Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-12-14

the constitution for the settlement of all uues.
uons winch may arise under the constitution,
treaties and laws of the United States.
congress Is earnestly invoked, for the sake Of
the Union, us harmony, and our continued PROS
perry as nation, to adjust at its present session
ms, the only dangerous question which lies in
our path-if not in some one of the modes sug-
gested In some other which may be satisfactory.
In anticipation of the establishment of regular
governments over the acquired territories, Joint
commission of officers of the army and navy has
been ordered to proceed to the coast of Callfor-
MIA and Oregon, for the purpose Of making re-
connotSunceS and report as to the proper sites
for the erection of Notifications or other iefen-
slve works OH land, and of suitable situations 49,.
naval stations. The information which may be
expected from scientific and skilful examina-
ton of the whole face of the coast, will be emf
nently useful to Congress, when they come to
consider the proprety of making appropriations
for these great national objects. Proper defen-
ces on land will be necessary for the security
and protection of our possessions; and the es-
adjustment of navy yards, und dock for the re-
par and construction of vessels, will be impor-
tant alike 20 our navy and commercial Marine
Without such establishments, every vessel,
whether OF the navy or of the merchant service,
requiring repair, must, at great expense, come
round Cape Horn to one of our Atlantic yards
for that purpose. With such establishments, ves-
sells, it is believed, may be built or repaired as
cheaply in California as upon the Atlantic coast.
They would give employment to many of our en-
terprising shipbuilders and mechanics, and great
y facilitate and enlarge our commerce in the Pa
ciic.
AS 1t is ascertained that mines of gold, silver,
copper and quicksilver exist in New-Mexco
and California, and that nearly all the lands
where they are found belong to the United
States, 1t Is deemed important to the public in
terest that provision should be made for geo.
logical and meteorological examination of these
regions. Measures should be adopted to pre-
serve the mineral lands, especially such as con-
tain the precious metals, for the use of the Uni.
TED States or if brought into market, to sepa-
rate them from the farming lands, and dispose of
them In such manner as to secure q large re.
turn OF money TO the treasury and at the same
time lead to the development of their wealth by
Individual propreors and purchasers. To do
this, 1t will be necessary TO provide for an mme-
date survey and location of the lots If Con-
gress should deem it proper TO dispose of tho
mineral lands, they should be sold in small
quantities, and at fixed minimum price.
| recommend that surveyor generals offices
be authorized TO be established in New-Msxico
and California, and provision made for surveying
aud bringing the public lands into market at the
earliest practicable period. In dIsposlnu Of
these lands, | recommend that the right of pre-
emption be secured, and liberal grants made TO
the emigrants who have settled or may settle up
on them.
twill be important to extend our revenue laws
over these Territories and especially over Cali
tornln, at an early period. There is already
considerable commerce with California and un-
I'll ports of entry shall be established and coIlec.
tors appointed, no revenue can be received.
If these and other necessary and proper reg
ulatons be adopted for the development of the
wealth and resources of New Mexico and Cali
fornia, and regular Territorial governments DO
established over them, such will probably be tho
rapid enlargement of our national wealth, that
the present generation may live to witness the
controlling commercial and monetary power of
the world transferred from London and other Eu-
ropean emporiums to the City of New York.
The apprehenslons which we're entertained by
some of our statesmen, in the earlier periods of
the Government, that our system was incapable
OF operating with sufficient energy and success
over largely extended territorial limits, and that
| 1t this we're attempted it would fall to pieces by
its own weakness, have been dissipated by our
experience. BY the division Of power between
the States and federal government the latter is
FOUND to operate with as much energy in the OK
tremes as IN the center. 1t is as efficient in tho
remotest OF the thirty States which now compose
the Union, as it was in the thirteen States which
formed the constitution. Indeed it may well be-
doubted whether, If our present population had
been confined within the limits Of the original
thirteen States, the tendencies to Capitalization
and consolidation would not have been such as
have encroached upon the essential reserved
rights OF the States, and thus to have made the
federal government widely different one, prac-
ideally, from what 1t is IN theory, as was intended
to be by its trainers. So far from entertaining
OF hp SAT 4 on h,
extension of our territory, the beliefs confident
y entertained that each new State gives strength
and and an additional guaranty for the preserva-
ton Of the Uuion itself.
In pursuance OF the provisions Of the thirteenth
article of the treaty of peace, friendship, limits
and settlement with the republic of Mexico, and
OF the act of July the twenty ninth, 1913, claims
of our citizens which had been already liquida-
ted and decided against the Mexican republic"
amounting, with the interestIthereon, TO two mil
lion twentythree thousand eight hundred and
thrty-two dollars and ffly-on cents, have been
liquidated and paid. There remain to be paid of
these claims seventy-four thousand one hun
dred and ninety-two dollars and twenly-six cents.
Congress at lis last session having made no
provision for executing the fifteenth article of
the treaty, by which the United States assume
to make satisfaction for the unqudated clalms'
of our citizens against Mexico, to an amount not
eACSeull5 tHlSe anu lnllllOHS Oh uOl-
lars" the subject is again recommended TO your
favorable consideration.
The exchange of Publications of the treaty
with Mexico took place on the Both of May,
1913. Within one year after that time, the COM
missioner and surveyor which each Government
supulates to appoint, are required to meet "at
the port of San Diego and proceed to run and
mark the said boundary in lis whole course to
the mouth of the Rio Bravo del Norte." 1t will
be seen from this provision, that the period with
in which a commissioner and surveyor of the
respective governments are TO meet at San Die
20, will expire on the 30:h of May, 1889. Con-
gress, at the close Of its last session, made an
app opriation for "the expenses of running and
marking the boundary line" between the two
countries, but did not fix the amount of salary
which should be- paid to the commissioner and
surveyor to be appointed on the part of the Uni
ted States. 1t is desirable that the amount of
compensation which they shall receive should be-
prescribed by law, aud not LETT, as at present, to
Executive discretion.
Measures were adopted at the earliest prac.i-
cable period to organize the "Tenitorlal govern
ment of Oregon" as authorized by the act of
the fourteenth OF August last, The Governor
and Marshal Of the Territory, accompanied bya
small military escort, left the frontier OF Mlssou-
ri in September last, and took the southern route,