Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-12-06

!, heavy tax, and every effort should be made L
II the Government TO relieve them from so IRE;
q, u burden.
o More than three fourths of our population al
n engaged in the cultivation of the soil. I'll
, conImcrcia manufacturing and NAVIGATING in
forests are all, to a great extent, depcndcnt O
the agricultural. 1t Is, therefore, the most i'm
y portant interest of the nation, and has JUS
claim to the fostering care and protection of tn
Government so far as they can be cxtcnle
consistently with the provisions of the Consti
tuition. As this cannot he done by the orlinar
r modcsof legislation respectfully rccomcnd tn
+ establishment OF al Agricultural Bureau to bc
charged with the duty of giving to this lcadln!
branch of American industry tho encuuragr
| mcnt which il 80 well deserves In view of ib,
lmmcnss mineral resources OF our country, pro
visions should also be made for tho cmployrncn
of competent mineralogist and chemist, VIII,
should DO required, under tho direction of TN,
head Of the bereau, to collect specimens of III,
various minerals Of our country, and to asser,
tain, by careful analysis, their respective elc-
mons aud properties, and their ada ptation to us,
tul purposes. lie should also he required Il
examine and report upon the qualities Of diffc-
rent soils, and tho manures best calculated to
improve their productiycncss. BY Publishing
the results of such experiments, with suitable
eNplnhatio sand by the collection and dstribu-
ton OF rare seeds and plants, with instructions
ms 10 the best system of cultivation, much NAV
be done to promote this great national interest
In compliance with the act of Congress, pass,
ed on the ODD of May, 1850, providing, among
other things, for taking the seventh census, a
superintendent was appointed and all other
measures adopted which were deemed nccessa>
ry to ensure the prompt and faithful perfor-
nance of that duty. The appropriation al
ready made will, it is believed, be sufficient to
dcfray the whole expense of the work but
further legislation may be necessary in regard
to the compensation of some Of the lnarshals of
the Territories. 1t will also be proper to make
provision by law, Mt an carly day, for the publ :
cation Of such abstracts of tho returns as the
public interest may require.
| The Unprecedented growth of our Territories
on the Pacific in wealth and population, and the
consequent increase of their social and commercial
| rotations with the Atlantic States, seem to render
it the duty of the Government to use all its const-
tn;ional power to improve the mean, of intercourse
with them. The importance of opening a line of
communication the best aud most expeditions Of
which the nature of the country will admit, be-
tween the valley of the Mississippi and the Pacific,
was brought TO your notice by my predecessor, in
his annual message and as the reasons which he
present ed III favor OF the measure still exist in full
force, beg leave to call your attention to them
and TO repeat the recommends tons then made by
him.
The uncertainty which exists in regard to the
validity of land titles in California is subject
which demands your early consideration. Large
bodies of land in that State claimed under
grants sail to have been made by authority of the
Spanish and Mexican governments Many of
these have not been perfected, others have been
revoked. and some are believed to be fraudulent:
But until they shall have been udcially investiga-
ted thew will n I'd the nd
improvement OF the country. l. therefore, respect
fully recommend that provision be made by law,
for the appointment OF commissioners to examine
all such claims with view to their final adius.o
ment.
also beg leave to call your attention to the
propriety of extending, at an early day, our
system Of land laws, with such notifications as
may be necessary over the State Of California
aud the territories CT Utah and New Mexico
The mineral lands Of California will, of course,
form an exception to any general system
which may be adopted. Various methods of
dlsposing of them have been suggested.
l was at first inclined to favor the system of
leasing. as ii seemed to promise the largest
revenue to the Government and TO afford the
best security against monopolies but further
reflection, and our experience in leasing the
lead mines AMI selling lands upon credit, have
brought my mind TO tic conclusion that there
would be great difficulty in collecting the rents,
and that the relation of debtor and creditor, be-
tween the citizens and the Government would
be attended with many nischelvous conse-
quences. | therefore recommend that, instead
Of retaining the mineral lands under the per- |
rnanent control OF the Government, they be d. |
ded into small parcels and sold, under such |
restrictions, DIS to quantity and time, as will in.
sure the best price and guard most eliectua!y |
arainst cntnhuai of caDitaIists n nbtoi in |
monopulies.
The annexation of Texas and the acquisition |
Of Cal lurnia and New Mexico have given in
creased Importance TO onr Indian relations
The various tribes brought under our jurlsdc-
ton by these enltrgenens of our boundaries
are estimated to embrace population of one
hundred anJ twenty four thousand.
Texas and N1w Mexico are surrounded By
powerful tribes Of Indians, who ure source Of
instant terror and annoyance TO the nhab
lants. Separated into small predatory bands, |
and always mounted, they overrun the country,
devastating farms, destroying crops, driving of
whole herds OF cattle, and occasionally mar
dering the inhabitants or carrying them into
"a p,vty. The great roads leading into the
country are infested with them whereby trav-
cling il rendered extremely dangerous, and i'm
migration is almost entirely arrested. The
Mexican lroutlcr, which by the lth article Of
the treaty OF Guadalupe IIlnialso, we are
bound To protect against the Indians within our
! own boiLcr, is exposed TO these inc Irsions
equally with our own. The military force sta
i1oIcd in that country (athough f r;ning
/ large proportion of the army is represented as
entirely inadequate TO our owl protection and
thr ia hlmrnt OF our treaty stipniatiun' with
! NcAco. Tho principal deficiency is in caval-
ry, and r, cummcnl that Congress should, a,
as tally pelod a. practicable, provide for the
raising Of one or more regiments OF mounted
men.
! For further Suggestions on this subject, and
! othels connected with our domestic interests.
Bnd the defence OF our frontier, refer you to
the report of the Secretary Of the Interior and
Of the Secretary OF War.
! commend also 10 your consideration the
suggestion contained in the last mentioned re-
port, and in the letter Of the general in chief,
| relative 10 tho establishment Of an asylum for
the relief Of disabled and destitute soldiers
This subject appeals so strongly to your sym
pathics that it would be superiluous in me to
say any thing more than barely to express my