The New York herald., 1878-01-16
Secretary Schurz on the Re,
cent investigation.
A RESPONSE TO PROFESSOR SEELYE
Chief Clerk Galpin's Dismiss
sal Explained.
A BIG FIGHT ANTICIPATED.

with Secretary Schurz to-day upon the subject OF tho
recent Indian once Investigations
@ Did you the despatch Of Professor Scelye and
other newspaper statements crticsng the conduct OF
your Indian Investigation? A. have seen them, and
think Professor seclyes despatch shows tht he has
no knowledge whatever OF the nature Of tho invest-
CATION that held by tho Board OF Inquiry 1t Histruo
that certain charges brought by persons OF
whom were connected with Eastern Cherokee affairs
in North Carolina Mr.. Galpin himself asked Tor an
investigation OF thess charges, AMI ordered 1t,
but had for time intended q
thorough inquiry into tho conduct OF Indian
business, enlarged the scope Of the Investigation
accordingly. To mako it perfectly impartial and rc
able asked tho Secretary Of War and Attorney Con.
eral for the detail of officer each belonging Ia
their respective departments 10 serve as members Of
tho commission. The Secretary OF War gave mo Major
Bradley, United States Army and the Attorney Gen,
oral Mr.. NcCammon, both officers of tho highest
character in thor departments l added Major
Lockwood, Chief Clerk Of tho Interior Do
partmcnt, also oflcer OF excellent character and
ability, for the purpose OF having on the Board
ono member convcrsan. with the routine business OF
the Office In the Of the investigation 1t was
soon found that the charges brought and the csti-
mony given by tho persons connected With the East
crn Cherokees, were OF comparatively little consc-
quence. Most OF the charges we're thrown out early
given by the persons referred to in most part
sdered of little value and Importance In fact, but
very few in the report OF the Board Of In
qury are based upon that testimony, and the whole
subject of Eastern Cherokee affairs is disposed Of
one short paragraph in which the Board reoom
mends that the President appoint a commission
for the purpose Of settling disputed claims Of the
eastern band oil that nation. Professor Seclye seems
to havo received some boastu letters from the East
harn nkanu mon m in
with Mr.. Galpin but small tom IN the investigation.
MR.. GALpN's DISMISSAL.
The statement that Mr.. Galpn was convicted and
dismissed the ground oil charges brought and testt
mony gwen by persons connected with the Eastern
Cnerokees Is, therefore, absolutely without iouuda'
,ion. 1t is said IN prominent newspaper tnat dis.
reputable persons meaning probably those who had
made the charges we're In close intercourse with tns
Board ana IN constant Attendance at It's meetings.
This statement Is absolutely untrue They were
present only when they were examined as witnesses.
and they had no standing before the Board other than
In The character Of witnesscs when of tho witness
stand they were strictly excluded from tho sittngs
1t IS also said Mr.. Galpn was dismissed without
hearing The truth Is that he was before the Board
for moro than twenty days engaged IN his own dc.
ferce examining and crossexamining witnesses upon
the charges brought against him which were cohsd.
cred OF any importance ut all aud Irregularities which
had boen discovered and with which he was con.
nected. But the charge that Mr. Gaipn was dismissed
upon the testimony of dsrcputaOle persons appears
especially absurd when 1t is considered that he was
dismissed prinsipaliy upon tho testimony oi ono
person aoLe, and that was himself This, his own
sworn testimony admitted that hau nearly TWO
months withheld IRON the knowledge OF tho depart
mont charges ana specifications, supported BY numer-
Gus adavits, showing corrupt practices oil the gross
the part OF Indian agents and Indian
contractors without giving any satisfactory reason
therefor it being his pain duty to communicate them
tho head OF tho department, as 10 rem
der prompt action against the guilty persons possible.
He withheld them while ne was himself IN temporary
charge OF Indian aIiirs and acting Commissioner. Al
these charges and specifications were trans.
mittcd TO the Department OF Justice the parties con-
corned were indicted without difficulty
ST
= How do YOU tnink Professor seslyc came TO put
forth such an unwarran:ed stateoent IN the news
papers? A. II Is difficult 10 account Tor IT, have
upon my desk letter iron Professor Seeiyo, dated
the LIST oi August, at very carly stage OF tho n-
vestigaiIon. In that letter he stated that ember
OF the Indian Committee OF the House he mad looked
into the conduct OF business in the lndan Uce HIM
self, and found 1t all correct on the part Of
the responsible managers OF that bureau.
Then he denounced the investigation ordered by
me and d:-'l can hardly conceive OF any tcsti-
mony which would shake my conviction OF their
trustwortniness,' meaning the Commissioner and
Mr.. Galpin. Tbushe pronounced judgment when the
CATION, of which he knew nothing, had hardly
commenced and under ordinary rules would have DIS
qualified himself AS a juror. Professor Secye might
have thought that If he uId not md any serious
Irregularities in the Iudian Bureau nobody else couid
and when other people did IND them he may nave
jumped the conclusion that 1t was atravesy OF JUS
ticc" and brought about by vlanous means Tho
Professor was only one OF many who did not
discover things have very high respect tor him,
his scholastic atainments aud his integrity aud purity
OF character; but can conceive oil testimony whcn
would shake my convictions as to mis- own fitness for
the ON of commissioner or Cnte1 OF
dun Bureau. II, Tor instance. he shoul1 argue that
a Chief cIerk and acting Commissioner, Withholding
for nearly two months important and well suostin-
iiated formation showing corrupt practlccs on tho
part Of agents aud contractors from the knowledge OF
the department., should not De dismissed, should
consider very dangerous at he hcad OF Indian
affairs In that respect ho fails short OF ex-Conmis-
sioner Smith, whom also believe to DO an honest
man, and whose personal Integrity Is not reelected
upon by the report
THE SUPPRESSED PArERs.
very distinctly remember, WHOM Ar. Smith came
iptn nf. m nf axgit nj hnlI
Ing papers In HIS hand and saying Hore Is something
very astonishing, tnat caa'. understand Tho
papers those above alluded to showing frauds ut
the Pawnec and Lemhi agencies. He told me that MIR.
Gapin had mad them IN his possession for nearly two
months ana now mad gwen .ncm up 20 MN "skea,
Withholding information OF such Importance Tor "a
long a time from the knowledge OF hs superior OIL
GERS! Would you not dismiss him ?' Ho answered,
~ think should" nsked further, scan you cOn-
OF any possible explanation that might be salts
factory? ?' and he answered, ~ can't think OF any,"
There Is something very significant about tho
clamor raised by some gentlemen ABOUT this lndlan
investigation. When an investigation was held that
lea To no important disclosures was denounced as
AN impolcnt and whitewashing affair. Now that an
investgati Is held that does disclose things, aud
goes 50 TAR that II reaches to the pottOm, hands
are held up IN holy horror, with tho exciama-
uop, .rhnss must neyor be done by such
methods" IL Is IA matter OF experience tnat
vestgations OF Indian affairs held with DOORS
giving persons Interested IN covering up fraudulent
transactions the advantage OF knowing from day 10
day everything that happened ana what they have 10
guard against, scarcely ever led 10 anything, ana
when a different method is adopted that more ei-
cent, with the stern determination to discover what
Is wrong aud to puNfy the SERVICE the method OF
vestigaton Is denounced by some as worse than tho
corruption discovered
HOW THE SERVICE Is DEMORALizED.
The Indian service IS demoraized by two classes
ot persons ono consists of the rascais who rob tho
government, and the other Of upright aud honorable
gentlemen who, with the best intentions, show toa
great aptness to have the wool pulled over their
eyes. II Professor Seelye and thoso VINO denounca
the investigation will take the trouble to inform theni<
selves Of us scope and Importance they Will nd that
the method IN which IL was conducted was not only
efficient, but absolutely necessary.
BIG FIGHT.
q. suppose you that you have a big
fight on your handsY A. am well aware OF that, and
also that the power which Is usuay called the Indian
Ring, and when has very extensive ramilcations, VIII
stop at nothing. But we shall our,
efforts, regardless OF the attacks made upon
US until the service IL purified as far as
tho power Of this department reaches. II
may be interesting also for the gentlemen who
denounced tho Investigation TO Know tnaL In tha