The New York herald., 1875-09-20

which they learned that for this contemntble onbbIe
commissioner Parker was severely censured by the
committee and that the language Of the law inter
preted literally and impressed emphatlcay They also
knew that this clause was inserted by Congress 10 give
.lo poaru Oh indian commissioners Joint control
the expenditure of money that they might check exist
ing frauds IN the Indian service Notwithstanding this
appears from the executive document lust referred
W ta' wonn SIX months contracts amounting TO be-
tween S4OO 600 and $500 900 were made without CON
sultston win the Indian Commissioners, chiefly by
r.; r.; r. oPiIh, commissioner Of Indian Affairs, with
Wilder and other members Of the Indian ring The
executive document also shows that the Secre-
lary OF the interior and Assistant Secretary paid
for these illegal contracts notwithstanding the refusal
of the Board of Indian Commissioners TO approye them
The Secretary OF the Interior appended his signature
to the report OF these open fragrant Violations Of
lava report made under a resolution of the House Of
Representatives calling on sthe President 10 state The
extent OF contracts purchases expenditures of the
Indian service made since July l. 1873 without con-
ference with the Board Of Indian Commissioners ap-
pointed by the President" The Board of Indian Com
mssioners, comprising Messrs Brunot Campbell
Stuart Bishop -, Dodge, Farwell, Tobey and Lang
made these violations Of the law the subject of special
report to the President 1t was therefore, well known
to all the officers of the Interior Department This
nagrant than any other on record, because the
President selected some Of the best men in the
nation to aid in protecting the Treasury Of the United
States, under law enacted with his sanction, and yet
IN defiance of the remonsrances Of this Board OF Indian
commissioners the Secretary of the Interior and the
Assistant Secretary acting for him. paid millions of
dollars in direct violation of law of the United States
thus fanpling II under foot and virtually dismssing
these guardians of the Treasury II is true that the
Secretary OF the Interior had discretion lodged with
him to pay at his own risk legal vouchers, if
objected to by the Board of Indian Commissioners but
TINS authority did not extend 10 purchases made again
and again in direct violation of law OF thesaUnited
States Another point that should be considered by
the law officers of the District and of the
general government is the payment by the Secretary
OF the Interior of vouchers only declared TO be
fraudulent by the Board Of Indian Commissioners but
where frauds still be proved before any com
petent tribunal Surely the Hon c. Delano is bound to
repay money so distracted from the Treasury. Some
mode OF preventing the Secretary of tho Interior from
vouchers
should be devised. Under existing laws his order on
the Treasury supreme there does not seem To be
any check by the officers who audit his accounts The
Treasury Department does not itemze appropriations
for Indians, although the law is thus enacted. The
looseness with which the Secretary of the Interior
Keeps his accounts is shown in executive document
No. l23, where, under an order from the House
OF Representatives, he gave account of 'the
extent and nature of expenditures for the Indian
service " One item is S32 900 paid To R. Joseph treas
was disposed OF does not appear Another is $243 743
PAID to Hon. c. Delano, trustee OF various Indian
oes but there Is no statement of the expenditure of
the money me following voucher, rejected by Second
Auditor French because of its legaty irreguarty
" was aiterward paid under peremptory order from
General Cowan when acting Secretary Of the Interior
being his own bill for both mileage and commutaton
in violation OF law and custom:-
Mileage to Fort Benton and return 6,063 miles,
at ten centsl S606 30
Commutaton Of personal expenses Qo6 days
Expenses of Daniel Burke messenger of fInteror
Department.. 473 so
The clerks in the Interior Department and in the
Second Auditors Office not only knew Of this violation
OF the law but many of them also knew that large
part OF the journey had been performed the expense
of the government of the contractors. If YOU as
good citZen will demand that the law officers OF the
government make example Of those who are now
at the head of the Interior Department and Indian
Office similar measures of reform be extended
TO other departments and the expenses of the general
government reduced one-thrd. Then reforms be |
extended to State and municipal governments where
also at least third of the cost can be saved
LD sur aI
any political party in power will reform itself 1t is |
not, however, idle to suppose that the intelligent peo
pie OF this nation. as soon they realize their mpov-
erishment by these frauds, and when their suferngs
become still more severe and general, will demand the
nomination OF honest men for all the Offices that
now sought for or filled by plunderers The |
following statement Is startling, and If carefully |
in inciting the great body Of working people TO |
demand reformation in every taX-aying govern |
ment The expenditures OF the United States govern
ment for i've years prior to June 80, 1861 were !
$340 600 000 while So S6 900 900 expended dur
ing the following FIVE years ending June 80 1868 OF
this large expenditure 1t is believed by many intelli-
gent and close observers, that third would have
been saved if the contracts had been made and the
money expended honestly and as ineligently as sue
cessiul business expend their money This saving
would have been nearly ST. 2S9 0C0 00O which sum- at
the legal interest of six per cent compounded for nine
years. gives 81 III 000 600 rather more than the
existing national debt, less the money on hand in the
Treasury. Many of the State and city expenses nave
increased about in the same ratio, WITH least as !
large proportion Of fraud, as is illustrated by the
wealth of office holders and the poverty Of the people
At least nnetenths of the voters honest and suf
ncently intelligent TO protect their interests when facts
clearly placed before them Your open advocacy OF
honesty toward the helpless wards of the nation pro-
ducng so profound of disgrace owing OBVIOUS
governmental injustice TO them that hope the reform
likely to be produced in that department will soon
extend other departments until il becomes revolu-
tonary discarding political punderers and placing the
government in the hands of the people, TO whom it
rightly belongs
but the Imprisonment of officials first in New York
city then IN that State, and atteriy in Sohuylkill
county, Pennsylvania, makes me hopeful that the
people long ensaved by political dynastes, resolv
ing TO throw OIL this yoke of bondage When walking with
General Anderson of Fort Sumter celebrity during the
darkest period OF the late fearful rebellion directed his
attention TO the fororn aspect of national ensign that
had been nailed to the flagstaff The wintry storms
had sadly frayed the stripes of red and white repre-
senting the thirteen original States but the blue field
was still entire, with its cqualling in number the
existing States To my question: Is 1t not sad that our
people and their property thus wasting away
the General replied, eyes" looking sadly for the mo
ment, and then instantly smile revealed hopeful
thought He said ''Look, seel not single star has
gone; so, after this wasting every State will
be the more firmly fixed in the Union" If this hope
full prophetic vision had not been realized coming
Centennial would have been celebrated in sadness at
all Even now IT cam only be made lusrous and bene-
cia by the people OF this great nation again evincing
true patriotism by demanding freedom from political
thraldom possibly more demoraizng and wasting than
African bondage.
REMEDIAL MEASURES IN THE INDIAN SERVICE
1t is hopeful sign that the measures necessary TO
protect the Indian in his rights and to promote his
receiving more consideration than
1t Of the government The experiment of taking the
nomination OF Indian agents from politicians and
1t 10 the various missionary organizations
was successful temporary expedient. Experience
has demonstrated that the experiment justihable,
but 1t can never become permanent governmental
principle. Indeed there would be almost equal pro-
priety in calling upon the churches nominate for
all other governmental Offices II will be a virtual
acknowledgment of the partial failure of the rcpubli-
can form OF government when the Church is applied
TO for protection against Congressional patronage 1t
is true that the Society Of Friends has special htness
for this work. because Of the bene6cence and remark
able selfsacrhcing LevOtOn of it's members and be-
cause the work = nominating agents and supervising
agencies is conmtod entirely Inexperienced laymen,
without any jealousy tho part of its ministers In
other religious bodies missionary organizations
usually managed by minister's educated in theological
and not in the business world They are,
by the nature OF their calling unsuspicious, and Are
office holders A permanent alliance of the general
government with churches has hitherto been deemed
lnexpedent and tending TO seculariZe demorallze
The Christian ministry Few if any, statesmen are dis
posed 70 recommend the contlnuance OF the present