The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-12-05

blD Il aif1IS @
c,,,Iiar irnnortaace to his recommendation tor
tha corDs Of ca lets to the greatest ca
naclty OF the Military Academy
mere omission, presume, Congress mas
r,iioJ to nroyide Chaplans for the hospitals oc-
cnnicd by Volunteers This subject was brought
to INV notice, and | WAS induced to draw up the
form of a letter, one copy OF which was adufess-
ed 10 each Of the persons ana at tue daCeS IT,
spectively named and stated in schedule, CON
tanning also the form Of the letter, marked "A,
aud herewith transmitted. These gentIemen,l
understand. entered upon the duties designated,
AZ the times respectively stated in the schedule,
and have labored faithfully therein ever since.
therefore recommend that they be compensa-
ted at the same rate as Chapleins in the army
further suggest that general provision be MADE
for Chapains TO serve at Hospitals as wei as
with Regiments.
The Repor, of the Secretary Of the Navy pre-
sents In detail the operations Of that orancn OF
the service and the activity and energy WHICH
have characterized its administration, ana the
resnl,s of measures to increase its efficiency and
non,er Such have been the additions by cone
struction and purchase. that it may almost De
said a Navy has been created and brought into
service since our difficulties commenced. De-
sides blockadng our extensive coast, squauIohs
larger than ever before assembled under our nay
have been nut ahoat, and have performed deeds
which have increased our naval reno"n.
would invite SPECIAL attention to the recon-
merdation of the Secretary of the Navy for a
more perfect organization Of the Navy, by IN
PRODUCING additional grades in te service. Inc
present organization is detective and unsaustac-
| tory. and the suggestions submitted by the De-
oartment will tits beievcd,if adopted, AVOID the
difficulties alluded to, promote harmony, ana IN
crease the efficiency Of the Navy -,
| There are three vacancies )n the bench OF the
Ct n 49, HI ID Of Jn9tlpaS
Daniels and Mclean, and che by the resignation
of Sustice Campbell have so far forborne from
making nominations to fill these vacancies, for
reasons which | will now state. Two OF the
outgoing Judges resided within the States now
overruo bv revolt so that ifsuccs5sors were APP
pointed in the same localities, they could not
serve upon their circuits, and many OF the most
competent men there probably would not take
the personal hazard of accepting TO serve even
here upon the Supreme Bench have been un-
willing to throw all the appointments northward
thus disabling myself from doing justice to the
South on the return of pea,e although l may
remark that the transfer to the North one which
has heretofore been in the South, would notw with
reference to territory and population, be UNJUST
During the long and brilliant Judicial career OF
Judge Mclean, his circuit grew into an EN-
pre altogether too large for any one Judge TO
give the Courts therein more than nominal
attendance, IiSlllR III pOpuldtIOI liO'A
in 1881 to 6 ISL ,405 in 1860, Besides this, the
country has generally outgrown the present ju-
dcial system If uniformity al all intend
ed, the system requires that all the States shall
be accommoda, ed with Circuit Courts, attended
lby Supreme Judges, while in fact Wisconsin,
Minnesota Iowa, Kansas, Florida, Texas Cali
fornia and Oregon have never had any such
Courts. Nor can this be well remedied without
4 a change of system, because the adding of JUS
tees to the SUpreme Court enough for the &C
commodation of all parts of the country with
Circuit Courts would create a Court altogether
too dangerous for judicial body OF any sort, land
the evil of it be one that Will increase as new
States come into the Union. Circuit Courts are
useful or they are not useful. If useful, no State
should be denied them; if not useful, no State
should have them Let them be provided for
ali or abolished as 10 all. Three notifications
occur to me here, which think would be an
improvement on our present -ystem. Let the
Supreme Cont be of convenient number in ev-
cry event then, first, let the whole country be
divided into Circuits Of convenient size. the Su-
preme Judges serving IN a number of them cor
responding with their own number and indepen-
dent Circuit Judges to be provided for all the
rest OF, secondly, the Supreme Judges be re-
ieved from Cicut duties. and Crcait Judges
be provided for all the Circuits or, thirdly, dis
pense with Circuit Courts altogether, leaving
the judicial junction wholly 10 the District
! Courts ana An independent Supreme Court.
! respectfully recommend to the consideration
of Cong. ess tn present condition Of the statute
laws, with tie hope that Congress will be able
to find an easy remedy for The many incOnVen-
fences and evils which constantly embarrass
| those in the practical administration OF them. -
Since the organization of the Government, Con-
gress has enacted some 5000 acts and joint res
outions, which ill more than G,U00 closely
printed pages, aud scattered through many
volumes. Many of these acts have been dra Wn
I'm haste and without sufficient caution, so that
their provisions are often obscure in themselves
or in conflict with each other, and at least so
doubtful as to render 1t very dithcuItiOr even
the best informed persons to ascertain precisely
what the statute law really is. 1t seems to me
very important that the statute law should be
made as plain aud Ineligible as possible, and
be reduced Ia small q compass as may be
consistent with the precision and fullness OF the
Legislature, and the perspicuity Of It's language.
/, These we'll done, would, | think greatly facili-
tate the l.,bors Of those whose duty it is to as
sist in The administration Of the laws, and would
be lasting benefit to the people, by placing be-
fore them in more accessible and ineligible
form the laws which 50 deeply concern their III
terests and duties. | am informed by some
whose opinions | respect, that all the acts o
Congress now III force and Of a permanent and
so as TO be embraced in one volume, or at most
two volumes Of ordinary and convenient size,
and | respectfully recommend TO Congress to
consider the subject, and if my suggestion be
approved, to devise such plan as their wisdom
shall deem most proper for the attainment ofthe
end proposed.
One of the unfavorable consequences of the
present Instruction, is the entire suppression
in many places of all ordinary means of admin
Iil4arino oiv inpt;oo Nv "a ;,,+ bo
forms of existing law This is the case in whole
OF in part in all the insufgent States; and as our
armies advance upon and take possession of parts
of these States, the practical evil becomes more
/ apparent. There are no courts or officers to
W HON the citizens Of other States may apply
for the enforcement of their lawful claims agains
citizens of the insurgent States, and there is
vast amount of debt constituting such claims
Some have estimated it rs high as 20O, 600 o.
: dollars, due in large part from insurgents il
open rebe lion, to loyal citizens, who are ever
now making great sacrifices in the discharge o
patriotic duty to support the Government. U in.
/ der these circumstances l have been urgently
solicited to establish by military power, courts
to administer summary justice in such cases.
have thus far declined 10 do it,not because hat
f any doubt that the end proposed-the collection
of debt-was just and right III itself, but because
l have been unwilling to go beyond the pressure
of necessity, In the unusual exercise Of power
But the powers of Congress- suppose, are equa
to the anomalous occasion, and therefore | refel
the whole matter to Congress- with the hope
that plan may be devised for the admnstIa
ton otjussice in all such parts Of the insurgen
States and Territories us may be under he con
lrol ofthiS Government, whether by a volunta-
ny return to allegiance and UldeI.al by the pow
er of our arms lhi~, however, not to be per
maneut institution, but d temporary substitute
aud to cease ION as the ordinary courts can be
re-estabIished in peace.
Ii is important that some more convenient
means should be provided il possible, for the
adjustment OF claims against the Government
especially III view o. their imcrea ed number BY
reason "A the war. It is as mach The duty of the
Government to render prompt justice against
itself IN favor at citizens as it is to administer
the same between private individuals, The in
vesugaton and adjudication Of ali claims in their