Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1850-01-15
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIORS;
REPORT.

The act establishing the department o
the Interior "A Home department. was pass
ed at the close ofthe last session of Congress
and the present report is the first from thi
new and important department. 1t embra
ces the Public Buildings, Patent Office, Pen
sion Office, Public Lands in California, Ore
gon and New Mexico, Mineral Lands in Cal
ifornia, Road to the Pacific, Indian affairs
&c.
This Home Department must become on,
of the most important and useful in our gov.
ernmental organization. The following ex
tracts and statements from the Report viii
present the views of the Secretary upon the
several SUBJECTS mentioned:
PATENT OFFICE.
The Patent Office, which marks the prog
ress and collects the results Of the inventive
genius of the American people, is an object
of increasing interest and Importance. The
skillful and ready application of the accumu-
lated stores ofhuman knowledge, especially
the natural sciencies, to the wants and pur-
poses of man, is distinguishing character
istic of the present age. Not but that the
discoveries of science are pressed as tigor-
ously and with as great intellectual power in
this as in the past, but the present is espec-
! ially marked by the practical application OF
every thing known,a and which becomes known
to the daily wants and uses and purposes of
| life.
In this noble struggle for the earliest at
tainment ofthe useful in the arts; this press
ing forward to the ameloration of the condi-
I ton of man, the increasing of his comforts
and lesseniDg his tolls by the application of
scieRce to the improvement of his industrial
pursuits, that country will be foremost in
which enlightened mind is most generally
and most Immediately brought into contact
with operative labor.
1t is in that fortunate concurrence of pur-
suits, where the hours Of labor in the work
shop are made to alternate with those of study
and research, that there are cultivated and
matured minds like those of Franklin. Rittn-
house. Watt, and Davy, rich in inductive
science, and ready in its application to all
that is useful or enobling. Many of the best
and rpest minds of our own country belong
to this class Of operative students, and have
long been and are still devoting themselves
with signal success to scientific discoveries
and mechanical improvements and inven-
ions.
There is, as a matter of course, among the
inventions of the day, mixed with the we'll
directed and the useful, much that is wild and
visionary, and therefore abortive; and some
times, perhaps, the vague, and, for tho pres
ent useless foreshadowing of important fu-
ture discoveries. But the aggregate value
of the labor and study of the class of invent
ors is beyond all estimate. They have prov
ed themselves benefactors to their country,
and are entitled to the especial consideration
and care of the Government, The report of
the Commissioner of Patents, which will be
presented at an early day, will show large
surplus fund accumulated from their contri-
buttons, part Of which was appropriated at
the last session of Congress towards the e.
rection of the wings Of the Patent Office bull
ding No part of the addition is considered
necessary for the use Of that office. Instead
of thus directing this fund to general pur-
pose of the Government, it would seem but
just to apply it as the Commissioner recon-
mends,or in some other manner. that the wis
dom of Congress may suggest, Tor the en-
oouragement Of the inventive arts and the re-
ward of successful inventors.
AGRICULTURAL BUREAU.
The agricultural interests stands first in
Importance in our country, and embodies
within itself the principal elements of our
national wealth and power; and it should be
with us as it has been and Is With all other
prosperous civilized nations, a leading OBJ
lect of public care and patronage. The prin-
cipal nations of Europe have their agrcultu-
raj boards, known by various names, under
the direction of men of high scientific attain
ments, supported out of the revenues and con-
nected with the administration of the Gov
ernment. And to borrow the language of
the Father of his country in his last annual
Messagei This species of establishment
contributes doubly to the increase Of improve
'ment, by stimulating to enterprise and en-
pertinent, and by drawing to common cen
tire the results every where of individual
skill and observation, and spreading them
thence over the whole nation Experience
accordingly has shown that they are very
cheap instruments immense national ben
'eft'
No direct aid has been extended by our
Government TO agriculture, except by the
yearly collection and publication, through
the Patent Office, at some agricultural expe-
riments and statistics, and recently the anal.
ysis of some soils and vegetable productions
The means thus applied, though useful in
their results, are wholly inadequate.
To meet the great object fully, and give to
this leading branch of American industry the
aid which it so well merits, | respectfully
suggest the establishment of an Agricultural
Burean, connected with this Department, but
separated from the Patent Office. The ex-
expense would be small compared with the
end TO be accomplished.
If this suggestion should meet with the
appreciation of Congress, and the organiza-
ton Of the bureau become a subject of con-
gress, and the organization Of the beaureau be
come a consideration much aid may be derived
from consulting the system adopted by France
and Belgium, both of which have done much
towards the Advancement Of agriculture as sci
ence. Belgium, il was believed, has the best
organized agricultural department, and partly
owing to this, and partly TO the natural fertility
of the soil, the best cultivated and most highly
productive country in Europe.
PUBLIC LANDS IN OREGON, sc.
Il L.. a.