Mr. NESMITH. These liabilities accrued substantially in the way that has been mentioned by the Senfrom Wisconsin, the chairman of the ComIndAffrs. In 1801 changes were made in all the Indian offices, both in Oregon and Washington Territory. In Washington Territory there were 2 changes made, and they were made very rap idly, and the 1st superintendent never had any funds transmitted to him, I believe, at least not until about the close of his term. He was there for some 6 or 8 months before his successor’s bonds could be received here, and he be supplied with funds. The same condition of affairs existed in Oregon, except that there was but one appointment of superiiitendent. We were left there entirely destitute of funds for the prosecution of the business connected with t ie dept, owing to the difficulties rowing out of the war, the change in the head of the office here, and the delay in transmitting funds. Those officers found themselves in charge of reservations on which Indian tribes recently hostile had been removed, and there was no alternative left on their part. They had either to continue the business, retain the Indians there, and make sufficient disburse ments for their subsistence, and the prosecution of the improvements which were then in process of completion, or they had to abandon the Indians, let them abandon the reservations, turn everything loose, and wait until they could communicate with the dept here and get the money which had been appropriated. fhose officers had not even been informed of the amounts appropriated. Under this condition of affairs they did employ labor and did make purchases of supplies absolutely necessary for the prosecution of the business there until they could communicate with the dept here, and until statements of the different appropriations and the different heads under which they had been appropriated were transmitted to them. It subsequently transpired that they did exceed the amount of the approriations some 35,000 or perhaps brt 1,000 dollars. l