The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-26 00:00:00

festive in removing all plausible ground for those intrusions as that sea. Additions have en made to our squadron on the
the graduation of price already suggested? A short period West India station, wherille large force under Commodore
of industry and economy in any part of our country would Dallas has been most actively and efficiently employed in pro-
enable the poorest citizen to accumulate the means to buy him tecting on- commerce, in preventing the importation of slaves,
a home at the lower prices, and leave him without apology for and in co-operating with the officers of the army in carrying on
settling on lands not his own. If he did not, under such cir- the war in Florida.
cumstances, he would enlist no sympathy in his favour ; and The satisfactory condition of our naval force abroad leaves
the laws would be readily executed, without doing violence to at our disposal the means of conveniently providing for a
public opinion. i home squadron for the protection of commerce upon our ex-
A large portion of our citizens have seated themselves on tensive coast. The amount of appropriations required for
public lands, without authority, since the passage of the last such a squadron will be found in the general estimates for the
pre-emption law, and now ask the enactment of another to naval service for the year 1838.
enable them to retain the lands occupied, upon the payment I The naval officers engaged upon our coast survey have ren-
of the minimum Government price. They ask that which dered important service to our navigation. The discovery of
hrs been repeatedly granted before. If the future may be i a new channel into the harbour of New York, through which
judged of by the past, little harm can be done to the interests our largest ships may pass without danger, must efford im-
of the Treasury, by s ielding to their request. Upon a critical portant commercial advantages to that harbour, and add greatly
examination, it is found that the lands sold at the public sales to its value as a naval station. The accurate survey of
since the introductiodof cash payments in 1820, have produced, I George's shoals off the cost of Massachusetts. lately cam-
on an average, the net revenue of only six cents an acre more pleted, will render comparatively safe a navigation hitherto
than the minimum Government price. There is no reason to considered dangerous.
suppose that future sales will be be more productive. The Go- Considerable additions have been made to the number of
vernment, therefore, has no adequate pecuniary interest to in- captains, commanders, lieutenants, surgeons, and assietant-
duce it to drive these people frem the lands they occupy, for I surgeons in the navy. These additions were rendered neces-
the purpose of selling them to others. sary by the increased number of vessels put in commission to
Entertaining these views, I recommend the passage of a answer the exigences of our growing commerce.
pre-emption law for their benefit, in connection with the pre- Your attention is respectfully invited to the various sugges-
paratory steps towards the graduation of the price of the tions of the Secretary for the improvement of the naval service.
public lands, and further and more effectual provisions to pre- The report of the Postmaster-General exhibits the progress
vent' intrusions 'hereafter. Indulgences to those who have and condition of the mail service. The operations of the
settled on these lands with expectations that past legislation Post Office Department constitute one of the most active ele-
would be made a rule for the future, and at the same time re- ments of our national prosperity, and it is gratifying to observe
moving the most plausible ground on which intrusions are with what vigour they are conducted. The mail routes of the
excused, and adopting more efficient means to prevent them United States cover an extent of about one hundred and forty
hereafter, appear to me the most judicious disposition which two thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven mile, having
can be made of this difficult subject. The limitations and re- been increased about thirty-seven thousand ene hundred and
strictions to guard against abuses in the execution of a pre- three miles within the last two years:. The annual mail trans-
cmption law, will necessarily attract the careful attention of portation on these routes is about thirty-six millions two hun- •
Congress, but under no circumstances is it considered expe- dted and twenty-eight thousand nine hundred and sixty-two
dient to authorize floating claims in any shape. They have miles, having been increased about ten millions three hundred
been heretofore, and doubtless would be hereafter, most pro- and fifty-nine thousand four hundred and seventy-six miles
lific sources of fraud and oppression, and instead of operating within the same period.
to confer the favour of the Government on industrious settlers, The number of post officers has also been increased from ten
are often used only to minister to a spirit of cupidity at the thousand seven hundred and seventy to twelve thousand and
expense of the most meritorious of that class. ninety-nine, very few of which receive the mails less than
The ;Accompanying report of the Secretary 'of War will once a week, and a large portion of them daily. Contractors
bring to your view the state of the army, and all the various and postmasters in general are represented as attending to
subjects confided to the superintendence of that officer. their duties with most commendable zeal and fidelity.
The principal part of the army has been concentrated in The revenue of the Department, within the year ending on
Florida, with a view, and in the expectation, of bringing the the thirtieth June last, was foer millions one hundred and
wsr in that territory to a speedy close. The necessity of thirty seven thousand and fifty six dollars and fifty nine cents.;
stripping the posts on the maritime and inland frontiers of and its liabilities accruing within the same time were three
their entire garrisons, for the purpose of assembling in the millions three hundred and eighty thousand eight hundred and
field an army of less than four thousand men, would seem to forty seven dollars and seventy five cents. The increase of
indicate the necessity of increasing our regular forces; and revenue over that of the preceding, year wes seven hundred
the superior efficiency, as well as greatly diminished expense and eight thousand one hundred arid sixty six dollars and forty
of that description of troops, recommend this measure as one one cents.
of economy as well as of expediency. I refer to the report for For many interesting details I refer you to the report ,of
the reasons wnich have induced the Secretary of War to urge the Postmaster-General, with the accompanying paper. Your
the re-organization and enlargement of the staff of the army, particular attention is invited to the necessity of providing a
and the ordnance corps, in which I fully concur. more safe and convenient building for the accommodation of
It is not, however, compatible with the interest of the pea- that department..
plc to maintain, in time of peace, a'regular force adequate to • I lay before Congress copies of reports submitted in pursu-
the defence of our extensive frontiers. In periods of danger ence of a call made by me upon the heads of Departments, for
and alarm, we must rely principally upon a well-organised such suggestions as their experience might enable them to
militia; and some general arrangement that will render this make as to what further legislative provisions may be advan-
description of force more efficient, has long been a subject of tageously adopted to secure the faithful application of public
anxious solicitude. It was recommended to the first Congress monies to the objects for which they are appropriated; to pre-
by Gen. Washington, and has been since frequently brought vent their misapplication or embezzlement by those entrusted
to your notice, and recently its importance strongly urged by with the expenditure of them ; and generally to increase the
my immediate predecessor. The provision in the Constitu- security of the Government against losses in their disburse-
tion that renders it necessary to adopt an uniform system of ment. It is, needless to dilate on the importance of provid-
organization for the militia throughout the United States, pre- ing such new safeguards as arc within the power of legislation
cents an insurmountable obstacle to an efficient arrangement to promote these ends, and I have little to add to the recom-
by the classification heretofore proposed, and I invite your at- mendations submitted in the accompanying papers.
tention to the plan which will be submitted by the Secretary of By law, the terms of service of our most important collecting
War, fur the organization of volunteer corps, and the instruc- and disbursing officers in the civil departments are limited to
tion of militia officers, as more simple and practicable, if not four years, and when re-appointed, their bonds are required to
equally a'lvantageous, as a general arrangement of the whole be renewed.
militia of the whole United States. The safety of the public is much increased by this feature
A moderate increase of the corps, both of military and topo- of the law, and there can be no doubt that its application to
graphical engineers, has been more than once recommended all officers entrusted with the collection or disbursement of
by my predecessor • and my conviction of the propriety, not to the public money, whatever may be the tenure of their offices,
say necessity, of the measure, in order to enable them to per- would be equally beneficial. I therefore recommend, in ad-
form the various and important duties imposed upon them, in- dition to such of the suggestions presented by the heads of
duces me to repeat the recommendation. Departments as you may think useful, a general provision,
The Military Academy continues to answer all tilt purpo- that all officers of the Army and Navy, or in the Civil De-
ses of its establishment, and not only furnishes well-educated partment, entrusted with the receipt or payment of public
officers to the army, but serves to diffuse throughout the mass money, and whose term of service is either unlimited or for a
of our citizens, individuals possessed of military knowledge, and longer time than four years, be required to give bonds, with
the scientific attainments of civil and military engineering. good and sufficient sureties, at the expiration of every such
At present, the cadet is bound, with consent of his parents or period.
guardians, to remain in service five years from the period of A.change in the period of terminating the fiscal year, from
his enlistment, unless sooner discharged ; thus exacting only the Ist Oct to the Ist of April, has been frequently recum-
one year's service in the Army after his education is com- mended, and appears to be desirable.
pleted. This does not appear to me sufficient. Government The distressing casualties in steam-boats, which have so
ought to command for a longer period the services of those frequently happened during the year, seem to evince the ne-
who are educated at the public expense; and I recommend cessity of attempting to prevent them, by means of severe
that the time of enlistment be extended to seven ycears, and provisions connected with their Custom-house papers. This
the terms of the engagement strictly enforced. subject wa's submitted to the attention of Congress by the Se-
The creation of a national foundry for caunon, to be Corn- cretery of the Treasury in his last annual Report, and will be
mon to the service of the army and navy of the United States, again at the present session, with additional details. It will
has been heretofore recommended, and appears to be required doubtless receive that early and careful consideration which
in order to'place our ordnance on an equal footing with that of its pressing importance appears to require.
other countries, and to enable that branch of the service to Your attention has heretofore been frequently called to the
coatroul the prices of those articles, and graduate the supplies affairs of the District of Columbia, and I should not again ask
to the wants of the Government, as welle as to regulate their it, did not their entire dependence on Congress give them a
quality, and insure their uniformity. The same reasons in- constant claim upon its notice. Separated by the Constitu-
duce me to recommend the erection of a manufactory of gun- lion from the rest of the Union, limited in extent, and aided
powder, to be under the direction of the Ordnance office. The by no Legislature of its own, it would seem a spot where a
establishment of a manufactory of small arms, west of the Al- wise and uniform system of local government might have been
legheney mountains, upon the plan proposed by the Secretary easily adopted. This district, however, unfortunately, has
of War, will contribute to extend throughout that country the been left to linger behind the rest of the Union ; its codes,
improvements which exist in establishments of a similar des- civil and criminal, are not only very defective, but full of ob-
cription in the Atlantic States, and tend to a much more etc- solete or inconvenient provisions ; beine formed of the por-
nomical distribution of the armament required in the western lions of two States ; discrepancies in the laws prevail in dif-
portion of our Union. ferent parts of the territory, small as it is; and although it
The system of removing the Indians west of the Mississippi, was selected as the seat of the General Government, the site
commenced by Mr. Jefferson in 1801, has been steadily per- of its public edifices, the depository of its archives, and the re-
severed in by every succeeding President, and may be con- sidence of officers mauled with large amounts of public prole
sidered the settled policy of the country. Unconnected at first perty, and the manage•nt of public business, yet it has never
with any well-defined system for their improvement, the in- been subjected to, or received, that special and comprehensive
ducements 'held out to the Indians were confined to the greater legislation which these circumstances peculiarly demand. I
abundance of game to be found in the West ; but when the am well aware of the various subjects of greater magnitude
beneficial effects of their removal were apparent, a more phi- and immediate interest that press themselves on the considera-
lanthropic and enlightened policy was adopted, in purchasing tion of Congress ; but I believe that there is not one that ait
their lands cast of the Mississippi. Liberal prices were given, peals more directly to its justice than a liberal, and even ge-
and provisions inserted in all the treaties with then', for the nerous, attention to the interests of the District of Columbia,
4pplication of the funds they received in exchange, to such and a thorough and careful revision of its local government.
purposes as were best calculated to promote their present wel- Washington, ,Dec. 5, 1837. M. VAN BUREN.
fare, and advance their future civilization. These measures
have been attended thus far the happiest results.
It will be seen, by referring to the Report of the Commis-
sioners of Indian Affairs, that the most sanguine expectations
of the friends and promoters of this system have been realized.
The Choctaws, Cherokees, and other tribes that first emigrated
beyond the Mississippi, have, for the most part, abandoned
the hunter state, and become cultivators of the soil. The im-
provement in their condition has been rapid, and it is believed
that they are now fitted to enjoy the advantages of a simple
form of government, which has been submitted to them and re-
ceived their sanction, and I cannot too strongly urge this sub-

COWES; ISLE OF WIGHT.

THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON
Last summer numbered 143 members, 588 honorary mem-
bers, and 97 yachts afloat—of which about one-half were built
at this port. There are five al4ove 200 tons, and 33 above 100
tons—altogether measuring 8,646 tons, and employing up-
wards of 1,100 able-bodied seamen, who would be of the
greatest service to the country in case of emergency—indeed,
it is one of the first nurseries for seamen in the kingdom.
There arc now building at this port a ship for his Grace the
Duke of Neweastle, a cutter for Colonel Beach, one for
Colonel Madden, and one for Mr. Cooper—a yawl for Mr.
Saunderson, and one fur Mr. Lane.
Several candidates are to be balloted for at the next general
meeting ; and we understand a large squadron of yachts will
proceed to the Baltic next summer.
It has blown a heavy gale from the S.W. during the night,
with thick weather, during which a vessel drifted on shore
near Atherfield, at the hack of the Island. Reported to be a
Swedish brig, loaded with salt ; crew saved.
Numerous robberies have been committed in the Island
during this winter—more, indeed, than were ever before
known, such offences being very rare here. On Sunday the
17th inst., a young man of the name of Edward Tucker was
apprehended on suspicion of stopping Mr. Joseph Richards,
sen., of Cowes, on the Newport road, and demanding his
money, on the preceding evening. The old gentleman de-
fended himself, till the sound of a carriage approaching
alarmed Tucker, and he made off. No robbery has since
taken place ; it is therefore hoped the thief has been detected.

ject upon the attention of Congress.
Stipulations have been made with all the Indian tribes to
the
them beyond the Misaissipi, except vs ith the band of
Wyandotts, the six nations in New York, the Menomonees,
Mandans, and Stockbridgcs in Winconsin, and Miamics in
Indiana. With all but the Menomonees, it is expected that
arrangements for their emigration will be completed the pre-
sent year. The resistance which has been opposed to their
removal by some of the tribes, even after treaties had been
made with them to that effect, has arisen from various causes,
operating differently on each of them. In most instances they
have been instigated to resistance by persons to whom the
trade with them and the acquisition of their annuities were
important ; and in some by the personal influen: e of interested
Chiefs. These obstacles must be overcome ; for the Go-
vernment cannot relinquish the execution of this policy with-
out sacrificing important interests, and abandoning the tribes
remaining east of the Mississippi to certain destruction.
The decrease in numbers of the tribes within the limits of
the states and territories, has been most rapid. If they be
removed, they can be protected from those associations and
evil practices which exert so pernicious and destructive an
influence over their destinies. They can be i,,duced to labour,
and to acquire property, and its acquisition will inspire them
with a feeling of independence. Their minds can be culti-
vated. and they can be taught the value of salutary and uni-
form laws, and be made sensible of the blessings of free go-
vernment, and capable of enjoying its advantages. In the
possession of property, knowledge, and a good government,
free to give what direction they please to their labour, and
shares in the legislation by which their persons and the pro-
perty of their industry are to be protected and secured, they will
have an ever present conviction of the importance of union, of
peace among themselves, and of the preservation of amicable rela-
tions with us. The interests of the United States would also
be greatly promoted by freeing the relations between the Ge-
neral and State Governments frem what has proved a most
embarrassing incumbrance, by a satisfactory adjustment of
conflicting titles to lands, caused by the occupation of the In-
dians, and by causing the resource; of the whole country to
be developed by the power of the State and General Govern-
ments, and improved by the enterprise of a white population.
Intimately connected with this subject is the obligation of
the Government to fulfil its treaty stipulations, and to protect
the Indians thus assembled " at their new residences from all
interruptions and disturbances from any other tribes or na-
tions of Indians, or from any other person or persons whatso-
ever," and the equally solemn obligation to guard from Indian
hostility it cwn border settlements, stretching along a line of
more than one thousand miles. To enable the Government to
redeem this pledge to the Indians, nail to afford adequate
protection to its own citizens, will require the continual pre-
sence of a considerable regular force on the frontiers, and the
establishment of a chain of permanent posts. Examinations c.f
the country are now making: with a view to decide on the
most suitable points for the erection of fortresses and other
works of defence, the results of which will be presented to you
by the Secretary of War at an early day, together with a plan
for the effectual protection of friendly Indians, and the per-
manent defence of the frontier States.
By the report of the Secretary of the Navy, herewith com-
municated, it appears that unrcmitted exertions hare been
made at the different navy yards to carry into effect all au-
thorized measures for the extension and employment of our
naval force. The launching and preparation of the ship of the
line Pennsylvania, and the complete repairs of the ships of the
line Ohio, Delaware, and Columbus, may be noticed as forming
a respectable addition to this important arm of our national
defence. Our commerce and navigation have received in-
creased aid and protection during the present year. Our
squadrons in the Pacific and on the Brazilian station have
been much increased, and that in the Mediterranean, although
small, is adequate to the common wants of our commerce in

At a meeting of the committee of the Stroud Ballot
Association, held on the 7th inst., an address from the Bir..
mingliam Political Union was read, when the following reso-
lutions were unanimously agreed to :-1. That the committee
fully agree with the Birmingham Reformers, that the recent
determined opposition of Lord John Russell to the ballot, has.
rendered him unfit any longer to be our representative in Pan-
liament. 2. That the late statement of his Lordship, that it
was the intention of the originators of the Reform Bill to give
a decided preponderance to the landed over the manufacturing
town, and commercial interests, is altogether repugnant to the
just claims of the latter; and, in the opinion of the committee,
furnishes one conclusive argument fur the revision and entire
re-construction of that important measure.
The late Counsellor Caldbeck, of the Irish bar, who
drudged in his profession till he was near eighty, being st.
king's counsel, frequently went circuit as judge of assizo, when
any one of the twelve judges was prevented by illness. On one
of those occasions, a fellow was convicted before him at Wex-
ford for bigamy ; and when the learned counsel came to pass
sentence, after lecturing the fellow pretty roundly upon the na-
ture of his uxorious crime, added, The only punishment
which the law authorises me to inflict is, that you be trans-
ported to parts beyond the seas for the term of seven years ;
but if I had my will, you should not escape with so mild a pu-
nishment, for I would sentence you for the term of your Me
tural life—to live in the same house with both your wives.
- -

An editor is but a creature of the imagination. No-
body ever saw an editor. Nobody bath known him. He is
invisible, impalpable, immaterial. He is not an individual
being, for he is as a wE ! An I, is a defined, substantial
entity, which all can understand who have a looking-glass
before them ; but a ATE, a singular plural, a militant in
parvo, is a mystery that cannot be comprehended by common
brains.

A witness cannot recover expenses incurred by at-
tending at a trial in which he slay be subpcencd by an attorney,
unles3 there be a special contract between them. The at-
torney is only the agent of the client, and against the latter
only can the witness have a claim ; but co witness is bound to
attend unless his reasonable expanses arc paid before hand
and if he is not paid he has a remedy against the party after-
wards. This was the decision given the other day by the
Court of £chequer in a case Robies v. Bridge.
Wednesdav last was the wettest day ever experienced
in Huddersfield and its neighbourhood, the rain falling in tor-
rents the who of the day. Many cellars were nearly filltd
with water iniarious parts of the town,- and considerable
damage done.