The New York herald., 1879-02-11

TO consider the expeiency of Transforming the Indian
Buresn from tho Interior to the War Department.
and said IL was sublime spectacle to witness the
GOODNESS and composure OF the Indian agents in
giving their testimony The religious element III
charge of the conduct of Indian affairs may have
been little less prudent and more aggressive than
they should have been They were the self-consti-
tuted guardians of female virtue and II hlied them
with anguish to contemplate the hcentiousness
which would follow their withdrawal. All such hor-
rors were to follow the transfer of the Indian Bu-
IRON the Interior to the War Department.
WE'RE OFFICERS UNFIT?
1t had been argued that officers of the army were
unsuited to the government OF the Indians. as
the officers and men Of the army were
opposed to except as last resort.
plains in pursuit of enemy when that enemy
might have been made friend by loaf of bread or
cup of coffee. 1t was an astonishing thing that an
army officer. educated ut West Point. could plan
bridges and construct railroads. but was charged to
be- deficient a bookkeeper ut an Indian agency.
What possible advantages had an Indian agent over
an army officer for the government OF Indians !?
Within the last year and half fifteen Indian agents
had been discharged for fraudulent practices ten for
ineiiioency. and ten had for reason, voluntarily
resigned. He argued that many officers of the army
had been OH the frontier for quarter Of century
anu had acquired knowledge of savage life whicn
enabled them to deal with the Indian. An Indian
agent was powerless for good. He could not cose q
whiskey s,op without calling upon the military.
enrolment in the army OF the United States might
be the basis Of lasting peace with them. This was
the first time in our history when religious bodies
had undertaken to control the offices left with the
President He argued that this religious qualifca-
tion that required for the filling of Office
unconstitutional. If the departure had not the
sanction Of law it should be abolished. The man
sgement of the Indian affairs under the triple head
civil, military and ecclesiastical power. had left .
doubt to whether any plan could have been found
to do more harm in the same time. The Commits
sioner of Indian Affairs of opinion that
preachers made Indifferent Indian agents; yet
he was in favor OF the religious policy.
Wiser men than he. before he Dorn declared
that the interests of Church and State best pro-
NOTED by being separated. Could church in its
organized capacity clothed with the power Of I'LL
ing vacancies making nominations to Office The
trainers Of our constitution buried the religious
question but seemed to have been resurreced.
and galvanized corpse it stalked over the land,
leaving the black line of war; pestience and famine
to mark its pathway The constitution OF our coun-
try should be maintained In letter and in spirit
though the so-called peace policy should tail. In
conclusion he referred to the removal OF Joseph and
the Ncz Pcrce Indians to the Indian Territory and
characterized il M cruel. The climate and atmos-
phcre of their present location affected them like
deadly and slow poison. They could not stand tho
damp, the fogs and the malaria of that Territory.
Joseph had lost his lands and his horses, ana was
now prisoner and an exile. Would powerful gov
ernment permit him and his people to suffer. or to
return to peaceful life in the mountains Of Idaho!
(Applause i'll the galleries.)