SIR: I deem it my duty as an independant citizen to apprize you, as the head of the Indian Bureau, of a recent transaction of the Superintendent of Indian Affairs at this place, and demand of you the proper action the facts may impose. A contract has been given to an intimate friend and relation of the Superintendent, to feed the Witchita and other Indians inhabiting the country between the 98th and 100th degrees, West Longitude, at a sum pr ration, of one third, perhaps one half, more than other persons would have fed these Indians for; which persons were denied the privilege of contending for the contract, as no puplic notice inviting proposals was made, and the contract was given privately. I assert this postively, as to the notice for proposals, and enclose you a letter of Capt. J. H. Strain, confirmatory of the fact, that he was willing to feed the Witchitas, for a sum far less than the records of your Office must show the government has been pledged to pay another. The character of this gentleman, who has been for years Sutler at Fort Arbuckle, if unknown to you, can be avouched by the U. S. Senators from this State. The Seminoles are now fed under a contract given in the usual regular mode of publishing invitations for proposals and awarding the contract to the lowest bidder, at the sum of about seven cents pr ration. The Witchitas are encamped only forty or fifty miles from the Seminoles and near the Texas and Chickasaw lines, where corn and beef are much cheaper and more abundant. In proof of this I refer you to late contracts for these articles given at Fort Washita and Fort Arbuckle--the first being near the Witchitas, and the other near the Seminoles. Captain Strain says he would have fed the Witchitas for ten cents per ration, and if proposals had been invited, the Contract would have been taken for a less sum. There are some seven hundred Indians now fed, and thirteen cents pr ration is the sum stated as allowed--I believe it is more, but the Indian Office contains the proof of the exact sum. If the Contract had been given at nine cents pr ration, it would have been a saving of twenty eight dollars pr day, over the price said to be now paid, which would amount to eight hundred and forty dollars pr month, and ten thousand and eighty dollars a year. This is surprisingly large, for a small Indian contract, and at a time too when the duty of government Officers to retrench expenses is so imperiously demanded. I am opposed to such favoriteism under any circumstances, and particularly so, when the recipient can lay no claim to Democratic support.