Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-07-19
THE PRESS ON INDIAN FRAUDS.

nave peen gtvinG the last highly exaggerat.
ed dose of charges against DR.. Livingston,
and each one publishes the statements of
mistaken or interruptions officials with as
much earnestness and solemnity as would
attach to the truth. Ponderous editorials
are written upon the subject, in which Llv.
ingston Is treated as the chiefest sinner cf
the age. Newspapers who have received
this intelligence, sanctifed by the endorse.
ment of Commissioner Hayt. do not stop to
consider that not one of these charges SO
freely given TO the public has been proved
that the whole libelous mass of matter was
put forth by personal enemies of DR.. Livlngs-
ton, whom circumstances have placed in q
position where they can ipjure him. The
press of the country which has been so
ready to denounce the victim of this official
conspiracy, owe it to DR.. Livingston to un-
ite in demanding for him the fair and i'm.
partial trial he is denied by the Indian de.
partment. The official hand of Commits
sioner Hayt is raised against every man in
Dakota. He has denounced them as class
Of thieves. He has put in verbal accuse
ton Of murder against some of them. He
treats their applications for fair hearing
with undisguised contempt and insulting
language. He sows broadcast over the
country the most damaging personalities
which have no better foundation than the
secret testimony of hangers on about the
agencies-an irresponsible lot, whose sworn
statements are proportional to the size of
the reward they receive for villifying or ex-
tolling men. Look upon the list of Ham.
mond's and Havt's victims along the Mis-
souri, river: Livingston, Gasmann, Gre
CORY, Cravens. Clarkson, Hudson, Robb-
all removed or crowded out from
positions ss agents or traders,
under intimations or direct charges
of crookedness, and not one in the
lot allowed the privilege of entering de-
fense against vile attack upon his good
name. To this we can add the case of Mai
Pollock, who was legislated out of the Office
of superintendent of Dakota Indians, at the
instance Of uayt and Hammond, because he
could not conscientiously enter into aud
sustain these high handed proceedings
against men of good repute. The
agents whose names are above given have
for years enjoyed the fullest confidence
of the government and the people. Their
accounts were satisfactorily kept and their
receipts and disbursements made in strict
compliance with the letter and spirit of the
law. Their Indians, wild Sioux all of them,
have remained quietly upon their reserva-
tions and have manifested no desire to
roam, no dissatisfaction with the manage
ment Of their affairs. They have during
the years OF the operations of Livingston,
Gregory, Gasmann and Cravens been a hap.
py and contented people and have gone
steadily forward towards a condition of
civilization. This could not have occurred
under SO gross system of mismanagement
as is charged by Hsyt and Hammond.
We ask of the newspapers which have
aided In giving currency to the charges
against DR.. Livingston to seriously consid
er all these facts and to give 10 the accused
the benefit of q fair presentation of his case.
We ask them to accord due weight
to the further fact that while
Commissioner Hsyt denies TO men
accused Of crime a fair investigation,
he employs the associated press and special
news agencies to scatter over the country
charges against them gathered in the sta.
chamber meetings Of his subordinates in the
wilds of the great Sioux reservation. We
ask Of them to enquire into the motive Of
all these inquisitorial proceedings BY which
agency employees have been dragged to pris.
on, threatened, intimidated and driven to
suicide because they had no testimony to
offer against those whom Hammond and
Hayt sought to destroy. There il motive
in all this, which time will develop, and We
cannot with our present information on the
subject Of questionable beef and transporta.
tion contracts, reach any other conclusion
than that an extensive cry of fraud is nov
being raised to draw public attention from
other matters of real importance.
ScHURZs OPINION OF THINGS.