Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-01-05

one hundred ana thirty SIX dollars, making an ex
cess Of expenditure over receipts Of two million six
hundred and twenty-six thousand two hundred and
and six dollars; that the cost of mail transportation
during the year was six hundred and sevensy-four
thousand nine hundred and fftytwo dollars greater
than the previous year. Much of the heavy expen
dtures, to which the Treasury is thus subjected is
be ascribed to the large quantity of printed mat
ter conveyed by the mails, either ranked or liable
to no postage by law, to very low rates of post
age compared with that charged on letters; and 70
the great cost of mail service on railroads and bv
ocean steamers. The suggestions of the Postmaster
General on the subject deserve the consideration Of
Congress.
INTERIOR.
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior will
engage your attention. as well for useful sugges-
tons it contains. rs for the interest and impor-
lance Of tile subjects to which they refer.
The aggregate amount of public land sold du-
ring 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
twenty-foUr million Eve hundred and ftty-seven
thousand tour hundred and nine acres; of which
the portion sold was fifteen million seven hun
dred and twenty-nine Thousand five hundred and
twenty-four acres yielding in receipts the sum
of eleven million four hundred and eighty-fve
thousand three hundred and eighty dollars. In
the same period of time eight million seven hun
dred and twenty three thousand eight hundred
and liity-four acres have been surveyed; but, in
consideration Of the quantity already subject 70
entry, no additional tracts have been brought
into market.
The peculiar relation of the general govern
ment to the District of Columbia renders it prop
er 10 commend to your care not only its mate
rial. but also its moral interests, including edu-
cation, more especially in those parts OF the dis
trict outside of the cities of Washington and
Georgetown.
The commissioners appointed to revise and
cOdity 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
Oregon and Washington is disturbed by hOstili-
ties on the part of the Indians, with indications
of extensive combinations of hostile character
among the tribes in that quarter the more serious
in their possible effect by reason of the undeter
mined foreign interests existing in those Terri
tories to which your attention has already been
especially invited. Efficient measure have been
taken which, it is believed, will restore quiet,
and afford protection 10 our citizens
In the Territory of Kansas there have been
acts prejudicial to good order, but as yet none
have occurred under circumstances TO justify the
interpOstion of the federal Executive. That
could only be in case of obstruction to federal
law or of organized resistance to territorial
law, assuming the character of insurrectiOn,
which, if it should occur, it 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 deter
mine their own domestic institutions, are entitled
while depOrtng themselves peacefully. to the
free exercise of that right and must be protected
in the enjoyment of it, without interference on
the mart of no citizens Of any Of thn 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 lndepend-
ence. in the State of Missouri. aud New Mexico,
is cont guOus this line suggest the probability
that embarrassing questions of jurisdiction may
consequently arise. For these and other con
siderations, commend the subject to your early
attention.
CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY OF TIE 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 appea ed 20 me deSira
bic 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
discomfort or public dissatisfaction exists, is al
/ tributable to the imperiectOns OF human nature,
/ or is incident to all governments, however per-
! feet, which human wiScOm can devise. Such sub
| jects of political agitation as occupy the public
| mind consist, to a great extent, of eXaggeration
! OF inevitable evils, or over zeal in social i'm
! prOvement or mere imagination of grievance,
| having but remote connection with any of the
| constitutional functions or duties of the federal
! government To whatever extent these questions
| exhibit 4 tendency menacing to the stability OF
| the Constitution, or the integrity of the Union
| nd IA rfh md no ffiaraf ion
the Executive, and require to be presented by
| him to Congress.
Before the Thirteen Colonies became a eonfede
ration OF Independent States, they were associated
only oy community of traus-a atlantic origin, bv
geographical position, and by the mutual tic O
common dependence on Great Britain. When tina
tie sundcred, they severally assumed the pow,
crs and rights of absolute self Government Tn,
municipal aud social institutions OF each its law
| Of property and Of personal relation, even in il
political organic itOn, were such only as each on,
choose TO establish, wholly without interference,
from any other In tie language OF the Derlara
ton of Independence, each State had "tull powe
TO levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, Is
tablish commerce., and U do all other acts an,
things which Independent, States may Of right do
The several colonies differed in climate, in soil il
natural productions, in religion, in system of edu
cation in legislation and ia the .ouus OF pOitica
these respects when they voluntarily allied them
selves as States carry on the war of the reyolu
ton.
The object Of that war to disenthra the U
States Colonies from foreign rule which had prov
ed TO be oppressive; aud 10 separate them perna
nently lIom the mother country; the political result
was the foundation OF federal republic of the IRE,
white men of the colonies constituted, as they
were in distinct. and recprOcay independents
/ Gfafa Raafa A tftr fha anb1a
whether Indian or African, the wise and braV,
statesmen OF that day, being engaged in no extrav
agant scheme OF social change; left them they
were, and thus preserved themselves and the
posterity from the anarchy and the ever recurring
civil wars which have prevailed in their revolution
lied European colonies Of America.
When the coaiedrrated States found il coveni
ent TO modify the conditions Of their associations
by giving to the general government direct access
in some respects, 70 the people OF the States a:
such, they proceeded 10 frame the existing eonsti
tuition, adhering steadily 20 guided thought
which wa, 20 delegate only such power ne
cessary and proper 20 the execution of specific pur
poses or, in other words, TO retain mach as pos
sibe consistently with those purposes OF the inde.
pendent powers Of the individual State. For OH sc
OF common defence and security, they iutrusted tC
tho general government certain carefully defined
functions, leaving all others as the undelegate,
rights Of the separate independents soveregnties.
such Is the constitutional theory OF our govern
ment, the practical Observance Of which has carried
Us, and Us alone, among modern republics, through
nssfly three generations OF time without the COS
Of one drop OF oloOl shed ia civil war With free
dom aud concert Of acton il has enabled US To COZ
tend successfully the battle Geld against loreigr
foes has elevated the feeble colonies into powerful
States. ana has raised our industrial productions
aud our commerce which transports them 90 ID.
level Of tie richest and the greatet nations Of Ea
10, ose. And tie admirable adaptation Of our pOlli
cal Institutions TO their OBJECTS combining local self
government with aggregate strength, has establish
cd the prsciiesoiIy Of government Ike ours q
cover the continent With confederate States
The Congress Of the United States i, in effect
that congress Of sovereigutes which good nef, /,