Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-10

:, rho ,rIlic craai:..rs. and eal+a-ipi" circna-
,io,s ss.a currency among ITO ps's1": Inc
amount @; cold and silver cola nos III '' tIi1aI-
ton in Tie country is larger than at a'y 'o'-
mer period. g., oos.
stitu,ional treasury has been, l""S az en'
nently eucce ssful III It's operations; ara re-
commend an adherence lo'ali lis eSscc''a' plo-
visions: and espec tally to that vial provision
which wholly separates lle government 'o'n
all connexicn with banks, ard eHciutes ta"h
paopr from all revenue receipts.
in some of It's details. no! involving us gen,
oral yrincirles, the system is de!ecii'1, a"h VII
reouire modification. These defects, and SUCH
amendments as are deemed important, were set
forth in the las, annual report oil me ''e''e'a'y
of the Treasury These amehuaipits a,e
again recon mendsd to the early ana iaS"faoie
consideration OF Congress.
During the past year, the coinage al ''he
mint and it's branches has exceeded twenty
nilIions Of dollars. This has consisted chiefly
in converting the coins Vi :oretSa cophthes ~
to American coin. - -;
T6e LARGEST n mount s.i-4s1eisn coin imported
he, been sTeceivcd at New York; and II a a
branch mint were established atthat CRY. all
The for.ion coin received al tina, port couic al
once be converted into oar own coin. WITHOUT
the expense. risk and delay Q! transporting
i, TO The mint Tor that purpose, and The amount
recoined would he much larger.
Experience has proved thai foreign con a''
eSe66sIa s 'G rs eufre..,, aar Tho neopIe.
The impoftant measure OF extending our sPe
Gle circulation, bo, Of gold aud silver, anu OF
diffusipg i, among the people, can only be ell
lec,ed by converting such foreign com mo
American coin. repeat The recommendation
contained IN my last annual mess"ge Tor me
establishment Of branch OF the mint o! Inc
United States al the city OF New York.
Ali The public lands which have been sur
viewed ard were ready for ms'ket have eseh
I proclaimed for sale during tho past year ! ne
quantity offered and to be offered tor saia uhasr
nrocla,nutions Issued since The first oi January
last. amounts 10 nine million one anDdred aud
1hiriy.eioht thousand five hundred ana thirty
one acres. The prosperity OF ldc Wes'eih
States and territories in winch these lands iIe'
will be advanced by'theIr speedy sale. ny
Withholding Them from the market their growth
and increase Of population would be retarded
| while thousands OF our enterprising snd merl,
! torious frontier population would De de?tseu
of the opportunity of occurring irreho'ds Tor
themselves and ,hcir families. Blu, in addition
to The general cons deratlons which rendeFea
The early sale OF these lands iTupcr' II was j
leading object 1T this time 10 oenre.as lafee
| sum AS possible irIm this source. sni tnas ell
| mnish, by that amount, lire rathc loan fenuef-
ed necessary By the eN,sl.ncs di l"fe'sh
war. ir... 3
Itis,cs.imalel that nni less i:an ice ui'i!'ons
of acres cf Inc public lands will b" surveyed
and be in condition 10 b. proclaimed ter sale
during the year lS4S.
In Inv l.aa anrual message presented the
reasons which, in my Judgment, rendsrcd II
proper TO graduate aud reduce tie price o. such
OF the public lands as have remained upsuld
for long periods after they had been oitc'ed io'
sale al public auction. -..- III. 80.
MANY millions Of acres ofpuuliG lands lying
within lbe limits al several western S:a'er
have been offered in The market, and been sub
ject to sale at private entry Tor more than TWEEN
| IL wears, and large quantities Tor more man
thirty years, al the lowes' nrice prescribed BY
the existing laws, and it has aeen icund thai
they will not command HAT price. They must
remain unso!d and uncntlvaicd Tor an indeii-
mite period, unless the price demanded ior then
BY the government shall be reduced. No sat
;siactory reason is perceived why they should
be longer held at rates above their real value
Al the present period an additional reason eS-
lists Tor adopting the measure recommended
When the country is engaged ina foreign war
and we must necessarily resort to loans, il
would seem 10 be the dictate ot wisdom that
we should avail ourselves Of all our resources
and thus limit the amour; OF the public iDdebt-
-I--- - tho lowest possible sum.
recommend lha, The existing I,:.o %" 'T'r
subject of pre- cmplion rights be amended and
modified so as 20 operate prospec'Iyely, aud to
embrace all who may settle upon the public
lands and make improvements upon them he
fore they are surveyed, as well as afterwards,
in all cases where such settlements may be
made after The Indian title stall have been
eXinguished. ....,.,-.
1.-the rigtn OF pro-emplon be thus extended, IT
will embrace large and ,nefl:criouS class ol onl
citizens. II viii increase The number OF snai irrc,
bolders upon our borders, who VIII be eiiaoen
the reby 10 educate their children and otherwise i'm
prove their condition, while they Will DC found al
all times. as they have ever proved themselves 10
be- in l!le hour oi danger 10 thei. country, among
our hsrd.est and besr volunteer soldiers, ever Teady
to tender tilsr services in cases OF emergency nnu
among the last to leave the field IA long rs mn enemy
remains 10 be encountered. Srch poi'cy VIII al
80 impress these patriotic pioneer emieraniS with
deeper feelings gratitude Tor the parental care oi
thei. government when they lind i:icr dearest m
tereSls secured TO them by the permanent laws 81
the land md tbs thew are 10 longer IN danger oil
losing their homes and hurd-esrned Improvements
by being brought into competition with more
wealthy class OF purchasers III the land sales.
The attention Of Congress was invited, at their
last and tile ecednI SESSION. to the Importance
Of establishing a territorial government over our
possps .onS in Oregon; and II Is 10 be Tr5fetten
| that there was NJ legislation on The SUBJECT. Our
citizens who nabit that di.an region 81 coa;iirs
are still left without the protection al oar laws or
any regularly organized government Before the
question OF limits md boundaries o. the itrrito-
nv of Oregon were definitely serted,irom tho ne
cessltv OF their condition, the inhablihnts had
established h temporary government Of their own
Besides the wait OF iegal authority Tor c9nInu'
| iau such government, 1t is wholly inadequate 10
Druts q them in their rights ct person and property
or TO secure to l!lcm the enjoyment OF the privileges
OF other citizens, 10 which they arc entitled under
the Constitution of the United States. They should
have the right ui suffrage, be represented III err
ri,orial LEGISLATURE and by delegate IN Congress
and possess all the rights and privileges whlt CHI
zens OF other portions Of the Territories OF the U.
States have heretofore enjoyed, or may row enjoy
Our judicial! sysie n; rspenue laws laws reguiat
ing trade and intercourse with the lnGia: tribss and
the protection o; laws generality should he eX-
,e nied over ti,m IN aadi'ion TO the iphlbi,anls
in that territory w'I hai previously o'0ilra;ed 10
il, large numbers M aGf cll:aens have followed them
during Tie present vrpr; aud ii IL hot doubted hai
during the next aud subsequent years their numbers
will be greatly increased.
Congress, at IL last session, established post
routes leading 10 O:egcn, and between different
points within that territory, aud authorized lhe e.
adjustment OF post offices at"Aslora aDd sncli
other places on tho ceast OF the Pacific. within the
Territory oil the United States. Ms the public infer.
esis may require" Post offices have according
Iy been established, deputy postmas;erF appointed,
and provision made for the transportation OF The
mails.
The preservation OF peace with t!ic Indian tribes
residing ~es, OF the Rocky niounlans will render
Il proper thai authority should be given by law tor
the appointment, OF aa adequate number oI Indian
agents 10 reside among them.
/ recommend tha! surveyor generals Office be
established in that territory, and that the public
lands be surveyed and brought into market at an
early perod. =,
y recommend also, that giants, upon liberal terms,
oil limited quantities OF the public lands he made 10
all citizens of the United States who have cnisra-
led or may hereafter, Within prescribed pc.iud,