Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-12-03

have been unwilling to 60 beyond the pressur
Il OF necessity In the unusual exercise OF power
.ns P0ws Of Congress are
| the whole matter 10 Congress, with the hope tina
/ plan may be devised for the administration o
justice In all such pars Of the insurgent State
| and Territories a. may be under the control o
| TO allegiance and order, or by the power OF ou
| arms This, however, 10 not to be permanent
Institution, but temporary substitute, and e
cease as soon az the ordinary courts can be re-es
It is important tina, some more convenient
means should be provided, IL possible for the ad
justment Of claims against the government, es.
| pecially In view Of their increased number by
reason Of the war. IL 10 as much the duty Of gov
eminent to render prompt justice against itself In
favor Of citizens az IL Is to administer the same
between private individuals. The investigation
and adjudication Of claims, In their nature belong
70 the Judicial depattinsnt; besides it 10 apparent
that the attention 6f Congtess will be more than
usually engaged, for some time to come, with
great national Questions. IL was intended, by the
organization Of the court of aims mainly TO re-
move this branch Of business from the halls OF
Congress; but while the court has proved TO be
an effective, and valuable means of Investigation,
1t In great1egree fails to effect the object Of its
creation, for want Of power to make Its judgment
final.
FnllY aware Of the delicacy, not to say danger
Of the subject, commend to your careful con-
sderation whether this power Of making judg-
court re.ersing he rig It q sppes on questions e
OF law to the Supreme Court, with such other
provisions az experience may have shown to be
necessary.
| ask attention 10 the report Of the Postmaster
General, the following being summary state
ment OF the condition of the department:
The revenue from all sources during the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1861, including the annual
permanent appropriation of seven hundred thous
and d0llara for fhe NJ free all
matter" was nine million fottv- nine thousand
two hurd red and nincty-six dollars and forty
cents. being about two PET cent less than the
The expenditures were thirteen million six
hundred and six thousand seven hundred and
hfty-nin dollars and eleven cents, showing a
decrease Of more thaneight per cent, as compared
with those OF the previous year, and leaving an
excess OF expenditure over the for the last
fiscal year Of four million five hundred and ffty-
seven thousand four hundred and sixty-two dol
lars and seventy-one cents.
The gross revenue for the wear ending June 80,
1853, Is estimated at an increase Of four per cent
on that of 1861, making eight million six hun
dred and eighty.three thousand dollars to which
should De added the earnings Of the department
In carrying free matter, viz; seven hundred thou
sand dollars, making nine million three hundred
and eighty-three thousand dollars.
The total expenditures Of 1863 are estimated at
twelve millions five hundred and twenty-eight
thousand dollars, leaving an estimated deficiency
OF three millions one hundred and forty-fve
thousand dollars to be supplied from the trea-
sury, In addition TO the permanent appropriation.
The present Instruction shows, | think, that
the extension of this District across the Potomac
river at the time Of establishing the capital here
was eminently wise, and conSeq uently that the
relinquishment Of that portion Of II which lies
within the State OF Virginia was unwise and dan
gerous. I submit for consideration the expedi-
encV Of regainiDg that part of the District, and
the restoration Of the original boundaries thereof
through negotiations with the State OF Virginia
- HhaSl 90,
the accompanying documents, exhibits the con-
diton of the several branches of the public bust
ness pertaining to that department The deprsss-
Ing influences Of the insurfection have been es-
pecially felt In the operations Of the Patent and
General Land Offices. The cash receipts from the
sales Of public lands during the past year have
exceeded the expenses OF our land system only
about two hundred thousand dollars. The sales
have been entirely suspended in the Southern
States, while the Interruptions to the business of
the country, and the diversion Of large numbers
Of men from labor to military service, have OBJ
snucted settlements in the new States and Terri
tories Of the northwest.
The receipts Of the Patent Office have declined
In nine months about one hundred thousand dol.
lars, rendering large reduction Of the force en-
ploved necessary to make Il self-sustainfn0
The demands upon the Pension Office will be
largely increased by the instruction. Numerous
applications for pensions, based upon the casual
ties OF the existing war, have already been made
There 10 reason to believe that many who are now
upon the pension rolls and in pt Of the bounty
Of the government, are In the ranks Of the insur-
gent army, or giving them aid and comfort. The
Secretary Of the Interior has directed suspension
ofthe payment OF the pensions Of such persons pom
proof Of their disloyaity. recommend that Con-
gress authorize that officer to the names of
such persons to be stricken from the pension
rolls.
The relations Of the government with the In.
dian tribes have been greatly disturbed by the
Instruction, especially in the southern superin-
tendency and in that of New Mexico. The In.
Of insurgents from Texas and Arkansas. The
agents Of the United States appointed since the
4th Of March for this uperintendency have been
unable to reach their posts, while the most OF
those who were in office before that time have
espoused the lnsurrectionary cause, and assume
70 exercise the powers Of agents by virtue of CON-
missions from the insurrectionists. IL has been
stated in the public press that portion of those
Indians have been organized as a military force
and are attached to the army Of the insurgents
Although the government has no official informa-
ton upon the subject, letters have been written
to the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs by several
prominent chiefs, giving assurance Of their low
atty TO the United States, and expressing a wish
for the presence of federal troops to protect them
1t 10 believed that upon the repossesson Of the
country by the federal forces the Indians will
readily cease all hostile demonstrations, and re-
sumo their former relations to the government
Agriculture, confessedly the largest interest OF
the nation, has, not department, nor a bureau,
but a clerkship only, assigned to II in the Gov.
ernment. While II is fortunate that this grea,
interest is so independent in it's nature as to no,
have demanded and extorted more from the Gov
eminent, respectfully ask Congress to consider
whether something more cannot be given volun-
tarily with general advantage.
Annual reports exhibiting the condition of our
agriculture, commerce, and manufactures would
present fund Of information Of great practical
value to the country. While make no suTpes.
ton to details, venture the opinion that an
agricultural and statistical bureau might profit
ably be organized.
The execution of the laws for the suppression
Of the African slave trade has been confded 10
the Department of the Interior. II Is subject OF
graduation that the efforts which have been made
FOR the suppression Of this inhuman traffic have
been recently attended with unusual success
Five vessels being fitted out for the slave trade
have been seized and condemned Two mates
Of vessels engaged In the trade and one person
In equipping vessel as a SLAYER, have been con-
victed and subjected to the penalty OF fine and
imprisonment, and one captain, taken with a
cargo of Africans on board his vessel, has been
convicted Of the highest grade Of offence under
our laws, the punishment OF which is death
The Territories of Colorado, Dakotah and Ne
vada, created by the last Congress, have been or
ganized, and civil administration has been inau-
gurated therein under auspices especially graft
flying, when IL is considered that the leaven Of
treason fOund existing N Somp Of those na,u