Memoirs, Official and Personal with Sketches of Travels

Front matter

iM «4 Le ele 4 ee Peera? a eee ah, « nth * hielo Maer t ? : 7 iy B ntby + sit, Mi agit be 4 \ RATER baits ih

A it v bin usec He SERRE ORG tf errs nA a

RO Rett thal cs o Hs

Chapter II

EETEOYEMERT, MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL, OF THE INDIANS. PRESIDENT MONROE.

ANECDOTES ILLUSTRATING HIS CHARACTER.

Fourth of July address—Subsequent reflections—Wrongs of the Indian—Correspondence with Mr. and Mrs. Gambold—The Cherokees—Their reluctance to intercourse with the Whites—Capacity for improvement—Plan for elevating their condition—Appropriation by Congress for this purpose-~Effects of this — plan—David Brown’s letter—Progress of civilization among the Cherokees— Commission annulled—Re-appointed—Fourth Auditor Treasury, almost—Mr. - Monroe’s scruples—His sensitiveness to reproach—Interview with him just before his death—Charged with undermining General Armstrong—Facts in @ the case—The British forces in the Chesapeake—Affair of Bladensburg—

General Armstrong vindicated—Mr. Monroe’s personal efforts and sacrifices ie

1814—The General Post-office—Mr. M’Lean’s appointment— W hat led

Co pe Pes es alld al

“CONTENTS OF VOL. I.

Chapter III

BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. COMMISSIONS TO TREAT WITH THE INDIANS. VOYAGE ON THE LAKES. GREEN BAY. BUTTE DE MORTS.

eaty with the Indians at Fond du Lac—Other commissioners to the Chocws, Chickasaws and Creeks—Arrival at Detroit, and departure for-Green --First steamboat ascent of the Neebish Rapids—Sault de St. Marie—

-sickness—Boat aground—Detention at Green Bay—Le Petit Butte de Morts— _ Return to Mackinac—A patient—Doctor Monroe and lady—A contrast—A - romantic wife—Return to Green Bay—Hazardous voyage—A night on shore— Another patient—The medicine-man superseded—A cure—Arrival at Green ‘Bay—Alarm in the fort—Allayed by the arrival of General Cass—Apprehensions of an attack—The big gun brought up—Portage at the Grand Kockalas —“ Short guns”—An experiment—Lighting an Indian’s pipe with the sun— Firing at a target ingthe lake—Indians coming in—Toils of the women—An ~exception—An Indian’s gratitude—Passage of the Rapids of the Grand Kock- ~-alas—Talk with the Winnebagoes—Anecdote of General Leavenworth... 56

Chapter IV. Incidents: Of The Council At ‘le Petit Butte De Morts

Sabbath amid Nature’ s solitudes—Christian Indians engaged in worship—Openite of the Council—A contrast—Treaty adjusted and signed—An alarm—Le iibemoniss= Distribution of presents among the Indians—Breaking up of the “encampment—Brutal attack upon a woman—Chargeable to whiskey—The "man transformed to. a woman—Moral effects of this. punishment—Awful evils

a of the whiskey trade—Embarkation—Ascending the Fox river—Dangers of the way—Some of my party return—Number of our men—Incidents by the way—A TEES ERS OR COODE REDE? ORE CHASES Bote eN Ieee are? cote cc 80 ae ‘ a CHAPTER V.

: "EXPEDITION AGAINST THE WINNEBAGOES. ile ape RECEPTION, AND APPEAR+ Me ate Ye ’ ANCE OF “ RED-BIRD.’

= Reet aaat at Rush lake—Windings of the Fox river—Major Whistler and

~ Rolette—A successful mediation—Remarkable celestial phenomenon—An

-omen—The snake and the bear—Ceremony of taking them—A fine position on

the Fox river—Shooting a crane—Arrival at the portage—Encampment—

_ Disarming and detention of a party of Winnebagoes—Object of the expedition—Indian diplomacy—Surrender of the murderers-—Heroism of the ac Their arrival and reception—Noble appearance and dignified deportment o

_ “Red-Bird”—Solicitude of his people for him—His brief talk—Miserable ap-_

. pearance of We-kau, his accomplice—Mode of catching the rattle-snake—

_ Preventive against his bite—Portage of the Ouisconsin............... so oY

CONTENTS OF VOL. h ae on ag . oP Cy CHAPTER VI.

PASSAGE DOWN THE OUISCONSIN AND MISSISSIPPI RIVERS.

Passage down the Ouisconsin—An accident—Scenery of the Ouisconsin— parley with the Indians—Visit to their village—Distribution of present Meeting with General Atkinson at Le Petit Roche—Difficulties of na tion—Changes in the river—Junction with the Mississippi—Prairie du Chie —Origin of the name—Description of the Prairie—Scene and. story of “the ne murders”—Apprehensions of another attack—Mystery of “ Red-Bird’s” outrage — explained—Passage down the Mississippi—Grave of Julian Du Buque—Galena —The lead-mines—Trespass upon Indian lands—Causes of the Black Hawk i a and Seminole wars—Rents at Galena enormously high—Rock Island—Exceeding beauty of the place—Boundary between civilized and savage life— _ Familiar sounds—Wrecks in the river—Fort Edwards—Encampment on an Island—-Visit to the farm-house of a settler—A peep at the newspaper—Peli- — can Island—Shooting—Panic of the inhabitants—The milk-sickness.. v9.0 AUT

CHAPTER VII.

SOJOURN AT ST, LOUIS. PASSAGE DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI. HARD JOURNEY FROM MEMPHIS TO CHICKASAW BLUFFS. ge:

Mouth of the Missouri—A toast—The French count—Meeting of the waters— St. Louis—General Clark—Hospitalities—Sudden illness of the count—Kindness of Mrs, Clark—Departure and destination—Compagnons de voyage— — Screw-mills—The channel ever shifting—Abrasion of the banks of the Missis- . sippi—A town falling into the river—The cause explained—Sawyers—Plant- ; Ms ers—Duty of government to remove them—Profits of two acres of onions— Memphis—Journey to the Chickasaw bluffs—Missionary stations—Drunken _ Indians—Power of General Jackson’s name—Halt in the middle of a stream— — Ti-esh-ka—Tockshish—Monroe—Barren tract of country—Arrival. at Colbert’s—An Indian’s gratitude and regard—Designs of the government at that time—Different principles afterwards adopted—Jeremiah Evarts, and his papers, signed “ William Penn”—A “ blow-gun”—Counting time—‘* Red-sticks” —Anecdote of Tecumthé—Preparations for the grand council.........«. 142

CHAPTER VIII.

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL FROM THE CHICKASAW BLUFFS, THROUGH THE CHOCTAW COUNTRY TO TUSCALOOSA—THENCE, THROUGH THE CREEK COUNTRY, HOME.

S Qgening of the council at Colbert’s house—Its results—On the way-to the Choctaws—Beauty of the Prairie—A Choctaw “rain-maker’”—Espy out-done— The secret of the art—A thunderbolt wrapped up in a blanket—The sorcerer— On the wrong track—Ben in a prairie—An Indian camp surprised—A barca

-ENTS OF VOL. I.

utiful la Adair—Passing by the Cherokees—Horrible d hase on fire—Guide to Tuscaloosa—A Sabbath of rest—Journey to

CHAPTER IX. ;

, RETURN TO WASHINGTON. CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION. POLITICAL EXCITEMENT. CORRUPTION AND FAVORITISM IN HIGH PLACES.

ig Abtival at Washington—Mr. Barbour’s estimate of my services—Adjustment of 5 my accounts—Political agitation—Personal abuse—Duff Green’s account—

His “ mark”—The work of proscription going on—Pledges honestly given— “ ‘How fulfilled—Duff Green’s first appearance at Washington—How he went - dhead—Strife for office—Interview with President Jackson—Charges—Satis- _- factorily answered—Result—A call at my office—An office not wanted—The gace of Indian affairs—General Eaton and Duff Green—General Houston—

CHAPTER X. ea LANS FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF THE INDIANS. ‘ HINDRANCES IN THE WAY OF THEIR EXECUTION.

ta iN of the Pilgrims—Obstacles to be overcome—The India vindicated— The Indian a victim to the vices of civilization—Some of the obstacles to his improvement removed—His anticipated progress—Destiny of our country— _ Duty to the Indians—Views of President John Quincy Adams—Different s _ views of emigration—Diminution of the tribes—Some wholly exterminated— ___ An erroneous impression corrected—Terms of the proposed removal—Imagin- _. ary talk with the Indians—Conclusion—Letter of “the Indian Board” to t -. _Exeecutive—Reply by General Eaton—Comment upon this correspondence— . Total failure of the objects of this organization—The causes of this failure— . Protection promised the Indian—Promise fulfilled by force.............. 224

Wes

7 wee ls

CHAPTER ‘XL. |. 0 a

‘iat ABUSE OF POWER IN OUR RELATIONS with | came 3 IN ties—How interpreted by Mr. Calhoun—Trampled upon . by Gene A Circular Address to the Indians—A very essential modificatio the Cherokees—Newspaper comments—Dr. Sa in the i -

* neral Scott—Ridge’s apology for the New Euchota treaty—Formation Gee a net government west of | f the Mississippi—The Ridges and Boudinot killed—Refusal to recognize the Cherokee delegation at Washington—My interview with Mr. Poinsett—A new treaty proposed—Mr. Van Buren’ s objections—A diply i:

to a close—More diplomacy, ending in treachery—Vindication of John Rose Further developments of the injustice done to the Cherokees—The treaty of)! Payne’s Landing—Jackson’s “ talk”—Outrages upon the Florida Indians—Indian talk—Micanopy—Jumper—Osceola—The mad ee ie provoked the Florida war....... aes Sets RAE oid Satin ohh clate piace laa Stee Sines SaNGs

VOLUME I.

Parnttiepisee; Author’s likeness, - an gee. Si Chapter The Rescue, . ‘ eee Se gS « — [I.—Indian School, fish esis eter ae

"« JV.—Siloué—Rescue of Col. Boyd,

“ VI—Indian Battle, oe Sh ‘Se X.—Scalp Dance, Baga “ XiII.—Panic in a Thunder-Storm, .

ate a ee ,

VOLUME. I an

_ Frontispiece, Pocahontas, Discourse I., Part I. ic Ghenaiiliane I, is 6“ IL. ee teen re’

f Hi HH ( iy 7 iy a, ai vo HN Ny : p Wy i if f Mh Ly) 7

We Hy _

7 ee

So

Mitee o i — LR He PA i y I

Wy ) i) Mh / a ,

2 | i; Hd | aE “

—— i fi nh

== ——

MEMOIRS.

Chapter I

ding companies and individuals—Contrast betw: wn Fur Company—John Jacob Astor—Missotiri plying the factories during the war—Unsuitable .stock on hand. re Loss in disposing of it—Satisfaction of the Indians on reeeiving the plies—Clerks in the office—Miles, the trusty m~"senger—Inestimable competent and faithful clerks—Folly and wic’.edness of proscription~"Pransf of the property of the Indian trade establishment—Increase of the capital—A sailed by Mr. Benton—The reply—Mr. Monroe’s opinion—Payment of annuities—Caution in keeping the accounts—Charged with defalcatio: terious disappearance of vouchers—Duplicates prensa 8

Indians—Anonymous P olauees of fayotitiem-b eeoatorte at offiea a ov ; int ‘open. ; :

: ee Duited States Indian Trade se 4 the ‘Indiam. pis : ¥ had been informed, a few days previous, of the oe

8 ject, nor he tome. My commission* was brought to-— me by Hon. Wilham Jones, Secretary of the Navy. ; _ The plan of a United States government trade with the ~ Indians dates as far back as the year 1796. The system was one of pure humanity, embracing a supply of the wants — - of the Indians without reference to profit; and receiving, — in exchange from them, their furs and peltries, at fair prices; the law governing this trade contemplating nothing more @ than the preservation of the capital employed in it. The — convenience of the Indians was consulted in the establish- _ ment of factories along the border, and at such distances from each other, as to approximate upon the one hand, as __near’to the hunting grounds of the Indians as‘was conve- __- nient; upon the other, with the readiest access to them by — _- water, or otherwise, for the transportation of the annual — _ Supplies. Suitable and competent persons, as factors, — _ clerks, and interpreters, were appointed to carry on this — trade. , : There we ‘on, at the same time, two other syster” a8 people. -One of these was con- — _ ducter «is, the other by companies. The con- — .-trast be —_—. these and the government trade, will not |

* (COPY.) Tue PRESENT of THE Untrep States or AMERICA—

To all who shall see these presents, Greeting : . ‘ i

Know ve, That reposing special trust and confidence in the integrity, ability, - and diligence of Thomas L. McKenney, of. the District of Columbia, I do appoint — _ him superintendent of Indian trade, and do authorize and empower him to execute a _ and fulfil the duties of that office, according to law ; and to have and to hold the eg

_ said office, with all the powers, privilegesand: emoluments to the same of. right appertaining, unto him the said Thomas L. McKenney, during the pleasure of —

__ the President of the United States, for the time being. die ie soe

y Given under my hand at Washington, this second day of April, in the. year of

BP in “ our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, and in the fortieth year

| of the Independence of the United States.

— James Manpison.

By command of the President of the United States of America.

Wm. H, Crawrorp, Secretary of War.

*

Fa, oa ee oY A aa . "MEMOIRS, &e., &e. ey

The jeadinais | fan

. t fail to strike the most Gaatial ahdon:

bane of the Indian was wholly excluded from the Uni te States trade; not a drop of brandy, rum, or whiskey, being permitted to pass through the factories. Not a cent of profit was contemplated, as has been stated. With no ' other system but this, or others in harmony with it, the dians would have been protected, and blessed, and pre- — served. Many of the bloody strifes with one another, and of wars between tribes and bands, and the probability is, the greater portion of these border difficulties between the — ‘ Indians and our people, would never have been heard of; whilst the Indians, preserved from the double action upon them of these wars, and the consuming effects of the “fire-water,” would have retained their native strength and dignity, and not wasted away and perished, as they have don

I can conceive of no contrast more decided than. which marked the, United States’ treatment of these posed people, and that which characterized the traffic ried on with them by private individuals, and compan To sum it up in few words, the first was a shield to pr tect, and a fountain to sustain, and refresh, and bless 1 Indians; the last two operated to place them amidst th unobstructed, full, and unmitigated blaze of a consum ng ~~ avarice! No profits were sought by the government- — nothing but gains were contemplated by the traders. No consuming, and strife, and war-kindling agencies, were em-_ ployed by the first, to attract and lure the unhappy victim no laws could be enacted by Congress, and no regulations: framed, of adequate force or vigilance, to prevent the employment, by the traders, of these lures, and of this bane. No one who has not witnessed it, can conceive the sacrifices an Indian will make for whiskey ; how far he will travel, laden with the returns of his winter’s hunts; how little he foresees, or regards the consequences to himself, or any

Cg “MEMOIRS, &., &e. ~

* ty: else, of his indulgence in this fatal poison. The hae -awaking from his delirious dream, and finding his furs and peltries gone, and in their places a few worthless articles, “unsuited in quality or quantity to screen himself and his _ family from the winter’s cold, may distress him, and kindle his revenge, for the time being, but it is forgotten* whenthe same, excess! Of all men, an Indian is the most improvident, and furnishes the most painful example of a

-.’ reckless disregard to the impoverishing and life-consuming effects of intemperance.

__ Many fortunes have been made in the trade with the

s Indians. The company that has flourished most, and be- - come most enriched by it, is the “ American Fur Company,” at the head of which, for many years, as owner and se wonderful man pushed this trade wherever the beaver, the _ otter, or the muskrat, could be found in sufficient quantity — toauthorize the adventure, until the range east of the Rocky oe Mountains becoming too limited for his enterprise, he _ doubled the Cape, and felt his way up the Columbia river, opening a trade with the natives of that far-off region. Next in enterprise and success, was the “Missouri Fur Company,” whose operations were, and are yet, conducted by the sagacious Cuourovu’s. It was to make the range the unobstructed way to a monopoly of the trade within , the limits of its range, that the United States system was, hs act of Congress, broken down.

In the discharge. of. my trust, I found it necessary,

~ almost from year ‘to year, in my annual reports, to refer _

: 4o the manner in which these companies carried on. their operations; protesting against the use of whiskey, and urging the adoption of more rigid regulations to prevent its being carried into the tiaian country. For this was ever a new occasion happens in which he can indulge in © ee

- manager, was Joun JacoseAstor. This sagacious and of this company’s operations, ywider, and secure to it, mainly, -— the charm, and. the trading house at which the BOGE

| Baie : i H ¢ MEMOIRS, &e., eset: ts

Indian was most ‘certain of meeting with this bevers was sure of his custom. It was not so much a compet tion in blankets, and strouds, and calicoes, and beaver-_ traps, and other articles that were necessary for the trade, _or their prices, “as in whiskey. My reports were not “regarded in the light of very friendly interpositions, and from these it was quite natural for.the feelings they , occasioned to glance off, and become personal. The consequence was, [ was not in favor either with the ~ private trade, or with the more formidable power con- ~~ centred m the companies. ‘

I shall take occasion, in the sequel, to refer again to the breaking down of the, United States trade; and to a part, at least, of the means employed to accomplish it. :

My immediate: predecessor, General John Mason, a 4 man of talents and integrity, had found it difficult during —~ the war to procure suitable supplies, except in part, for . the trade. Mackinac blankets, and strouding, two indis- _ pensable articles, were wholly beyond his reach; made so. : by the war with Great Britain, on the one hand, and the — infant state of our manufactures, on the other. For blank. ets, resort was had to a sort of cloth made of wool, united, without weaving, after the manner in which hats are made. It was these or none. These, with numerous other articles, _ ~ as little adapted to the comfort of the Indians, were purchased and forwarded, and as little in accordance with their wants and tastes. But nothing better in the. then condition of the country, could be done.

I found, on entering upon the duties of this trust, ie large portién of the capital absorbed in these unsuitable supplies, and the factories laboring under their weight. On the return of peace, the markets resumed their former ability to supply the demand, and were prepared, when I took charge of the department, to respond to my calls. | But to make way for the new and appropriate, supplies, it was necessary for me to get rid of the old and unsuitable sy

MEMOIRS, &c., &ce.

when I ordered the old stock to be got rid of, regardless : of loss.. It was customary to pack the supplies in water- _ proof tierces. In making up the outfit the first year of my superintendency, the quantity of goods required for it was _so large, that the tierces required for their transportation _ were found, on being measured, to extend in length over one mile and a quarter.

The loss on the old stock was very great, and made, of course, a corresponding inroad upon the capital, and this required the adoption of a new scale of advances upon the articles sent, as also another for the regulation of the

prices allowed the Indians for their furs and peltries. This scale was so: graduated as to run through more than _ one season—thus making the annual advance to bear easy

“upon the Indians. The prices of furs, &c., owing to the re-opening of our commercial relations after the war, having increased, enabled the government to allow an increase upon them—so that the Indians felt very little of the advance which had been put upon the goods. _ Great satisfaction was expressed by these poor fellows, ati being able once more to provide for themselves and Re rails. the substantial woven and almost weather-proof — ~ Mackinac blanket, and the almost water-proof and endu- . ring strouding. I received letters from Governor Cass, « _ whose office of governor of Michigan made him ex-officio

superintendent of the Indians of that Territory, as also

from General William Clark, who was superintendent of Indian affairs for Missouri, conveying their high satisfac-

tion at this new influx of the right sort of articles—and

assuring me that no such supplies, either in fitness or _ cheapness, had ever before found their way into their

superintendencies.

I owed this success mainly to others. I was assisted

_ by clerks whose integrity and experience made them of great value, as well to the public as to myself; and I can’ never forget the obligations I was placed under, for zealee ae ane edt :

MEMOIRS, &c., &c.

ous CO-operations, and’ honesty of purpose, of my ck clerk, Jere W. Bronaugh; my book-keeper, Mr. Ri and my copying clerk, Mead Fitzhugh—nor should I ~ be doing justice to my feelings, were I to omit to name * Miles, my trusty messenger. Miles was honest, and he was faithful to his humble trust. He had a horror, somehow, of Indians. Miles was bald—and Fitzhugh, being given to mischief, had almost persuaded him that he had, in some far-back period of his life, been scalped by Indians ; and sometimes, when the business of the day was. over, | would, in passing, hear Fitzhugh urging upon Miles, this almost questionless fact; when the artless creature would raise his hand, place it well back, and then draw it over his forehead, and with a shake of his head, say— “No, no—Mr. Fitzhugh; no, no”—at the same time his - _ looks betraying his own suspicions, if no more, that such — might have been the case. One little anecdote may serve _ : to show how the artlessness of Miles was blended withhis fears, and how these were set off by his want of a better knowledge of his mother tongue. |

I was in the warehouse, “darg the packing season, overlooking this operation—the operation, I mean, of separating and dividing articles, so as to make up the _ assortments and quantities, which were destined to Chicago, on the North; to Fort Osage, in the West, and the . Chickasaw Bluffs, in the South, and, in all, eight factories— when Miles coming up to me in a great flurry, with hat in — hand, said—“ Sir, there are eighteen hostile Indians at the office—please come up, sir, directly.” Nonsense, Miles, — a I replied, hostile Indians—it cannot be so. Pon honor,” said Miles, giving a most knowing shake of his head, “ it is true, for they are every one on horseback !” :

No one who has not experienced it can know how strong the ties become between the head of a department and his clerks, provided there is mutual zeal, and a corresponding intelligence, to carry on the business entrusted

Be io Se ee

MEMOIRS, &c., &c.

to each, in his sphere. And then the experience acquired

% : government, is of incalculable value, not to the government only, but to all having business with it. ‘To dismiss __ from office, in those days, without cause—and there could i, be. no -cause for turning an incumbent out of office

~ a except incompetency, neglect of duty, or dishonesty—and especially the dismissal of a bureau officer or clerk, for A any other than one or all of these causes, would have been deemed an outrage, no less against the public interests, x than the party proscribed. Hence, competency, zeal, and honesty, being the characteristics of the clerks I found in the office of Indian trade, when I succeeded to its management, it no more occurred to me to turn them out, than it did to cut their throats. We met, and continued each to perform his appropriate duties, until death deprived me of - the services of Mr. Rich, and the abolition of the office, , by act of Congress, of further use for the services of the _ rest. We parted as we had met—/riends.

The act abolishing the United States Indian trade estab- _ lishment, whieh was passed May 6, 1822, provided for the appointment of an agent to wind up the concern. George : - Graham, Esq., a most estimable citizen, was selected for this duty. When I succeeded General Mason, the entire — __ property, in merchandise and cash, &c., was invoiced, and _ the amount credited to him, and charged to me. So, ina Lars an Bina *Y/- hike manner, when Mr. Graham succeeded me, all the mer- | chandise and cash, &c., was charged to Mr. Graham, and _ eredited:to me. I gave back over thirty thousand dollars to Mr. Graham, more than I had received of General Mason—everything being charged, both ways, at cost. But _ this was, perhaps, as much the result of accident, as of forecast or good management; for the law having contemplated no more than the preservation of the capital, if the business had been wound up immediately after the sacrifice that had been made on the sale of the unsuitable articles.

S tc ao

| fefto the lake or the 1 Mississippi the balaiice even ‘tee greater amount, might have been found on the other side : of the ledger. In this case, a fruitful theme would doubt- — less have been furnished, in which both my competency

_ and integrity would 5 been assailed. As it was—although*I had, in my reports, urged the passage of laws for —

the protection of the system from the inroads made upon —

it by the whiskey traffic of traders, or, if Congress should ~ not see fit to pass such laws, then that the system had bet- _ ter be abolished—I was assailed by Hon. Thomas H. Benton, of the United States Senate, with such severity and —

bitterness, as mdicated a purpose not to abolish the factory eg system, only, but to demolish my humble self along with — it. It was quite natural, perhaps, that Mr. Benton should — kindle up into an uncommon zeal, and make war with extra energy upon whatever connected. itself with the United — States factory system, seeing that the Missouri Fur Company had much at stake in the result, and: he was the legit- s imate organ of the individuals composing it. ‘That gentle- _

“man’s speech, in the Senate, on his proposition to abolish the government trade, being marked with special rancor — towards myself, personally, I felt called upon to reply to him, which I did, through the National Intelligencer. (See — Appendix, A.) : a When President Monroe read Mr. Benton’s speech, he said to a friend who communicated the fact to me, “I am made unhappy by this attack of Colonel Benton upon Colonel McKenney.” On reading my answer, he said to the same person, “I am relieved. Colonel McKenney has __ completely vindicated himself. He is what I always believed him to be. My confidence in him is unimpaired.” Besides the large disbursements made, annually, in the

{ - MEMOIRS, &c., &c.

purchase of supplies for the trade, it was made my duty, also, to disburse the sums due to the various Indian tribes, fs ‘on account of the annuities due them; nearly the whole of eS which, in those days, were paid, not in money, of which * they were very certain to be robbed, but in useful articles of merchandise. This duty added very much to my la- ' bors and responsibility. I saw my position, appreciated its delicacy, and prepared against any possible contingency. One of my rules was, never to fill up and number a check for money, but to have this done by either my book-keeper or chief clerk, whose duty it was "lb to hand the

- check to me, in company with the invoice, or whatever expenditure it was intended to pay, with the attest of the examining clerk, that the sum, and all the details, were cor- — rect, when I signed the check. Another was, to keep sepa- _ rate my public and private accounts, and never, under any - emergency, to touch, either for my own use, or the use of my friends, a cent of the public money. In not a single . case were these rules departed from. Another was, to take triplicate vouchers, in all cases; one set for the Trea- _ sury Department, one for my office proper, and the third for a safety vault. This latter precaution saved me from utter ruin, as the sequel will show.

I took up a paper, one morning, and read, in substance, what follows :—‘* Whenever Colonel MeKenney’s accounts shall be settled, he will be found a defaulter to the amount of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars!” I called up my chief clerk, Mr. Bronaugh, and showing him the paper, asked what it could mean. He did not know. Have not the quarterly returns been sent in? I asked. ‘ Yes, sir.” - Who took them? “Mr. Rich, always, except on one occasion, when he being sick, I took them myself.” I lost no time in going to the Auditor’s office, taking Mr. Bronaugh with me. ‘T’o the inquiry, of the auditor—Are my — accounts settled, sir? I was referred to his clerk. Of him I received for answer, “They are, sir, so far as they can

MEMOIRS, é&c., &c.

be.” I soon learned the obstacle to be “ the absenceof vouch vat 4 ers!” IT called for the returns, in which they were alle ged to be missing. They were presented, when, sure enot ‘they were unaccompanied, in great part, by vouchers! Whereupon Mr. Bronaugh said, “ These returns were made up by myself; and Iam ready to swear, that when I brought:

them to this office, there was not omitted a single voucher.” I saw the ties had been severed, and the whol package ~ bore marks of. mutilation; so without troubling the clerk with further inquiries, I directed Mr. Bronaugh to take up the package, whichyhe did.

I immediately made known the affair to the Secretary of War, telling him that I had, yet, duplicate vouchers. He rang his bell, sent his messenger for the auditor, who, on appearing, was requested to put his entire force on my accounts,.and keep it there, until they were settled. I furnished duplicates, but did not feel at liberty to allow them to pass out of my clerk’s hands, except as they should be admitted and entered.* The remainder were brought away — and taken back, from time to time, till all was settled, when — this one hundred and twenty thousand dollars of alleged defalcation had no basis to rest upon, either in whole, or in part, and the books of the auditor so demonstrated it.

ae

Ee ss eer

And yet, as the rancor of the press—of which this was ae only the premonitory symptom—began to break forth, this assault upon my official integrity was kept going, whenev-. ~ er, and wherever, the party charging it thought there could be any political capital made out of it. I can never know, nor can any body ever know, the extent of the mischief which this aspersion produced, upon both my name and my circumstances. I was met by it everywhere; and in many instances could see confidence in me giving way before its’ withering tendencies.