Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-12-11

power of making judgments final may not
properly be given to the court, reserving the
right of appeal on questions Of law to the
Supreme Court, with such other provisions as
experience may have shown to be necessary.
ask attention to the report of the Post
master General, the following being a sum-
mary statement of the condition of the De-
partment. The revenue from all sources du-
ring the fiscal year ending June so, 1861. in
Guiding the annual permanent appropriation
OF 500 900 for the transportation of free mail
matter, was SO .049 1896 40 being almost two
per cent less than the revenue for 1860. The
expenditures were thirteen millions six hun
dred and six thousand seven hundred and
hfty-nine dollars and eleven cents; showing a
decrease of more than eight per cent as com
pared with those of the previous year, and
leaving an excess of expenditures over the
revenue for the last fiscal year of S4 ,657 ,462
II. The gross revenue for year ending June
oO, 1868, is estimated at an increase of four
per cent on that of 1861, making So, ,6S3 900,
to which should be added the earnings of the
Department in carrying free matter, viz !:
81 90 ,000-making SO, ,3S3, 900.
The total expenditures for 1868 are estimat-
ed at ST., ,520. 900, leaving an estimated def
cheney of SO, l45, 900 to be supplied from the
Treasury, in addition to the permanent appro-
pria'ioD.
The present insurrection shows, / think
that the extension of this District across the
Potomac river, at the time of establishing the
Capital here, was eminently wise ; and conse-
quently, that the REIMBURSEMENT of that por-
tion OF it which hes within the State OF Vir-
ginia was unwise and dangerous. submit
for your consideration the expediency of re-
gaining that part of the District, and the re-
storation of the original boundaries thereof,
through negotiation with the State of Virginia.
The report of the Secretary of the Interior,
with the accompanying documents, exhibits
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 patent aud general land Offices.
The cash receipts from the public lands du-
ring the past year have exceeded the expenses
of our land system only about $500 900.
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 mill
tary service, have obstrccted settlements in the
new States and Territories of the Northwest.
The receipts of the Patent Office have de-
clined in nine months about 500 900 render
ing large deduction OF the force employed
necessary to make it self sustaining.
The demands upon the Pension Office will
be largely increased by the insurrection.
Numerous applications for pensions, based
upon the causualties of the existing war,
have already been made. There is reason to
believe that many who are now upon the pen
sion rolls, 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 a sus-
pension of the payment of the pensions of
such persons upon proof of their disloyalty.
l recommend that Congress authorize that
officer to cause the names of such persons to be
stricken from the pension roll.
The relations of the Government with the
Indian tribes have been greatly disturbed by
by the insurrection, especially in the South
ern Superintendency, and in that of New
Mexico. The Indian country south of Kansas
is in possession of insurgents from Texas
and Arkansas. The agents of the United
States Government appointed since the 4th of
March for this superintendency, have been
unable to reach their posts, while the most of
those who were in the office before that time,
have espoused the insurrectionary cause
and assume to exercise the powers of agents
by virtue of commissions from the insurrec-
tionists.
1t has been stated in the public press that a
portion of these Indians have been organized
military force and are attached to the
army of the insurgents. Although the Gov
ernment has no official information upon this
subject, letters have been written to the Com
missioner OF Indian Affairs by several promi-
nent chiefs, giving assurance of their loyalty
to the United States, and expressing a wish
for the presence of Federal troops to protect
them.
1t is believed that upon the repossession of
the country by the Federal forces, the Indians
will readily cease all hostile demonstrations,
and resume their former relations to the Gov
ernment.
Agriculture, confessedly the largest interest
of the nation, has not a department nor "a
bureau, but clerkship only, assigned to it
in the Government. While it is fortunate
that this great interest is so independent in
its nature as not to have demanded and eXtorted
more from the Government, respectfully ask
Congress to consider whether something more
cannot be given voluntarily with general ad-
vantage.
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 suggestion to details, / venture the
opinion that an agricultural and statistical bu-
reau might profitably be organized.
The execution of the laws for the suppression
of the African slave trade has been conf1ded
to the department of the interior. 1t is a
subject of congratnlation that the efforts which
have been made for the suppression of this in
human 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 engaged in equpping SLAYER have
been convicted, and subjected to the penalty
of fine and Imprisonment and one captain,
taken with 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
Nevada, created by the last Congress, have
been organized, and civil administration has
been inaugurated therein under auspices
especially gratifying, when it is considered
that the leaven of treason was found existing