Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-12-15

be lawfully used or expended for the flu
= fther prosecution fthc work. After car
ful consideration of the subject, | came
the conclusion that it could not, and so il
formed the head of that Department o
, ders were Immediately issued BY him
the commissioners and surveyor 10 make n
further acquisitions on the Department, q
they could not be paid ard TO discontinu
, all operations on the southern line of Ne'
Mexico. But as the Department had n
exact information as to the amount Of pro
visions and money which remained unex
pended in the hands Of the COMMISSIONS
and surveyor, it was left discretionary wit
them to continue the survey down the Ri
Grand as Gar as the means at their disposa
would enable them, or at once TO disban'
the Commission. A special messenger ha
since arrived from the officer in charge o
the survey on the river, with information
that the funds subject to his control wei'
exhausted, and that the officers and other
empleyed in the service were destitute a
like of the means of prosecuting the work
and of returning to their homes.
The object of the proviso was doubtles:
to arrest the survey of the southern and
western lines of New Mexico, in regard to
which different opinions have been express
sed for 1t is hardly to be supposed that
there could be any objection TO that part OF
the line which extends along the channel
of the Rio Grande. But the terms of the
law are so broad as to forbid the use Of any
part of the money for the prosecution Of the
work, OF even for the payment, to the Off
GERS and agents, Of the arrearages Of pay
which are Justly due to them.
earnestly invite your prompt attention
to this subject, and recommend modifi-
cation of the terms Of the proviso so as to
enable the Department to use as much OF
the appropriation as will be necessary to
discharge the existing obligations of the
Government, and to complete the survey
of the Rio Grande to its mouth.
It will also be proper to make further
provision by law for the ful6lment Of our
treaty with Mexico for running and mark
ing the residue of the boundary line be-
tween the two countries.
Permit me to invite your particular at
tention to the interests of the District Of Co
lumbia, which are corfded by the Consti-
tuition to your peculiar care.
Among the measures which seem to me
of the greatest importance to its prosperity
are the introduction of a copious supply Of
water into the city of Washington and for
the construction of suitable bridges across
the Potomac to replace those which were
destroyed by high water in the early part
of the present year.
At the last session of Congress an appro-
prialion was made to defray the cost of The
surveys necessary for determining the best
means of affording an unfailing supply of
good and wholesome water. Some prog
ress has been made in The survey, and as
soon as it is completed the result will be
laid before you.
Further appropriations will also be ne
ccssary for grading and paving the streets
and avenues, and enclosing and embelist-
ing the public grounds within the city of
Washington.
commend all these objects together
with the charitable institutions of the Dis
.trict, to your favorable regard.
Every effort has been made to protect
our frontier, and that of the adjoining Mex
lean States, from the incursons of the In
dian tribes. Of about II 900 men of which
the army is composed, nearly s, 900 are em.
ployed in the defence of the ncwly-acquir-
ed territory, Including Texas and of en-
igrants proceeding thereto. am gratiticd
to say that these efforts have been unusu-
ally successful. With the exception Of
some partial outbreaks in California and
Oregon, and occasional depredations on a
portion of the Rio Grande, owing, 1t is be-
lieved, to the disturbed state Of that border
region, the inroads of the Indians have been
efectual!y restrained.
Experience has shown, however, that
whenever the two races are brought into
contact collisions will inevitably occur-
To prevent these collisions the United
States have generally set apart portions of
their territory for the exclusive occupation
of the Indian tribes. A difficulty occurs,
however, in the application Of this policy
to Texas. BY the terms of the compact by
which that State was admitted into the u
MON, she retained the ownership of all the
vacant lands within her limits. The gov
ernment of that State, it is understood, has
assigned no portion OF her territory to the
Indians but as fast as her settlements ad-
vance lays it of into counties, and pro-
ceeds to survey and sell it. This policy
manifestly tends, not only to alarm and ir-
ritate the Indians, but to compel them to
resort to plunder for subsistence. 1t also
deprlves this Government of that influence
and control over them without which no
durable peace can ever exist between them
and the whites. trust, therefore that a
due regard for her own interests, apart from
considerations of humanity ndjustce, will
induce that State to assign small portion
of her vast domain for the provisional oc-
cupancy Of the small remnants of tribes
within her borders, subject of course to her
ownership and eventual jurisdiction. II
she should fail to do this, the fulfilment Of
our treaty stipulations with Mexico, and
our duty to the Indians themselves, will, II
IS feared. become subject of serious en-
barrassme to the Government. 1t is
hoped, however, that timely and just pro-
vision by Texas may avert this evil.
No appropriations for Notifications were
made at the two last sessions OF Congress
The cause of this omission is, probably. te
be found in a growing belief that the sys,,
tenn of Notifications adopted in 1916, and
heretofore acted on, requires revision.
The subject certainly deserves full aiid
: careful investigation but it should not Ge
DELAYED longer than can be avoided. In .
: the meantime there arecertain works wnicf
have been commenced-some oil them
nearly completed-designed to protect GU %oul
: principal seaports from Boston to New or
: leans and a few other important points