Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-01-10

statute Of limitations The attention OF the
General OF the Army is expressly called TO the
reports on Standing Rock Agency under the
management OF Agents Burke aud Hughes.
Then look at the Mandans, Arickarees, Gros
Nentres, Assinaboines, Piegane aud Crows in
Montana Territory. At the latter agency
fraud has been rampant, although TO the best
Of my recollection the agents have been
changed at least FIVE or six times in the last
seven years.
Then come down TO the shoshones, Ban
nocks, Northern and Southern Cheycnnes,
Arapahoes, Kiowas and Comanches, Utes and
Southern Apaches, and ask them why they
have gone TO war or have been hostile or tur-
bulent, for the past six OF seven years. The
answer will be insufficiency OF food, irrepu.
larity in It's supply, and broken promises. The
present Indian Commissioner is doubtless
honest; he has discharged anumber of agents
for malfeasance in Office. Commissioner
Smith, who preceded him, was an honest man
also, so far as | know, and likewise the Com
missioner Of Indian Affairs before him, and
so on back They all did as well as they knew
how, but fear with all precautions OF honesty,
that the system and manner of accountability
are too loose for the government OF people
who cannot read or write, and are so peculiar
and primitive in their habits as Indians. IL
will be seen, even by extracts from the re
ports to the Board of Indian Commissioners
as well as to the Commissioner of Indian AT.
fairs, herewith attached, that they too sup
port me In this conclusion. Then, with all
these facts before us, and to the best of my
belief in the possession of the Indian Bureau,
what was the object OF challenging the con-
clusions In my report, aud giving the letter to
the public before II had been sent to the Hon
orable Secretary of War, TO whom It was ad-
dressedl Surely the officers who guard the
agencies, and who are held responsible for the
protection of the lives and property Of the
settlers, should have a right to report to their
superiors the causes OF troubles without dan.
ger of being lectured into silence by the Hon
orable Secretary of the Interior.
Let us now come down to the matter of the
removal Of the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail
Indians, and their return to points farther
west last fall. In reference to this matter |
made no accusations against the Indian
Bureau. l simply stated: :" had hoped that
| the agencies of these Indians (Red Cloud and
| Spotted TaiD would have been retained on the
Missouri River, where they could have been
! fed and looked after at comparatively small
expense but this would not have suited the
| traders and contractors, who / feared labOred
Systematically last summer and fall to work
up the result which has been obtained, and
now these Indians are on worse ground than
| the Missouri River bottom, and located at
| points beyond the river lines Of transporta-
! tiOn-for instance Red Clouds band, where
the expense of feeding will be probably five
| times as great as on the Missouri River. In
addition, these Indians are now located near
! the line of travel to the Black Hills, and one
on the extreme western l'mit of their reserva-
| tion, and where contact with whites Is liable
! frequently to occur, and l doubt IL in the
present frame of mind of the Red Cloud In
| dians the two races can live so closely to-
| gether without fighting. This does not charge
| anything on the Indian Bureau, so that IL will
| be seen that again the honorable Secretary
puts charge into my mouth which Inever
made and gives them to the public in the
same way.
| The Genaral urges again, as in his annual
| report, that the removal of these Indians was
unwise, quotes letters from Gen. Crook in sup
] port of this view, and continues: | did not
/ say that the Indian Bureau nad anything to do
| with it, and utterly disclaim any intention of
crIticising the action of His Excellency, the
| President. He could not well help himself.
! In my report only expressed my regret at
| what hsd happened. 1t is not strange, when
| We consider the inadequacy Of our military
| force, that should, in common with other Of
| hcers, call attention to circumstances like
| these that are liable to involve trouble and dis
| aster. Before closing this communication de
| sire to call the attention of the General of the
| Army to that portion of Lieut.. Lees report
| which plainly shows that the figures made in
| Washington of supplies sent to agencies may
J show different result from the supplies re
! ceived, aud which may account for the dis
| crepancY in the reports of the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs and the report of Major j
X. Miner, at the Southern Cheyenne Agency
] anu tudJ VI Shptdlu a. IL az IuS
| Fort Hall Agency.
| In conclusion desire to say that in my an
nual report and in this report my only object
has been to speak in the interest of the In
dians and in the best interest of the life
property and development on the frontier; o.
the lives of officers and soldiers, and the
best economy in administration Of my com
mand.
A large amount of documentary evidence
is submitted with the report the substance o.
| which is referred to above.