The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-12-13

| uSbOCc, ~ 10 dppoAC CIV tuot tuC dGl6uLIOu VI
Congress will be more than usually engag.
ed for some time to come with great no.
tional questions. 1t was intended by the
organization of the Cont of Claims mainly
to remove this branch of business from the
halls of Congress, but while the Court has
proved to be an effective and valuable
means of investigation, it, in great degree,
fails to effect the object of its creation, for
the want of power to make its judgments
final.
Fully aware of the deficiency, not to say
the danger, of the subject, commend to
your careful consideration whether this
power of making judgments final may not
be properly given to the court, reserving
the right OF appeal on questions of law to
the Supreme Court, with SUCH other provis-
ions as experience may have shown to be
necessary.
ask attention to the report of the Post
Master General; the following being a
summary statement of the condition of that
Department: The revenue from all sources
during the fiscal year ending Both June,
1861, including the annual permanent APP
preparation of $4,000 for the transporter
ton of free mail matter, was $9,O49,296 40
being about two per cent. less than the
revenue of 1860.
The expenditures were $l3,606,709 H.,
showing decrease of more than eight per
cent, as compared with those of the previous
year, and leaving an excess of expenditures
over the revenue for the last fiscal year OF
$55 ,462 IL. The gross revenue for the
year ending June Both, 1868, is estimated
at an increase of four per cent. on that of
1861, making 1858, 900, to which should
be added the earnings of the department
for carrying free matter, viz, 100000,
making $9,382,00O. The total expendi-
lures for 1868 are estimated at $l2, 528,00
leaving an estimated deficiency of $685.
| 900, to be supplied from the Treasury, in
addition to the permanent appropriations.
The present Instruction shows, think,
that the extension OF this District across
the Potomac river, at the time of estab.
fishing the capital here, was eminently wise,
and, consequently, that the REIMBURSEMENT
of that portion of it which lies in the State
| of Virginia was unwise and dangerous. [
| submit to your consideration the expedi-
ency of regainng that part of the District,
and the restoration OF the original boun.
darles, through negotiations with the State
of Virginia.
The report of the Secretary of the Inte-
ri0r, with the accompanying document,
exhibits the condition of the several
branches of the public business pertaining
to that department. The depressing inhu.
ences of the Instruction have been espe.
cially felt in the operations of the Patent
and General Land Office. The cash receipts
from the sales of public lands during the
last year have exceeded the expenses of our
land system only about 100000. The
sales have been entirely suspended in the
Southern States, while the Interruptions to
the business of the country, and the diver.
| sion of large numbers of men from labor to
| military services, have INSTRUCTED settle
ments in the new States and Territories of
the Northwest.
The receipts of the Putent Office have
declined, in nine months, about 100000
rendering large reduction of the force
employed necessary to make it self'sustain
ing.
The demands upon the Pension Office
will be largely increaeed by this insurrec-
ton. Numerous applications for pensions,
| based upon the casualties OF the existing
war, have already been made. There is
reason to believe that many who are 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 Inte-
rior has directed the suspension of the pay
ment of the pension of such people, on
proof of their disloyalty. recommend
| that Congress authorize that officer to cause
the names of such persons to be stricken
from the roll.
| The relations of the Government with
the Indian tribes have been lately disturb
ed by the insurrection, especially in the
northern superintendency and in that of
New Mexico. The Indian country south
of Kansas is in the possession of the in~
surgents from Texas and Arkansas. The
agents of the United States, appointed
since the 4th of March, for this superins
tendency, have been unable to reach their
| posts, while the most of those who were in
Office before that time have espoused the
| insurrecticnary cause and assumed to ex-
urcise the power of agents by virtue of
| commissioners from insurrectiOnists.
1t has been stated IN the public press that
portion of these Indians have been organ
lied as military force, and are attached to
the army of the insurgents, although the
Government has no official information up
on the subject. Letters have been written
to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs by
several prominent chiefs, giving assurances
of their loyalty to the United States, and
expressing the wish for the presence of the
federal troops to protect them. 1t is be-
lieved that on the repossession of the coun-
try by the federal forces the Indians will
readily cease all hostile demonstrations, and
resume their former relations to the Gov
eminent.
Agriculture, confessedly the largest in
terest of the nation, has not department
or bureau, but clerkship only, assigned
to it in the Government. While it is for
tunate that this great interest is so indie
pendent in its nature as not to have de-
manded and extorted more from the Gov
eminent, 1 respectfully ask Congress to con
slider whether something more cannot be
| Given Voluntarily with general ADVANTAGE.