Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-12-04


as TO their wisdom shall aeem most proper 70
the attainment Of the end proposed.
One OF the unfavorable consequences OF 70
present insurrectl0n, is tho entire suppression
n many places OF all ordinary means o. ad
ministering civil Justice BY the ohicers, and j
the forms OF existing law. This is the case, II
whole or IN part, IN all the insurgent States
and as our armies advance upon and take pos
session Of parts Of these States, the practica
evil becomes more apparent. There are M
courts OF officers to whom tho citizens OF othe
States may apply for the enforcement OF thei
lawful claims against citizens OF the insurgen
States, and there Ia vast amount Of debt con
slituting such claims. Some have estimated
IS high as 100000, 900, due in q large paI
n from Insurgents in open rebellion, TO loyal cit
izens who are even now making great sacri
fees in the discharge OF their patriotic duty :
support the government Under these circumstan
ces, have been urgently solicited TO estAhlis
by military power courts to administer eumma
~ justice iu such cases have thus far declne'
%. do 1t; not because had any doubt that th'
end proposed (the collection Of debts) was jus
and right in itself, but because l hav'
been unwilling to 20 beyond the pressure
T, necessity Ia the universal exercise Of pow
er; but the powers of Congress-, suppose
are equal 10 the anomalous occasion, anC
therefore
eress, with the hope that plan may be devised
for the administration Of justice In all sucl
parts of the insurgent States and territories al
may be under control Of this Government
whether By q voluntary return to allegiance
9 and order, or by the power Of our arms. This
however,is not TO be permanent institution, ,bu
temporary substitute, and TO cease as soon a
the ordinary courts can be re-established il
peace.
Il Is important that some more oonvenien
means should be provided, IL possible, for th'
adjustment Of claims against the Government
especially In view Of their Increased number b.
reasou of the war. Il is as much the dut'
Of the Government to render prompt justic'
against itself 10 favor Of citizens, as It is 4
administer the same between private individ
uals. The investigation and adjudication o
all claims, in their nature, belong to thu
Judicial Department, besides 1t is apparen
that the attention OF Congress will be mor'
than usually engaged for some time 70 come
with great national questions. II was intended
BY the organization Of the Court OF Claims
mainly to remove this branch Of business from
the halls Of Congress; but while the court has
proved an effective aad valuable means of in
vesGigation, IL in great degree fails TO effec
the object of its creation, for want Of power tC
make It's judgments final. Fully aware Of the
delicacy, not to say danger, OF the subject,
commend to your careful consideration whether
this power of making judgments final may not
properly be given to the court, with such Other
provisions as experience may have shown to bt
necessary.
ask attention to the report Of the Postmas'
ter-General, the following being q summary
statement OF the condition Of the Department:
The revenue from all sources during the fiscal
81. of Inn
ing the annual permanent appropriation ol
$1,000 900 for the transportation OF free mail
matter, was IS, ,049, ,29640, being about two per
oe1t. less than the revenue of 1860; theiexpendi-
lures we're $l3, SOC, ,709ll, showing decrease
of more than eight per cent as compared
with those Of the previous year, and leav
ing an excess of expenditures over the reve-
nue. for the last fiscal year of over 1851, ,462.7l
The groes revenue for the year ending June
30, 1863, Ia estimated at an Increase Of four per
cent on that Of 1861, making S., ,6S3 600, TO
which should be added the earnings Of the De-
partment for carrying free matter, vi; $70O, ,OOO,
making SO, ,3S2, 900. The total expenditures for
1863 are estimated at $l2 SOS, 600, leaving an
estimated deficiency OF s3,345OOO TO be sup
piled from the Treasury, in addition to the per
mSBent appropriation.
The present iusurrection shows, think, that
mac river at the time of establishing the Cap
ilal here, was eminently wise, and consequent
ly the relenquishment Of that portion Of il which
lies 10 the State Of Virginia was unwise and
dangerous. submit for your consideration the
expediency of .regaining that part OF the Dis
triet and the restoration Of the original bound
aries thereof, through negotiation with the STATE
oil Virginia.
The report OF the Secretary Of the Interior
with the accompanying documents, exhibit th'
condition Of the several branches Of the pub
lie business pertaining to that department
The depressing influences Of the insurrectlor
have been especially felt In the operations Of
the patent and general land Offices. The cash
receipts from the sales of public lands during
the laet year have exceeded the expenses OF oui
land system only about $2OOOO0. The sales
have been entirely suspended 10 the Southern
States, while the Interruptions to the business
of the country and the diversion OF large num-
bers Of men from labor to military service,
have obstructed settlements in the new States
and territories of the Northwest. The receipts
of the Patent Office have declined in nine
months about 500, 600, rendering large re-
duction Of the force employed necessary to
make it self sustaining.
The demands upon the Pension Office will be
largely increased by the insurrection. Numer-
GUS applications for pensions, based upon the
casualties Of The existing war, have already
been made. There is every reason to be-
leve that many who are now upon the pen
sion roll and in receipt of the bounty oi
the Government, are in the ranks of the in
surgent army, or giving them aid and comfort
The Secretary of the Interior has directed the
suspension Of payment Of the pensions of such
persons, upon proof Of their disloyalty / rec
ommend that Congress authorize that officer 70
cause the names Of such persons to be stricken
from the pension roll.
The relations Of the Government with the In
dian tribes have been lately disturbed by the In
surrection, and especially In the southern super
intendency and in tnat Of New Mexico The
Indian country south Of Kansas is In possession
Of insurgents from Texas and Arkansas
The agents OF the United States appointed since
the 4th Of March, for this enperintendenoy
have been unable 10 reach their poets, while the
most Of those who were in office before that
time have espoused the insurrectionary cause,
and assumed to exercise the powers Of agents
by yirtue Of commissions from the insurrection-
is,s D Il has been stated in the public press
that portion Of these Indians have been
organized as military force, and are attached
to the army Of the insurgents. Although the
Government has no official information upon
the subject, letters have been written to the
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs by several
prominent Chiefs, giving assurance Of their
LOYALTY TO the United States, and expressing
the wish for the presence Of the Federal troops,
10 protect them It is believed that on the re
uossession Of the country by the Federal troops
the indians will readily cease all hostile dem
onstratious and resume their former relations
20 the Government.
Agriculture, confessedIy the largest interest