New Orleans daily crescent., 1857-12-15

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therefore that authority should be given to supply
any temporary deficiency by the issue Of a limited
amount of treasury notes is approved, and accord
ngly recommend the passage of such lay. ...,.
As stated in report Of the Secretary the tariff OF
period Of time, and dunder circumstances 50 unfavor
able to Just development Of its results as revenue
measure that Ishould regard u as inexpedient, at
least for the present to undertake its revision.
Secretaries Of War and Of the Navy, Of the Interior
and Of the Postmaster General They all contain
valuable and important information and suggestions,
which commend to the favorable consideration Of
Congress. TN 7 H
have already recommended the raising Of four
additional regiments and the report of the Secretary
OF War presents strong reasons proving this increase
Of the army under existing circumstances, to be In
would call the special attention of Congress to
the recommendation Of the Secretary Of the Navy 10
favor of the construction Of ten small war steamers Of
light draught. For some years the government has
been obliged many occasions, to hire such steam
ers from individuals to supply its pressing wants Az
the present moment we have no armed vessel in the
navy which can penetrate the rivers of China. We
have but few which can enter the harbors south of
Norfolk, although many millions of foreign and do
nestle commerce annually pass in and out OF these
harbors Some OF our most valuable interests and
most vulnerable points are thus left exposed. This
class Of vessels Of light draught, great speed and
heavy guns, would be formidable in coast defense.
The cost of their construction will not be great and
they will require but a comparatively small ex.
penditure to keep them in commission. In time OF
peace they will prove as effective as much larger yes
sells, and often more useful. One OF them should pc
at every station where we maintain squadron, and
three OF four should be constantly employed on our
Atlantic, and Pacific coasts. Economy, utility and
efficiency combine to recommend them as almost IN.
dspensabe. Ten of these small vessels would be of
incalculabe advantage to the naval service, and the
1ubo olo NJ heir rOne
two million three hundred Thousand dollars or $780,,
600 each.
The report Of the Secretary Of the Interior Is wor-
thy of grave consideration It treats Of the numer-
GUS important, and diversified branches Of domestic
administration intrusted to him by law Among
these the most prominent are the public lands and
our relations with the Indians.
Our system for the disposal of the public lands,
originating with the fathers Of the republic has been
improved as experienced pointed the way and gradu-
ally adapted to the growth and settlement OF our
western States and Territories. 1t has worked well
in practice. Already thirteen States and seven Ter.
rtores have been carved out of these lands, and still
more than thousand millions Of acres remain un-
sold What a boundess prospect this presents toonr
country of future prosperity and power
We have heretofore disposed of 1862, ,464 acres
of the public land. al-,lt
Whilst the public lands as source of revenue are
Of great importance, their Importance is far greater
as furnishing homes for hardy and independent race
of honest and industrious citizens who desire to sub
tered mainly with view Of promoting this wise and
benevolent policy. In appropriating them for any
other purpose ought to use even greater economy
than if they had been converted into money and the
proceeds were already in the public treasury. To
squander away this richest and noblest Inheritance
which any people have enjoyed, upon objects Of
doubtful constitutonaity expedency, would be TO
violate one of the most important trusts ever commit
ted to any people, Whilst do not deny to Congress
the power, when acting bona fde as proprietor to
give away any portions of them for the purpose ofn
creasing the value of the remainder yet considering
the great temptation to abuse this power we cannot
be too cautious in its exercise.
Actual settlers under existing laws are protected
against other purchasers at the public sales lii their
right of presumption, to the extent of quarter sec
tion, or 16O acres OF land. The remainder may then
be disposed of at public entered at private sale in
unlimited quantities.
Speculation has of late years prevailed to great
extent in the public lands. The consequence has
been that large portions Of them have become the
property of individuals and companies and thus the
price greatly enhanced to those who desire to pur
chase for actual settlement In order to limit the
of speculation as much as possible, the extnc-
tion of the Indian title and extension of the public
surveys ought only to keep pace with the tide Of emil
grafton.
If Congress should hereafter grant alternate Sec
tons to States or companies as they have done here
tofore, recommend that the intermediate section
retained by the Government should be subject to pre-
emption by actual settlers.
1t ought ever to be our cardinal policy to reserve
the public lands as much as may be for actual settlers
and this at moderate prices. We shall thus not only
best promote the prosperity OF the new States and
Territories, and the power of the Union, but shall
secure bones for posterty for many generations.
The extension of our limits has brought within our
jurisdiction many additional and populous tribes Of
Indians, large proportion OF which are wild, un-
tractable and difficult to control Predatory and
warike in their disposition and habits, it is mpossi-
BILE altogether to restrain them from committing ag
gressons on each other as well as upon our frontier
.l,.to.,
and Territories Hence expensive military expe.
ditions frequently necessary to and chas
tise the more lawless 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 colonize them in suitable localities where
they receive the rudiments of education and be
gradually induced to adopt habits of industry. So
far 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 territorial
limits is believed to be- from the best data in the In
terror Department about 325 ,0G0.
The tribes of Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws
and Creeks settled in the territory apart for them
West of Arkansas, are rapidly advancing in educa-
ton and in all the arts of civilization and selfgovern
ment and we may indulge the agreeable anticipa-
tion that at no very distant day they will be incor
porated into the Union OF the sovereign States
twill be seen from the report of the Postmaster
General that the POST Office Department still contin
ueS 10 Gepenu on tne treasury as IL mas been COM
PEELED to do for several years past for important
portion OF the means of sustaining and extending its
operations. Their rapid growth and expansion are
shown by decennal statement of the number of
posofices, and the length of postroads, commencing
with the year 1927. In that year there were 900
postoffices in 1887 II AIT in 1S47, Is l46 and
in 1857 they number 1856. In this year 1725 post
offices have been established and 704 discontinued
leaving net increase Of l,O2. The postmasters OF
1858 offices are appointed by the President.
The length of postroads in 1927 was los 1886 miles;
in 1887, 14l ,242 miles in i847, 153,slS miles and
in the year 1857 there 242 60l miles of postroad
including %, $50 miles of railroad on which the mails
are transported.
The expenditures Of the department for the fiscal
year ending on the 30th June, 1857 as adjusted by
the Auditor amounted to $1l,507,67O. 10 defray
these expenditures there to the credit of the de-
partment on the lst july 1856, the Of 500;
the gross revenue of the year. including the annual
allowances for the transportation OF free mail matter,
produced $S,053 95l and the remainder was supplied
by the appropriation from the treasury of 81 2500O0
granted by the act of Congress approved August 49,
1856, and by the appropriation OF $666 $685. made by
the Act of March B. 1851 leaving 1852 763 to be car
red to the credit OF the department in the accounts
of the current year. | commend to your consdera-
ton the report of the department in relation to the
establishment of the overland mail route from the
Mississippi river to San Francisco California. The
route selected with my full concurrence, as the
one, in my judgment, best calculated to attain the
important objects contemplated by Congress.
The late disastrous monetary revplsion may have
good effect should it cause both the government
and the people to return to the practice of wise and