Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-12-17

lorty Of the votes are "yes," the law is to take
effect the first of May If "no,' On the first Of
December following.
1t will not escape the notice Of the reader
that the final provision is that the measure shall
be submitted to the people, in February, and If
they vote ia favor OF it, 1t shall become law on
the lst of May next, and if they vote against
1t, shall become lar, nevertheless, on the LIST
Of December next Aside from the general
and grave objection against this kind of hernia
phrodltc legislation, which we very decidedly
agree with the Register in entcrtainingthis par
tlcu!ar J0r#t Of submitting question to the
popular vote, seems to be worse than tri!iinu-
1t is insulting to the very power whose decision
/ 1t lnvokcS. 1t says to the people You may
decide whether this bill shall become law or
not,-prorided von decide that il SHALL! Ii
( you say it shall mol become law, thea your de-
cison shall ne deemed of no value or import !
| Without intending to express any opinion as to
the other provisions Of the bill, this one cannot
fail to strike all sensible people as absurd and
wholly ndecnsible, and quite beneath the dig
nifty Of the Legislature. 1t is straining at Il
gnat, to avoid Legitimate responsibility, and
swallowing whole drove of cames in the eff
fort All good citizens must regret that the
Legislature could lend itself to such folly,
O." Tue REp0ET OF TIE SECRETARY on
WAE.-Thls Report is Of commendabic brcy-
ty and dircctncss.
. Lao, al. 81, 1 u 1
the army now consists, eight thousand have
been employed IN the protection Of the frontier
settlers and cnrmnls, and with such success
that Indian attacks and dcprcdalions have we'll
nigh ceased. The attempts to apply the sory-
icn Of the soldiers in the Western provinces to
agricultural operations has failed but this is at T.
trbucd to the fact that experiment has not
been fairly tired. And yet the expenditures
IL the Qurr'cr- Masters Department kavc for
the current year been reduced half IA million of
'Ilars, and for the next year, as compared with
the present, there is "A still further reduction Of
huff Il million. Wbe Secretary, Ike the Prrsi-
d mt, enurc"S the necessity OF masking arrange
IN mrs with Texas whereby a portion of her vast
uhocCupjed domain may be Temporarily allotted
tn the exclusive occupancy OF the Indians with
III her borders. 1t is stated that tie expense or
protecting the population of New Mexico.
amounting to only 81 900 souls, is nearly equal
to half the value of the whole real estate of the
territory which is only -, 200 coo and in view
OF tins fact, the question Is put whether It wUuld
not he better to induce the nhahiauts t abam>
don the country by remuneratiny them for their
property in money or III lands stua, III more
favored regions. An additional regiment of
mounted men Is recommended, in case this
question Is answered IN the negative Concur.
renee Is expressed in the prevalent opinion That
tie system OF National Defence adoptcd IN
l@lG Is not adapted to the present wants of the
country, but appropriations are asked for the
completion Of stvcral important works now in
progress. work at Sandy HOOK, for the pro-
lection OF cur outer hnlbor is sand TO be ncccs-
SIry 10 complete TIC defence Of this CITY. A
much larger supply Of heavy ordnance for coast
defence Is recommended. The erection of the
works known as the river and halbor improve
in2nts has been entrusted to two boards from
the two corps of engineers and Typographical
engineers, and the speedy and economical exc
cutUn OF the works IS looked for. The Secre-
tlry, we are clad to see, gives his opinion dc.
c!dcdly against the proposed measure of max
ing the supcrlntendenclcs Of Springfield ant,
flarpers Ferry arnorlcs from civil instead q.
Il military office. The establishment of IA re-
tired list for the army is recommended.
report of tins character, we apprchcnd,
will furnish little ground for complaint from any
quarter ". J. courier ~ En9ujrcr.