July 22. 1870 Revd. James H. Wilbur  Portland Oregon   Sir:     Your letter of the 19th instant Came to me by private hands.  Your remarkable statements do not agree in full with my memory of our Conversations.  The facts are simply these. You met me at Monticello about 1.P.M. on Monday June 27th    On the instant, I read to You my orders of June 23rd for Lieut. Smith to turn over immediately to you.   You then stated that You thought You Could not go back to Yakama, that You wanted time to  decide, remarking,    We will talk it over as we go up on the Boat      We had many free and pleasant Conversations on the Boat to Portland You, all the time adhering to your first remark that You thought You Could not go back to Yakama.  On arriving at Portland on Tuesday  
        evening, You stated the same thing, and asked twenty four hours to decide.  I awaitedYour Answer in Portland, but did not see You again until the evening of the Second day. June 30th.   You then stated to me that You had finally decided You Could not go back to Yakama, that you had important Suits in court, which required Your attention   and the Annual Conference of Your Church would Come off in August.   All these required Your presence in Portland. You Could not tell what You would do after the Conference   perhaps, after that, You Could Consent to go.  It is true that I spoke of seeing You in Portland on my return from Yakama   that was all in a friendly way, and Concerning some alleged irregularities in business at that Agency. Nothing whatever in regard to any order for You to go to Yakama   for that order You had already decided not to act upon at the present time   and made no certain promise what You would do after the Conference in August.  
        I found no truth in the alleged irregularities at Yakama   and therefore had nothing to talk about in that respect. Lieut. Smith deserves great credit for his faithful administration, opposed,  as he has been, by malicious persons and falsehoods.  I had directed Capt. Hill, officially, to Examine into all matters there; he did so: and  reported    no truth    in any of them   that the only thing Complained of, with any truth, was that one J.B. Dickerson had grazed cattle on the Reservation without payment: and that he had done so for a long time   I then issued the enclosed Circular on the subject of grazing  Stock     On my return, I was in Portland, at the Hotel where You previously met me, twelve hours    You knew the hour of arrival of the Boat, and Could have seen me by Calling at the Hotel.  I returned without seeing You      I had no    arrangements    to make for you to take charge of that Reservation    I had no official    engagements    with You  
        to fulfil   My order of June 23rd for You to immediately relieve Lieut. Smith, You declined to act upon, after it was fully read to and Considered by You for four  days.   Therefore the last paragraph of  of Your letter, asking me if I had issued such an order, is unnecessary for Your Information; and, when read by another person, would produce the false im- pression that such an order had not been given by me, and Communicated to You.  If on the 19th inst., You had changed Your mind, why not simply and plainly say so, without equivocation?  I expected you to act upon the order   was surprised when You declined.    Accepted in good faith Your excuses    and said not one word to influence You one way or the other     Unexplained, Your letter looks unfriendly, and lacks Candor and a full recital of the facts     
        Even now You do not say that You will go back to Yakama   but rather seek an opportunity to assert that I have given You no orders.  If this Answer leaves any question of facts between us   I will abide by the Hon. S. Garfielde   s recollection thereof   He heard nearly every word that passed between us   and what  You said about not going back  to Yakima     I am Sir,   Very Respectfully   Your Obedient Servant    Samuel Ross    Brinet  Colonel USA    Superintendent