New-York tribune., 1874-02-09
THE CH6EGES AGAINST INDIAN CoANls-
SIONER SMITH.
EFpCEI on TIE INVESTIGATING toANlSSio'
CHARGES NOT SUSTAINED BY TIE E' lDh-'OH'
ipY TELEGRAPH TO IHE IRiBrNE'i


EFroET ov TIE INVESTIGATING CoANiSsloN-luh
cutrGFs NOT SUSTAINED BY TIE Evidence
IrY TELEGRAPH TO the IRiBuNEi
yv,SuNcroN Feb s-Tho Commission, consisting
n T,doe Zones and Nj TUuey Of OHIO, and Nh
J,uuines Of Pennsylvania, appointed by the SecIe-
,o,y ol thc interior 60 examine the charges made by
William Welsh Of Philadelphia sad st Fdul
pauer AGAINST Commissioner i. L. smith OK inc
Indian Bureau IL connection with the sale OF timber
On the Icech Lake reservation, submitted Their
Ieport to the Secretary Yesterday In addition to
these timber contracts made while Commissioner
Smith was an Indian agent, the Commission
was directed by the Secretary 10 inquire
into auy other charges which reputable
persons might bring against him. William
Wclh. o former member Of the Peace Commission
GloJ seven charges &gainst the Commissioner ln
conucC ,on with various contracts while Smith was
agent. The report shows that Mr.. Welsh and ii. NJ.
Rice referred TO by Welsh az having in his posses
SION papers materially bearing the case, were the
only witnesses who declined 20 appear and testify
Both were connected with making the charges
against Smith The report after discussing the evil
dence in its application to the several charges, and
finding that none Of them are sustained, says:
We deem II but an act Of sheer justice 10 the accused
to announce the unanimous opinion Of the Commission
WIZ 1Gdt VIC are hCb OlIS sdAfhIls tA"t III ANS"A ~
the matters alleged IN these charges be has been guilty
OF no wrong but that the contrary the testimony
shows that in all things connected herewith he has
been actusted by the purost motives and most COM
meudabe real FOR the promotion Of The welfare Of the
Indians.
In discussion Of the several charges. the Commits
son refer to tie fact that iU connection herewith
Nr Welsh has undertaken 10 give portion Of the
evidence on which lac roles 90 sustain them, and
that it s fr to infer that he has gwen the best in
hs possession ana in reference TO some Of the in
feTences he draws they observe that his reasoning
faculties are peculiar and that Therefore his con
ClCsOns cannot always be accounted for.
IL consulting the last instructions in the letter OF
Che Secretary Of the Interior which requires them,
If they shall in the course of thei~ investigation find
that the charges not true to inquire into Their
origin and the motives Of the persons making them,
thc report argues that Bir. Welsh and Nh Rice,
with whom be seems TO have teen ia cone
gpondenCe, werc probably connected with
ther publication III the ST.. Paul paper;
that both of these men, though declining
g ard the Commission IL their invest cation, have
continued their utteTanCc, together with other
charges and Iusnuatons against this and other
officials, and false insiDuaGons against the Com
mission; that such aspersious, il uttered 10y a man
less careless IN his method Of handling facts than
br. Welsh would be ad1dged atT0l0uS but that
under the circumstances detailed a the evidence i'm
reference to Mr.. Weish's mental rccuHafites II IS
doubtful whether his conduct should be thus Sc
yGoly regarded.