The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-01-02
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me suggestions of the Postmaster General on the
subject deserve the Consideration of Congress

Inc me suggestions Of the Postmaster General on the
'A'9e'' ueSerfe the consideration of Congress-
INTERIOR.
The report Of the Secretarv ri tb, Intar;ar "a,
engage your attention as well sor ,,sef,,I su.as
lons II contains, for the interest and
Oh sne subjects to which they refer =
ne aggregate amount of public land sold duripo
Ia nd nso year located with military script or
anu seiected as swamp lands by the S,.,a 4;
twenfyfour million five hundred and ,fs,- -, - - -
Thousand four hundred and nine acres ~ 49,,
sns PORTION sosa was fifteen million seven hundred
ana l"ehty nine thousand five hundred and t,yan,,
fonr acres, yielding in receipts the sum of ela,.s
million four hundred and eighty-fiye thonsa nj ,b
hundred and eighty dollars. In the same na,;os 70
Ilne eignt million seven hundred and twenty.three
thousand eight hundred and ifty-four acres he 90
been surveyed but, in consideration of the nnan.
tlty already subject to entry no additional tracts
have been brought into market
The peculiar relation of the General Goyernnen.
to the District of Columbia renders il nroner -
commend to your care not only its material hit
also its moral interests including education ,nore
especially in those parts of the district outside of
the cities of Washington and Georgetown.
The commissioners appointed to revise and codIfy
the laws of the District have made such progress
in the performance of their task, as to insure its
completion in the time prescribed by the act of
Congress.
Information has recently been received, that the
peace of the settlements in the Territories of Or.
egon and Washington is disturbed by hostIities ON
the part of the Indians, with indications of exten
siye combinations of hostile character among the
tribes in that quarter, the more serious in their
possible effect by reason of the undetermined for
eign interests existing in those Territories to
which your attention has already been especially
invited Efficient measures have been taken,
which, it is believed will restore quiet and afford
protection to her citizens
In the territory of Kansas there have been acts
prejudical to good order, but as yet none have oc
Cured under circumstances to Justify the interDo.
sition of the federal executive That could only
be in case obstruction to federal law or of or
ganized resistance to territorial law, assuming the
character OF insurrection which, if it should occur
1t would be my duty promptly to overcome and
suppress. cherish the hope, however, that the
occurrence of any such untoward event will be
prevented by the sound sense of the people of the
territory, who, by its organic law possessing the
right to determine their domestic institutions
are entitled, while deporting themselves peace
fulys to the free exercise of that right and must
be protected III the enjoyment of it, without inter
terence on the part of the citizens of any OF the
States.
The southern boundary line of this Territory
has never been surveyed and established. The
rapidly extending settlements in that region, and
the fact that the main route between Indepcn-
dence, in the State of Missouri and New Mexico
is contiguous to this line, suggests the probability
that embarrassing questions of jurisdiction may
ations, commend the subject to your early atten-
ton.
CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY OF THE GOVERNMENT
have thus passed in review the general state of
the Union, including such particular concerns of
the federal government, whether of domestic or
foreign relation as it appeared to desirable and
useful to bring to the special notice of Congress-
Unlike the great states of Europe and Asia and
many OF those of America, these United States
are wasting their strength neither in foreign war
nor domestic strife. Whatever of dscontent or
public dissatisfaction exists. is attributable to the
Of human nature, or is incident to
all governments, however perfect, which human
wisdom can devise. Such subjects of political agi
tation, as occupy the public mind, consist, to a
great extent, OF exaggeration of inevitable evils
or over zeal in social improvement or mere imaci-
nation OF grievance, having but remote connexion
with any of the constitutional functions duties
of the federal government. TO whatever extent
these questions exhibit tendency menacing TO the
stability of the constitution, the integrity of the
Union and no farther, they demand the considera-
ton of the Executive, and require to be presented
by him to Congress
Before the Thirteen Colonies became confede-
ration of independent States they were associated
only by community of transatlantic origin, by |
geographical position, and by the mutual tie OF
common dependence on Great Britain When that |
tie sundered. they severally assumed the pow
ers and rights of absolute selfgovernmept The
municipal and social institutions Of each its laws of
property and of personal reoton even its politcaI
organization, Were such only as each one chose to
establish, wholly without interference from any
other. In the language of the Declaration of In
dependence each State had full power to levy
war; conclude peace contract alliances, establish
commerce. and to do all other acts and things which
Independent States may of right do" The seve-
raj colonies differed in climate, in SOIL i'll natural
productions, in religion in systems of education in
legislation, and in the forms OF political adminis
tration; and they continued to differ in these re-
spects when they voluntarily allied themselves as
States to carry on the war of the revolution.
The object of thatwar was to disenthral the
United Colonies from foreign rule, which had prov
ed to be oppressive, and to separate them perma-
nently from the mother country; the political result
was the foundation OF federal republic of the free
white men OF the colonies, constituted, as they
were, in distinct. and reciprocally independent
State governments. As for the subject races,
whether Indian or African, the wise and brave
statesmen of that day being engaged in no extray
agant scheme of social change, left them rs they
were, and thus preserved themselves and their
posterity from the anarchy and the ever-reeur-
ing ciyal wars, which have prevailed in other reyo-
lgtonized European colonies of America.
When the cOnfederated States found 1t colye-
nient to modify the conditions of their associations
by giving to the general government direct access
in some respects, to the people OF the States in
stead Of connng 1t to action on the states as sHeh
they proceeded to frame the existing constitution
adhering steadily to one guiding thought, which
was, to delegate only such power as was neees-
sary and proper to the execution OF speeihc prpo-
ses or In other words, to retain as much as posi-
ble consistently with those purposes. OF the inde
pendent powers of the individual States For oo-
iects of common defence and security, they in.
trusted to the general government certain carefully
defined functions leaving all others a. the undeie
gated rights of the separate independent sover-
eighties.
Suoh is the constitutional theory Of our govern
ment the practical observance of which has carried
us and us Alone among modern republics, through
nearly three generations of time without the cost
of one drop of blood shed in civil war. With free
dom and concert of action, it has enabled us to
contend successfully on the battle field against
foreign foes has elevated the feeble colodies into
powerful States, and has raised our industrial pro
auctions, and our commerce which transports
them to the level of the richest and the greatest
nations of Europe. And the admirable adaptation
of our political institutions to their objects, comhin-
ing local sefgovernnent with aggregate strength.
has established the praetcability Of q government
like ours to cover q continent with confederate
States.
The Congress of the United States is, in effect
that congress Of soyereignties. which good men In
the Old World have sought for, but could never
attain, and which impart to America An exemption
from the mutable leagues for common action, from
the wars, the mutual invasons, the vague aspira-
tions after the balance of power, which eonyuise
from time 10 time the governments OF Europe.
Our cooperative action rests In the conditions OF
permanent confederation prescribed by the eonsti'
L. Ia.