Mr. WINDOM. Mr. Speaker, I desire briefly to answer the suggestions made by the gentleman who last adressed the House. I will say before proceeding to do so, however, that this bill came from the Senate on Monday last when I was accidentally absent from the city, nor was I present when it was investigated by the committee of this House; but I have investigated it since. The Gentfrom Ohio [Mr. Snnunssacsn] refers to the fact that there are 11,000 disloyal Indians who have been engaged in the rebel service, and that an appeal is made to us to afford them relief while our own soldiers are unprovided for. I admit that without some explanation the gentleman would make a strong case. I desire to state with reference to these Indians that there are circumstances which take them out of the general rule, which would seem to make us provide for all who are in a destitute condition. hcse Indians are held substantially as prisoners of war. There are 19,000 loyal Indians as well as 11,000 disloya Indians in that condition; and as my authority Irefer to a communication from an iOfficer of the subsistence Dept of the Army. He says that these Indians have been ca tured and taken to that reservation, and are hed in the light of prisoners of war and that as such they have been subsisted by the subsistence Dept. He says further, that for the purpose of having them more readil provided or they have been turned over to t 6 Interior dept. he fact is that these Indians were taken to that reservation under guard, and have been held as prisoners of war under guard of U.S. forces. If we wish to repeat against them the horrors of andersonville prison, then let this bill go over for 3 or 4 weeks. If Gentlemen do not desire to relieve our prisoners of war because imputations are cast upon Indian officials; if we wish to fail to do justice in this matter let as postpone this matter. But I think we will prefer to o justice and take it up at once and pass it. I have no objection to the amendment of the Gentfrom Ohio, but I do object to throw inithis resolution over for a month. o far as these imputations of fraud are concerned, I do not know how much truth there may be in them; but I do know this, or atleast I believe it, that if StPaul were to, come down and accept the office of the SecyIn terior, he would be accused of stealing in less than 3 months afterward. I believe that the present SecyInterior and ComrIndnAffr are as good men as are in the country; and we take this resolution upon their recommendations, and factsfurnished by their agents, who are deemed reliable. I do not think that these Indians should be permitted to starve because charges of fraud are made against certain officials.