Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-12-13

| Ior the purpose OF simplifying the rates of
foreign postage and to expedite the foreign
mails.
This proposition equally important to our
adopted citizens, and to the commercial in.
terests of this country, has been favorably
entertained and agreed to by all the Gov.
| ernments from whom replies have been
received.
l ask the attention Of Congress to the
suggestion of the Postmaster General in bis
report respecting the further legislation re.
quired in his opinion for the benefit of the
postal service.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
The Secretary of the Interior reports as
follows in regard to the public lands -
"The public lands have ceased to be a
source of revenae. From the lst of July.
1861, to the 30th Of September, 1862, the
entire cash receipts from the sale of lands
were Sl37 ,476,26, a sum much less than the
expenses Of our land system during the
same period"
The Homestead law, which will take Of.
feet on the lst of January next, offers such
inducements to settlers that sales for cash
cannot be expected to an extent sufficient to
meet the expenses of theGeueral Land Office
and the cost of surveying and bringing tho
land into market.
The discrepancy between the sum here
stated rs arising from the sales of the public
lands anu the sums derived from the same
source as reported from Treasury Depart
ment arises, | understand. from tho fact
that the periods of time, though apparently,
were not really coincident at the beginning
point, the Treasury report including con-
siderable sum now, which had previously
been reported from the Interior, sufficiently
lnro 10 1,v tha rol
from the three months now reported upon by
the Secretary Of the Interior, and not by the
Secretary of the Treasury.
THE INDIAN TRIBES.
The Indian tribes upon our frontiers have,
during the past year, manifested spirit of
characterization and at several points have
engaged in open hostlities against the
white settlements in their vicinity.
The tribes occupying the Indian country
South of Kansas denounced their allegiance
to the United States, and entered into treat
les with the insurgents, Those who remain.
ed loyal to the United States were driven
from the country.
The Chief of the Cherokees has visited
this city for the purpose of restoring the
former relations of the tribe with the United
States. lie alledges that .hey were con-
strained by q superior force to enter into
treaties with the insurgents. and that the
United States neglected to furnish the pro-
lection which their treaty stipulatons re-
quired. la the month of August last, the
Sioux Indians in Minnesota attacked the
settlements in their vicinity with extreme
ferocity, killing. Unfortunately, men wo-
men and children. This attack was wholly
unexpected, and therefore no means of de.
fense had been provided.
1t is estimated that not less than 500 per-
sons were killed by tho Indians, and large
amount of property destroyed. How this
outbreak was induced, is not definitely
known, and suspicious which may be unjust
need not he stated.
Information was received by the Indian
Bureau, from different sources, about the
time hOstillities were commenced, that o si-
multaueOus attack was to be made upon the
white settlements by all the tribes between
the Mississippi river and the Rocky noun
tains The State of Minnesota has suffered
great injury from this Indian war. A large
portion of her territory has baen depopu
lated, and n severe loss has been sustained
by the destruction of property.
The people of that State manifest much
anxiety for the removal of the tribes beyond
the limits of the State, as a guarantee
against future hostilities The Commission
er of Indian Affairs will furnish full details.
| submit for your especial consideration,
whether our Indian system shall not be re-
modelled. Many wise and good men have
impressed me with the belief that this can
be proftably done.
PACIFIC RAILRoAD--ILLlNoIs CANAL.
submit statement of the proceedings
of the Commissioners which shows tie pro-
gress that has been made in the enterprise
of constructing the Pacific Railroad and
this suggests the earliest completion of this
road, aud also the favorable action of Con-
gress upon the projects now pending before
them for 9nlarging the capacities of the
great canals, in New York and Illinois, as
being of vital and rapidly increasing i'm
| portance to the whole nation, and especially
to the vast interior region hereafter to be
noticed at soma greater length. | propose
having prepared and laid before you, at an
early day, some interesting and valuable
statistical information uron this subject.
The military and commercial Importance
of enarging tho Illinois and Michigan canal
| and Improving the Illinois river is present.
| ed in tho report of Col. WEBSTER to the Sec
retary Of War, and now transmitted to Con-
gress. respectfully ask attention to it.
TIE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
~ carry out lne provisions OF tn6 Act or
Congress of the 18th Of May last, have
caused the Department of Agriculture of the
| United States to be organized. The. Com,
missioner informs me that within the period
of few months this Department has estab'
! lished an extensive system of correspondence
and exchanges, both at home and abroad,
which promises to effect highly beneficial
results in the development of correct knowl-
! edge of recent improvements in agriculture,
in the introduction Of new products, aud in
the agricultural statistics of the different
States. Also that it will soon be prepared
to distribute largely, seeds, cereals, plants
and cutting, ami has already published and
literally dffused much valuable nforma.
ton. in anticipation of more elaborate re-
port, which will in due time be furnished,
embracing some valuable tests in chemical
science, now in progress in the laboratory.
| The creation of this Department was for
! the more immediate benefit of large class
! of our most valuable citizens, and trust
| that the liberal basis upon which it has been
organized will not only meet your approba-
tion, but that it will realize at no distant
| day all the flnupsE untirin inutiOns of ia most