Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-12-12

eft to the people by placing before them in a
more accessible and Ineligible form the laws
which so deeply concern their interests and
their duties. ] am informed by some whose
opinions / respect that all the acts of Congress
now in force of permanent and general ma
ture, might be revised and rewritten so as to
be embraced in one volume, or at least two vol
umes OF ordinary and convenient size, and re-
speltfuly recommend to Congress to consider
the subject and if my suggestion be approved,
to devise such plan as to their wisdom shall
seem most proper for the attainment of the end
proposed.
PROVISIONAL MODES oFaJUsTICE.
One Of the -unfavorable consequences of the
present insurrection is the entire suppression,
in many places, of all ordinary means of admin
istcring civil justice 10y the officers and in the
of existing law. This is the case in whole or in
part in all the insurgent states, and as our ar
mics advance upon and take possession of parts
of these staes, the practical evil becomes more
apparent There are no courts nor officers to
whom the citizens of other states may apply for
the enforcement of their lawful claims against
citizens of the insurgenl states and there is a
vast amount of debt constituting such claims.
Some have estimated it as high as S200,000,000
due in large part from insurgents in open re-
bellion, to loyal citizens, who are even now
making great sacrifices in the discharge of their
patriotic duty to support the government. I'm
der these circumstances, have been urgently
solicited to establish by military power, courts
to administer summary justice in such cases. |
have thus far declined to do it, not because |
had any doubt that the end proposed, the col
lection of the debts, was just and right in itself
but because have been u'eNilling to go beyond
the pressure of necessity in the unusual exercise
Of power But the powers of Congress, | sup
pose, are equal to the anomalous occasion, and
| therefore | refer the whole matter to Congress,
with the hope that a plan may be devised for
the administ alton Of justice in all such parts
of the insurgent states and territr ries as may
be under control of this government, whether
by voluntary return to allegiance and order,
or by the power of our arms this however, is
not to be permanent Institution, but tenn
porary substitute, and to cease as soon as the
ordinary courts can be re- established in peace.
THE COURT OF CLAIMS.
| 1t is important that some more convenient
means should be provided if possible for the
adjustment of claims against the government,
especially in view Of their increased number by
reason Of the war. 1t is as much the duty of
government to render prompt justice against
| itself in favor of citizens as it is to administer
the same between private individuals. The in
vestigation and adjudication of claims in their
nature belong to the judicial department; be
sides it is apparent that the attention Of Con-
gress will be more than unusually engaged for
some time to come with great national.ques-
tions. 1t was intended by the organization OF
the court of claims, mainly to remove this
branch of business from the rolls of Congress
but while the court has proved to be an efiec-
tive and valuable means of investigation, it in
L Z Il Al. 1 e
tion for want Of power to make its judgments
final. Fully aware of the delicacy, not to say
the danger, of the subject, commend to your
careful consideration, whether this power o.
making judgments final may not properly be
given to he,court, reserving the right of APP
| peal on questions of law to the supreme court
with such other provisions as experience may
have shown to be necessary.
THE POST OFFICE.
ask attention to the report of the postmas
ter general, the following being summary
statement of the condition of the department
the revenue from all sources during the fsca
year ending June 30th, 1861, including the an
nual permanent appropriation of 100000 foi
the transportation of free mail matter. was o,
0j9, ,296,40, being about two per cent less thar
the revenue.
For 1860, the expenditures were &13,60G
1911, showing decrease of more than eigh
per cent, as compared with those Of the prev
Gus year, and leaving an excess of expenditures
over the revenue for tn last fiscal year of ovel
SJ51 ,462.6l. The gross revenue for the yeal
ending June 80, 1868, is estimated at an in
crease OF four per cent on that of 1861 making
SS 6S3, 900, to which should be added the earn
ings Of the department in carrying free matter
viz: 100000, making $9,3S3,000. The tota
avNonliturae f,r ,et;n,nta1 Of
52S,000, leaving an estimated deficiency o
So, 10000, to be supplied from the treasury il
addition to the permanent appropriation.
THE FEDERAL DISTRICT.
The present insurrection shows, think, thai
the extension of this district across the Poto
mac river at the time of establishing the capita
here was eminently wise, and consequently tha
the REIMBURSEMENT of that portion of it which
lies within the state of Virginia was unwise ant
dangerous | submit for your consideration
the expediency of regaining that part of tn,
district and the restoration of the orgina
boundaries thereof through negotiations will
the state of Virginia,
recommend to the favorable consideration
of Congress the interests OF the District o
Columbia. The insurrection has been the causC
Of much suffering and sacrifice to its inhabitants
as they have no representative in Congress
that body should not overlook their just claims
upon the government.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
The report Of the secretary of the interior
with the accompanying documents, exhibit thu
condition of the several branches of the publ,
business pertaining to that department. Th'
depressing influences of the nsurrection hav,
been especially felt in the operations of th
patent and general land Offices. The cash re
ceipts from the sale of public lands during tn
past year have exceeded the expenses of ou
land system only about two hundred thousant
dollars. The sales have been entirely suspen
ded in the southern states, while the interruption
to the business of the country, and the diver
sion of large numbers of men from labor t,
military service, have obsructed settlements il
the new states and territories of the Northwest
The receipts of the patent office have declined
in nine months about 100000, rendering
large reduction of the force employed necessar
. to make it selfsustaining.
= The demands upon the pension office will b,
largely increased by the insurrecton. Numer
Gus applications for pensions based upon tn
casualties of the existing war, have already beel
, made. There is reason to believe that man
who are now upon the pension roll, and in re
ceipt of the bounty of the government, are il
the ranks OF the insurgent army, or giving then
aid and comfort The secretary of the interio
has directed suspension of the payment o
J the pensions of such persons upon proof O
their disoyalty | recommend that Congress
authorize that officer to cause the names OF suc