The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1837-12-12

l ugE Inc {
tain the lands occupied, upon payment OF the mini
mum government price They ask that which
has been repeatedly granted before. If the future
be Judged FLY the past, little harm can be dono to
the interests of the treasury by yielding to their re-
quest Upon n critical examination, il is found tina,
the lands sold at the public sales since the ntroduc-
ton of cash payments in 1920, have produced on
an nv erage, the nett revenue of only six cents an
acre moro than the minimum government price.
There is to suppose that future sales will
be productive. The government, therefore,
has no adequate pecuniary interest, to induce 1t TO
drive these people from the lands they occupy, for
the purpose of selling them to others
Entertaining these views, recommend the pas
sage of presumption law for their beneht, in con
necon with the preparatory steps toward the grad
uation Of the price of the public lands, and further
and effectual provisions to prevent intrusions
hereafter Indulgence to those who have settled
on these lands with expectations that past Legislation
would be made rule for the future, and at the same
time removing the most plausible ground on which
| intrusions are excused and adopting more efficient
means to protect them hereafter, appear to me tho
most iudlcous disposition which can be made of
this difficult subject The limitations and restric-
tons guard against abuses IN the Pre-emPtion law
will necessarily attract the careful attention OF Con
| aress; but under circumstances is IT considered
| expected to authorize floating claims in any shape
They have been heretofore, and doubtless would be
hereafter prolific OF fraud and oppres-
sion and instead Of operating to confer the favor
of the government industrious Settlers are oiten
used only to minister to spirit OF cupidity at the
expense of the most meritorous OF that class WV
The accompanying report OF me SeGfe'ary Vi war
will bring TO your view the state of the Army, ana
all the various subjects confded to the supernten-
dence of that officer.
The principal part of The Army has been con-
centrated in Florida, with view and in the exPec-
tation of bringing the war in that Territory to a
speedy close The necessity of stripping the posts
on the maritime and inland frontiers of Their entire
garrisons, for the purpose OF assembling III inc
field an army of less than four thousand men,
would seem to indicate the necessity OF increas-
ing our regular forces; and the superior ef1cIen-
cy, as well as greatly diminished expense OF that
description of troops, recommend this measure
as one of economy as we'll as oil expediehcy'
refer to the report for the reasons which have in
iuced the Secretary of War TO urge the reorgan-
ization and enlargement OF the staff of the Army,
and of the ordnance corps, in which L fully
concur.
1t is not however, compatible with the interest
of the people to maintain, in time OF peace, reg
ular force adequate to the defence of our extern
sive frontiers. In periods Of danger and alarm,
must rely principally upon well organized
militia: and somcs general arrangement which
will renderthis description OF force more efficient;
has long been n subject of anxious solicitnde. 1t
was recommended to the first Congress by Cen
eral Washington, and has been since frequently
brought to your notice, and recently its import
ance strongly urged by my immediate predeces-
sor. The provision in the Constitution that rem
ders it necessary to adopt an uniform system Of
organization for the militia throughout the United
States presents an nsurmountable obstacle TO
an efficient arrangement by the Classification
heretofore proposed, and invite yonr attention
to a plan submitted by the Secretary of War, for
the organization of volunteer corps, and the ill
strucon of militia officers, us more simple and
practicable, if not equally advantageous, q
general arrangement of the whole militia of the
United States.
A moderate increase of tie corps OF military
and typographical engineers, has been more than
once recommended by my predecessor and my
conviction Of the propriety, not to say the neces
sjty of the measure, i'm order 10 enable them to-
nei"tnrm the various and important duties impos-
ed upon them, induces me to repeat the recon-
mendation.
The Military Academy continues to answer all
the purposes Of its establishment, and not only
furnishes well educated officers 10 the army, bus
serves to diffuse throughout the mass of our cit
zens individuals possessed of military knowledge
and the scientific attanments of civil and militia
ry engineering. AT present, the Cadet is bound,
with consent of his parents or guardians to re-
main in service five years from the period OF his
unless sooner discharged, thus exact
ing only years service after his education Isl
completed. This does not appear to me suffi~
Gent Government ought to command for
longer period the services of those who are edu-
Gated ut the public expense and ! recommend
that the time of enlistment be extended to seven
years, and the terms of engagement be strictly
enforced
The erection ola national foundry for cannon,
W oe common 10 inc service oil the united states
has been heretofore recommended, and appears
to be required in order to plnce our ordnance on
an equal footing with that of other countries, and
TO enable that branch of service to control the,
prices of those articles, and graduate the supplies;
to the wants OF the Government, as well as to.
regulate their quality and ensure uniformity
The same reasons induce me to recommend The
erection of mandatory OF fgunpowder, to be,
under the direction of the Ordnance office
The establishment of mandatory of small
arms west of the Allegheny mountains, upon the
plan proposed by the Secretary of war, will con-
tribute to extend throughout that country the,
improvements which exist in establishments Of
n similar description in the Atlantic States, and
tend to much more economical distribution of
the armament required in the western portion of
our Union.
The system of removing the Indians west of
tho Mississippi, commenced by MIR Jefferson in
1894, has been steadily persevered in by every
President, and may be considered the
settled policy of the country. Unconnected at