Arizona citizen., 1874-07-25
U. s. SURVEYOR GENERALS OFFICE, TUCSON, ARIZONA, July l4, 1874.

U. s. SURVEYOR GENERALS OFFICE,
 TUCSON, ARIZONA, July IA, 1874.
 HON. E. P. SMITH, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C., Sir: beg leave to ask at your hands a careful consideration of the inclOSed letters hav- ing reference to the reduction of the White mountain Indian reservation so as to eX- clude from it's limits the copper and other mines at Clifton, Arizona, and also to take such action as the facts will warrant you in taking. It Is with much regret that I feel obliged, in the line of my official duty to promote the public welfare, to present you with these letters and my Statements; but addressed to me as the letters are, and having an undOubted be- lief that the interests of the Territory are liable to be injured without any possible benefit to the Indians now or likely ever to be on the White mountain reservation, can see but this one course consistent with right.
 First let me ask you to consider all the letters with reference to the merits of the application for reduction. and next to con- slider at least the prima facie evidence pre- scented, that individuals who have done much to place our Territory on prosper ous peace basis are threatened with great injury to their legitimate enterprises or be subjected to an unjust payment of large sum of money to secure what they ought to have, and government is entire ly willing they should have, without oth- CT than lawful and comparatively ineX- pensive proceedings. Omitting much that might be said in elaboration of this case, I would refer to the significance of these facts: l have reliable information that on the day following the receipt by him of our instructions Of April 20, 1874, Agent James k. Roberts started for Tucson; that he stated his object was to respond to written request by Gov. Stafford to come here; that after he arrived here and seeing the Governor and holding the conversa- ton detailed in the Governors letter here with, he left him and did not confer with him on the subject again, but made his association and home with l.. c. Hughes while in Tucson; that two days thereaf- ter-On the 9th of June said Hughes wrote ChaS. LeSinsky, wanting to know "how much you (Lesinsky), are willing to pay for the consumm nation of the object "reierred to-" and that II (Hughes) am |" fully authorized to close this negOtia- " tion," and this too, just after Agent Rob- erts truthfully told the Governor that the whole matter was left to him to de- eide; also that when pressed to advise Mir. Lesinsky who had been to expense, the said Hughes wrote that he was not at "liberty to state who the parties are, what "the expense is or has arisen from, or "who has paid it." and again asks Mir "etc." These facts taken in connection with Hughes interview with MT. E. NJ. Pearce, as truly set forth in MT. P.'s letter herewith, are startling and can lead in my opinion to but these conclusions: That money was to be extorted for doing an official act; that the favorable indorse- ment for the reduction of the reservation did not depend upon the interest of the Indians but upon the payment of a large sum of money by men acting in good faith in developing the country tor the common good as well as their own. f
 Passing over much that is suggested to me, I will say this: MT. Lesinsky informs me that in his personal interview with said Hughes this week, Hughes stated in substance: Well, you know that all r. United States business is conducted up "on the basis of buy and sell;" and fur ther on, when MT. Lesinsky became az Hughes remarked in effect" Well don't "blame you for feeling as you do at an ef- " fort to eXtOrt money from you, but that " it would not be safe to oppose Agent Ro- "berts, for he, Roberts, had large infiu- "ence, (naming in Ohio, particularly, "and could give much trouble and at any " time compel his company to leave the reservatiOn." -s-,I
 MT. Charles Lesinsky resided in Tucson over two years, and every honest man who knows him will lunequivocally testi- fly to his uprightness and truthful charac- ter. He now resides at Las Cruces, New Mexico, in connection with the firm of H. Lesinsky & Co.,, who for the past few years have been building roads, cutting ditches, opening mines and building furnaces at said mines on the White mountain reser- vation, and have shipped much ore to Baltimore, Md, for tests; and, as he says, have expended S40,000 thereon. Hon. R. c. Mccormick knows him and his firm well, and will indorse what say of them.
 After over ten years of connection with United States business, am compelled to resent as an infamous and inexcusable islander the assertion that it is conducted on a "basis of buy and sell," or that any influence, however large, will great while clear rights. Every man who is well enough acquainted with the facts to give an opinion of worth, will promptly and cheerfully certify that that reservation ought to be reduced as petitioned for, and that too without the slightest damage or inconvenience to the Apaches on it. Hun dreds can do so intelligently. Maj. Geo. M. Randall, 23d Infantry, commanding