The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-12-07
BURLINGTON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1861

to the Court, reserving the right Of appeal o
questions Of law, 10 she Supreme Court, wit
such other provisions as experiences may hay
i shown to be necessary.
/ ask attention to the report Of the Postmas
ter General, the following being summar
statement Of the condition Of the Department
The revenue from all sources during the isca
year, ending the S0th Of June, 1861, includin,
the anncal permanent appropriation Of sever
hundred thousand for the transportation Of FIRE,
mail matter, was %, ,049, ,296 40, being abou
2 per cent. less than the Revenue OF 1860, tn,
| expenditures were sl3.606,7 700 IL. showing ,
| decrease OF more than s per cent, as compared
with those.of the previous year, and leaving al
| excess of expenditure over the Revenue for tho
last fiscal year. Of over $4,574. OPT 20. The
gross revenue for the year ending June S0th
1858, is estimated Mt an increase Of per cent
on that Of 1851, making 9s,6s3,99O, which
should be added to the earnings of the Depart
| ment for carrying free matter, viz; s., 600, 600
making 50, ,352 900. TIE total expenditures for
1 1858 are estimated at $l2, ,52s, 900, leaving an
estimated deficiency Of $3,S45, 900, to be sup
piled from the Treasury in addition to the per
manent appropriation. sa @ Elsss 81.
The present insurrection shows, / think, that
the extension of this District across the Poto-
| mac River at the time of the establishment oi
the Capital here, was eminently wise, and con-
sequently that tie REIMBURSEMENT Of that por.
| tion of it which lies in the State of Virginia
was unwise aud dangerous. I submit for your
| consideration the expediency Of retaining that
part Of the District and the restoration Of the
original boundaries thereof, through negotia-
tions with the State of Virginia
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior,
with the accompanying documents, exhibit the
condition Of the several branches of the public
| business pertaining to that Department. The
depressing influences Of the insurrection have
been especially felt in the operations Of the Pa
tent and General Land Offices The cash re-
ceipts from the sales of public lands, during the
last year, have exceeded the expenses OF our
land system cnly about 100000 The sales
have been entirely suspended in the Southern
States, While the interruptions to the business
| OF the country, and the diversion of large num-
numbers Of men, from labor to military service,
has obstructed settlements ia the new States and
Territories of the Northwest. The receipts OF
tho Patent Office have declined in nine months,
| about 100000, rendering large reduction Of
the force employed, necessary, to make it self
sustaining. '8st
The demands upon the Pension Office will be
largely increased by the insurrection. NJ.
merous applications for pensions, based upon
the casualties of the existing war, have already
been made. There is reason to believe that
many who re now upon the Pension roll and
in receipt of the bounty of the Government, are
in the ranks Of the insurgent army, or giving
them aid and comfort. The Secretary Of the
Interior has directed the suspension of the pay
ments of the pensions Of such persons. Upon
proof OF their disloyalty, l recommend that
Congress authorize thaY officer to cause the
names Of such persons to be stricken from the
Pension rolls 'i-'
The relations Of this government with the In
dian tribes have been lately disturbed by the
insurrection, especially, in the southern supern-
tendence, and in that of New Mexico The In.
dian country south Of Kansas is in possession Of
insurgents from Texas and Arkansas The
agents Of the q. S. appointed since the 4th of
March, for this superintendency, have been un-
able to reach their posts, while the most of those
who were in office before that time have espoas
ed the insurrectlonary cause and assumed to ex-
ercise the powers Of agents by virtue OF commits
sions from the insurrectionists. 1t has been
stated in the public press that portion of these
Indians have been organized as military force
and are attached to the army Of the insurgents.
Although the government has no official infor.
nation upon the subject, letters have been writ.
ten to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs by
several prominent Chiefs, giving assurance Of
their loyalty to the United States and express
ing the wish for the presence of the federal
troops to protect them. 1t is believed that on
the re-possession Of the country by the federal
forces, the Indians will readily cease all hostile
demonstrations and resume their former rela.
tians to the government.
Agriculture, confessedly the largest interest
Of the nation has not department or bureau,
but clerkship only, assigned to it, in the Gov
ernment. While it is fortunate that the great
interest is so independent in its nature as not to
have demanded and extorted more from the
Government respectfully ask Congress to con.
slider whether something more cannot be given
voluntarily with general advantage. Annual
reports exhibiting the condition of our agricu.
ture, commerce and manufactures, would pre-
sent fund of information of great practical
value to the country. While make no sug-
gcstion as to details, l venture the opinion that
an Agricultural and Statistical Bureau might
proGtably be organized.
The execution of the laws for the suppression
Of the African slave trade have been confined
to the Department. of the Interior 1t is sub
ject Of cobgratulation that the Efforts which
have been made for the suppression of this in
human traffic have recently been attended with
unusual success Five vessels being fitted out
for the slave trade have been seized and con-
demncd. Two masters engaged in the trade and
one person equippng vesse as slavers, have
been convicted and subjected to the penalty of
fine and Imprisonment, and one Captain taking
up 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, Dacotan and Ne.
vada, created by the last Congress, have been
organized and civil administration has been in.
augurated therein, under auspices especially
gratifying, when it is considered that the Ieaven
of treason was found existing in some of these
new countries, when the Federal officers arrived
there. The abundant natural resources of these
Territories, with the security and protection af-
forded by organized government, will doubtless
invite to them large immigration when peace
shall restore the business of the country to its
accustomed channels. l submit the resolutions
of the Legislature of Colorado. which evinced
the patriotic spirit of the people OF the Terrific
ry. So far, the authority of the United States
has been upheld in all the Territories, and it is
hoped it will be in the future. commend their
interest and defence to the enlightened and gem
erous care of Congress
recommend to the favorable consideration
of Congress the interests of the District of Col
umbia The insurrection has been the cause of
much suffering and sacrifice to the inhabitants,
and as they have no Representative in Congress,
that body should not overlook their just claims
upon the Government.
At your late session joint resolution was
adopted authorizing the President to take meas
ures for facilitating proper representation Of
the industrial interests of the United States at
the exhibition of the indultry of all nations, to
be holden at London in the year 1862. I regret
to have been unable to give personal attention
to this subject-a subject at once SO interesting
in itself and so extensively and intycately con
nected with the material prosperity OF the world
Through the Secretaries Of the State and In
telior plan or system has been devised, and
partly matured, which will be laid before you.
under and by virtue Of the act of Congress, en-.
titled an act to confscate property used for in.
| surrectionary purposes; approved August 9th,
1861. Legal claims Of certain persons to the
labor and services Of certain other persons, have
become forfeited and numbers of the latter, thus
liberated, are already dependent on the United
States, and must be provided for in some way.
Besides this, it is not impossible that some Of
the States will pass similar enactments for their
own. heneft, respectively, and BY the operation
of which persons Of the same class will be
thrown upon them for disposal. In such case
recommend that Congress provide for accepting
| such persons, from such. States. according to
&c, ndo onf ~,