The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-12-05

ment.
Agriculture, confessedly the larges
interest of the nation, has not q De
partment or Bureau, but a clerkshiI
only assigned to it in the Government
I respectfully ask Congress to consider
whether something more cannot bs
given voluntarily with general advan
tage. Annual reports exhibiting the
condition of our agriculture, commerce
and manufactures, would present a
fund of information of great practical
value 10 the country. While | make
no suggestion, rs to details, l venture
the opinion that m agricultural and
statistical bureau might profitably be
organized.
The execution Of the laws for the
suppression of the African slave trade
has been confined to the Department
of the Interior. II is a subject of con.
graduation that the efforts which have
been made for the suppression of this
inhuman traffic, have recently been at
tended with unusual success. Five yes.
sells being fitted out for the slave trade,
have been seized and condemned. Two
masters engaged in the trade, and one
person equipping the vessel as a SLAYER,
have been convicted and subjected to
the penalty of fine and imprisonment;
and one captain taking up a cargo of
Africans on board his vessel, has been
convicted of the highest grade of of
fence under our laws, the punishment
of which is death.
The territories of Colorado, Dako-
tab and Nevada, created by the last
Congress, have been organized, and
civil administration been inaugurated
therein under auspices especially graf.
flying, when it is considered that the
Leaven 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 afforded by organized Gov
eminent, will doubtless invite to them
large immigration when pence shall
restore the business of the country to
its accustomed channels. l submit
the resolutions of the Legislature of
Colorado, which evince the patriotic
spirit of the people of the Territory.
So far the authority of the United
States has been upheld in al the Ter
ritories, as it is hoped it will be in the
future. l recommend their interests
and defence to the enlightened and
generous care Of Congress
] recommend TO the favorable con-
sideration of Congress the interests of
the District of Columbia. The insur-
rection has been the cause of much suf-
fering and sacrisee to the inhabitants,
and as they have 10 Representatives in
Congress that body should not over
look their just claims upon the Govern
ment.
AT your late session, a joint resolu-
ton was adopted authorizing the Pres
ident to take measures for facilitating n
proper representation of the industrial
interests of the United States at the
exhibition Of the Industry of All Ma
lions to be holden at London in the
year 1852. | regret to have been una
bic to give personal attention to this
subject, q subject at once so interesting
in itself and so extensively and intri-
cetely connected with the material
prosperity of tho world. Through the
Secretaries of the State and Interior, a
plan or system has been devised and
partly matured, which will be laid be-
fore you.
Under and by virtue of the act of
Congress, entitled can Act to .Confis.
cate Property used for In-urrcctionary
Purposes" approved Aug. 9th, 1861,
legal claims of certain persons to the
labor and service of certain other per-
sons have become forfeited, and num-
beers of the latter thus liberated are al
ready dependent OH 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 benefits re-
spectively, and by the operation of
which persons of the same class will be
thrown upon them for disposal. Insuch
case, recommend that Congress pro-
vide for accepting such persons from
such States according to some mode of
valuation in lieu, pro tanto, of direct
taxes, or upon some other plan to be
agreed on with such States respective
ly, that such persons, on such accept
ance by the General Government, he
at once deemed free, and that, in any.
event, steps be taken for colonizing
both classes, or the one first mentioned,
if the other shall not be brought into
existence at the same place or places,
in a climate congenial to them. 1t
might be well to consider, too, wheth-
err the free colored people already in
the United States could not, SO far as
individuals may desire, be included in
such colonization. To carry out the
plan of colonization may involve the
acquiring of territory, and also an APP
preparation of money beyond that to
be expended in the territorial acquisi-
ton. Having practiced the acquisition
of territory for nearly fifty years, the
question of Constitutional power to do
40 is no longer an open one with us.
The power was first questioned by Mr..
Jefferson, who, however, in the pur-
chase of Louisiana, yielded his scruples
on the plea of great expedience.
If it he said that the only legitimate
object of acquiring Territory is to fur