CALHOUN AS SECRETARY OF WAR 313 The only faults which were connected with the transaction, were the tardy supplying of stone, and the ALL suspicious reselling of the contract. No- FoTHE ^ WaS t0 blame if the low frdght rates CONTRACT ARE anc * wa es ma de the prices of 1818 look STOPPED BY extravagant to the Congressmen in CONGRESS 1822. Calhoun had nothing to do with this contract, except as he gave his silent sanction to the whole transaction, although it came out in the evidence that when the engineer had considered buying a share in it, Calhoun had warned him of the effect such a deal would have on public opinion. The committee recommended in their report, on May 7, 1822, that no further appropriations be made to Mr. Mix for his work. 43 In all his military work Calhoun grasped large situations and dealt with comprehensive plans. His re- CALHOUN'S port on military roads showed that he had MILITARY an accurate knowledge of the geography ADMINISTRATION of the United States, and a keen appre- ciation of the strategic points for defense. The advice on the reduction of the army revealed his ability to solve, in a clear and logical manner the most perplexing ques- tions. It is interesting to surmise how much he could have done if he had had the support of Congress. CHAPTER IV ADMINISTRATION OF INDIAN AFFAIRS Regulation of Indian affairs as well as the administration of of the Army, formed an important part RAPID of Calhoun's work as Secretary of War. SETTLEMENT Between 1812 and 1820, the land be- OF THE WEST tween the Alleghanies and the Mississip- pi, as far south as the Gulf, was settled very rapidly. Tennessee, Kentucky and the banks of the Miss- 43 All the Mix Contract papers are found in the American State Papers, I7th Cong., ist Sess., Sec. 109. i
