New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-30

PROF. MARSH BEFORE THE INDIAN CoNMls-
SIONERS.

INTERESTED oBsERvEE--ANNuiTlEs AMOUNTING |
To uuNpRFps on TifNUsAN's oF pOLiAEs Dis
TRfBITED IN FEW HOURS WITH LiTlhH ChE'A
OR srPERVIsInN-. COSTLY AND UNlhCsl-
WORTHY SYSTEM THAT OPENS InE DOOR 10
FRAUD.
The Board of Indian Commissioners have a""N-
eDcd ~ the flct that There is very general impress
sion thlt tho Indians are cheated. Among rooont
occurrences which have aroused them is the publ
cation of SON, Of tho details of an interview be-
tween President Grant and Prof d. {.
MarsA OF Yale College, in which the lat
fer exhibited samples Of ratiuns which he
had last Fall received from Rcd Clond. and had
promised that chief to show 20 tine Great Father.
o. We lncsday night the fall Board # Indian Com
nission,gs held meeting at the Fifth AVenno Hotel
and invited Prof. Marsh TO be present. No arrange
ments were made for reporting tho meeting. Under
these circumstances there was. probably greater
freedom Of expression on both sides than thrre
wonlA have been in matters specially prepared for
the pubic ear. TIE tribune, however, regards the
proceedings as of sufficient importance at Tie pres
emf time 10 deserve a somewhat fan report,
The members present were ommissionerS-General
Clinton g. Fisk. f. H. smith IT, \. Haiyht, Gen.
IT, H. Sibley, John d Lang. william Sticincy A.
c. Barstow, Z. NJ. Kingsley. and the RHv. Mr. Rob
erts Gen Fisk occupied the chair. Prof Marsh was
introduced to the memberS all then ldressou
briefly 10y the Chairman, who stated thAI ''oEo HI
recently appeared some very important statements
respecting Indian affairs in tho public prints; that
Prof. Marshs name had been mentioned in these
statements rs that II gentleman possessed OF intor-
nation on the subject that il tho desire Of the
BOARD to do everything practicable for the welfare
of their wards the wards of the nation, the indians
Hence the mcmbcrS of the Board had invited Prof
Marsh to meet them They were in pursuit OF what
ever information he had to give. Were the news
paper statements true. especially that in iiiE
TRBUNE Of Monday lastf
Prof Marsh responded that he could not vouch for
all that ight have appeared in the newspapers lie
had seen the report OF last Monday in THE TRIBUNE
irving description OF his interview with the Presl-
dent and Indian Commissioner; that, at oil events
was substantially correct. Prof. Marsh stated that
he hal. as there reported. exhibited the samples OF
rations given to him by Red Cloud last FalD to
the President and 10 other officers OF the G0VcIh-
rnent The Professors visit to Washington was not
specially for that purpose. lis Ia gone thlthor 10
attend the annual meeting Of the Nationa Aca lemy
of Sciences fIe took the opportunity of being at
Washington TO fulfill promise made to Rod Cloud
last November.
In response to inquiries from GiHoront members OF
The Board Prof. Marsh said that he hal at no time
made it his business to inspect the aalS oil tho ID
dian Department or to pry into the management OF
IN the interests of science, and especially the coec-
tioD Of fossils Whatever information he had
respecting Indian Affairs incidental; such
as If was however, it was at tho service
of the Board. lie could give the names OF men who
had further information. Perhaps ms statements
would be chiefly OF use in Suggesting lines Tor III
yesticaIon which the Comm sioners could pIolita-
bly, pursue 1t could not be denied that there was
good for the widely prevalent belief as to cor
rupton in Indian affairs Prof Marsh did not ap-
near here or at Washington to make charges against
any individuals. He proposed only to state the facts
which had been related 10 him by trustworthy pei
SONS, OF which had fallen under his observation.
The auestions of members Of the Board indicating
that they wore not all familiar with tho cream
stances of Prof Marsh's expeditions, he gayo them
in few, rapid words, sketch Of The one last
Aut,,nn. which is fully described in TRIBUNE Extra
No 81. The disturbances AT the Rcd Cloud Agency
which took place while the Professor was at Chey-
enDe preparing for the expeditions the gathering Of
some $4,000 Indians at tho Agency and IN Its
ncghborhood, and tho threatening aspect of the
wilder tribes, were chiefly dwell upon. The occa-
sion of this great gathering Was the distribution
of aDnuites Tho Indian Agent regarded Prof.
Narslls proposition TO go to tho Bad Lands s0nth
of the Black Hills in search of bones as hazardous
in the extreme but being unable to dssnade the
Professor from il. suggested that an escort OF In
dams should go with BIN. To this Prof Marsh
somewhat uDwillingly consented Then cDSued
series Of councils with the Indians, in which
their intense opposition to the expedition was
manifested. At time, after the de
tails respecting an Indian escort had
been arranged, whom the expedition was
ab ut to start and had proceeded TO the Agency for
the promised escort, a sudden fury Of opposition
sprang UP among the Indians surrounding the
Agency, and only the prudent retreat of the eNpe-
dti0n TO Camp Robinson prevented conflict, if not
a massacre. The Professor had 10 gain his point
with the Indians by diplomacy, presents, and feast
1t was in = council while be was thus ondoayOring
10 win their good graoes that Red Cloud urged
upon him the necessities of his people This
WAS a frequent theme in the discussions Of
Tho councils The Indians all declared they
were unfairly dealt with. Promises were
violated; the white man did not keep faith.
During one of the councils at what seemed to be the
very turning point in tho matter OF obtaining per
mission from the Indians Red Cloud in speech of
great force declared that when he was in Washing
ton the Great Father made him series Of promises,
which he detailed in return lac made series OF
promises TO the Great Father. His promises
Died Clouds had been scrupulously kept
those Of the Great Father had not.
and he had sent them an agent who was cheating
them. Their wives and children were cold and
starving Prof Marsh replied saying that he be-
Ievcd the Great Father intended to deal justly by
the Indians and that ho prof Marsh would take to
the Great Father any message which Red Cloud
close to send and see that it delivered.
Shortly after this Red Cloud went to his lodge and
got out the samples of -four, sugar. coffee, and to-