New-York tribune., 1878-11-20
THE CRITICISED INDIAN SERVICE.
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR REPLIES TO
GENERAL SHERIDAN IN A LETTER TO THE SEC
RETARY OF WAR.

THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR REPLIES TO
GENERAL SHERIDAN IN A LETTER TO THE SEC
RETARY OF WAR.
IGESERAL PRESS DIsPArCHl
WASHINGTON, Now 19.-The Secretary of War
has received q letter from the Secretary of the In
terror, sharply replying to statements made by Cen
era Sheridan in the annual report of the latter. 1t
has been referred to General Sherman. Secretary
Schurz says:
These statements. as far as they reflect upon the
conduct OF The Indian Service. OF sweeping and
Genera sheridan would not have made them and per
mittc them tn become public had lac not In his posses
spccnc Information. concerning certain agencies
and Ger ain branches OF Indian Service, t0 which
these statements may be individually applied Gcnefai
hrrIdan. III An "hHia document gives u ~ ais OPINION
that VITA management the amounts appropriated
10y Congress ought 10 be sufficient, II brdtiecaiiy
p SGit .tne reports OF the Depar rnent Commander
the Rcd Cloud aud SPOTTED lah bands OF sioux" lie
would certainly not nave expressed sGch an opinion
atUu- made by Cun-rcs AMI the specific purposes Tor
winch they intended. II l. also to be supposed
that before making tho sweeping charge above quoted
he wH c"ghLIht "I Iue sPe,.n' o"sSr 'n "'" vi 1 ms -
appropriations we.c either not applied at AL OF di-
yrrted from the purpose intended by Congress.
Iou Will greatly uDilgo mo ny requesting General
Sheridan 10 communicate such facts rs may be IN MS
cuust whI,h warrant charge which Includes al
Indian agencies IN the Military DIVISION O the Missouri
except of Rcd Cloud aui spotted Tail Sioux IL
Ia, been my constant aud earnest endenNor since 4
entered upon nay present. dulles 10 correct M ~!
knowledge; aud General SHERIDAN by Inrhish-
ing such specific information, wouid % tmc.foy nan ~
To IudIns tha by mere general statements As ne
has nut forth .weepng charge the specheaohs "HS
make this request with particular urgency in view
OF the fact that certain military officers of late To
have fallen into the baoit Of n4uising, oIhcialb anu
publc,y, In general reflections on thc l.hlan FER ser-
VICE, taxing the trouble To shbstthate thehi
with statements III detail as would iacitale tIe
discovery and correction Oi abuses. 90 not ucpe,tt
criticism 1T all rather invite II hut Whch IL Is ONE
allg put ilCIc httlp ~ me- N' tdih
due from one rranch o the pubic service 10 ahogl.
should not, Tor instance, deem an, olicr q" ts nepaIt
mcnt Justified 10 banning In general terms tne Army or
It's .urc 10 intercept The runaway chs Gucs on iSr
march of several hundred miles through Kansas hn ~
brisKa and across the Union Paclhc RaIroau Without
DcinK able 10 point ont cc',!lh instances ol o.
hid cine to tns knowledge Of this depart
IN mt, which they have not, | should nave con
s,dcrrd IL due 10 tne Army that they he sPeclcdy as
ccrIancu and stated before ndulgns In general ar
ragnm,nt think It not ASKING too mnch ~ the III,
crct OF the public service lhal Su'h 'u' "
by officers Of thr Army Likewise.
General Sheridan's intimation that the Red Cloud
and spotted all Sioux were allowed to select thelr
present locations owing to Il "systematlc working
no of the case" by "tradcrs and contractors
is also made the subject of emphatic comment by
Secretary Schurz. He states that this policy was
adopted by the department on the earnest advice OF
the distinguished Indian fighter and manager,
General Crook, who, the result oil his long expert
eucc with the Sioux, opposed any policy that "ouiu
force the Sioux, against thrlT uuahHouS anu uctei
mined protest, to stay on the Mission hlNer rs
seriously cndangering peaceful relations with
those powerful tribes. The Secretary adds
that so far, at least their loyal condhct
seems to have justified the course adopted. Secte-
tarv Schulz challenges General Sheridan 10 piOlhce
evidence in support OF his statements, and mean
while remarks that il would not have been asking
TOO much of him to inform himself little better OF
the circumstances before publishing his assertion
IA an official document. The Secretary also makes
the following comment upon the remark OF Ueherh
Gibbon that there is an entire absence OF reSpon-
sibllty III the Indian Service:
II General Guuon when writing his report was cog,
rzant rl ,pcitc cases of wrong doing, he would nave
obuged the Department by reporting thcm ana u aiter
such report the charges thds maze hlu not ~ pteh ~
quircd into, aud the guilty prrsoh. htu 80 n'il m
hs euart would be accepted Hs lusuneu. II nc WIN
routnunctc such specific information now, ne VIII hu
that there h such lack Of responsibility hs nc & ~
lcgcs several cEIBl1N Is IN the lHhdh service "ho ~
NV under criminal prosecution, have discovered thls
al tncIr cost.
Commissioner Hayt has been inqurlng into
the starvation of the Cheyennes who lately went to war
Friend John ID Miles rrports 10 him that the Northern
Cheyennes during year ended June 80 last received
,nout 333 600 pouuds more OF beef and 1000 pounds
mara of aour than they were entitled to- They were
,vc however about 900 pounds less OF coffee, 1000
,ounds les of sugar pounds less II beans and less
corn than reauired by IL is stated again.
that considerable quantities OF tobacco, SOAP baking
poyder salt aud other articles not required Dy the
treoty were furnished the Indians and that the sup
ps actually received by them were OF the money value
of s35 2O4 as against o money value oil S3z'3lo 10
which they we're entitled. Commissioner Hayt quotes