Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-12-11

important, that the line to Vera Cruz should
be constructed.
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
The Secretary of the Interior submits
whether 1T would not be wise policy to pass
general law, reserving all auriferous silver
and cinnabar mines from sale, for the use and
occupancy OF the people of the United States,
uader such regulations as Congress may pre-
scribe, and leaving those lands containing
copper, iron, lead and coal subject to the ordi-
nary laws of settlement and sale for their de-
veopments. He recommends legislation with
regard to the public lands in Utah, to put the
lands surveyed in market, and enable the pres
ent occupants to obtain title to their homes,
by the establishment Of land office and the
extension OF the redemption laws to that Ter
ritory.
THE SECRETARY OF WAR
The Secretary of War, speaking of the
war with the Indians on the Pacific, saws that
permanent peace has been established by
treaties entered into. The war in Texas may
be looked upon as just begun, and probabili-
ties are it will be one of ferceness and may
be of long duration.
The operations of the Utah army have been
important and fraught with momentuous re-
suits. The people of that territory, however,
still evinces spirit of insubordination and a
strong force needs to be kept there
The disbursements amount to nearly two
millions.
In the Quarter Masters department the
Secretary calls attention to the necessity of
providing for payment of claims against the
Government, by different States, for services
of volunteers
The Secretary says he attempted, as far as
possible, to meet the wishes of Congress in
reducing the expenses of the fiscal year He
hopes the expenditures may be still further
reduced unless there shall be further and lar
ger demands for expenditures in suppressing
other Indian hostilities. There will be no
necessity for deficiency bill
THE SECRETARY OF NAVY.
The Secretary of the Navy, after referring
in detail to the various services performed by
our naval force during the year, proceeds to
argue the necessity for its increase by the ad-
dition of vessels and men. He proposes that
government shall purchase, for specified sum,
the several vessels recently chartered for the
Paraguay expedition. He also suggests the
building of ten heavily armed vessels of
light draught, and the increase of the person
mel of the navy by the appointment of 20 ad-
ditional surgeons, the same number of assis-
tant surgeons, ID or 20 additional pursers
and the increase of the marine corps or priv
ates to 1000, with the usual number of off,
GERS.
The expenditures for the fiscal year. ending
June, 1856, were nearly $l4, 900 900, being a
little under the appropriation. The estimate
for the current fiscal year was l4,614, 900,
and the appropriation $14,55O,S00 The es-
Inmates for the year ending June, 1890, are
$13 $500, 900, including $S96,OOO for complet-
ing the light draught steamers, but not in
Guiding $500 for steamship and mail SER
vice.
The report of the Secretary of the Interior,
indicates satisfactory state of affairs in his
Department. The income of the ensuing year
from sales of public lands is estimated at So
100000
The Secretary is opposed to the removal Of
the Indian tribes, and advocates the policy of
assigning lands to individuals among them
without the power of alienation, and of cx-
pending the money annuities for public good,
instead of dividing it per capita as now
The income of the Patent Office for the
threc-quarters ending September, was nearly
$75l 900, exceeding the expenditures upward
$4,000.
LAND OFFICE COMMISSIONER.
The report Ofthe Commissioner of the Land
Office covers period of five quarters, ending
September, 1853, at which time there were
surveyed and ready for market nearly 62, ,OO0,-
900 acres of land which had never been offer
ed for public sale. During the five quarters
there had been sold 81 1905, ,OOO, 900 acres for
cash, for which, upwards of S2,50O,OOO were
realized. The whole amount of lands sold To-
Gated under military warrants and swamp
grants, is 13,1S4 900 acres. The Commits
sioner recommends amendments to the Pre-
emption Laws, with view to uniformity in
the system and reduction in the number of
| litigated causes.
INDIAN COMMISSIONER
The report of the Indian Commissioner es-
| Inmates the number of Indians within our
| limits at 100000. The whole number of
tribes and bands is 175, with Al only of
which we have treaty engagements. The
quantity of land occupied by these treaties is
upwards of 5S1, ,000, 900 acres and the cost to
Government by fulfilling the treaties, has
been nearly $50, 100000. The whole amount
of trust funds held on the Indian account, is
upwards of $1O,OOO,OOO.
He points out several fatal errors which
have hitherto marked our policy towards the
Indians, and makes several important sug-
gestions for the future embracing among them
recommendation that the various tribes should
be permanently located on reservations, not
larger than is necessary for actual occupation,
and that they should be required to live upon
and cultivate their reservations. He also re
commends the ratification of the treaties
made with the Indians of Washington and
Oregon Territories as a means of preventing
further hOstilities
SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.
The report Of the Secretary of the Treasury
has not yet been made accessible; but it is
generally understood that it will contain no
recommendation tending to disturb materially
the existing tariff law. Various notifications
may be suggested in the transfer OF few
articles to schedule, other than those in which
they are now enumerated, attaches much i'm
portance to table tariff, that the interest of
commerce may not be injured, and believing
that the present low tariff will ultimately
yield sufficiency of revenue. The inference
seems that he would rather than that the tariff
should be changed in its prominent features,
prefer to resort to loans in cases of temporary
embarrassment.
Washington Items.
WAsHINTON, Dec. 8.