence filed by
him. Because / exercised this eau
ton in cases presented by a man who
they say is a scamp, and refused to
trust either him or his work, | am de.
nounced Tor his supposed crimes.
Yours, truly,
JAMES HARLAN.
GEN. j. A. WILLIAMSON, Des Moines.
Iowa.
II we ere as anxious to tell the
good we know Of our acquaintances
as we are TO tell the bad, how charm
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