Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-12-06


!. whose opinions respect, that all the acts Q
= Congress now in force, and of a permanen
r and general nature, might be revised and re
= written so as to be embraced in one volume
: or at least two volumes of ordinary and con
venient size, and respectfully recommend t,
! Congress to consider the subject, and, if my
suggestion be approved, to devise such pla1
as in their wisdom shall seem most proper
for the attainment of the end proposed
. One Of the snfavorable consequences of thu
present insurrection is the entire suppression
s, IN many places, of all ordinary means of ad
forms Of existing law. This is the case il
and as our armies advance and take posses
sion of parts of those States, the practical
evil becomes more apparent. There are nc
courts or officers to whom the citizens of 9th
er States may apply for the enforcement o
their lawful claims against citizens of the in.
surgent States and there is a vast amount oil
debt constituting such claims Some have
estimated it as high as $2OO,OO0,OO due in
large part from insurgents in open rebellion
to loyal citizens, who are even now making
great sacrifices in the discharge of their pa
triotic duty to support the government. Un-
solicited to establish, by military power, courts
to administer summary justice in such cases.
l have this far declined to do it-not because
l had any doubt that the end proposed (the
collection of debit was Just and right in itself,
but because have been unwilling to go be-
yond the pressure Of necessity in the unusual
exercise of power.
But the powers of Congress, suppose, are
| TO <ln ~
[ refer the whole matter to Congress, with
a hope that plan may be devised for the ad-
ministration of justice in all such parts of the
insurgent States and territories as are under the
control OF this Government, or which may be
by voluntary return to allegiance and order,
or by the power of our arms. This, howev-
er, not to be a permanent institution, but a
temporary substitute, and to cease as soon as
the ordinary courts can be re-established in
peace.
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 du-
ty Of the Government to render prompt just
ice against itself in favor of citizens as it is
to administer the same between private indi-
viduals. The investigation and adjudication
of all claims, iii their nature, belong to the
| judicial department; besides, it is apparent
that the attention Of Congress will be more
than usually engaged, for some time to come,
| with great national questions. 1t was intend
| ed, by the organization of the Court of
Claims. mainly to remove this branch of busi-
ness from the halls of Congress; but, while
the court has proved to be an effective and
&c
! degree, fails to effect the object of its crea-
ton, for want of power to make its juds
ments final. Fully aware of the delicacy,
not to say the danger of the subject COM
mend to your careful consideration whether
this power of making judgments final may
not be properly given to the Court, reservlng
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 sum-
mary statement of the condition Of the De-
partment
The revenue from all sources during the fiscal
year ending 3tth June, 1861. including the annual
permanent appropriation of 100000 for the trans
POI tation Of the free mail matter SO 049 296 40
beng about pee cent less than the revenue of
1863 The expenditures were Sl3,606,709 IL
showing decrease OF more than per cent.
compared with thos, of the previous year. leaving
an excess of the expenditures over the revenue for
the last fiscal year of over 1867 46l II. The gross
| revenue for the year ending lane 80, 1862 is est
mated at an increase of per cent that of 1861,
making IS 6S3 Goa, to which should be added the
earnings OF the Department for carrying free mat
ter-viz, 500. .0oD--making S9.3S2.0n0. The total
expenditures for 1862 are estimated at 81 52S 00a
leaving estimated deficit of s3;345,o to be
supplied from the Treasury, in addition to the per-
manent appropriation
The present insurrection shows, think,
that the extension of the District across the
Potomac rive, at the time of establishing the
Capital mere, was eminently wise, and conse-
quently that the REIMBURSEMENT of that por-
ton of it which lies in the State of Virginia
was unwise and dangerous. l submit for
your consideration the expe diency of retaining
that part of the District and restoration Of
the original boundaries thereof through nego-
tiations with the State of Virginia,
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior,
with the accompanying document, explains
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 ID General Land Offices. The
cash receipts frt IN the sales of public lands
during tine last year have exceeded the ex-
penses of our land system only about $780,
900. The sales have been entirely suspend
ed in the Southern States, while the Interrupt
ton of the business Of the country, and the
di tersion of large numbers of men from labor
to military services, has obstructed settle
ments in the new States and Territories of the
North West.
The receipts of the Patent Office have de-
clined in nine months about 100000, rem
dcring a large reduction fthe force employed
necessary to make it self-sustainlng.
The demands upon the Pension Office will
be largely increased by the insurrection.-
Numerous applications for pensions, based
upon the casualties of the existing war, have
already been made. There is reason to be-
lieve that many who are now upon the pen
sion roll, and in receipt of the bounty Of the
government, are now in the ranks of the in
surgents army, or giving them aid and COM
fort. The secretary Of the Interior has di-
rected the suspension of the payment of the
pension of s.ch persons, upon proof of their
disloyalty. | recommend that Congress au-
thorize that officer to cause the names of such
persons to be stricken from the pension rolls.
The relations of the Government with the
Indian tribes have been lately disturbed by the
linsurrection, especially in the Northern Su-
perintendency and in that of New Mexico
The Indian country south Of Kansas is in
possession of insurgents from Texas and Ar
kansas. The agents of the United States ap-
pointed since the 4th CT March for this Super
intcndency have been unable to reach their
posts, while the Inost of those who were in
| Office before that time have espoused the in
surrectionary cause, and assumed to exercise
the powers of agents by virtue of comm is
sions from the nsurrectloniss. It has been
stated in the public press that portion of
these Indians have been organized as mill
itary force. and are attached to the army of
the insurgents, although the Government
has no Official Information upon the subject.
Letters have be,n written to the Commissioner
Of Indian Affairs by several prominent
Chiefs, giving assurance of their loyalty to