ders, officers or as having anything to do with


the affair. You will have the right to pick your


men. This you must attend to. I have nothing to


do with giving men the preference nor have you,


because they have been in service, or because they


have contracted debts expecting to be kept in service,


our action is not expected by the public to be based


on private or individual interests, but for the good


of the service and in due regard to the interests


of the whole State.

Dispense with the service of any por-


tion of the men whenever you are satisfied they


are no longer needed and consider this your or-


der for doing so. I am responsible, one thousand


men on the frontier would not give satisfaction to


many, and as loud a cry would be raised against


the dismissal of any portion of them, as is now


attempted to be raised by some of Hells hounds


who are noising about Conner and his men


being dismissed.

To justify the keeping of a force on the


frontier, the people will want to hear of some


thing being done, to hear of Indians and of


their being whipped.

If men living on the frontier loose


a cow or a Jackass occasionally, only it is be-


cause they have placed themselves in a posi-


tion where they might expect it. It would


be better however if that is all the damage