[476] For information concerning Washbourne [Washburne or Washburn] and charges against him, see Dean to Manypenny, December 28, 1855, December 31, 1855 [Dean’s Letter Book, Indian Office]; and Elias Rector to Secretary Thompson, October 1, 1859 [Rector’s Letter Book, Indian Office]. Rector’s letter was as follows:
An important sense of my duty as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Southern Superintendency compells me to recommend, most earnestly, the immediate removal of the present incumbent of the Seminole Agency,
The performance of this unpleasant duty is forced upon me by the following consideration,—
1st The neglect of duty and disregard of the orders and Regulations of the Department in absenting himself repeatedly and for protracted periods, from his Agency without authority for so doing; to the prejudice of the public interests entrusted to him,—
On this point I presume it is not necessary for me to enlarge, or to urge upon the Department my views of the paramount necessity of Indian Agents residing at their Agencies and being at all times present at their Stations as well to cultivate the respect and confidence, and a just knowledge of the character and wants of the people entrusted to their care, as to be in position to execute promptly the orders, and to promote the views of the Department,—
2nd I consider him unworthy of the trust reposed in him from certain facts connected with the late payment of money to the Indians under his charge, which have come to my knowledge—
Of the $90,000 recently paid to those Indians, appropriated by Congress expressly to pay such of them as should remove under the late Treaty; for their improvements and to assist in defraying their removal expences I have ascertained, and it is notorious, that thirteen thousand Dollars or more passed into the hands of Mr Washbourne, through Collusion with the principal Chiefs, $5000 of which he received under a private Contract with Senator Yulee of Florida for services in obtaining the consent of the Chiefs to the payment of thirty thousand dollars of this money to Senator Yulee on an old claim presented by him of long standing in behalf of one Gov Humphreys of Florida. The balance of the $13000 received by Mr Washbourne was probably awarded him in consideration of his permitting the Chiefs to appropriate certain portions of the money they paid over to them in trust for the legetimate claimants, to their own use and benefit,
I have informed you in a late letter of the pains I took to make the Chiefs acquainted with the true object of the appropriations. Having been instructed to pay over the whole amount to the authorities of the Nation, this was all I could do in furtherance of the intentions of Congress; my efforts to accomplish which were thus frustrated by Mr Washbourne and his advances.—
3d The breach of good faith in the Chiefs towards the Indians, prompted by Mr Washbourne in the distribution of this $90.000 as explained in my late letter, has incensed the Indians to such degree that bloodshed has been threatened and is seriously to be apprehended,—
4th The influence of Mr Washbourne over the Chiefs acquired through his Collusion with them in this swindling the intended legal recipients of this money is such that, the Chiefs have intimated that they will not send a delegation to Florida unless Mr Washbourne shall accompany them, and I have reason to believe that in case he is not permited to accompany them, he is prepared to throw every obstacle in the way of the accomplishment of this, so much desired measure of the Government,