, 1874-06-08

AtEuuAlH+
NO DEFINITE ACTION,
determining tho matter was taken. however.
and tho Chairman, Mr. Drunot, In January,
1879. addressed lettor to Tho Secretary Ut tho
Interior, summarizing tho grounds talson by tho
Board and quoting precodcnts, % wol Sd tho be-
lief of ex-Becretary James NJ. uarlan, aud said:
!! bag been tho lsaIgn 9f tho Board to comply with
avoid nny Misunderstanding OF lts intent, and
l nm suro you will appreciate tho ombarrass-
position in this respect and ny dosire for further
counsel to rcsofyo ,any do fonbts % TO wha: ts
ok that you Wit submit Tho esss to tho Assistant
Attorney i'eneEal for opinion to tic dutios in
fmeen fa % upon te noaFa M 10 regard 70 he ,nvossa-
ditnrcs ct tho 1udian Department. and vii! feot
greatly obliged Il you will secure his oarly attention to
TIE REQUEST coMr1rEp WITH.
Tho soorctary referred tho letter, as requested,
to Assistant Attornoy-Genoral Smith,
who gave IN elaborate opinion. roct-
Ing tito got Ut April, 1850, which estab-
which contnuad thotr powers, and spooFiod that
they would receive all youohers and accounts
for goods or supplies, or for transportation,
oct upon tlom, aud transmit4 thcm to the
Secretary for hs action, and decided that tho
fornance Of TINT duty.
once, wloh oarrea tSo 9shss to bo sooretsrSs %
office, and procured M ordor overruling tho do
Secretary develops curious state Of
made about awards for contracts, and tt
Was declared that tho contraota would fall into
tho hauds Of tho very sot Of mon whoso namos
slHs'F ss: upon tho record of r''''''a fraudulent
THE ACTION or TIE BOARD.
approved bills amounting to ss.25o.9oo
latter amoaat. tho Boards action was ap-
proved IN but three vouchers, amounting to
s5,G07 while their on thirty Vouchers,
amounting to 9421 ,2l2oo, was sot aside by tho
Secretary in most casos. and IN othors the mattor
mont, aud tho Doard cannot tell whethor these
BILLIE hnvo boon paid or not. In, tho list sono
we'll known names appear. Gen. Granville II.
Dodge Ind bills disapproyed tor s8a o62,9 for
heenoy eas Of x%rogs y h5 Waas a Ss S 1sSHs 5nsn @
approved for illegal and e1orbltant con-
tracts and fraudulent vouchers; D. j. Nc
Caun has s2o.415.3a :dtsapprovod for
fraudulent oyercharges. for transportation
oontraoor. had SO. .si7 IS diaapproTod for r. fiaud
ulent substitution Of corn ut agencies, instend
Of flour, as contracted tor. III every ono. OF
these cases specified, tho record atates that their
nctiouB wore
BET Aside BY THE SECRETARY
OF tho Interior. 1'ha naturally made tho mom-
bcrs of tue Board dissatisfied, as they wore rom
dered poworless to prevent fraud but tho last
reature waH the introduction In tito now nppro-
ers to bo esaniuod "a % IN Ats tia ely, a aud cto not
to DO removed. This would require the
constant presence OF tho Executive Committee,
or part thereof, and as the mombers serve
without pay, they feel it to bo an Intentional
ness. Therefore their resignattoos were in
order. aud were tondored as telegraphed laat
night.
!, Secretary Dolano has made up hiH mind that
t!omen who resigned, shall be Quakors, and 10 is
now IN Philadelphia looking up available men
spsela DtsnatsA . 7hs chteaao Tribune.
INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF THE BOARD.
New YoaK, June 1.-The Hon. William q.
Dodge. one Of the Indian Commissioners, was
tnsot otviewod to-day on tho resignation Of Bix Of
hts colleagues. Ho said that the Commission.
They wero all Eontlo'nen Of high social position,
and it Was understood that they should rocetvo
no compensation. At Different times since tho
organization Of tho Commission in 1860, four
matter oil tho attention Il deserved, Withdrew,
aud their places we're lied with others. These
new members have, In several instances,
boen delegated BY the Departments Of Tue
lntoEior on special service to tho Indians, and
day, SO TINT Willie they did not .eooive ealaries,
they were really paid employees. Tho lettor OF
resignation Is signed by tie slx mombors Of tho
Commission originally appointed. Moreover,
the Commissioners had the power Of auditing ali
bills OF expenses Tor 1ndiau alralra While the law
required that all bills should bo audited by them,
yet the ultimate power to pay them waa loft
with tue Secretary Of tho Intarior, and after the
Commissioners had examined q bill carefully, and
decided against ita payment. It frequently
happouod that, in tho opinion Of the Secretary
of tho Interior tho bill should DO paid The
public held tho Commissioners responsible for
tue payment Of tile bills, but they had NO power
in tho matter beyond what has been stated.
Under these circumstances tho si1 Commission
ors thought fit to roaign.
toward tho Indiaus and Under proper managa-
ment, 1t would DO ultimately successful. Their
designations had boon uader confederation for
Bomo time, but tho formal lottor had been seat
only week ago. p