New-York tribune., 1878-12-03
SBERM4N on THE INDIANS.

THE GENERAL UNsHAKEN IN HIS BELIEF of IhE
NEED OF ARMY MANAGEMENT OF THE sAVAGEs
-ExrRvCTs FROM LETTER FROM HIM.
| WAsuINGToE, Dec. 2.-GeDeral Sherman ana
General Meigs are to be heard tomorrow on the
subject of the transfer of the Indian Bureau TO tge
War Department. The joint commission on thlS
subject has received communication from Ueh-
eral Sherman The General after stating his readi-
ness 10 respond promptly to any summons OF the
committee, saws:
believe that both Mr.. schurz and Mr.. Hayt have
done all that do from their quarter 10 re-
move weak and dishonest agents, ana 10 replace tno
by agents. wish you, and proper lhe puDc
personal not question Of honesty but natural ana
necessary conflict Of antagonistic systems.
After commenting at considerable length upon
preylons Indian wars. the General says:
II requires no prophet foresee more wars near at
hand, especially with the Sioux reSentiy nee Ito, 10,
cated on the Upper NIobrara The present
indian indian assHts other g tribes OF Sioux on tho
Missouri River at Lower Brue, at the Cheyenne stand
inc Rock and Fort Peck Agencies are utterly and rldc-
nsv poyeress 10 keep their Indians peaceADle, as re-
nuiIsd nv the interests OF the National Government
W. nv the Cheyenne4 Arapahoes, Klowas and Com
aScbes as of tie Indian Territory. Nor can the
nv s5croaehments of the whites in the cases Of
ihe KIowas anJ Maricogees, OF Arizona, or the
TerritorIes name these instances simply because the
Indian Bureau n these cases called most recently on the
WaFD
&c N,w TO me It il matter OF demonstration tnat at
the present tme and for years 10 come, tue dah bu
ro, nf ITSELF without the hep OF the Army, cannot
ga peace the larger trby5 or Indians, ana peace
is essential To enable white emgans TO MI up the sur
nlns country n farmers, graZcrs ana miners
With the lawful right 10 supervise Inese NaIlous
trhes on their allotted reservations ana 10 CONTROL Je
,ssues of money goods ana provisions, provided uDefay
hv CnucrrSs / am sure the Army can prevent the
oSSnnT recurrence OF these Indian wars .
We do not wish transfer our Army TO
c,vilian Iuanag.mc We would rather do
tbe work ourselves with the Army. The In.
dian Bureau cannot manage these Indians ana
an nreferrnce to being called in season and out OI
sn,lnn nearly always too late to prevent trouble or
even uudrrsinnd causc-but Hffer war Is actually
h.,olnVc ucter take the whole labor aud dfudSery
of tbe offices Of Indian agents ana supeflhlehuehts
Uttunuf ON cent of additional compensation.
MANY fear that the DlOOdthlfsty Arny VIII XIII
on me poor Indians. This Is more than NONSENSE The
ARMY s made the men VINO iOi IN our people,
mo more cruel no than the average OF man.
Kind is the other side, tnat the Amy
will protect the Indian against white, for wherever
nave been, aud have seen good deal OF these IN
dians they have begged me to put an Army Omcer III
charge OF their interests.
The war Department employ civilian agents for
the peaceful tribes aud military agents for the warlke
tribes Christian aud ciyuZing influences can ne as
well used BY the military as by the civil authorities
There will less hypocrisy and cant with the military
agents than with the cFii. The military VIII Keep tue
m,ace protect reservations against unlawful IN
trusnn by the whites, and can allow and
encourage different CHRISTIAN denominations 10
compcte in the matter Of schools ana cnmenes
The economy will be IN using one set OF machinery Tor
botb Army and Indians, instead OF, as now, two. In
case OF transfer, head OF Department Would nave
control OF agencies and OF all the troops so as 10
apply the remedy the spot, instead OF by the system
OF circumlOcuiOn now IN practice Ihese are rev OF
the reasons which suggest themselves daily thought 10
be- question OF national economy aud efficiency, instead
Of one Of mere patronage