The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-12-07
TELEGRAPHIC.
OUR INDIAN WARDS.
ALPHA.

OUR INDIAN WARDS.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The Joint
commission having under considera
tion the transferring Of the Indian Blu
reau to the War Department met to-.
day and agreed to hear the views of
Generals Sherman and Meigs upon
the subject tomorrow morning. Gen.
Sherman has addressed a commune
cation to Chairman Saunders saying
that ne is certain that Sec. Schurz and
Commissioner Hayt have laGOred for
an honest administration of the af.
fairs of the Indian Bureau as organ
lied by law. He wishes the public
to conStrue the present conflict or
antagOnism to be no personal issue or
question Of honesty, but a natural
and necessary conflict Of antagonistic
systems. He predicts an Indian war
with the Sioux in consequence of the
removal of their agencies and asserts
that the Indian agents are utterly
poWerlesS to keep their Indians
peaceable without military aid. He
says: "With the lawful right to SUI
perVise these various tribes in their
allotted reservations and to control
the issues Of money and goods and
provisions provided literally by
Congress, | am sure the army can
prevent the annual recurrence of
these Indian wars" He says it is
nonsense to say that "the bloodthirS-
ty army will kill off a poor Indian"
The only danger, he says, is that the
army will protect the Indians against
the whites. In conclusion he says :
"If the War Department will en-
ploy civilian agents for the peaceful
tribes and military agents for the
Warlike tribes, chris tian and ciYiliz-
ing influences can be as well used by
the military as by The civil. There
will be less hypocrisy and cant with
the military agents than with the
ciyil'-and he adds that it would be
more economical.
A SKETCH OF THE PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE.
WAsHGNGTON, Dec. 1.-The salt
ent features Of the Presidents mes
sage are the following: The political
and social condition OF the South
forms a principal feature Of the doc
ument. He regards the general con-
ditiOn of that section as better, on
the whole, than in former years. The
occurrences in South Carolina and
Louisiana, as the President has
learned them from official reports,
are clearly set forth and criticised,
and he declares his determination to
rigidly enforce the laws of the Uni.
tea States in that section. The Pres
ident does not ask for new legisla
ton, but contends that under the
Constitution and present laws the
General Government has ample
power to punish the guilty, and guar
antee all citizens freedom in the eX =
ercise of political rights; and Con-
greSS is requested to make appropri-
ations to enable the executive to
enforce the law. In this part Of the
message there is no attempt to kindle
sectional PREJUDICE. 1t is but plain
straightforward presentation Of facts,
and Il declaration Of a purpose to
carry out the law.
Then follows a reference to impOr-
tant points in the reports Of heads of
departments, which are already be-
fore the public.
The President gives history OF
the fishery award, but does not rec.
ommend further action on the part OF
Congress. The President next treats
Of the Mexican question, and reports
an improved condition of our rela-
tions with that Government. No
complaints of outrages on the Rio
Grande have been made by Ameri-
cans for long time, and the pros
poets are encouraging. ..
The President then comes to the
fintncial question, and states that no
legislation is deemed necessary to
carry the provisions of the Resump-
ton Act into effect. After January
1st the creditors of the United States
will be paid in gold, silver or paper,
as they may desire. Touching the
silver dollar, the President states that
he has not changed his former views.
He does not ask for new legislation.
lie recommends the erection of a
new building for the library Of Con-