The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-12-15
THE DAILY DISPATCH
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF
THE INTERIOR.

hLFohI OF THE SECRETARY OF
THE INTERIOR.
Ihe Secretary OF the Interior estimates q that
the aggregate expense of his Department for
the next fiscal year will be $4,92l,025, being a
reduction oil sH4 SO2 as compared with the
amount required tor the current fiscal year.
Some the estimates for the land and Indian
service are, however, incomplete. An item of
$ooo,Ooo for the extension of the Capitol is in
troduced; making the estimate for public build.
Ings to exceed that of the present year by a
considerable amount.
Attention is invited to the recommendations
OF the Commissioner of the General Land OF
nee, OF whose report an abstract has already
been published. A compliment is paid 10 the
diligence and activity which mark that branch
Of the service.
sion Bureau are-exclusive Of navy pension
ers-lS,s6o, being 743 less than the number
reported IN 1851. The expenditure on account
OF pensions since the last report has been ST.
oUU,O and the Secretary remarks that il is
not likely to be diminished unless many exist
ing abuses are corrected by legislation. He
proposes 10 cen6ne the benefits of the pension
laws to those who rendered the service, and to
the widows and minor children Of such soldiers
as are dead. Stringent lBws are also needed
to prevent the preparation offrauds, which are
now being continually perpetrated. Perjury
and toigery are resorted TO for the purpose, in
many instances by eonfederated bodies of
men, who too often escape exposure and pun
ishment in consequence of the defects of the
law.
The number fpersons pensioned under the
act of March, 1918, was 90, 4S5, of whom 1,046
now reman on the rolls under th act of NAV,
1918, only l,t6o were pens!oned, 12S of W hom
are still on the rolls; under the act of June,
1892 not less than 80, ,066 have been pensioned,
1928 of W HON are yet on the rolls, though on.
ly 1895 received payment in the first and Sc.
| cond quarters of the current year. There are
$3.50 widows Of revolutionary soldiers on the
rolls, of whom a, ,209 only have received pay
ment during the year. The Mexican war pen
sions show falling off of 627 during the year,
| numbering now altogether 1,l23.
lids, who receive annually $45 5,049; 514 widows
receiving $lOl ,49O, and AZ orphans, receiving
S6,13S.
The Virginia halfpay eommutation claims
allowed during the year amount to SIS, ,964.
During the year, ending ON the 25th Octo-
Der, the bounty land warrants issued for revo.
lutlsnary service and service in the war OflS12
cover 81, $50 acres. Under the act of lIth OIL
February, 1S47, known as the Mexican bounty
land law, S3 ,0SS land warrants had been issued
up 10 3lst October, and 1924 for money and
scrip; leaving 7 ,402 suspended claims. The
cases registered under the bounty land laws oil
September 1850, amount to about 100000 OF
which l40, ,05S have been admitted; the war
rants issued in their behalf covering 9,935, 800
acres. Under the act of NJ arch last, ,665 cases
have been registered, and 2 2,34l admitted. The
new applications now amount to about l00 per
day.
The Secretary refers approvingly to sag.
gestions offered by the Commissioner of PEN
inn srd tn hap in he iau q
relating to pensions. Particular attention is
called to the prOpriety of reenacting provi
sion requiring biennial medical examinations
Of all invalid pensioners.
On the subject Of Indian affairs, the Secro.
tary reiterates the opinions expressed in ais
last report us to the policy which should regu
late our intercourse with the various tribes
He argues that il is more just, more humane,
and even more economical, to subdue them by
kindness and to encourage them TO pursuits Of
industry, than to restrain them by military
force. The efforts of the Department in deal
ing with the tubes resident iD California aud
Oregon have been in a measure frustrated by
the rejection by the Senate Of the treaties ne
gotated with them. Nothing further can be
done until the Senate decide whether the In
dians shall be removed from California and
Oregon, and where places Of refuge shall be
provided for them. A hope is cherished that
remove peaseably from Florida in the ensuing
spring.
1t is announced that the publication of the
Census report may now be commenced, as the
greater part of the labor of compiling and
Classifying the returns has been completed
To finish The preparation of the entire work,
an additional appropriation Of $4,000 will be
necessary. Reasons are offered for including
in the report the geographical and historical
features 10 which objections have been taken
in so me quarters. Ii is shown that great
misapprshensions prevailed in reference to
the cost of the publication. The publication
of the sixth census by Blair s. Rives cost
$l77, 1908; while Messrs. Lippincott & Co.,
propose TO publish 10000 copies Of statistics
of the seventh census for $40 500, or less
than one-third of the amount paid on the last
occasion.
In connexiou with his remarks on the Pa
tant Office, the Secretary, dwells upon the
interest felt by all classes in the operations
of that bureau, and upon the benefcent re-
suits with which they have been attended,
| in 1886, when the Office was organized,
single examining clerk was sufficient; now
six examiners and six assistants ore not able
10 keep pace with the business that deyolves
upon them. The models in the Office are lit
tle short of 90, 600. For the information OF
the country, and especially for the conve-
niencs OF mechanics and inventors, he pro-
poses that an analytical and descriptive, in,
dex of slf discoveries and inventions which
have been patented, lie prepared for puolica-
ton; the expense to be betrayed out Of the
atent fund. =,
The proceedings and position Of the Mexican
Boundary Commission give rise to length
ened statement on the part Of the Secretary OF
the Interior. He states that the survey OF the
river GiIa, from its confluence with the Colo
RADIO 10 the point whore its strikes the western
boundary oi New Mexico, has been completed;
and il is believed that ere now twO-thirds OF
the survey of the Rio Grande has also bees
accomplished. To explain the course OF the
Department on the subject OF the initial point
on the BIO Grande, and the line thence west
wart.-constiiuting the southern boundary Of
New Mexico-a history of all that has been
done is presented. This involves review Of
points connected with the treaty Of Guadalupe
Hidalgo, aud the construction TO be put upon
a. .oTano;sson ~ bie n that freafy cantemnla afes