The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-12-06

their posts while the most OF those who were
in Office before that time. have cspoused the
insurrectionary cause. and assume to exercise
the powers Of agents by virtue Of the COM
missions from the insurrectionists. Ii has
been stated in the public press that portion
Of thcse Indians have been organized AS o
military force, and are attached to the army
of the insurgents. Although the Govern
incnt has no official information upon the
subject, letters have been written IN the com.
missioner of Indian affairs by several Chiefs,
giving assurance Of their loyalty to the Uni.
ted States, and expressing q wish for the
presence Of the Federal troops to protect
them. II is believed that upon the rc.pos-
session OF the country by the Federal forces,
the Indians will readily cease NIL hostile do.
monstrations, and resume their former rela.
tons to the Government.
Agriculture, conftsscdly tho largest inter.
est Of the nation, has not department nor
bureau. but clerkship only il assigned to 1t
in the Government. While 1t is fortunate
that this great interest is 20 independent In
its nature rs not to have demanded ind ex.
tOrtcd more from the Government. | respect.
fully ask Congress to consider whether some
thing more cannot be given voluntarily with
general advantage. Annual reports. exhib-
ting the condition Of our agriculture, COM
inerce and manufactures, would present o
fund of Information OF great practical value
to the country. While | make no sugges.
ton as to details, venture the opinion that
an Agricultural and Statistical Bureau might
proiitably be organized.
The execution Of the laws for the suppress
sion ot the African slave trade have been
confded to the department to the interior, it
is a subject of congmtulation that the eff
forts which have been made for tho suppress
sion OF this inhuman traffic have been re-
Gently attended with unusual success. Five
vessels fitted up for the slave trade have been
seized and condemned. Two mates engaged
In the trade. and one person in equipping u
vessel as q SLAYER have been convicted and
subjected to the penalty of fine and impris-
oninent, and one captain taken with cargo
Of Africans on board his vessel, has been
convicted Of the highest grade of ofItnsc un.
der our laws, the punishment Of which is
death.
The territories of Colorado, Dacotah and
Nevada, created by the last Congress. have
been organized, and civil administration has
been inaugcratcd thereins under auspices, es-
pccially gratifying, when it is considered
that the leayen OF treason was existing in
some OF these new countries when the Fe,ler-
nj officers arrived there. The abund ant nat
ural resources OF these territories, with the Sc
curity and protection afforded by organized
government, will doubtless invite to the coun-
try u larger immigration, when peace shall
restore the business OF the country to its ac-
customcd channels.
submit the resolutions of the legislature
of Colorado, which evidence the patriotic
spirit of the people OF that territory; so far
the authority of the United States has been
upheld in all tho territories, rs il is hoped it
will be in the future. | commend these in
tcrests and delences to the enlightened and
generous care of Congress. | recommend to
the favorable consideration Of Congress the
interests of the District of Columbia. The
instruction has been the cause of much suf.
fering and sacrifice to its inhabitants, and as
they have no representative in Congress, that
body should not overlook their Just claims
upon the Government.
At your last session joint resolution was
adopted authorizing the President to take
measures for facilitating proper Representa-.
ton of the industrial interests of the United
States at the exhibition of the industry OF
all nations, to be holden ut London in the
year 1860. regret to say have been un-
able to give personal attention to this subject,
subject at once so interesting in itself, and
SO extensively and intricately connected with
Al Ill. - th.,
Through the Secretaries of State and of
the Interior plan OF system has been de-
yiscd and partly matured which will he laid
before you under and by virtue Of the act of
Congress, entitled San act to confscatc prop
erty used for insurrectionary purposes, ap-
proved August 6, 1861" The legal claims
of certain persons to the labor OF service of
certain other persons have become forfeited
and numbers of the latter thus liberated are
already dependent on the United States and
must be provided for in some way. Besides
this it Is not impossible that some OF the
States will pass similar cnactments for their
own benefits respectively, and by the opera.
ton Of which,persons of the same class will
be thrown upon them for disposal. In such
case | recommend that Congress provide for
accepting such persons from such States ac-
cording to some mode OF valuation in 'sine
probantos of direct taxes or upon some 9TH
or plan to be agreed upon with such States
respectively, that such persons on such ac-
ccptance by the general government DO ut
once decreed force and that in any event
steps DO taken for colonizing both classes or
the one first mentioned IL the other shall not
DO brought into existence ut some place or
places in q climate congenial to them.
Ii might be well to consider too whether
the free colored people already in the United
States could not so far as individuals may de-
sire be included in such colonization. To
carry out the plan of ,olinozation may involve
the acquiring of the territory, and also the
appropriation Of money bayond that to be
expended in the territorial acquisition
Having practiced the acquisition nearly sixty
years, the question of constitutional power
TO do so is no longer an open question with
us. The power was first questioned by Mr..
Jefferson, who, however, in the pur, hase OF
Louisiana, yielded his scrnples on the plea of
great expediency. II it can be said that the
only legitimate object of acquiring territory
is to furnish homes for white men, this meas
ure effects that object, for the emigmtion OF
colored men leaves additional room for the
white men remaining or coming here. Mr..
jefferson, however, placed the Importance of
procuring Louisiana moro on political or
commercial grounds, than on providing room
for population. On this whole proposition,
including the appropriation Of money for the
acquisition Of territory, does not the expedi-
ency amount to an actual necessity, without
complying with, which the Government can;
not be perpctuated, the war continuing.
In considering the policy to be adopted for
suppressing the instruction, l have been
anxious and careful that the inevitable con-
fict for this purpose shall not degenerate in
10 n violent and reinorseless revolutionary
struggle. | huyc therefore, in every case
thought 1t proper to keep the integrity Of
tho Iipion imminent as the urinary object