The New York herald., 1878-11-20
SECRETARY scHuRz RAMPANT.

niEcifiCATioNS or WRONG DOING CALLED
FORA HABaT OF cRIrIcIsIsG BY ARMY oBFI-
GERS coNDEMNED-A SUGGESTION TO GENERAL
GIBBoN
WAsnSGToN. Nov. 10, 1879.
The Secretary Of War has received and referred to
General Sherman letter from the Secretary Of the
Interior sharply replying to certain statements by
General Sheridan in tho latters report. Secretary
Schurz says
These statements. far as they reflect upon tho
conutict OF the Indian service are of sweeping and
somewhat vague nature but II must be assumed that
General Sheridan would not havemade them and per-
mitted them to become public had he not In his pos
session specific Information concerning certain aen
cies and certain branches Of the Indian service to
which these statements may be individually applied.
General Sheridan, in official document gives it
his opinion that "Wit wise management the amounts
appropriated by Congress ought to be sufficient. If
practlcaiy applied 10 the exa.t purposes speciiicd;
but tnat the reports of the department commanders
would Indicate different result except in the OF
the iied Cloud and Spotted Tail bands of Sioux. He
would certainly not have expressed such opinion
without being acquainted in detail with the appropri
ciac purposes for whirS thew u were intended dp
1t Is also to be supposed that before making the
sweeping charge above quoted he cognizant Of
the specific cases in which those appropriations
either not applied ut all diverted from tho purpose
intended by Congress. You will greatly obge by
requesting General sheridan to comm uncate such
facts as may be in his possession giving names of
agents dates and other circumstances which warrant
charge. which includes all Indian agencies in
the military division OF the Missouri except
those OF Req Cloud and spotted Tail Sioux
1t has been my constant and earnest endcavor since
entered upon my present duties to correct all abuses
i'll the Indian service that came to knowledge and
General Sheridan. by furnishing such specific infor-
this department. as well to the Indians, than by
mere general statements. Az he has put forth a
sweeping charge the specifications may justly be
called for.
Dad HABIr ARMY oFwIcgas.
make this request with particular urgency, in
Wow OF the fact that certain military officers seem of
late nave fallen the habit
and publicly i'll general reflections the Indian ser
vice without taking the trouble to substantae them
with such statements in detail would facilitate the
discovery and correction OF abuses do not depre-
cate criticism at ALL rather invite it, but when It
officially put forth there is IL TO me. certain
fairness due from branch of the public service to
another. should not for instance, deem any officer
OF this department justified in blaming III general
terms the army for its failure to intercept the rum
away Cheycnnes on their march OF several hundred
miles through Kansas aud Nebraska aud across the
Union Pacific Railroad without being able to point
out certain instances of Mismanagemcnt neglect
IL such instances he'd to the knowledge Of this
department, which they have not should have con
sidered it due to the army that they he specifically
ascertained and stated before ndulging in general
arraignment. think it is not asking too much in
the interest Of the public service that such rulo be
observed by officers of the army likewise
WHY THE SIOUX REMOVED.
General Shcridan's intinlation that the sIed Cloud
and Spotted Tail Sioux were allowed to- select their
present locations owing to systematic working Of
the case by Graders and contractors is also made the
subject Of emphatic comment by Secretary Schurz.
He states that this policy adopted by the de-
partmcnt the earnest advice of the distinguished
Indian fighter and manager. General Crook, who. US
the result Of his long experience with the Sioux OPP
posed any policy that would force the Sioux against
their unanimous and determined protest to stay on
Missouri River as seriously endangcring peaceful
relations with those powerful trbes and the Secre-
tary edds that far, at least their loyal conduct
seems to justify the course adopted. Secretary
Schurz challenges General Sheridan to produce evil
dencc in support of his iuputations and, meanwhile
remarks that it would not have been asking too much
OF him to inform himself little better OF the circum-
stances before publishing his assertion in an official
document.
REPLY TO GENERAL GIBBoN
The Secretsry also makes the following comment
upon tho remark OF General ibbon. that ..rhere Is
entire absence of responsibility in the Indian
vice:"- ta
If General Gibbon, when writing his report, was
have Obliged the department by reporting them, and
it, after such report the charges thus made had not
been inquired into and the guilty persons held to
their proper responsibility. the sweeping statements
contained in his report would be accepted justi
fed, IL he will communicate such specific nforma-
ton he will find that there is such lac, of
sponsibiity rs he alleges Several employees In the
Indian service who are now under criminal prosecu-
ton, have discovered this at their cost.