Mr. NESMITH. I think the Senfrom Kentucky misapprehends the scope and intention of this bill. There is nothing in the bill that I can observe which makes it liable to the imputation and the charge the Senfrom Kentucky makes, that this is a board to watch the SecyInterior. It is simply a board to go into the interior of the country and among the Indians to examine, inspect, and report upon the details. ou may have the best man in the world as SecyInterior, but it is impossible for him to control, direct, and inspect and supervise the management of Indian tribes and the agents in remote Territories. This is not entirely anomalous legislation. The armies have inspectOrs genera, who are sent out an nually to inspect every military post in the U.S., and they make reports on the administration and on the discipline and conduct of the troops, in relation to the country, its citizens, and the accountability of the officers, precisely as it is proposed now toinaugu rate a board to inspect the Indian Dept, and to meet and either to refute or to prevent these charges which are being made constantly of mismanagement of the Indian Dept. If they are true it will be in the power of this board to ferret out those wrongs and to report them, and to suggest some remedy. If they, are false it will be within the power of this board to deny them. If, by the practical operations of these boards, we find them unnecessary, and that their deliberations are not likely to result in an amount commensurate with their 08st, it will be an easy matter for us to abolish them. It will be reeolleeted that the last Congress authorized a Jtcommittceof the 2 Houses to visit the Indian tribes in the various States and Territories. The short period of time allowed for that duty, and the vast country they were comclled to travel over precludedytheir visitin althe tribes. That committee performed a good deal of labor. The report is not yetprepared; but I apprehend that that report wrll demonstrate that they performed great labor, and, in my opinion, saved the country vastamounts of expenditure. it is proposed that this board shall have more power 1 all that. It is proposed.to make it a permanent board, that is, unless Congress shall see attendance. to change it. It will not be permanent be yond the power of congress; but it is proposed to make it permanent or the purpose of being constantly in the Indian country, and to see that the laws made by Congress for the regulation and intercourse with the Indian tribes are properly preserved; to see that the agents themselves perform their duties properly;.o see that the vast appropriations which Congress makes are properly expended; and to see that the intercourse between the whites and the Indians is regulated by the provisions of the geaties which we have made and ratified with em. I say that this bill is the partial result of the deliberations of that congressional committee of investition. I do not think there is a member of that committee who traveled among the Indian tribes but what became convince of the necessity of some action of this kind. Neither do I think there is a membei of that committee who is not satisfied that the small appropriation last year was more than ten times saved to the Government by the supervision that that committee exercised over the Indian tribes, and over the disbursements of money, and over the operations of military officers. Now, sir, the objection of the Senfrom Ohio, also, I think, is founded in mise onception. This bill does not propose to organize any machinery of courts. It oes not propose to give any sort of jurisdiction except that given to court commissioners. In the present condition of affairs there is no means for the prevention of crime, no means for the arrest and summary examination of offenders in the Indian country. The agencies among the tribes are remotely situated from places where there are courts, and it is necessary that there should be somebody who has additional authority to arrest offenders and make a preliminary examination, and bind over the parties who are guilty of infringing the treaties or of trespassing upon the rights of the Indians. I apprehend, if the power is conferred which is proposed to be conferred by this bill on the agents and commissioners, it will be in the power of the agents and these commissioners, in exercising this very slight judicial authority which is vested in them as court commissioners, to prevent outrages, and to summarily arrest persons who are guilty of depredating upon the Indians, and thus inaugurating those causes out of which Indian wars grow. I believe we have organized territorial governments over every foot of our vast domain. It is merely proposed that these commissioners shall have power to arrest and make a preliminary examination and bind over parties to appear at the nearest courts within the Territories. The U.S. has district courts within all its Territories now. Many of these tribes are remote from places where courts are holden, and this bill merely gives that sort of jurisdiction which will enable an Indian:1 eat Or one of these commissioners to pick up a ep redator in the Indian country 100, 200, or 300 miles from the courts, and to have the military compel his They can examine the case, and if the find there is sufficient cause, they can bind imover for his appearance at a court within the Territory, where he can be indicted and tried according to the provisions of ithe laws of the U.S., and punished for whatever offenses he may have committed. Many of our Indian wars grow out of depredations on the part of the Indians, stealing, robbing, and plundering the whites, and occasionally committing murder. In the way the territorial governments and the courts are or gauized at this time, there are no officers clothed with the power with which we propose to clothe these officers, who can arrest those sort of criminals and have them brought to speedy justice. lam satisfied that if this slight jurisdiction which it is proposed to confer on these parties be conferred it will never in any way increase the expenditure of the courts. The Senfrom Ohio must he aware that whatever business grows out of the arrests, these preliminary examinations cannot in any great degree increase the legitimate expenses of the courts. They have their judges, their marshals, and their rand and petit juries who are aid by the U.S. This will mere y facilitate the transfer of criminals from remotedistricts to the district court of the U.S., where they can be tried by the court in session, and where all the expenses are now paid by the Government. There cannot by any possibility be any very great increase of expenditure, and if the expenditure should be increased a few 1,000 dollars I a prehend the restraint which would be imposed a on the class of people who are found in the Ihdian country would) more than compensate the Government for any appropriations that might be necessary for arresting and sending these criminals to courts for trial. It is understood that there is great laxity of law in the Indian country, and men go there with impunity, and often for the purpose of committing depredations. If it is understood that there are officers on the spot, that there are commissioners and Indian agents there fully authorized to have them arrested, and to call on the military for that purpose, and to have reliminary examinations and bind them over or trial to the district court of the U.S., I think it will have a salutary influence in controlling that class of people who go into the Indian country for evil purposes. trust that the bill will pass. I did not propose to ar c it at any length. It has been already ancientl explained by members of the committee. simply rose to meet some of the objections which have been presented by honor able Senators.