The New York herald., 1878-12-03
THE INDIAN CONTROVERSY

STRONG LETTER FROM GENERAL sHERNAN-MGH
TRIBUrE TO SECRETARY sCHURz AND COM
MISSIONER HAYT--wHAr THE ARMY CAN AND
WILL DO WITH THE INDIANS.
e4fr WAsHIsGToN, Dec. 2. 1873.
A communication from General w. Z. Sherman,
addressed TO Chairman Saunders, Of the joint com
mission. having under consideration the question of
transferring the Indian Bureau to the War Depart
ment was to-day laid before the committee. The
General, after stating his readiness to respond
promptly to any summons of the committee, says:-
l am sure, from official and personal inter-
course, that Secretary Schurz and Commissioner of
and have labored hard for On honest administration
of the affairs OF the Indian Bureau as organized by
uw sn9s n Mr. Hay, went far
Of Red Cloud and Spotted Tails band OF
Indians from the Missouri River to their
tainly result in the next war. and that their
removal resulted principally from the President =
promise, based upon the advice Of General Crook:
and further believe that both Mr.. Scnllrz and Mr.
Esyt have done all that could do from their
quarter to remove weak and dishonest agents and to
replace them by honest agents. l wish you. and if
proper the public to constre the present conflict
antsgonisin to be not personal--not question Of
honcsty-but natural aud necessary conflict OF an
WITH SIOUX PREDICTED.
After commenting at considerable length upon
previous Indian wars, the General says:-
II requires prophet to foresee wars near at
hand, especially with the Sioux recently located
the Upper Niobrarah. The present Indian agent with
thess two bands. also with the other tribes Of
Sioux the Missouri River, at Lower Brulo at the
Cheyenne, Standing Rock aud Fort Peck genccs are
utterly and ridculously poworloss to keep their
Indians pecablc required by the interests of tho
national government, without the aid of the army.
Tho samo Is equally true to tho Cheycnncs. Ar
raahocs, kioways and Comaiiccs of the Indian Ter
rtorv. Nor the civil agents protect their Indians
against the unjust cncroachplents of the whites in
the of the kOWays MlricOnce2 of Arizona
the Unatias and Spokancs of Washington and
Idaho Terrsories. name these instances simply be-
cause the Indian Bureau in these called most
recently the War Department for troops to enable
Il to fnlii its Office. Now, to 1t is matter OF
demonstration that at tine present time and for years
to the Indian Bureau of itself. without tine help
of the army, cannot maintain In peace the larger
tribes OF Indians and peaen Is essential to enable
white cinigrarts u I'LL up the surplus country rs
farmers, urazcrs ard miners.
1I- THE ARMY CAN DO.
With the lawful righs to supervise these various
tribes their allotted reservations and control
tho ISSUES of money goods aud provisions prov lcd
iibcruily by Congress / sm sure tho army can pre-
vent thc annual recurrence of these Indian wars
We do not wish 20 transfer our army to
civilian management. We would rather do the work
ourselves with the army. The Indian bureau cannot
manage these Indians and In preference being called
ON in and out OF scasonncarly always too late
to prevent tronbe understand the cause until
after war IN actually bcgun-wo prefer to take tho
whole labor and drdgery Of the Offices of the Indian
agents aud supcrntcndcnts without one cent Of add
Many people fear that the bloodthirsty army will
kill off the poor Indians. This is more than non
sense The army is made up of tho same mon who
form our people no more cruel no more savage than
the average OF mankind. The danger H. the other
side that the army will protect the Indian against the
white. for wherever have been, and have seen a
good deal of these Indians they have begged me to
put an army officer In charge OF their interests.
In conclusion the General SAYS
HYPOCRISY CAN'T.
The War Department can employ civilian agents
for the peaceful tribes and military agents for the
warlike tribes. Christian aud civixing influences
be well used by the military BY the civil au-
thorities. There will be less Hypocrisy and cant
with the military agents than with the civil. The
military will keep the peace. protect reservations
against unlawful intrusion by the whites and can
allow and encourage different Christian dcnomina.
tions TO compete in the matter of churches and
schools The economy will be in using one set Of
machinery for both army and Indians instead Of M
now, two. In case of transfer. head of depart
would have control Of oil the agencies and oil
stead OF by the system OF crcurnlocution now in
practice Those are few Of tho reasons which sus.