New-York tribune., 1880-01-15
LETTER FROM GENERAL FISK.
HE DECLARES TIT CARD EMAMaT'NG FROM PROvT
DRNCE TO BE FULL OF MISREPRESENTATION


DRNcE 10 BE FULL OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
AND RFCKIi IS ASSERTIONS.
To the KdiiOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: The PTOrid.Rce Journal prints an article
(which, it is understood, has the approval of the
Board of Indian Commissioners" IN which are to be
found more Misrepresentation and reckless asser-
tons than areoften to be found IN short space.
This article asserts that "The Board of Indian
Commissioners deeply regret that any one Of their
number had committed them through the pubic
pr,-s to any such extra official labor or RESPONSE
bility" as has been needful to investigate the
charges against Commissioner Iayt: that CommIs-
sioner Hayt is mot in any accountable to it,
or subject to its control g" that the charge against
Commissioner IIayt Of dishonesty in the Arizona
business was auSustained by evidence and that
the Board hal been "unwiscly committed" to The
invest igatlOn.
This article is dishonest:
fisi--In Deing SO worded as to convey tue i'm
press on that the sole charge against COMMISSIONER
nayt is Of dishonesty in the Arizona matter when
the fact is that there are a Of other charges
against him
Scc0n9-In being 80 worled rs TO convey the i'm
preston hat the accusations against Commissioner
Hayt all came from one person whereas the fact
is that the representatives Of nearly every religious
denomination which has been engaged in Indian
affairs except those who have already severed their
connection with the Indian Bureau in consequence
Of the Offences complained of, ioined in charging
him with ineficieucy and double dealing.
Ikiyd-In giving 10 all people who unfamiliar
with bo revised statutes OF the United States the
impression that calling a dishonest Commissioner
OF Iudsn Affairs to account for dishonest eXpendi-
lures OF public funds is part of the business OF
the Board OF Indian Commissioners; whereas 1t Is
precisely for that and kindred duties that the
Board of Indian Commissioners j. appointed. The
statute SAYS section 1863 taat "the Commissioner
OF Indian Affairs snail, under the direction of the
Secretary Of the interior and agTeeahy to
81 ch regulations as the President may pre-
scribe. have the management OF all Indian
Affairs and OF all matters arising out of Indian
lations One of The regulations" prescribed for
the Commissioners management of Indian affairs
s. that here shall be Board of Indian Com
missioners appointed solely by the President,
who shall supervise all expenditures of money APP
pIopratcd for the benefit Of Indians within the
lunts Of the United States lScc. 2O41. and shall
be empowered TO investigate all contracts, cxpcud-
lures. and accounts IN connection with the Indian
Service" S,c 2O42.l
How dare a member of this Board say that the
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs is not in any
sense accountable 10 il :" 1t is fair that
tbs article comes from that mcmbc~ of the Board
who lives in Providence Let Us see how mnch
time he devoted TO the charges against eomms-
soner Havt to this extra-ohicial labor aud re-
spOnsibilty" He. with his associate members on
the committee. lett the Office of the Board oi To-
dian Commissioners at 1890 ON the morning Of
Saturday the 10Th inst, saying that they would be
prepared to return and report the Arizona charge
at u. During that hour and hall. they were to
90 to the Interior Department NEARLY mile
awayl, procure papers, return. examine the papers
and report. "1here is a months work for YOU
said l. Mr.. Barstou replied that he could
not possibly remain longer than that day
and he left Washington in the evening,
leaving the examination in the hands Of the two
remaining members of the committee, there was
one charge involving the examination of records
aud correspondence, covering nearly years time;
a charge also which could not be properly inyesti-
gated without personal examination Of Witnesses
and records at the San Carlos Agency in Arizona
Ian examination which would require weeks, and
this. and the whole of this. the chairman Of the
B ard Of Indian Commissioners proposed to do in
an hour and half Aud now he comes before the
nubiic forestallng the report of committee whose
examination is not yet closed, and it is evident can
not bo closed for some time TO come. lie thus en-
dcavors to saddle the Board with expression of
opinion to which, they may yet TO quote his own
words deeply regret that any one OF Their num-
Der had committed them through The public press
Although the investigation of the Arizona matter
has but barely begun. il may be worth while to
mention here one curious coincidence already
brought TO light viz: that the records of the In
dian Office show that operations against Agent
Hart after having been suspended were resumed on
October 90. Just eight days after it known at
the Department that | had arrived at the San
Carlos Agency. Very truly yours
Mr. yort Jan ID 1880. CLINTON Il. FISK