The Shasta courier., 1861-12-14
The Presidents Message.

Inc FreSlQe0tS MeSSa2es
The messages of President Lincoln arc
radically different in style from those issued
by any of his predecessors They are re-
markable for their brevity, plain, practical
sense, and straight forwardness. Their pecu-
iarities consist in a different mode of expires.
sion from that of any Chief Magistrate who
has before presided over US. The message
sent by him to the Congress now in session
is marked instance of these things. 1t is
regretted that want of space prevents us Civ
ing the message fully, and that we can only
give extracts from the more prominent parts
of it.
We are informed that our relations with
foreign powers are of the most friendly char
acter.
He recommends as military work the
construction of railroad to connect East
Tennessee and Kentucky with other parts of
the Union. Of the revenue question he
says:
The operations of the Treasury during the
period which has elapsed since your adjourn
ment, have been conducted with signal sue
cess The patriotism of the people has placed
at the disposal of the Government the large
means demanded by the public exigencies.
Much of the National Loan has been taken
by citizens of the industrial classes, whose
confidence in their country's faith, and zeal
for their country's deliverance from its pre-
sent peril, have induced them to contribute
to the support of the Government the whole
of their limited acquisitions. This fact i'm
poses peculiar obligations of economy in dis.
bursement and energy in action.
The revenue from all sources, including
the loan, for the financial year ending on the
Both of June, 1861, was eighty-six millions,
eight hundred and thirty five thousand, nine
hundred % 100 dollars; and the expendi-
lures for the same period, including payment
on account of the public debt, were eighty
four millions, five hundred and seventy
eight thousand, thirty-four 3S-lO0 dollars,
leaving a balance in the treasury, on the
first of July, of two millions, two hundred
and fifty-seven thousand, eight hundred and
sixty-fve S9-l00 dollars. For the first quar-
ter of the present financial year, ending the
30th of September, 1861, the receipts from all
sources, including the balance from July lst,
were one uQuuTtQ dut HhC llAu-
dred and thirty two thousand, FIVE hundred
and nine 27-l00 dollars and the expendi-
lures, ninety eight millions. two hundred and
thirty nine thousand, seven hundred and
thirty three 9-100 dollars, leaving a balance,
on the 1st of October, 1861, of four millions,
two hundred and ninety-two thousand seven
hundred and seventy-six 1S-100 dollars.
OF the Judiciary we are informed:
There are three vacancies in the Bench of
the Supreme Court-two by the decease of
Justices Daniel and Mclean, and one by the
resignation of Justice Campbell. have so
far forborne making nominations to fill these
vacancies, for reasons which l will now
state: Two of the outgoing Judges resided
within the States now overthrown by revolt,
so that if successors were appointed in the
same localities, they could not serve upon
their circuits 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
northwarJ, thus disabling myself from doing
Justice to the South on return of peace, al
though may remark that to transfer to the
North one who has heretofore been in the
South. would not, with reference to the ter
ritory and population, be unjust. During
the long and brilliant judicial career of Judge
Mclean, his circuit grew into an empire
altogether too large for oneJudge to give the
Courts more than nominal attention; rising
in population from one million four hundred
and seventy thousand, in 1881, to six mil
lions one hundred and fftyone thousand
hundred and five in 1861. Besides this, the
country has generally outgrown our present
judicial system. If uniformity was at all
intended, the system required that all States
should be accommodated with Cirsuit Courts,
attended bv Supreme Judges; while in fact,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Flori
da. Texas, California and Oregon have never
had anv such Courts Nor can this be well
remedied without change of the system, be-
cause the adding of Justices to the Supreme
Court. enough for the accommodation of all
parts of the country with Circuit Courts,
would create a Court altogether too cumbrous
for judicial body of any sort, and the evil of
it would be one that must increase as each
new State comes into the Union. Circuit
Courts are useful or they are not useful. If
useful. no State should be denied them: if
not useful, no State should have them. Let
them be provided for all, OF abolished as to
all.
Notifications occur to me here. which |
think would be an improvement upon our
present system. Let the Supreme Court be
of convenient numbers in every event; then
let the whole country be divided into circuits
of convenient size. Supreme Judges to serve,
in number correspondence to their own num-
Der, and let Independent Circuit Judges be
provided for all the rest; or, secondly, let
the Supreme Judges be relieved from Circuit
duties or, thirdly, dispense with Circuit
Courts altogether, leaving the judicial func-
tons wholly to the District Courts and an in
dependent Supreme Court.
One of the unfavorable consequences of the
present insurrection is the entire suppression.
in many places, of all ordinary means of ad-
ministering civil justice, by the officers. and
in the forms of existing law. This is the
case, in whole or in part, in ell the insurgent
States. and as our armies advance upon and
take possession of parts of these States. the
practica, evil becomes more apparent, and
there are no Courts or officers to whom the
- Il l.@,r- e. i