National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-10
THE INDIAN COMMISSION.
THE Professor Of How-to-Gst-Even-Journ


4nC LAOAOsoVA VA 49,
ism"
From the Buffalo Commercial Adverttser.l
The reckless mslevolence with which public Of
hcers are pursued has never been more promi-
nently illustrated than in the recent assaults Of
the New York Tribune upon the Secretary Of the
Interior and the Board of Indian Commissioners,
including the Commissioner of indian Affairs. As
that paper has recently been engaged in the hu-
initiating work Of eating its own words, 1t seems
proper time to call attention to the motives,
means and purposes Of its assaults. There exists
in Washington, as q concomitant OF all admins
trations, low class of people whose business 1t Is
to hang on so long as they can be recognized, and
when that is no longer possible, to sell out for
price. In pretended discussion Of our Indian az
fairs, the editor Of the Tribune has recently been
using this kind of merchandise to garnish his col
umns, setting out with the boast that 1t was
specially we'll informed as &c its allegations.
AS to certain Of the Tribune's charges, its In
formant was q man who, when in the regular ser
vice at Fort LeavenWorth, was oOurt-martialed
for intoxication. While drunk he inflicted upon
himself terrible personal Disagreement. Sub
sequently he found place with the old Board OF
Commissioners, and being employed on special
duty was caught at bald attempt at falsehood
In writing. Afterwards he was dismissed from .
clerical position in Washington, and was twice
expelled from q theatre for obscene conduct
This man has pursued the Secretary and the
Tribune has furnished ready market for his
wares.
mill Of the Tribune is Mr.. VIM. Welsh, of Phila-
delphia, who, year ago or more, made series
of vindictive charges against Commissioner
gated at the commissioners request. Welsh was
himself recently invited to appear and testify.
an iotS Of proof 70 sustain lis allegations. The
commission went to Philadelphia 10 oblige him.
They called at his residence and asked for his
alah fal- " NV n
utterly refused to be sworn as a witness! He
dared not give single one OF his sweeping ale
cations the sanctity Of an oath. But the Tribune
always kept its columns open tor him.
Not long since the Tribune made sweeping
assault on the new Board Of Indian Compassion;
ers, which is composed Of Puch men as General
Clinton B. Fisk or st. Louis; Charles q. Ham
mond, esq, Of Chicago; Gen. II. H. Sibley, Of St.
Rash Rop sf Of Mafyia1d; E william sticEney,
of Washington and others Of like character aud
business standing. 1t took members OF the board
individually, and disparaged, slurred, insulted
and libeled them serfdffm. Because Gen. Fisk
and Mr.. Hammond were or had been connected
tributed TO them q purpose to use their ofaclaI
positions for their own beneht, anc implied that
they had sought the places for that very purpose:
soldier and o man Of unqucstioned integrity, as
we'll as great experience IN Indian management,
IndiSn eSptrsst or T st. Paul. or SO eminent
member OF the Society Of Friends as Mr.. Roberts
the Tribune, having nothing evil 70 say, sald
and banker ss Edwin A. Hayt, whose personal
and business records were at the mercy OF any ln-
sffcs Of the internstiOnsi Trust Company, the
editor knew nothing that was not good-so the
Tribune suppressed the truth; MI. Wiliiam suck.
citizens Of Washington, known throughout the
Baptist denomination for his prominent connec-
ton Herewith It stgmaiIsd for bis former SS1
Legislature, Ito which he was appointed BY the
President,) although the Tribune had frequently
commended his earnest opposition TO every form
Of job6ery and all illegal Expenditures.
Now, t has become the fashion for public men
to pass by malevolent assault tF1stIng 70 tns
expected at the time that the libels OF the TIT
buns upon one or two Of the men in the above list
not surprised q few days since when humIILAt
ing retrsction was made BY the editor Of the Trt.
bIne Of his lIbelous allegation against General
| upon "evidence" that the editor had received
| from st. Paul and elsewhere Of Gen. Slhley's
II was not certificate Of character for Gen. Sib.
| ley from Bishop Whipple, or any one else, which
induced the retrseti9n. Ths Tribune throws I
erection Of the editor discovers that It Is best TO
| But the most shameful part Of this organized
work Of detrSction and libel remains to Be told.
| The Tribune pretended that its entire knowledge
i Of these men was only such as warranted 1t In
| arraigning them with cslumnious accusation;
whereas the fact is that the editors acquaintance
| with and knowledge of such men as General Fisk,
General Sibley, Mr.. Hammond, Mr.. Hayt and
others, even better than that OF the Secretary
/ Of the Interior himself, by whom they were
/ selected upon the recommendation (saye General
| Sibley) OF their respective religious denomina-
tions General Fisk has for years been personally
ana favOrably known TO the editor OF the TTLbune
In his former journalistic experience, as wash;
| inRton correspondent, Mr. WhitelaE Reid had
| FREQUENT occasion to commend General Sibley,
| and absolutely knew nothing derogstory TO or Of
Il him when he penned the malev0lent assault
which be now retracts. So with other members
/ Of the board, under other circumstances. the
\ impertinence for any enc to have intimsted that
he knew nothing Of the personal character and
high standing OF most Of It's members.
Thus, then, in order 10 sssail these gentlemen,
| and through them the Secretary and President,
It was not only necessary Tor the EDITOR Of the
| but he was compelled to deny his own personal
| knowledge and estimate Of them, attained BY
/ years Of familiar acquaintance with them. II Is
| difficult 10 conceive how an editor, In the con-
scientious discharge Of his duty. can, for personal
or political reasons, suppress facts within ms
whom he assails know that such facts are In his
There is one more phase Of this species Of war
fare which we must expose. The Tribune having
| men Of the board, and grossly perverted the IN
formation eourteously furnished TO its own CORE
| spondent by the Commissioner of Indian Ahairs,
| that of1cer, on application for further intorma-
ton, called attention to the outrage and declined
to furnish any further facts for similar treatment
| The Tribune and its correspondent retRliated by
| fresh installment Of falsehood and detrAction,
| including, among other glazing misstatements,
the allegation that the Department had been
victimiZed into letting all the -four contracts at
river, against e2.4O last year. This statement