National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-10-19
THE FALL OF MARsH's CHARGES.

The report of the Red Cloud commits
sion, which occupies major portion of our
space this morning, is an interesting and
important document, and well worth the
attention of our readers. That the gentle
men composing the commission have thor
oughly and exclusively investigated the
charges which Professor Marsh preferred
against the Indian Bureau is evident beyond
the peradventure of a doubt. Tha: they
have been careful in searching for the truth,
and ever actuated by feelings of justice to-
wards all concerned, no one can deny.
That the investigation has failed to find in
any of Professor Marsh's charges meat
enough 10 support them in any important
particular the report itself distinctly and
concluslvely states; and thus, after spend
ing months of tedious and persistent labor
in inspecting the workings of the most
complicated and pcrpleXing bureau under
the National Government, the commission
send TO the president Of the board of Indian
commissioner complete yindication OF the
Secretary If The inter or and the official
head OF the Iadjun Bureau OF the many
severe charges which the Professor laid at
the door % tho Indian department, none
of them, when subjected to the close and
searching scrutiny of investigation, were
sustained by anything except q conglome.
ration of assumed facts, all of which grew
beautifully less by degrees as the commits.
sion arrived at the real facts in the case,
leaving, as it Will be seen by the report,
Mr.. Marsh in an unpleasant and unenvia-
be position before the public. In the
"blanket charge" where the Professor at
tenpis to burden the Department with the
responsibility Of Tlllful fraud, the commits
sion state that they cannot in any way con-
cur with the justice of the particular state
ment which Mr.. Marsh makes as evidence
of irregularity ana fraud. This charge was
not made upon a count, but simply upon
the certificate of the intoxicated half breed,
Louis Reshaw, and is a fair representative
of all the statements made derogatory to the
honor and integrity of the Indian Bureau,
and upon these poorly founded statements
alone the Professor has relied for his sup
port Therefore, so far as Professor Marsh
Is concerned, it might be with justice re-
marked that he jumped at conclusions, and
the conclusions proved invariably to be
wrong. The investigation has, however,
brought to light many existing abuses
which call for immediate reform, but they
are abuses which have chung to the Indian
Department for many years few of them,
if any, having originated under the present
management, while many old ones have
been discovered and broken up. The sug-
gestions made by the commission re-
specting the reformation of these IT.
Irregularities are ample and complete,
and if adopted will rebound to the
benefit of the Indian service in a great
degree; but, in justice to Commissioner
Smith, the fact should be mentioned that
he discovered many of the abuses reported
by the committee over a year ago, and set
himselfat work assiduously to reform them,
having so stated in his annual report, rem
dered several months since. In making the
report The commission nave clearly demon
strated the difficult and perplexing duties
incumbent upon the official head of the bu-
reau, as well us Vlndlcatlng him IN the dis
charge of the same, and in referring to this
they say Upon the Commissioner the
"duty chiefly deVOlves of administering
"sffairs Upon him rests the direct respon-
"sibility of that branch of the public ser
"vice. If 1t is honestly and successfully
conducted, to him belongs the honor. If
sit is negligently or frandulently admins
"tered, TO him should be awarded the con-
defamation. We have seen nothing in
"tbe course of our investigations that
"would lead us to any other conclusion than
"that the present Commissioner earnestly
"aDd sincerely desires to perform his duty
" faithfully to the country and that
during his administration the Indian ser
Twice has reached higherstandsrd than il
"has enjoyed since its establishment.