Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-12-10

was three million eight hundred apd ninety-fire
4 thousand two hundred aud thirty-two dollars
! aud thirty-nine cents ($3, 500, 232 29)-leavinga
= Balance unredeemed at this time of twenty-five
4 million one hundred and slxty-five thousand
lone hundred and fifty four dollars and ffty-one
4cents ($25, 165, l54 519
u The amount If estimated expendituresfor the
three quarters Of tina pc sent fiscal
,fycar will, in all probability. be increased from
1.-THE causes set forth in the report of the 4SecIe-
hry. His suggestion, therefore, that authority
gsAsuid be given to-sapPly any temporary defi'
ttciency by the issue of a limited amount of trea-
suIy notes, is approved, and accordingly re-
, ! commend the passage OF such a law.
Il As slated in the reoort of the Secretary, the
tariff of March s, 1Sa7, has been in operation
TOR SO short a period of time, and under cir
scumstances SO unfavorable to a justdevelopmsnt
fof its results as a revenue measure, that 1 should
regard it as expedient, at least Tor the
present, to undertake its revision.
E l transmit herewith the reports made to me
/, by the Secretaries of War and of the Navy. OF
the Interior and of the Postmaster General
They all contain valuable and important infor-
ltmation and suggestion which l commend to the
favorable consideration of Congress.
10 I have already recommended the rising OF
four additional regiments, and the report OF the
Secretary Of War presents strong reasons prov
ing this increase of the army, under existing
circumstances, to be indispensable.
/ would call the special attention of Congress
Ito the recommendation Of the Secretary of the
in hvor of the constr uction of ten small
fwar steamers of light draught. For some
Years the government has been obliged on many
occasions to hire such steamers from individ-
fuals to supply its pressing wants. We have
tno armed vessel in the navy which can
fpenetrate the rivers of China. We have but a
few which can enter any of the harb rs south
Fpf Norfo k, although many millions of foreign
! and domestic ommcrc annually pass in and
kout of these harbors. Some of our most yalua-
E bile interests and most vulnerable points are
I thus left expased. This class of vessels
,Sef light draught, great sreed, and heavy
guns would be formidable in coast defence.
The cost of their construction will not be great.
and they will require but a comparatively small
expenditure to keep them in commission. In
thine of peace they will prove as effective as
: much larger vessels, and often more useful. One
A of them should be at every station where we
; maintain a squadron, and three or four should
be constantly employed on our Atlantic and
. Pacific coasts. Economy, utility, and efficiency
rftombine to recommend them as almost in tis-
E .pensable. Ten of these small vessels would be
: of incalculable advantage to the naval service,
! and the whole cost of their ~construc ion would
> mot exceed two million three hundred thousand
t taollars, or 100000 each.
III The report of the Secretary of the Inferior is worthy
. Important, and diversified branches of domestic. ad-
D lministration intrusted to him by law. Among these
3 the most prominent are the public lands and our reia-
Our system for the disposal of the public lands, orig
|. proved as experience pointed the way, and gradually
{ adapted to the growth and settlement of our western
tnee. Already thirteen States and seven. Territories
, have been carved out of these lands, and still more
: What a bcundless prospect this presents to our coun
, Try of future prosperity and power!
II We have heretofore disposed OF 363,o6Z,fef
acres of the public land.
Whilst the public lands as a source of reven-
hue are of great Importance, their importance is
. Jar greater as furnishing homes for a hardy and
Independent race of honest and industrious citi-
iieens, who desire to subdue and cultivate the
f3aeil. They ought TO be administered mainly
n With a view of promoting this wise and benevo-
lent policy. In appropriating them for any 9TH
ca purpose, We ought to use even greater econo-
: my than if they had been converted into money
a and the proceeds were already in the public
q treasury. To squander away this richest and
noblest inheritance which any people have ever
4 enjoyed upon objects of doubtful constitutional
' nv or expedieacy, would be to violate one of the
: most important trusts ever committed to any
Q people. Whilst l do not deny to Congress the
I power, when acting b ma fde as a proprietor, to
: kgive way portions of them for the purpose of
Increasing the value of the remainder, yet. con-
5 sidering the great temptation to abuse this pow
!. er, we cannot be too cautious in its sacrifice.
, Actual settlers under existing laws are pro-
f tected against other purchasers at the public
E sales, in their right of p~re-emption, to the ex-
e tent of a quarter section, or 16O acres of land.
The remainder may then be disposed of at pub
Il lie or entered at private sale in unlimited guam
!. titles.
r Speculation has of late years prevailed to a
r great extent in the, public lands. The conse-
1 quence has been that large portions ofthem have
g become the property of individuals and compa-
MES, and thus the price is greatly enhanced to
those who desire to purchase for actual settle
y ment. In order to limit the area of speculation
: as much as possible, the extinction of The Indian
o title and the extension Of the public surveys
!, ought only to keep pace with the tide of emi-
. gration.
: If Congress should hereafter grant alternate
I SECTIONS to States or companies, as they have
I done heretofore, | recommend that the interme-
) date sections retained by the government should
g be.subject to pro emption by actual settlers.
b 1t ought ever to be our cardinal policy to re-
: serve the public lands as much as may be for
4 actual settlers, and this at moderate prices
e We shall thus not only best promote the pros
perity of the new States and Territories, and
the power of the Union, but shall secure homes
u for our posterity for many generations.
o 1.-THE extension of our limits has brought with
eiHesr jurisdiction many additional and popu-
g I9us tribes of Indians, a large proportion of
y Which are wild, untractable, and difficult to
? control. Predatory aud warlike in their dispo-
d Zion and habits, it is impossible altogether to
RESTRAIN them from committing aggressions on
each other, as well as upon our frontier citizens
g add those emigrating to our distant States and
E ITrritories. Hence expensive military eXpedi-
IN Fms arn franunntlv npcnSSary to nvnrlWn and