Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-12-12

triotism of the people has proved equal to the
occasion, and that the number of troops ten.
dered greateatly exceeds the force which Con.
gress authorized me to call into the field.
/ refer with pleasure to those portions of
his report which m axe allusion to the eredi-
table degree of discipline already attaipsd by
our troops and to the excellent sanitary
condition of the entire army.
The recommendation of the Secretary for
an organization of the MALTA upon uni
form basis is a subject of vital importance to
the future safety of the country, and is COM
mended to the serious attention of Congress.
The large addition to the regular army in
connection with the detection that has so
considerably diminished the number of its
officers, gives peculiar importance to bis rec
ommendation for increasing the corps of Ca
dets to the greatest capacity in the Military
Academy.
By mere omission, | presume, Congress
has failed to provide Chaplains for hospits Is
occupied by volunteers. This subject was
brought to my notice. and | was induced to
draw up the form of letter, one copy of
which, properly addressed. has been deliver
ed to each of the persons, aad at the dates
respectively name and stated in schedule
containing also the form Of the letter (etter
marked A J, and herewith, transmitted.
The gentlemen understood entered upon
the duties designated at the times respec-
lively stated in the sched le, and have labor
ed faithfully there ev since. therefore
recommend that they be compensated at the
same rates as CnapIains in the Army, fur
thsr suggesting that general provisions be
made for Chaplains to serve at Hospitals as
well as with regiments.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy
presents In detail the operations Of that
branch Ct the service, the activity and ener.
gy which have characterized it's adninistra.
tion and the results of the measures to ins
crease its efficiency and power.
Such have been the additions by oonstruc-
ton and purshase, that it may almost be said
Navy has been created and brought in to
service since our difficulties commenced Be-
sides hlockading our extensive coast. squad
rons larger than ever before assembled under
cur flag. have been put afoat and performed
deeds which have increased our Naval re-
nown.
| would invite special attention to the rec
ommendatipD of the Secretary for more per-
feet organisation OF the Navy. by Introducing
additional grades in the service. The pres
ent organization is defective and uDsatisfac-
tory, ard the suggestions submitted by the
Department will, it is believed, if ADOPTED,
obviate the d ficulties alluded to, promote
harmony, and increase the efficiency of the
Navy.
There are three vacancies on the bench of
the Supreme Court; two by the decease of
Justices Daniels and Mclean. and one by
the resignation of Justice Campbell. have
so far forborne making nominations to fill
these vancancies fpr reason which | will now
state: Two of the outgoing Judges resided
in the States now overrun by revolt so that if
their successors were appointed in the same
localities, they could not now serve upon
their circuit, and many of the most compe-
tent men there probably would not take the
personal hazard of accepting to serve, even
here. upon the Supreme bench. have been
unwilling to throw all the appointments
Northward, thus disabling myself from do
ing justice to the South. on return Of peace,
although I may remark that to transfer TO
South, would not, with reference to territory
and population, be unjust.
During the long and brilliant judicial ca
reer Of Judge M'Lean, his circuit grew into
an empire altogether too large for any one
Judge to give the courts therein more than
nominal attendance, rising in population from
l,470,018 in 1880, to 6,l51 ,405 in 1860. Be-
sides this. the country generally has out
grown our present judicial system. If mi
fcrmity was at all intended, the system re-
q1ires that all the States shall te accommo-
dated with Circuit courts attended by Su-
preme Judges, while, in fact, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Iowa. Kansas, Florida. Texas,
California and Oregon have never had any
such Courts.
Nor can tlis we'll be remedied, without
change of system, because the sd ding of
Judges to the Supreme Court, enough for
the accommodation of all parts of the coun-
try with Circuit Courts. which create a court
altogether to numerous for judicial body of
any sort. And the evil if it be one. will in
crease as new States come into the Union
Circuit Courts are uaeful, or they are not
useful. If useful. no State should be denied
them. Ifnot useful, no State should have
them. Let I'll em be provided for all, or abol-
ished to all.
Three mod ica tions occur TO me, either Of
which think would be an improvement up
on our present system. Let the Supreme
Court be of convenient number in every event
Theu first, let the whole country be divided
into circuits of convenient size, the Supreme
Judges to serve in a number of them corre-
spending to their OVID number, and the indie
pendent Circuit Judges be provided fer all
for all the rest; or, secondly. let the Supreme
Judges be relieved from Curcuit duties, and
Circuit Judges provided for all the Circuits
or, thirdly, dispense with the Circuit Courts
altogether leaving the Judicial functions
wholly to the District Court and an indepen-
dent Supreme Court.
1 respectfully Recommend to the consider
alton of Congress the present condition of the
Statute Laws. with the hope that Congress
will be able to fnd an easy remedy for many
of the conveniences and evils which constant
ly embarass those engaged in the practical
administration of them. Since the organ iza-
ton of Government, Congress has enactc
some five Thousand acts and joint resolutions
which fill more than six thsusand closely
printed pages, and are scattered through
many volumes.
Many of these acts have been drawn in
haste aud without suf6cien, caution. 30 that
their provisions are often obscure in them
selves, or in conflict with each other; or al
least, 80 doubtful as to render it very difficult
or even the best informed person to ascer-
tain precisely what the statute law really is
1t seems to me very important that the stat
ute laws should be made as plain and intelli-
gible as possible, and be reduced to as small
compass as may conform with the fullness
and precision of the Legislature and the per-
speeuity Of its language This, well done,
would, think, greatly facilitate the labors