Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-12-09
WHOLE NUMBER 2S8.

4 since the enactment Of the law now In, forte.
This state Of things has already bad a,prsl-
udicia'l influence upon those engaged infas-
leign coinlnerce. 1t has tendency to dTiys
the henest tatier tsom. the business otaila7,.
4 portingsand to throw that import nt branch 7
iaf employment into the hands Of unscruIpss
jlous and dishonest men, who are alike fe-
/ gardless. of Law and the obligations ,ufs All
oath. BY these means the plain in,entieps
! OF. Congress, ns expressed in the law, are !.
daily defeated. Every motive Of ~licy and,
duty, Therefore, ,ilppei me to ask the earnest
attention Of Congress to this snhject II !
Congress should deem it unwise 70 attemp.
any Important change in the system, Of les-
ying duties. at this session, cit will beceme
indispensable to tie protection Of the feve- :
nue. that such remedies, as in the judsm
of Congress nay mitigate the evils CONF ]
planned OF, should be at once applied. ,s ufa
AS before stated specific duties would in /,
my opinion, afford tbe most perfect feniedy.5
/ Tor this evil; but if you should not concur
in fhis view, then rs a partial remedy, ! :.
beg leave respectfully to recommend that in;
stead Of taking The invoice Of the article. a. h
broad rs a mea ns Of determining its value !.
here, the correctness of which Invoice il il =
in many cases impossible TO. verify, tie law,
be so changed as to require home .alus-
ton or appraisal TO be regulated in snehjy
manner as to sise,. as far as practicable, !.
uni ortnity in the several ports. rssi s,y fs :
s4f. There being NO mint in California ! am.
informed tha, the laborers in the mines ara I.
compelled te dispose eftheir gold dust at a..
large discount. This appears TO me to be ;,
a heaFy and unjust tax upon the labor ef :.
those employed in extracting fhis precious
metal; and | doubt not you will be dispos-,..
ed, at the earliest period possible, TO relie,e,
then, from it by the establishment Of a mint.
In the mean time, a S an assayer's Office is :.
esta blshed there, I would respectfully sob
nit for your cons deration The proPriety ef
authorizing gold bullion, which bas been
assayed and, stamped, to be received in
payment of government dues. ! cannot 7
conceive thai the treasury would suffer any !.
loss by such a provision, which will al once (,
raise bullion 10 It's par value, and thereby.
save Gf am rightly ,fnfotdfd) many mill
ions Of dnIlars e The Iaharers, which are
now paid in Irykel age, 70 coayeit this pre- !.
cous metal into ava liable funds. This dis
count upan their. Lard earnings is a heasx !.
lax, aud every eFo.t should be made BY The
government 10 relieve ,then ffotn 50 great
bu -dca: -. {. i
! More lhs 4 ilres-tou;,hs Of the populs.
ton are engaged in the eultiva ton of tfe |.
ttspil. The commercial, manuiac ctufing, and |.
navigating interests are all, TO great tx-
tent, dependent on tile agricultural. II il.
therefore, tht most important interest Of tie I
naiioii, and has just claim 10 the foster
ing care and protection Of the Government.
SO far as they can be extended consistently
with the provisions of the Constitution. -9i z,
' As this canntt be done by the ordinary
mode. Of legislation, respectfully fecoinl
mend The establishment Of an Agricultural
! Bureau, TO be charged with the duty ofeiv-
ing to this leading branch Of American in
tdustry the encouragement which it so well ,
I deserves In view Of the immense mine
Fral resources Of cur country, provision slio' d
also be made for the employment Of conl-
petent minerolosist and chemist, who sho'd
fbe required, under the direction OF the head
fof the bdreau5 10 collect specimens sof the
various minerals of our country, and 10 as
certain by careful analyst their respective
!, elements and properties, and their adapta-
!. tion 10 useful purposes. He should also be
required to examine and report upon the
qualities Of different soils, and The manurts
best calculated TO improve their productive.
ness. By publishing the results of such
BY the collection and distribution Of rare
seeds and plauts, with instructions as to the !
best system Of cultivation, much may be
\ done to promote this great national interest.
In compliance with the oct Of Congress,
passed on the 23d Of May, 1850, providing.
among other things. for lakirg The Sc, eitt
census. superintendent was appointed,
and all o;her measures adopted which were
deemed necessary 10 ensure the prompt and
faithful performance of that duty. The
\ appropriation already made will, it is be-
'iIieved, be sudicien, 10 defray ,hs whole OK.
Ipense of the work; but further legislation
fmhy be necessary in regard to the compen- !.
saiion Of some Of Il marshals of the Ter.
friiories. Il viii also be proper to make
provision by law, at an early day, for the !.
qualification Of such abstracts Of the returns
rs the public interest may require. v, In.
=
The Unprecedented growt, of our Ter
ritories on the Pacific in, wealth and pepu-.,
laiop, and The consequent increase Of iheir
social ard commercial relations with the
! Atlantic States, seem to render il the duty
Of the Government TO use all its consi,u.
total power 10 improve the means of inter-
course with them The importance Of J
opening ''a line Of communication. the best
and most xfe6i,ious Of which The nature
Of The country will admit" between the
valley Of The Mississippi and The Pacific.
was brought 10 your notice by my prede.
. cessor, in his annual message; and as the
! reasons which he presented in favor Of the |
: measure still exist in full force, beg leave
: to call your attention 10 them, and 10 re-
peatihe recemmendationsth by him.
# The uncertainty which exists in regard
e to the validity Of land titles in California is
: subject which demands your carly con-
Q sideration. Large bodies Of land in TINT