Nebraska advertiser., 1861-12-12

ASSOAAhSuN blab you give lulS SuDJeCb your
earnest attention, and that you carefully ex-
anime our revenue laws, for the purpose Of
remedyin any defects that may appear IN the
system, aud correcting any abuses that may
have grown mp in their execution.
The completion of the Capitol, the erec-
ton of a Penitentisry and other public bull
dings, are very mnch need. But III the pres
ent financial condition Of the Territory, / can
not recommend a Territorial tax for these
purposes. Were it not for the existence of
civil war, which is making such large de-
mands upon the National Treasury, we might
reasonasonably expect Congress to aid us with
liberal appropriations. The relation of the
Territories to the Federal Government is some
what like that Of the child TO the parent
The Federal Government should nurture, aid
and protect, the people Of a Territory, as a
wise and provident father would his children.
In the beginning the Territory may be bur-
densone, but the ultimate advantage is mu-
tual. as our population and wealth Increase
we augment the security and power Of the
nation, and add TO its revenues, BY the pay
ment of our proportion Of its taxes, and by
bringingi into market vast quantities Of public
lands, enhanced in value by our Industry
1t would not be unreasonable, therefore, for
you to solicit such assistance from Congress
as may be imperatively necessary for the pur-
poses alluded to above
You will be unable to use the rooms in the
Capitol disisned for the annual sessions of
the Legislature. 1t might be considered I'M
wise, at present, to request a sum sufficient to
complete the building, but economy as we'll
as convenience, and the prompt discharge Of
public business, would seem to require the
early completion of the Halls for thu Coun-
Gil and House of Representatives. l there
fore recommend that you a~seertaia amount
required for this purpose, and memorialize
Congress for the necessary appropriation.
The existence Of good society requires the
punishment of evil doors. Savages, as well
as civilized communities, are compelled to
restrain or DESTROY those who violate their
laws. Their trial should be impartial, and
their punishment impartial, prompt, aud hu-
name and certain. Without a reasonable GER
tainty of the punishment of offenders, indi-
viduals and communities, smarting under the
unredressed violation of their rights, will
take the place Of your courts; the trial of the
accused will be dispensed with, or become a
mockery, putting in peril the innocent as
well as the guilty, and severe and cruel pun
ish ment will be inflicted for minor Offences
undermining the very foundations of So
ciety. 1t is perfectly clear, therefore, that we
must have a secure Territorial Prison in
which to incarcerate those who may be con-
of crimes. Heretofore Congress has
uniformly, / believe. made appropriations for
the erection of Penitentisries for the organ
lied Territories. / know Of no reason for
Nebraska an exception. You may,
therefore, press this subject on the attention
of Congress with a reasonable expectation Of
An appropriation should also be asked. for
the establishment Of an Arsenal in the Terri
tory. The melitia Of the Territory are not
properly supplied with arms and munitions
Of war. We are surrounded by tribes of In
1i4ns who have been more or less tempered
With by wicked men, and traitors to the Uni
Oh we are in the immediate vicinity of the
Of the rebellious States; the reg
ular troops, who have been recently garrison
ing our forts, are being rapidly Withdrawn
numbers of our best and bravest young
men have been summoned from their homes
to aid in fighting the battles of the Union ::
have a long range of frontier settlements
to the tomahaks aud scalping knives
Of savages. You should therefore urge upon
Congress, in the strongest terms, the necessi-
ty of furnishing our yeople with the means
Of defending their homes and families.
An effective organization of the Militia Of
the Territory, and the safe keeping and pres
Of the public aims, is a subject which
l would also invite your earnest attention.
An act entitled San act to organize the Ne
braska volunteers passed at the session of
1856, is the only law now in force in the ter
ritory on this subject. By examining the law
you will find it to be ve,y defective. 1t will
become your duty. therefore. to to make such
and amendment as the public neces-
may require.
The Land system adopted by the Federal
Government, is, in many respects, just and
liberal towards the people of the new States.
On their admission into the Union they re-
ceive large reservations for school purposes,
universities, salt springs, and for internal i'm
provements; and a hansome percent from the
proceeds of subsequent sales Of public lands
within their limits. But as long as the Ter
condition continues, the system is op
pressive and unjust to the settlers. They are
deprived of all these advantages, at a time
when thew need them the most, After strug-
Cling with all the difficulties of a frontier
life, and by years of persevering toll, render
dering the country desirable, and the public
lands valuable, they are allowed the poor boon
of pre-empting and buying, at one dollar aud
a quarter per acre, their own Improvements,
rot exceeding one hundred and sixty acres,
if they should be able to do so within one
rear after filing notice. But should they fail
to raise the required means, they must sub
nit to the. loss of their homes, or to the ru~
nous demands Of the m~Oney-lender. Every
acre not thus secured, is exposed to sale at
public outcry to the highest bidder, and if not
sold, becomes subject to private entry with
land warrants. In this way it passes into the
hands of foreign spectators in large quaint
ties, and lies unimproved, preventing the
settlement and impro vement of the country,
depriving the scattered inhabitants of the ad-
vantages Of schools and churches, roads and
bridges, machinery aud manufactures, and
other accomplishments of a dense population.
Hence you should, in my opinion, urge up
on Congress to enact a Homestead Law at It's
next session. With such a law, enabling the
industrious with limited means, to secure for
their dependant families a home, a very few
years only will roll around, before the rich
valleys Of the Platte, the Loup, the Elkhorn,
the Nemaha, the N3obrara, and ether streams
IN the Territory, viii be made to blossom as
the rose.
| am confident that the character OF our
Territory nc. a GRAIN nroducinp and grazing