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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1855
We have heard nothing against the character of that individual. We learn that he is an intelligent and educated man, who had been engaged as a teacher in one of the Indian missions-a man of respectability, whose character has never been assailed, except here to-day, by innuendo. I am disposed, until some refutation be brought forward, to conclude that he made a fair and just representation of what passed on that occasion; and that the sole object in view was to wring the greatest possible amount out of the Indians. It was not robbing the Indians of anything, for they had not then received the money, and, therefore, it is looked upon as not at all dishonest, though it might be considered improper to take money out of the pockets or hands of the In- dians. At this point I will relate an incident which may throw some light on such transactions with the Indians. I was present on one occasion when an annuity was paid in the presence of officers of standing in the Army of the United States and of the Indian Department. That annuity was paid out in light and flimsy goods, amounting to only one-third of the annuity which had been settled on the Indians. The vouchers, however, came to Washington city for the full amount, and were recognized and passed. Subsequently, proof of the real transaction came here, and the agent was removed because the testimony was "strong as proof of Holy Writ," and could not be doubted. The vouchers were regular, and they contained the certificates of the black- smiths, the mechanics, the interpreters, and, I believe, the sub- agent, that they had seen the money paid in cash, in hard bullion, though the Indians never saw one dollar of it. I take it for granted, then, that on the frontier, men who are disposed to embezzle funds will do so if they have an opportunity. My belief is, that the Indians never receive what the Government appropriates for them, unless on some occasions when we send to them men of character, above the influence of filthy lucre. I think it safe to suppose that [of] the 100,000,000 dollars paid to the Indians since the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, no more than one third of the amount has reached them, and they have never been benefited by one fifth of it. You may think, sir, that this is a startling fact, but it is true. It is time that a revision of this system should take place, and I am glad to perceive that in the Indian Department there are men of firm- ness and character who dare to do right in the worst of times. Superintendent Cumming, who forwarded to the Indian Office the speech of which complaint is made, is a man who would
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