Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. President, I should like to have the attention of the Senate while I make a brief statement in regard to the very important propositioningrafted on this bill by the ComFinance. It is contained in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th sections. The effect'of this proposition is to transfer the Indian Bureau to the Dept of War, the place where it was before the organization of the Interior Dept. The language of the 3rd section is precisely the same as that which was used in organizing the Interior Dept in 1848. This amendment for the whole 4 sections are really but one amendment was prepared in the HoRep by the ComA propriations, but was excluded as an amendment in that House on account of the rules of the House. It has been examined and considered by the ComFinance and is now proposed as an amendment to this bill here. I will state that in oTTering this amendment there was no intention to reflect upon any officer of the Government. either the SecyInterior or the ComrIndAff; and indeed one reason for offering the amendment now was that the time was favor able. The transfer will not take effect until the 1st of January, and we know that the present incumbent of the Interior Dept will shortly after that time become a member of the Senate. He is going out of his present office, and we do not know who will come in his place; if, then, this transfer is made, it cannot be con' sidered to reflect upon him or any officer of the Government. I am sure that I would notvote for this proosition or any other if it called in question either the integrity, the character, or the capacity of the present head of the Interior Dept. There is no man in public life for whom I have a higher respect andregard than I'have for him. But he will be, shortly after this change takes eliect, a member of this body. We do not know who the incoming officer may be, and therefore we cannot reflect upon him. The general reasons for the transfer of the Indian Bureau to the War Dept I will state. 1 are of the opinion that it is better to substitute military officers, who hold their commissions for life, in place of the Indian superintendentsv and Indian agents. We believe that by this substitution we shall get the security of a.commission for life, and yet the services of an officer of the Army for this duty without any increased pay. At present we have no security from a superiiiten ent of Indian affairs or from any Indian agent that amounts to anything, while if an officer of the Army was there performing the same duties, there would be a chain of accountability from I the soldier up to the general that would always give a sense of security. Thereis a burden of responsibility as against an officer of the Army that does not exist against any other person. This security would be worth more than all the bonds that can be executed by any civil officer. Another thing is to be considered; an Indian always has more respect for a uniform and a musket than he has for any civil author'ity; one soldier, or one officer, can do more in an Indian territory than any number of agents or superintendents. The present sys tem is conducted by civilians entirely, who are under salaries, but with no responsibility whatever, and who cannot be punished for any offense committed within the Indian territory. The courts do not extend over the remote Indian territory. It is impossible to have any chain of responsibility. The consequence is, that complaints without number, and charges of the most grave and serious character, are constantly made against Indian agents and superintendents, without any means or facilities to examine into the truth of those charges, without any mode of ascertaining the accuracy of them, without any meauspf taking testimony, and without any tribunal before whom they can be tried. The U.S. courts are ineffective, because they do not extend so far as to be practically useful. The truth is, therefore, that we place the Indians and the disbursement of all the millions of mono appropriated for their support in the ban 5 of Indian agents and superintendents, who are under no substantial accountability to anyone. It is true, they may be removed from office; but their offenses are committed at a remote region, beyond the eye of the officers of the law, who are here in Washington; there is no chain of responsibility, and I have no doubt that this has caused many of the complaints that have been made from time to time against Indian superintendents and agents, and many of the gross abuses that have grown. up out of this system. On the question of economy, it may he said that we shall have for some time a pretty large Army; that the only use for this Army in time of peace will be to take care of the Indians, and probably to place small detachments through out the auntern States. They may as well be employed in this service. They are generally men of experience and capacity. 2/3rds of the officers of the Army now are persons taken from civil life, who are under the restruints of a military commission. They are generally men of character and experience. who have familiarity with Indian affairs, and therefore can better discharge the duty of Indian superintendents and agents. They are held by a chain of responsibility; and beside that they are subject to the Rules and Articles of War; so that if any of them acting as an Indian agent, or as an officer transacting the duties of an Indian agent, should either violate his duty to the Indians or to the Government, he may be tried under the Itules and Articles of War. Without entering at greater length into the reasons why we propose this important amendment, I can say that after the consideration we gave it, the ComFinance were unanimously of the opinion that this transfer ought to be made, and that without casting any reaction on any officer of the Government, but simply as a question of official duty, res nsibiity, and economy. Every argument that could be ur ed, after full consideration, was in favor of this transfer. If this bureau is transferred to the War Dept the same machinery that is now in existence will be continued, subject, however, to such changes and removals as may be made by the President. Then from time to time military officers will be substituted for the present superintendents and agents. Where it is impracticable to do that the agents and superintendents will be kept in office; but as far and as soon as prac ticable the SecyWar will be required to supersede the agents and superintendents by military officers of proper rank, and they will be required to transact the duties of these offices without any increase of pay. It must be remembered, too, that the Army will necessaril be stationed, in a great measure, in the In ian country, and that the present complexsystem by which the Indian agents and superintendents are to do certain duties, and the Army nfiicers certain other duties, makes often a conflict of jurisdiction. Out of that conflict of jurisdiction has arisen several Indian wars. If there is but one source of authority in the Indian Territory, and that is the War Dept, there will then be proper respon sibility. We can then hold the military officers responsible; but, as it is now, the Indian agents often blame the military authorities they have done so to me and the military authorities blame the a ents and the traders, and the result is that 5lers is a conflict of jurisdiction, which itself creates war, expense, and cons fusion. There is another difficulty. One of the points brought before the committee is in regard to the frauds that have been inflicted on the government by the traders and contractors in the Indian country. They are charged with stealing, with all sorts of fraud, both upon the governmedt and upon the Indians. he amendments now proposed provide for anew system. It is Provided that contracts for all Indian supplies shall be made in the mode and manner now provided by law for supplies for the Army. Bids must be invited, o cued, and supervised by the proper officers of the Government. There will be in this adegrce ofresponsibility that does not now attach to Indian contracts. Besides, the Indian traders, who are a.fruitful cause of controversy, are superseded by the 6th section, and the SecyWar is authorized to name times and placeswhere anyone may trade with the Indians, under proper regulations. This, no doubt, will be in the presence of the military authorities and in the presence of an armed force, when there will be power which will be respected both by traders and Indians. These are, briefly, the reasons which have been urged upon us, and to which we have yielded so far as to proposethe transfer of the Indian Bureau to the I ar Dept. I do not wish to consume any further time in arguing a question of this kind upon which every Senator has heard a great deal in the course of the last 3 or 4 ears.