Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-12-06
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

before the hour for the conyenlDg OF congress
had arrived, the floors and galleries of the
House and Senate chambers we're crowded with
members and others, and the din of loud talk
isg was so great as to render the scene a per-
feet Babel
At the hour Of twelve, Speaker Orr took the
chair, and a few raps of his gravel restored
order. The members took the seats they Occu-
pied last session, and the second session Of the
Thirty fifth Congress was opened with prayer
by the Rev. Dsbney Ball. of the NJ f. Church.
The call Of the roll was then proceeded with,
and the business of the session progressed as
is shown by our report of the days proceed
ings, in another column.
The MEssAGE.-The hour at which the mes
sage was read to the House and Senate, pre-
cludes us from accompanying its ;strbution
this afternoon among the Stars subscribers,
with comments. We note with great pleasure
the unalloyed satisfaction with which its con.
tents were received by the entire Democracy
of Congress, and the unstinted appreciation
manifested by nearly all the opposition of its
every suggestion not appertaining to some
question in issue between the political parties
of the times These facts involve stronger
compliments to the craftsmanship and patriot
ism Of President Buchanan than could other
wise be accorded to him. Elsewhere will be
found syIopses of the Departmental reports
accompanying the Message, embracing all the
points of those important papers for which we
have room to-day.
REPoRr OF TEE SECRETARY OF THE INrE-
nIoR. - This comprises twenty-si1 closely
printed pages, and embraces great variety Of
valuable matter. The Secretary first refers to
the subject of public lands, which he regards
as q matter of greater magnitude than any
other within the administration of his Depart
ment. After speaking of the excellences of
our publicland system, generally, which he
regards as the most conducive TO their rapid
settlement and reclamation from a wild and
uncultivated condition, that could be framed,
he animadverts at considerable length on the
prsctice of making donations of public lands to
actual settlers, after a residence thereon of a
specified term Of years was the case with
the lands Of Oregon and Washington Terrific
ries and the State of Florida. This system was
adopted with n view to ensure n speedier set
Element of the lands, than would obtain under
the usual laws for presumption and entries
Practically, however, 1t has not had the desired
effect.
Of the operations of the General Land Once.
which shows that during the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1913, 1904 ,90S acres If the public
lands were sold for cash, yielding 8, lie. eos
and 0,oO2- % acres were located with military
bounty land warrants. The unexpected Gimin-
utiOn in the cash sales is accounted for hy the
fact that the public sales in several of the Ter
rltories were postponed, because the unpropi-
tious season and financial distur bance had de-
prlved the settlers OF opportunity to raise money
N hnv Will md to har tad IL
would have been doing them great injury. The
quantity of land surveyed and ready to be
brought into market liz September was D. .9jI =
O49 acres, and that subject to sale at private
entry was over 50, 900 coo acres. A view of the
operations under the bounty land laws and
swamp and railroad grants, is next given. The
Secretary recommends the extension Of the land
laws over Utah, and the restoring to market of
land set apart for Indians but not occupied by
them. He also recommends the passage OF
general laws respecting the mineral lands sug-
costing that those containing the precious me-
tai be reserved from sale for the rise and Occu-
pancy Of the people Of the United States under
wholesome regulations. lie also recommends
that instead OF allowing prescriptions to mail
contractors fer locations for stage stands Oh
routes through the Territories, that such sta
lions be reserved by the Government for the
use Of successive contractors. The graduation
land laws of 1854 are disapproved of. as being q
fruitful source of fraud and ANNOYANCE.
OF the Indian affairs the Secretary mentions
that, with trifing exceptions, the tribes with
which We have treaties have kept their faith
and refIained frem hostilities; the difficulties
having been principally with those tribes the
treaties with whom have not yet been ratified
The Secretary recommends that instead of
large reservations being set apart for the In
dams Of tribe, in common, the land De dis
tributed to them individually; and that IA Their
than divide the annulties per capita among
them, the money be spent for supplying them
with stock implements of civilized life, and in
teaching them agriculture and the mechanic
arts Tho removal of Indian tribes is spoken
OF disparagingly, as it unsettles and disin-
cnnes them TO habits of industry; and the
opinion is advanced that the experiment of
civiliziDg the Indians has been very inner
fectly tested, and that the substitution of other
plans would notfail of having tie desired effect
The Secretary also refers at considerable
length to the operations of the Pension Bureau.
Patent Oflce. and other divisions of his Depart
meDt, but as there are no recommend tions for
legislative interference of general Importance
connected with subjects treated of under those
headings, further than that of an equalization
OF the Army and Navy pensions, we pass them
by, for the present, A lengthy chapter on the
District OF Columbia, possessing great local
interest, Is alluded to in our local columns
hEPoRr OF rHE SECRETARY OF WAR This
Is very interesting document of sixteen pages.
1t starts outwith the statement that the actual
numerical strength Of the Army was but II, 1875
on the LIST Of July last, which is Distributed
throughout the Union, manning all the pests
defending all the frontiers, protecting a. far as
possible, the routes across the interior, and cor
tending with the hostile Indians The demand
for men at the stations, and for wha..may be
termed the police duties Of the army, leave
only thirteen regiments, or about III 900 men
OF this force for active field duty. Within the
year this force has marched, on an average,
I.-oi miles, through uninhsbited soitudes and
stellle deserts, for the most part carrying with
them every item of supply.
poi' he ek proceeds to state the specific
operations OF the army during the wear and
gives tie names Of those officers vho $500, ani
services especially meritorious The w. -
New Mexico with the Camanches the Secr.,a- -
regards as just begun. The report is accouon:1