The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-01-05

Tor which appropriations were made by the
last Congress, has proceeded in the most
satisfactory manner, with such expedition
as to warrant the belief that they will be
ready for service carly in the compiDg spring.
Important as is this addition TO our naval
force, II still remains INADEQUATE to the con
tingencies of the protection Of the extensive
sea coast and vast commercial Interests Of
the United States. In view Of this fact, and
the acknowledged wisdom Of the policy Of a
gradual and systematic increase of the navy,
an Appropriation is recommended for the
construction Of six steam s,oop-ofwGr.
In regard to the steps taken in the execu
ton Of the act Of Congress 10 promote the
efficiency Of the navy, It is necessary for me
e. do more than to express my entire con
currence IN the observations on that subject
presented by the Secretary in his report.
1t will be perceived by tie report Of the
Postmaster General, that the gross cXpendi-
.ure of the last fiscal year was 50, 9GS,3i
and the gross receipts 81 ,3i3, 1856 making
an excess o! expenditures over receipts of
S2,626,20 and that the cost Of mail trans
por,aton was S672,9 greater than the pre-
vious year. Much Of the heavy expenditure
TO which the treasury is thus subjected is to
be ascribcd to the large quantity Of printed
matter conveyed by the mails, either ranked
or liable TO no postage by law, or at very
low rates Of postage compared with those
charged on letters; the great cost Of mail
service on railroads and by ocean steamers.
The suggestions Of the Postmaster General
on the subject deserve the consideration Of
Congress.
The report Of the Secretary Of the Int
rior will engage your attention as well for
the useful suggestions it contains us for the
interest and importance of the subjects to
which they refer. The aggregate amount of
public lands sold during the last fiscal year,
located with military scrip or land warrants,
taken up under grants for roads, and selected
as swamp lands by States, is 2i,j57, 50g
acres, Of which the proportion sold is 10.
1854, yielding in receipts the sum g.
81, 49,, $50 In the same period ? 233 s.,
acres have been surveyed bn. in c,,s,lcro.
ton of the quantity alr'"iy supjcct to entry,
no addiiona! 'r"-ts hive been brought into
market
me secular relation Of the general gov.
eminent to the District OF Columbia render
it proper to commend il TO your care, and
also its moral interests, including education,
more especially Of those parts OF the Dis.
triet outside the cities Of Washington and
Georgetown.
The Commissioners appointed to revise
and modify the Laws Of the District have
made such progress in the performance Of
their task as to insure its completion in the
time prescribed 10y the act Of Congress.
Information has been recently received
that the peace Of the settlements in Oregon
and Washington Territories, is disturbed by
host tiles on the part Of the Indians, with
Indications Of hostile character among the
tribes in that quarter, the more serious in
their possible effect 10y reason 0! the unde.
tcrmincd foreign interests existing in those
Territories, to which your attention has al
rcaiy been especially invited. Efficient
measures have been taken which, it is be
lieycd, viii restore quiet, aud afford pro,ec
ton to our citizens.
Ia the Territory Of Kansas there have
been events prcjudcial to good order, but as
yet none have occurred under circumstances
to Justify the interference Of the federal cX
ccutiye. That could only be in the case Of
obstruction to federal law or Of organized
resistance to Territorial law, assuming the
/ character Of instruction, which, II II should
occur, il would be my duty promptly to
overcome and suppress. cherish the hope,
/ however, that tie occurrence OF any such
untoward event will be prevented by the
sound sense OF the people Of the Territory,
who, by It's organic law possessing the right
10 determine their own domestic Institutions,
are entitled, while dcpoTting themselves
peace uiy, to the free exercise OF that right,
and to be protected ia its enjoyment, with.
/ out interference on the part Of the ctizcus
Of any Of the States.
The southern boundary line OF this Terri.
tory has never been surveyed and establish
cd. The rapidly extending settlements in
+ that region, with the fact that the mail route
/ between Independence in the State Of Mis-
souri,, and New Mexico, is contiguous to this,
suggests the probability that embarrassing
| questions Of jurisdiction will consequently
arise For these and other considerations, |
commend the subject to your early attention.
/ have thus passed i'll review the general
state Of the Union, including such particular
concerns of the federal government, whether
of domestic or foreign relations, as it APP
peared to me 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
\
of discomfort or public dissatisfaction exists,
is Attributable to the hpciectiOn of human
nature, or is incident to all governments,
however perfect, which human wisdom can
devise. Such subjects Of political agitation
as occupy the public mind consist to great
extent of cxnegeration Of inevitable events,
or over zeal in all social events, or mere
Imagination of grievance, having but re-
mote connection with any Of the constitu.
tional functions or duties Of the federal go.
vernment To whatever extent these ques.
tons exhibit a tendency menacing the sta
bity cf the constitution or the integrity of
the Union, and further they demand the
consideration of the Executive, and require
to be presented by him to Congress. Before
the thirteen colonies became a confederation,
they were associated only by community
of trans Atlantic origin--by the mutual tic
of common dependence on Great Britain.--
When that tic was severed, they sovcrally
assumed the form Of absolute seli.govern-
ment The principal and social institutions
of each, with laws Of property and Of per-
sonal reations-even the political organiza-
ton-werc such only as each one chose to
establish, wholly without interference from
any other In the language of the Declara
ton of independence, each State had pow.
err to levy war, conclude peace, contract al
liances, establish commerce, and to do all
other acts which independent, States may
do" The several colonies differed in eli.
mate and soil and natural productions, in
religion, in systems Of education, legislation,
and in the forms of political administration,
and they continued to differ in these respects
when they voluntarily allowed themselves
to carry on the war of the revolution. The
object of that war was to discnthral the
United Colonies from foreign rule which
had proved to be oppressive, and to separate
permanently from the mother country. The
political result was the foundation Of the
federal republic of the free while men Of the
colonies, constituted as they were, in dis.
tnct and reciprocaly independent State GO
vernmenss. AS for the subject races, whc-
ther Indian or African, the wise and brave
statesmen of that day engaged in no extra