Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-12-11

Whist the public lands, as of revenue, are
of great Importance their Importance is Tar greater as
az furnishing homes for hardy and independent race
of honest and industrious citizens who desire to sub
due and cultivate the SOIL They ought to be admin
istered mainly with view of promoting this wise
and benevolent policy In approprating them for
any other purpose, we ought to use even greater
economy than if they had been converted into money
and the proceeds were already in the public treasures
To squander away this richest and nobest inheritance
which any people have enjoyed upon OBJECTS OF
doubtful unconstitutonaty or expedlency, would be
to violate of the most important trusts ever COM
mitted to any people. Whilst | do notdeny to Con-
gress the power, when acting bona tde as proprle.
tor to give away portions of them for the purpose of
increasing the value of the remainder, yet consider
ing the great temptation to abuse the power, we
cannot be too cautious in its exercise.
Actual settlers under existing laws are protected
against other purchasers at the public Sales in their
right Of prc-empton, to the extent of quarter sec
ton, or 100 acres of land The remainder may thea
be disposed of at public entered at private sale IN
unlimited quantities.
Speculation has of late years prevailed to a 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 is
greatly enhanced to those who desire purchase for
actual settlement. In order to limtIthe of spec
uation much possible, the extinction of the In
dian title and the extension of the public surveys
ought only to keep pace with the tide OF emigration
IfCongress should hereafter grant alternate sections
recommend that the intermediate sections retained
by the government should be subject to presumption
by actual settlers.
1t ought ever to be cardinal policy to reserve
the public lands much 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 Sc
cure homes for our posterity for many generations
The extension of our limits has brought within our
Jurisdiction many additional and popuIous tribes of
Indians large nrOnOPtiOn of which wild untr1c.
table, and difficult to control. Predatory and war
like in their disposition and habits, it is impossible
altogether to restrain them from committing aggrcs
sions each other, we'll upon frontier cit
liens and those emgrating to distant States and
Territories. Hence expensive military expedite ms
are frequently necessary to and chastse the
more lawess and hostile.
The present system of making them valuable pres
entS to ndcnce them to remain at peace has proved
Intellectual 1t is believed to be the better policy to
COLOMBO 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 we'll in prac
ticc and it will doubtless prove to be less expensive
than the present system
The whole number Of Indians within territorial
limits is believed to be, from the best data in the In
terror Department, about $4,000
The tribes of Chcrokees Choctaws, Chickasaws,
and Creeks settcdn the territory set apart for them
west of Arkansas arc rapidly advancing in education
and in all the arts ofcvilization and selfgovernmen
and we may indulge the agreeable anticipation that
at very distant day they will be incorporated into
the Union as one of the sovereign States
1t will be seen from the report of the Postmaster
General that the Post Office Department still contin-
ues to depend the treasury, as it has 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 a deccnnal statcmentofthe Eumbcr of Post
Offices and length of post roads, commencing with
the year 1927. In that year there 1000 post
offices; in 1887. H. 1T; in 1917, 49, 146 in 1857 they
number 1885, In this year ], 725 post offices
have been established and 7O4 discontinued leaving
net increase of ,O21. The postmasers eff 36S offices
are appointed by the President
The length ofpost roads in 1927 was los, 336 miles,
in 1887, 142, 242 miles; in 1917, 153,916 miles; and
the year 1857 there 242 6Ol miles ofpost roads
including % $50 miles of railroad, which the mails
are transported.
The expenditures Of the department for the fiscal
year ending on the 3Oth June 1857, as adjusted by
the Auditor amounted to 81 ,507, go. 10 defray
these expenditures there the credit of the Depart
ment on the LIST July, 1856, the sum of $3.50, 500;
the gross revenue of the year, including the annual
allowances for the transportation of free mail matter
produced SIS O53, 95l; and the remainder supplied
by the appropriation from the treasury of 49, $50 OOO
granted by the act of Congress approved August 49,
1885, and by the appropriation of 5000, 1888 made by
the act of March g. 1867 leaving 1852 1853 to be
red to the credit of the department in the accounts
OF the current year | commend to your coosidera
ZION 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 was selected with my full concurrence, the
one, in my judgment, best calculated to attain the
important objects contemplated by Congress-
The late disastrous monetary revusion may have
one good effect should it both the government
and the people to to the practice of wise and
judclous economy, both in public and private eXpen-
ditures
An overlooking treasury has led to habits of pro-
dlgality and extravaganza in legislation 1t has
induced Congress to make large appropriations to OBJ
Jects for which they would have provided had it
been necessary to raise the amount ofrevenue requr
cd to meetthem by increased taxation or by loans We
f are now compelled to pause in our career, and to
scrutiniZe expenditures with the utmost vigilance
and in performing this duty, pledge my cooperation
to the extent of my constitutional competency.
1t ought be observed at the same time that true
public economy does not consist in withholding the
means necessary to accomplish important national OBJ
jects nruSted to us by the constitution, and especi
ally such may be necessary for the common defence
In the present crisis of the country it is duty to
conne appropriations to objects this character
unless in cases where justice to individuals may
demand 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 Representatives and
the Senate shall before it becomes law" be approx
ed and signed by the President and, if not approved,
che shall return it with his objections to the house
IN which it originated In order to perform this high
and responsible duty, sufficient time must be allowed
the President to read and examine every bill present
ed to him for approval Unless this be afforded the
constitution becomes dead letter in this particular;
and even worse, it becomes ofdeception. Our
constituents, seeing the Presidents approval and
ISIOnatnra at he'd to aoch IF