Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1852-12-13
Rcpor, Of the war Department.


made public. They are documents IN all re-
speets creditable 10 the Departments from
which they are issued. and 10 lie industry
fidelity and capacity of those 10 whose guar
dianship these branches Of the public service
are 6 ,rnmitcd The length Of these papers
nrob;birs fbeir Insertion in full in The Yrginion.
We avail ourselves Of summary, furnished
by tie Washington Republic, of Secretary Con.
rad's report.
Mr. CoNRiD. IN his review of The operations
of the War Department during The past year.
,evutes considerable space to our Indian rela
lions, and the measures necessary to preserve
peace th The various tribes that skirt our ex
tended frontier. Nearly six .eighlhs Of the army
are employed in this service in Texas, New
Mexico, California, and Oregon, and Their e
forts have been attended with considerable
success. The Rio Grande country IS the only
portion OF Texas in " hich Indian drprcda-
tions have been committed on an extensive
scale, and even there the circumstance resulted
rom the confusion produced by the attempts
of Car.aia and his lawcss followers 10 revo.
lnlionze Mexico. As the only method Of pre-.
venting collisions between the Indians ard SET.
tiers of Tcxas Mr.. Connrd urges the adoption
of an arrangement by which that State shall
be induced 10 allot land for the temporary
though exclusive occupancy of the Indians
within her borders. Ia Gallo MIA and Oregon
changes of troops have been rendered neces-
airy by the frequency of collision, though
&c iha ha1I Loaf bns
tile tribes has agreed TO a peace. In New
Mexico the presence of troops has ior a Time
checked the doprcdaions that before preyailed.
Brevet Major General Smith, Breyet Colonel
Sumner. and Brevet Brgadier General Hitch
cock are named as entitled to much praise in
connexion with the service
Notwithstanding the unusual ACTIVITY Of the
troops during the season, the expenses OF the
Quartermaster's Department exhibit reduc-
ton Of S50l ,252 as compared with the pre-.
vions year, and further reduction Of 0O,
600 is on,iei parcd
The probability that New MeAico viii long
continue destitute Of attraction 10 enierlnts-
the smallurss of ITS white population end the
immense outlay annually needed 10 keep The
Indians in check. are circumstances which head
Mr. CONRAD 10 suggest the desifa' lem IS Of in
ducng the white inhabitants to ABANDON it
He calculates that irhc Government paid for
their property al q,intuplc lis value. the coan-
try would still cconomi4e by the Transaction.
To meet immediate wants, an additional regi-
ment of mounted mem is recommended.
On the subject Of coast deicnccs, Mr. Con
RAD states that many works remain incomplct,
after the expenditure of largo sums. Early
appropriations necessary To prevent III,
loss of amounts already expended andto streug
then points which in the event Of war wonl,
be of the highest importance. Other works q
obvious necessity have not leen commen ed
as at New Bedford and San Francisco whcl
are now defenccess.
To apply the appropriations made last scs
sion for Earbor ard river improvements lh
science aud practical skill oftic two corps o
engineers and Typographical engineers hay,
taking charge ofthe works on the Atlantic and
the Gulf Of Mexico, the latter of those on the
northern lakes and western rivers. The ap.
preparations were made at a season too advan.
ced to permit of much work being already
done, but arrangements have been made for
vigorous commencement of operation in tn,
spring. A hrge majority OF the works vii
require further appropriations,
The report mentions the return of Caprai,
Sifgreaves and Captain Marcy, who have bee
engaged, respectively, in the exploration of tn
Zuni and Colorado rivers ap, the Red river
1t also notices complimentary the condition o
the Military Academy and the National Ar
mories at Springfield and Harpers Ferry.
MIR, Conrad repeats several recommends
"'hs contained in previous reports, for givi 9
greater efficiency to different branches of TOE
sers'ce' and IN conclusion endorses reconmen-
ua''ohs now made by the General IN Chief
one OF the latter is that the pension l,us no co
amended as to place the widows and orphans
OF officers of the army on an equal too,on ,.;,l