Office of Superintendency of Indian Affairs Sept 16 /52
San Francisco, Cal.
Sir:
I have the honor to report my arrival and the establishment of my office at this place. By my instructions I find there is no option left me as to the point at which I shall establish my office, which I regret for a variety of reasons, but chiefly the greatly increased expense of living in this city.
As there are many other places fully as accessible to those who have business of an official nature with me and much more convenient on other accounts, I hope the department will reconsider this part of my instructions, so as to leave it optional with me.
I have called on agents Wozencraft and McKee for their accounts, and have reccived from them a statement of their transactions and accounts, together with a letter from agent Wozencraft enclosing your order to him to transmit his accounts to Washington ; and in a communication from Mr. McKee, I find he has acted under similar instructions
from you. I have not therefore, found myself called upon to go further back in an examination of tbeir accounts than to take them up from the time they were transmitted to Washington. I forward, herewith, the letter referred to.
I find it will be a most difficult and toilsome business to bring our Indian affairs of this State into shape. The whole policy and system must be changed, since the rejection of the treaties, by the unanimous vote of the Senate, leaves no hope that any subsequent ones containing reservations, will be accepted.
I regret to say that I find the grossest mismanagement or ignorance has been displayed in some instances by the agents of the department, in relation to the beef contracts for the fulfilment of the stipulations of the late rejected treaties. I wish I could find some milder terms than neglect and official recklessness, by which to characterize some of these transactions. An investigation of the most rigid character should be instituted, to the end that justice may be done the innocent, and the guilty punished.
Very respectfully
Your obdt servt,
E. F. Beale
Supt. Ind. Aff.
To:
Hon. LUKE LEA,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Washington, D. C.
Extract from letter of R. W. Kiss U. S. Indian Agent dated
San FRancisco Sept 5, 1852
To report in precise accordance with your order of yesterday is impracticable; for my accounts Nouchas made up to 5th of Feb & of July '52 were all transmitteed to the commissioner of Indian Affairs at Washington.
I certify that the above is a correct copy of the original in my possession.
E. F. Beale
Supt. Ind. Affs.
(Copy)
San Francisco Sept. 20, '52
Sir,
having forwarded all my accounts to Washington in obedience to a requisition made by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for settlement there. I the honor to report that no [?] have been incurred by me since that time, and that I have no accounts for the thace my salary account subsequent to he period.
Very respect.
Your obt servt
O. M. Wozencraft (signed)
Hon. E. F. Beale
Superintendent of Ind. Affs.
I certify that the above is a correct copy of the original in my possession.
E. F. Beale
Sup. Ind. Affs.
