Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-12-06

OF Inc slusdfons, wh ch from time 10 10 tis are "a
patched to distant seas; but conpet,nt know ,eye
even OF the art OF ship building. the higher msth
einaucs, and astronomy; the literature which cs,
place our officers level of POLISHED ,,,nra,io,
WIN the officers OF other maritime nations: IN,
Hn'"ieise OF The laws, municipal and national
"nen, IN their intercourse with foreign State
aha 'her Governments, are continually called
mo anon; and above all, that acquaintance
WIN me principles OF honor and justice, with the
t's"e' oolgations Of morals md of general laws
u"a" ana divine, which cons ititus the great dis
! "eiion between The warrior patriot, and the III
eensed roober and pirate; these can be systemat;.
GARY taught and emineni'y acquired only in a
permanent school, stationed upon the shore. and
PROVIDED with the teachers, the instruments % and
the books, conversan, with and ADAPTED 10 the
communication OF the principles OF these respec.
i've sciences 10 the youthful ard inquiring mind.
Inc re port rom the Postmaster General e,bi.
bits The condition Of that Department "a biyb,r
satisfactory Tor the present, and stll more nro,
mi.ins Tor The iuture. Its receipts for the wear
sna'nS the iirst oil July last amounted To one mil
ZION Tour hundred and seventy three thousand We
bundled and hfty-one dollars, and exceeded ito
expenditures by upwards Of one hundre ed thousand
doiisIs. tcanno, be an over slnguine estimate TO
predict that, IN less than years: of h;ch onp
nan have eapsed, the pts will have been more
W doubled. In the mean time, reduced eypen !.
uiture upon established routes has kent nae, IN
Increased fac lties Of public accommodation al
additional services have been ob,aine,, nj reduced
rates OF compensation. Wrhin the last wear The
transportation Of the mail in stages ha. been
greatly augmented The number of Post Office,
mas been Increased to seven thousand; and i, NAV
be anticipated that, while the facilities OF inter
course between fellow citizens, in person or BY
correspondence, will soon be carried to the door
Oh every vsger in the Union, a yearly surplu, of
revenue viii accrue; which may be applied as the
wisdom OF Congress under the exercise OF their
constitutional pow ers, may devise for the further
establishment and improvement, Of the publ C
roads. or by adding still further TO the facilities in
the transportation OF the mails OF the indications
OF the prosperous condton of our co.n,ry. none
can De more pleasing than those presented by the
multiplying relations OF personal and intimate in
tercourse between the citizens of the Union DIV ell
ing at the rsmotes, d'.tances from each other
Among the subjects which have heretofore occu-
pied the earnest sociirde s. attention of Congress
the management and disposal of that norton
OF the property OF the Nation which consists of
The public lands. The acquisition of them, made
at the expense of the whole Union, no, only in
treasure bu, in blood, marks a right of prore.ty
IN them equally extensive. BY the report and
statements from the General Land Office, now
communicaied,Eii appears that, under the present
Government OF the United States, a sum little
short Of thirty three millions of dollars has been
paid from the Common Treasury, for that portion
OF this property whichhas been purchased from
France snd Spain, and for the extinction of the
aboriginal titles. The amount of lands ACQUIRED
is rear two hundred end sixty millions of acres.
OF which, on the first OF January, 1926, about
one Hundred and thirty nine millions of acres had
been surveyed and little more than nineteen
millions ofacres bad been sold. The amount paid
into the Treasury by the purchasers OF the lands
sold is not yet equal TO the sums paid for the
whole but leaves small bslance to be refnndrd;
the proceeds OF the sales of the ans have long been
pledged to the creditors of the Nation; pledee
from which we haye reason 10 hope that they will
IN a very few years be redeemed. The system
upon which this great National interest has been
managed was the result OF long, anxious, and
persevernS deiioeraiion; rnaiured and modified
by the progress OF our population, ard the lessons
OF experience, 1t has been hitherto eminentlv sue
cessiui. More than nne-,enths of the lands
siiil remain the common property of the Union,
the appropriation and disposal of which are
sacred trusts IN the hands of Congress. OF the lands
sold, considerable part were conveyed under ex-
tended credits which, in the vcissitudes and fiuc
uations in the value OF lands an of tbs II produce
became oppressively burden.one 20 the purchasers
II can never be the interest the policy of the
Nation to wiring {, ON its own citizens the reason.
able profits OF their industry and enterprise, by
holding them 10 the rigorous import of disastrous
engagements. In March, 1921, a deb, of twenty
TWO millions of dolls. due by purchasers of the pub
C LANDS, had accumulated, which they were unable
- pay. An act OF Congress, OF the I'd of March,
1921, came 10 their relief, and has been succeed
ed by others the iaes; being the act of tie Alb Of
May. 1876, the indulgent provisions of which ex-
pred on the 9TH OF July last. The effect of these
laws has been TO reduce the debt from the purcha,
ere. 10 remaining balance of about four millions
three hundred thousand dollars due more than
three fiithS OF which for lands within the State
OF Alabama. recommend TO Congress thu revival
and continuance, for luther term, 90 the bene-
tcent Recommendations to The public deb,ors of
that statute, and submit their consideration in
the same spirit of equity the t-misson, under pro-
per determinations, OF the forfeitures of martial
payments on account of purchases of the public
lands 80 lar as to allow OF their application to
other payments.
There are various other subjects, of deem inter.
est TO the Whole Union, which have heretofo,e.
been recommended TO the consideration of Con
gfess' as well by my predecessors as under tbe
impression oil The duties devolying upon me by nv
SELF Among these the debt rather of Justice than
gratitude to the surviving warriors of ibe R.yolp
uonary war; The extension Of the Judicial Admin
isiratIon OF the Federal Government TO those ex.
tensIve and Important members OF the Union
which, having risen into existence since the ORGAN
izliion OF The present Judiciary establishment. nov
constitute at leasi one third of It's territory. power
and population; the formation of more affective
and unioim system for the government of the Mi
lita; anu the amsiioTaon in some form or motif
cation oil the diversified and often oppressivs Cole
elating to insolvency. Amidst The multinIici,y ~
topics Of greet nstional concernment which nav
recommend themselves 10 The calm and pat rio,ir
DELIBERATIONS OF the Legislature, ii may suffice To
say that, on these and al other measures. which
may receive their sanction, my hearty co ons,a'
ton will be given, cVnforIoably to the duties en-
Joined upon me, and under the sense of all the
obligations prescribed by the Constitution
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS