, 1874-01-16

AtENI 8MlIH AMI CUMm4haIuNEik 0hi44ds
Mr William Welsh, the first Chairman Of the
Indian Commission, las writton to tho President
q 1otter which sketches few salient points it,
tho career of lilo present Commissioner OF In-
dian Affairs, and strongly suggests that the
President had better tako his Civil-Beryico Ro-
form latchot aud chop OF hIr. Smiths official
head. Tho Philadelphia Press which publishes
tue lotter, says; "Wa much mistake President
Grant If this form OF Indictment does not open
his Dyes to systom in tho last degroo dig
tho testimony Of Mr. Welsh will be ignored in
Wow Of the fact that he stands ready to mike
good all his charges" Tie Press is indood SAIL
gulue. But tho charges. ignored or not at WaBh-
ington, ought to bo hoard by the people. No
summarize what A1r. Welsh has to say:
Some timo beforo November, 1872, Smith,
thon Iullan Agent in minnesota. sold to Mr.
Clark part OF the piuo timber belonging to the
Indiana ut Oak Park for $t.95 por thousand.
Clark swoars TINT ho offered to tako 1t all at that
price, but Smith said he had no right to dispose
Of it. Subsequently,, CLARK was notified that lia
contract was void, because tho Indians refused
to soil any timber. Moanwhilo, Smith made an
Official report that pine timber inferior to tue
Oak Park traot In quality was worth $3.50 to
9a a thousand. After theao transaotions,
Smith sold tho trees on this tract and elsewhere,
to ono 4. q. Wilder, at s1.15 d thousand. This
VAS done without advertisement and against tho
Expressed wishes of tho Indians. Ho then
went to Washington md got Gen. Walker,
tho thou Commissioner Of Indian Affairs,
to ratify tho contract by telling him that
tho Indians would ataryoi II money WAS not raised
for their roliet; that Wilder would advance
S50, 900 at onco in ordor to sayo thom from
inagacdiats suffering; and that tho prica
Wider had agreed to pay WAS d fair ono. It is
noedlosa to add that the $50, 900 WAS mover paid.
Secretary Dolano says ho knew nothing Of tho
contract till Arr. Welsh exposed 1t to him. He
then appointed four Commissioners to examine
tic charges against Smith. This quartet do
| clined to ask the Federal Courts to compel tho
| attendance OF wituoBseB. They examined the
| parties to tue contract and their attorney, and
| scarcely anybody else. Their report, Of course,
tIAudkuIludA &7uAtA AAkU A1VbAAAA AooH sAAhA -
! winglnBB angel.
| Agent Smith meanwhile roapod the reward Of
his honest toll by being made Commissioner Of
Indian Affairs. Ills powers, and consequently
his misdcetls, were now greater. The lsw Great
| ing the Iudian Commission reads: "TAo Board
! OF Commissioners Ia to exercise joint control
| with the Interior Department over tho disburso-
ncnt Of [Inltaul appropriations" To this law
| Bmith has paid no sort OF attention. He has
been equally obliyious Of tho law requiring the
| advertisement Of contract before 1t ID lot. 1u
| defiance of both, lie has made extensive private
contracts with A, H. Wilder, whose husinesH
aoenls to be to do the jobs with which Smith pro-
! yides him, Narrower, Wilder has boon allowed
to supply corn and pork whom 10 had boen paid
tor flour anl bacon. Other people, too, have
found 1t advantageous to havo Smith thoii
frioud. Ho allowed tho Assistant Secretary oi
tho Interior to draw, boslaos hla regular salary
ss 3 day and expenses, whom ho was visiting
Indian Agencies. A clork in his lsmtth's] Office
was permitted to travel at Government expense
whonoyor he wiahod to Bpena Sunday IN NoN
York. Eaoh trip cost a46, about three tinoa