Litchfield enquirer., 1837-12-14

A large portion of our cIizsns have seatod them. sclves on .h< PssEs E snds. Ei!hOq. authoIity sincS the enactment of another tO enable them to retain the lands occuPeds upon payment Of the minimum Gov eTnnlent price. They ask that which has been 70. peatedly granted before. If che future may be iudg- ed of by the past, little harm be done to the Inter- ests of the Treasury by yielding Q their request Up on critical examination, 1t is found that the lands sold the public sales since the introduction of cash payments in 102O have produced, on an average the GoyernIent pTce TSsre ia o rssson sss@ % suppose that future sales will be moro productive- The Government, therefore, has no adequate pecun- iary interest to induce tt to drive these people from the lands they occupy, for the purpose of selling them 1 to others.
 Entertaining these views, recommend the pas sage of pre-emptonlaw for their benefit, in connec ton with the preparatory steps toward the graduation o[ the prce of the public ands and further and more GnscIga provisions to prevent intrusions hereafer
 uulgence to those who have settled on these lands wn expectations that past legislation would be made
 rule tor the future, and the same time removing cused and adopting more efficient means to prevent them hereafter appear to the most malicious dis REsluGn @ winch can be made ofthis difficult subject The hmItatlons and restrictions to guard against abu ses in the execution of preempon law will neces- sary attract the carefa attention of Congress; but under no circumstances is it considered expedient to- authorize floating claims in any shape. They have been heretofore, and doubtless would be hereafter most prolific sources of fraud and oppression, and - stead ot operating to confer the favor of the Govern ment on industrious settlers often used only to- minister to spirit of cupdity at the expense of the l InOSL WeT1tOflOuS or that cIaSS.
 The accompanying report of the Secretary of War VIII bring to your view the state of the Army and aE the various subjects conded to the superintendence The principal part of the Army has been concefl- rated III Florida, with view, and in the expectation E % bringing the war in that territory speedy close and inland frontiers of their entire parsons for tbe purpose of assembling nthe field an army of less than tour thousand men, would indicate the ne- cessX oi increasing our regular forces and the supe
 oL emclency, as well as greatly diminished expense mat oescnphon of troops, recommend this measure
 to the report for the which have ndnced inc Secretary ot War to urge the reorganization and en- Of tn the S siai of the Army and of the ord
 It IS not, however, compatible with the interest of the people to maintain, in time of peace, a regular Ggce @ aqequate to the defence of extensive from uers In periods of danger and alarm, we must rely prlncpaly upon well-organized militia and some general arrangement that will render this description ot force more efficient, has long been subject of anx lous solcitude. It wasrecomrnended to the first Con gress by General Washington, and has been since requently brought to your noce and recently its inn sor The provision R the Constitution that renders t necessary to adopt an uniform system of organization TOT the militia throughout the United States, presents an lnsurmountable obstacle to an efficient arrange. ment by the classification heretofore proposed and invite your attention to the plan which will be sub youD,eer ang , .be tor the cers as more simple and practicable, if equally ad- ;tg vaGtageG9Gs, 9 , as general arrangement of the whole
 
 moderate increase of the corps both of military and engineers, has been more than once recommended by my predecessor; and my convic- sure in order to enable them to perform the various and important duties imposed upon them, induces me l to repeat the recommendation. sS&
 | The Military Academy continues 10 answer all the wel-edhcated officers to the Army, but serves to df- possessed Of military knowledge, and the scien,ic a. talnments of civil and military engineering. At prcs- ent the cadet is bound, with consent of his parents or guardians to remain in service five years from the penod ot his enlistment, unless sooner di> charged thus ctng only one years service in tLe Army af
 ter his education is completed This does not appear to me sufficient. Govefnnent ought to command for longer period the services of those who edneateH at the. public expense; and Isreconmcnd that the the terms of the engagement strictly enforced. .t
 The creation ofa national foundry for cannon, to be, United States, has been heretofore recommended. and appears to be required n order to place ordnance on an equal footing with that of other countries and to enable that branch of the service to control the pr- ces of those articles and eradicate the supplies to the wants of the Government well as 10 regulate their quality and ensure their uniformity. The ssme rea- factory of gunpowder to be ner the direction of the Ordnance office. The es,ablshmentofa a maaufacto- on the plan proposed by the Secretary of War. wifi contribute to extend throughout hat country the ni- proyements which exist 1T, estabisbienis of similar description in the Atlantic States, and tend much more economical distribution of tEe arnaineDt requir ed n the western portion of ouFs Union. s V. ,{, The system of removing the Indians west of the been steadily persevered in by every succeeding Pre- sden, and may be considered the settled policy of the country Unconnected at first with any well de- fined system for their improvement, the Inducements held out to the Indians were confined to the greater abundance of game to be found in the West; but when the beneficial effects of their removal were made apparent, a more phlanthropic and enlightened policy was adopted in purchasing their lands east of ths Mississippi, Liberal prices were given, and pro application of the funds they received in exchange 10 such purposes were best calculated to promote their present welfare, and advance their future civilization These measures have been attended thus far with the happiest results. E.t..ta
 will be sec by referring to the report of the Com missioner of Indian Affairs. that the most sanguine pectations of the friends and promoters of this system other tribes that first emigrated beyond the Missssp pi, have, tor the most part, abandoned the hunter state, and become cuyators of the soil. The in,- provement in their condition has been rapid and it ls tages of simple form of government, which has been submitted to them and received their sanction; and cannot too strongly urge this subject upon the attsn ton of Congress- A~H% -'t3 y '" tribes to remove them beyond the Mississippi except with lte band of the Wyandos, the Six Nations in New York, the Menomonees, Mandans and Stock bridges in Wisconsin. and Miamies in Indiana. With all but the Menomonees it is expected that nrrange ments for their emigration will be completed the pres ent year. The resistance which hos been opposed to their removal by some of the tribes, after trea- ties had been made with them to that effect, has aris- en from various causes operating differently on eacn of them. In most instances they have been instga- ted to resistance by persons to whom the trade weh them and the acquisition of their annuities we're m portant, and n some by the personal influence o ln- terested Chiefs. These obstacles must be overcome, for the Government cannot relinquish the execution of this policy without sacrificing important interests,