Arizona weekly miner., 1877-05-11
Remarks of General kautz at tue Recep-
 lion. Last Thursday Evening.

Lad5eS oad GeEilsm,a Speech making k not one of my requirements. X little more than two years ago. when Gen. Crook pre- sentcd me to you, over in Dan llatz'S Hall. a> his successor m the command of this military department. he introduced me a> a man of few words, and maintained the character he then gave me by promising, in as few words aS possible. to Use my utmost cndcavor>. with the aid of the officers and snldicr> Of this command. to maintain the peace and security he had given to the Ter ritory. l will not now 20 back on the rep utation then given me. only -o far aS to make a few remarks in my own behalf. and in appreciation of this occasion in hchalt of the officers and ladies ot the Army here present.
 In Is46, was mere hoy when the break ing out of the Mexican War aroused the military spirit within me, and in June of that ycar l >houldcrcd an old flint-lock mu>kct and marched off to the wars, a high private in the rear rank ito seek the bubble reputation at the cannon'S mouth" l have followed the fife and drum from that day to this and have worn out some shOc-lcathcr
 
 hard tack pork and beans and taken d sol dicr'S chances in smelling the yillainou> gunpowdrr. l have been through two or three Indian war>. besides our late little difficulty with our friends in the South. escaped with a few scratches, and dncvcr was charged with briu" the first to run away from the enemy. and never had the mi> fortune to hc taken suddenly sick on the field of battle.
 | have become full Colonel and Brcvct Major General in the Regular Army, and the commander of a department. and have been fiattering myself that was getting on admirably in the profession l had chosen. Suddenly. how ever, l received a check in my prosperous career. On the 9th of Feb ruarv last, Governor >afford sent message to the Territorial Legislature exposing my inctiiciency and utter worthlcs>nc>>, and showing what fraud l was. had succeed ed Tn humhu@9In% Generals Grant and Sher- man and all my previous commanders, but could not fool your little Governor. With a few strokes of the pen he undertook to scratch out an unhlcmishcd military record of about thirty wears.
 If this was not his design. it undoubtcd lv would have been the effect if his action had succeeded. His assault lacked the basis of truth and justice, and l regard this demonstration here tonight a. an evidence that this portion of the Territory does not acquicSce in or approve of his course toward me. For this reason l am truly grateful for this manite>tation-much more so than would under ordinary circumstances, for l have a nutural aversion to notoricty and public display.
 To true soldier his reputation i> every thing; when he loses it he can hope no longer for success in his profession. During all my long service, have always tried to do my duty faithfully, and it is everything to me to be able to sax that I was equal to the duty assigned to me in every instance, and that l was never regarded as a failure before. On this account, your presence here to night is so gratifying. for l feel justified in assuming 1t as an evidence that you, at least. do not regard me aS a failure now.
 When l succeeded to the command of this Department, felt that was taking risk, so far as my reputation was concerned. Gen. Crook had achieved peace the Territory had never enjoyed before | | could not possibly improve on the situa- ton. Any change must be for the worse ! If I should not be able to maintain the | peace that existed. my reputation must suf- 1 fer accordingly. The risk was materially ! increased by the change in the management l of the Indians about this time. Gen. Crook ] had had charge ot all the reservations es- | for the Apachcs except the Chiri- ] ,ahua About the time he left they were ! all turned over to the Agents, and 1 have 1 lad nothing to do with the Indians since, except to catch them when the Agents let hem go or. by their treatment, drove them rom the reservations.
 For year everything was lovely. The roopS were successful in getting all the ln- lians they went after. About one year ago he Chiricahuas went on the rampage, and lilled Rogers, Spence and Lewis and an In- lian war seemed to he upon Us. started very Indian scout and every cavalryman hat | had for the lower country. Long be- ere they could get there h4c Indians were