Year: 1876

them, and TO whose society they did object Quite
eften it was former fellow officer who had lost
his position IN the army. During the war the matter
was left pretty much the General OF the Army as
also the just after the and during the
wee Of General Rawlins Secretary Of War. When
General Beknap came into Office, IN 1869 he removed
without consulting Inc, the sutler at Fort Laramie,
putting in his place man who obnoxious to tho
officers at the post ousted Belknaps appointee and
restored the old trader though after the Congress OF
1870 passed the deprvng the General Of the Army
of all jurisdiction in tho natter aud giving exclusive
control thereof to the War Department
BKtKxAP RENsrArKD MS Max
thought it unfair to deprive the officers OF
voice In choosing a trader II seemed dcspotic to me
and in accordance with the genius of our rcpub
can institutions Living out the TAR frontier as il
were little world to themselves looked upon IL as
wrong TO force the soldiers to take any person they did
not want But the act was passed and the army OH
GERS, OF course, submitted" "
'ilas there been much complaint about Bclknap's
post traderss"


"Oh, yes there has been good deal OF dissatisfac-
ton. Some Of the fellows appointed were regarded as
suspicious characters and their society obnoxious to
the officers but the question had been taken entirely
out OF my hands, and ! could say nothing without
interfering with the business Of the Secretary Of
War;


'In view OF recent developments would you not
recommend establishment OF the old system or
appointments


II would 1t would, in my opinion, be more salts
factory, only tho army but the people generally
II would make fraud almost impossible and would be
more just. can think OF good many other changes
IN the management OF frontier affairs that would be
salutary lnasmuch tho army has to fight the In
dams think II should have something 10 say about
their management fhe policy OF attaching the Indian
Bureau to the interior Department is all wrong But
this rs subject the discussion Of which would be use
less and poniless now"


General what were your personal feelings toward
Beiknap,"


- Quite friendly. l have not approved everything
done by Belknap In some instances l was ignored
where should been, and there was a strong
disposition the rart of the War Department alb
sofb the management Of the army, Personally, how
ever, had only


FEELINGS FoR RKLKSAr
and his disgrace Is cause Of great regret 10 me-"


us It your opinion that there has been any corrup.
tor connection with the appointment OF other post
Traders"


'Tt Is impossible that should know anything posi-
tive on this subject but is quite likely that the
ruptcn has been confined TO tho post at Fort Sill There
aFr more than $50 trading posts the frontier Many
Of them are perhaps too small to excite tho avarico Of
ira'ers, but at alarge proportion OF them there is
lucrative trade fear there is good deal Of fraud
which has not yet been developed; but give this as
more speculation on my part"


"whas do you think of Morton for Secretary Of
Warp


Morton would make splendid War Secretary. He
y man Of great Intelligence nrm, and as honest as
the drg is long Ny opinion is that his acceptance Of
the pace not likely. In Wow Of tho fact that Nor