Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-04


describes at considerable length the cir
eumstaaces which attended the outbreak of
the Chiricahuas under Geronimo, Mangus
and other chiefs, last spring, and declares,
substantially, that want of harmony be-
tween Agents, the Interior Department
and the military makes such outbreaks
possible. He says that upon returning to
the Department of Arizona, in 1882, he
found the Apaches huddl"d about the
Agency. There was no land for them to
cultivate. The Indians complained of this,
and the agent, Mr.. Wilcox, acknowledged
the Justice of the complaint but said he
was acting in strict compliance with his
orders in keeping them there. He said,
however, that if General Crook would take
the whole responsibility of their manage
ment, he Wilcox would make no objection
to their removal to other localities within
the reservation. The Chiricahuas were then
out, and it was agreed on all hands that
it was 10 bring in all that could not be
killed. This whole matter" writes Gen
eral Crook, was fully understood before l
started for the Sierra Madre. Imagine my
surprise, when ! reached the border on my
return from the Sierra Madre with a por
ton of the Chiracahuas as captives, to learn
that the Agent had telegraphed to Wash
ington, protesting against their being
ward General Crook was ordered to Wash
ington for consultation, and in his pres
ence, after full discussion, memorandum
was signed by the Secretaries of War and
Interior, by which the police control of the
entire reservation was vested III the War
Department THE scope of this control"
he says, " was thoroughly discussed. and as
| thoroughly understood, not only by myself
but by other persons present, viz, the
Secretary of War, Secretary of the
Interior and Commissioner of In
dian Affairs. The idea that the author
ity which l had already exercised on
the reservation, simplya as matter ofneces-
sity, was to have been in a degree lessened
or limited, was never even limited at. On
the contrary, my duties and powers were
| by agreement expressly recognized and
made of record, and were exercised and en-
| forced without any objection for nearly
two years. Upon this express understand
ing, | made myself responsible for the
peace and quiet of the Indians. For more
than two years there was not single dep
relation by the ApacheS, and it was for the
| first time in the memory of white men that
so long an interval of peace had been en-
| joyed in Arizona and New Mexico AS |
| have said before, up to this time the Indian
| Department seemed only too willing to
| have me manage the entire Indian bust
ness, giving me most hearty co-opera-
! ton, and I certainly could not con-
ceive that with the added danger of the
Chiricahuas there would be any less degree
of cooperation. Months afterwards, it
appears, that on the very day the above
agreement was entered into, the Secretary
the Interior wrote to Agent Wilcox, in
| terms which must have convinced him that
neither he nor the Commissioner of Indian
A ~.
as to the Indian management, and at the
same time saying that the agreement was a
make-shift, to relieve them from respon-
sibility, and transfer it to my shoulders.
also limiting that an expression of views
| adverse to the method of settlement would
| be agreeable to the Department. The
result was inevitable, and on the 10Th of
September | find that Agent Wilcox is
complaining to the Interior Department
with reference to the agreement-that it
! deprived him of his power of government
of the Indians, and left little TO sustain his
authority, and recommending its termina-
ton. have no knowledge of the con-
| tents of the confidential communications
between the Indian Department and its
agent, but as a sequel | find that early in
| the December following, in less than fifteen
months the Commissioner of Indian AT
fairs, in letter to the Secretary of the In
terror, takes the ground that the agree
ment was with the understanding that
military officers were to have supervision
of the police regulations on the reservation,
under the direction, and with the approval
of the Indian Agent. With this action OF
:, the Interior Department officials at Wash
| ington it is not to be wondered at that the
dangers of a divided control and want of
| cooperation should become manifest. In
/ npcap,ba 1894 Wilany
lieved, and Ford was appointed in his
place. The new Agent worked in har-
mony, but by the middle of January he
| took another course" General Crook re-
ported the matter, and asked that his adj
ministration be sustained, or he be relieved
of responsibility. He was instructed, pend
ing the conferences between the two De-
partments at Washington, not to interfere
with the farming operations of the Indians,
who are not considered as prisoners, and
was informed that the question of relieving
him must, in the public interest, be held
in allegiance for the present. There
upon General Crook wrote the Ad-
| iutant-General a letter, the conclud-
| ing paragraphs of which are as follows
AS the right of control has now been with
| drawn from me | must respectfully decline
to be any longer held responsible for the
behavior of any Indian on that reserva-
ton. Further, regret being compelled to
say that in refusing to be relieved of this
responsibility (as requested in my letter of
January 20th), and at the same time taking
from me the power by which these Indians
have been controlled, and compelled to en-
gage in industrial pursuits. the War De
partment destroys my influence, and does
an injustice to me and to the service which
| represent" The outcome of the matter
was the appointment of Captain F. f.
Pierce, of the First Infantry, as Indian
Agent at San Carlos and the dangers from
the divided responsibility were al an end.
The Presidential Succession.
WASHINGTON, December 3d-It is now
quite evident that the death OF Vlce-Presi-
dent Hendricks, in the absence of the cleo
ton of a President pro TEN. of the Senate,
will cause the passage, early in the next
session of Congress, of the Hoar bill, per-
manently fixing the Presidential success
sion. This bill, which, in the event of the
death, resignation, inability or removal OF
the President, bestows the succession upon
the different members of the Cabinet, be-
ginning with the Secretary of State, passed
the Senate in the last Congress, and failed
in the House for lack of time to consider
it. So far as can be learned. none of the
| Republicans who originally voted for the
Hoar bill will refuse to support it now, be-
cause. by the death of Mr.. Hendricks, the
way is paved for the possible succession o.
a Republican President of the Senate
to the office of President of the United
States Senator Sherman in conversation
with your correspondent tonight, said: Il
have not talked with any Senator upon the
subject, but for myself l can say that
will vote to pass the Hoar bill whenever it
is brought before the Senate. | voted for
the bill in the last Congress, and favor its
adoption now as earnestly as | did then.
The Republican Senators are committed by
their votes in its favor, and do not think
any of the gentlemen who supported it in
the past will oppose the bill now. 1t may
be said that the conditions have changed,
but looking at the subject from purely
political point of view, | think one of the
greatest evils that could befall the Republi-
can party would be to secure a brief tenor
of executive power through the death OF
President Cleveland. The people have ex-
pressed their wills, that for four years the
administration of the Government should
repose in Democratic hands, and | should
not like TO see Republican enter the Ex-
ecutive Mansion by the back door, to hold
the reins of official power for brief term
until new election could be ordered The
Hoar bill was passed by the Senate when
there was a probability that Republican
| President would no eiacfed Tho Dano