Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-12-10


increasing the value of the remainder, yet con-
sidering the great temptation to abuse this pow
er, we cannot be too cautious in its sacrifice
Actual settlers under existing laws are p Dc
tscted against other purchasers at the publ;
sales, in their right of preemption, to the eX.
tent of a quarter section, or 16o acres of land.
The remainder may then be disposed ofatp pub
lie or entered at private sale in unlimitedq guam
titles.
Speculation has of late years prevailed to
great extent in the public lands. The conse-
quence has been that large portions ofthem have
become the property ofindividualS and compa-
mics, and thus the price is greatly enhanced to
those who desire to purchase for actual settle
ment. In order to limit the area of speculation
as much as possible, the extinction of The Indian
title and the extension of the public surveys
ought only to keep pace with the tide of emf
grafton.
If Congress should hereafter grant alternate
sections to States or companies, as they have
done heretofore, l recommend that the interme.
date sections retained by the government should
be subject to pro enption by actual settlers.
1t ought ever to be our cardinal policy to re-
serve the public lands as much as may be for
actual settlers, and this at moderate prices
We shall thus not only best promote the pros
perity of the new States and Territories and
the power of the Union, but shall securehomes
for our pOSterIty for many generations
The extension of our limits has brought with
in our jurisdiction many additional and popu-
louS tribes of Indians n large proportion of
which are Wild untractlblc, aud difficult to
control. Predatory and warlike in their dispo-
SitiOn and habits, it is impossible altogether to
restrain them from committing Tggressions on
elch other, as well as upon our frontier citizens
and those emigrating to our distant States and
Territories. Hence expensive military eNpedi-
tons arc frequently necessary to 0VerIwe and
chastise the more lawlcsS and hostile.
The present system OF making them valuable
presents to influence them to remain at peace
has proved Intellectual. 1t is believed to be the
better policy to coloniza them in suitable local
ities where they can receive the rudiment of
education and be gradually induced to adopt
habits ofinduStry. So far as the experiment
has been tried it has worked well in practice,
and it will doubtless prove to be less expensive
than the present system.
The whole number of Indians within our tiers
ritorial limits is believed to be, from the best da
ia in the Interior Department, about 325,0O0.
The tribes of Cherokees, Choctaws Chicka5aSs. and
Creeks settled in the territory set apart for them west
of Arkansas rapidly advancing in education andin
VIC may indulge the agreeable anticipation t9at at no
Union a. one of the sovereign States.
1t will be seen from the report of the
Postmaster General that the Post Office De-
partment still continues to depend on the treas
ury, as it has bsen compelled to do for
several years past for an important portion of
the means of sustaining and extending its oper-
atoms Their rapid growth and extension arc
shown by u decinnail, statement of the number
of post offices, and the length of post
roads, commencing with the year 1927
In that year there were 1000 post
offices in 1887, lily; in 1917,
Is, LAG; and in 1857 they number 2G,5SG, In
this year LIPS post Offices have been establish
nl md 70l dScOntinun1 LOWING NOT increase
of 1,021. The postmasters of 26S offices are
appointed by the President.
. The length of post roads in 1927 was 1867
22G miles; in 1887, al ,242 miles; in 1917,
l5S,8lS miles; and in the var 1857 there are
242, COL miles of post road, including 22.53O
miles o. rail road, on which the mails trans
ported.
The expenditures of the department for the fis-
cal year ending the Both June, 1857, rs adjust
ed by the Auditor, amounted to $1l, 1907 GO To
dcfrHY these expenditures there was to the credit
of the department on the list July, 1856, tho gum
of S7S9, 500; the gross revenue of tho year, inclu-
ding the annual allowances for the transportation
of free mail NATTER produced So, 059 ,901; and the
remainder was supplied by appropriation from the
treasury OF s., 100000 granted by act of Congress
approved August Is, 1856, and by theappropri-
alton of $685., 1888 made by the act of March 3,
1857, leaving 1882, 763 to be carried to the cred
it of the department in the accounts of the cur
rent year. commend to your consideration
the report Of the department in relation to the
establishment of the overland mail route from
the Mississippi river to San Francisco, Calilor-
MIA. The route was selected with my full con-
currence, as one, in my judgment, best calcutta
ted to attain rhe important objects contemplated
by Congress.
The lntO disastrous monetary rcvul9On have one
good effect should it both the government and
the people to to tho practice of wise and iu-
dicOuS economy, both in public and private exp1ndl-
lures. .
An Overlooking treasury has led to habits of prodi
gaty and extravaganza in legislation 1t has in
duced Congress to make large to objects
for which they never would have provided had 1T been
them by increased taxation or by loans We arc
compelled to pause in career and to scruti-
niZe expenditures with ths utmost viSilance and
in performing this duty, pledge ms corporation to
1t ought to be observed at the same time,
that true public economy does not consist in
withholding the means necessary to accomplish
important national objects intrusted to us by
the constitution, aud especially such as may be
necessary for the common defence. In the pres
ent crisis of the country,tis our duty to confine
our appropriations to objects of this character,
unless in cases where justice to individuals may
demand a different course In all cases, care
ought to be taken that the money granted by
Congress shall be faithfully and economically
applied.
Under the federal constitution, 'every bill
which shall have passed the House of Repre-
sentatiyes and the Senate shall, before it be-
comes a law" he approved and signed by the
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