Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1862-12-11

all the governments from whom replies
have been received.
I ask the attention of Congress to the
Suggestions of the Postmaster General
in his report respecting the further leg
,slation required, in his opinion, for the
benefit of the postal service.
The Secretary of the Interior reports
as follows in regard to the public lands
THE public lands have ceased to be a
source of public revenue. From the 1st
July, 1861, to the 30th September, 1862,
the entire cash receipts from the sale of
lands were $137 ,476 Ga sum much
less than the expenses of our land sys-
tenn during the same period The home
atead law, which will take effect on the
LIST of January next, offers such in
ducements to settlers, that sales for cash
cannot be expected. to an extent suffi-
cient to meet the expenses of the cost of
surveying and bringing tho land into
the market"
The discrepancy between the sum hero
st ated az arising from the sales of the
public lands, and the sum derived from
same source as reported from theTreasury
Department arises, as understand, {,
from the fact that the periods of time,
though apparently, were not really, CO.
incident at the beginning point the
Treasury report including considerable
sum hoa, which had previously been re-
ported from the Interior sufficiently
large to greatly overreach the sum de-
rived from the three months now repor-
ted upon by the Interior, and not by the
Treasury.
The Indian tribes upon our frontiers
have during .he past year, manifested a
ppirit Of insubordinaticn, aud at several
| points. have engaged in hostilities a
gainst the white settlements in their vi
cinity. The tribes occupying the Indian
country south of Kansas, renounced
tn cir allegiance TO the United States
and entered into treaties with tho iusur-
gents, Those who remained loyal to
the United States were driven from the
country The chief of the Cherokoes
has visited this city for the purpose of
restoring the former relations of that
tribe with the United States. He alleg-
es that they were constrained by supe-
rior force, to enter into treaties with the
insurgents, and that the United States
neglected to furnish the protection which
their treaty stipplations required.
In the month of August last the Sioux In
dians in Minnesota, attacked the settlements
n their vicinity with extreme ferocity, killing
indIscriminately, men, women and children.
THIS attack was wholly unexpected, and, there
= L.. tx.l 49,. sln1
II is estimated that not less tasn eight hun
dred persons were killed by the IndiGns, and q
large amount of property WAS destroyed
How this outbreak was induced is not de6n i
tely known, and suspicious which may be un-
just, need not be stated. Information sfas re-
csived by the Indian bureau, from different t
sources about the time hostilities were COM
mencsd, tina. simultaneous attack was to be
made upon the white settlement by all the
tribes between Ethe Mississippi river and the
Rocky mountains. The State of Minnesota
has suffered great injury from this Indian
war.
A large portion OF her territory has been de-
populated and severe loss has.been sustained
BY the destruction of property. The people OF
that State manifest much anxiety for the re-
moval of the tribes bey ond the limits of the
State as a guarantee against future hostilities
The Commissioner of Indian Affairs will furn-
nish full details. submit for your especial
consideration whether our Indians sistem
shall not be remodeled. Many wise ard good
men have impressed me with The belief thai
this can be probably Gone
! submit statement OF the proceedngs.o
the commissioners, which shows the prgress
that has been made in the enterprise of con-
structing tho Pacific Railroad. And this sug-
gests the earliest completion ofthis road, ant
aIso'the favorable action Of Congress upon th'
projects now pending before them for enlarg
ing the capacities of the great canals II
New York and Illinois, as being of vital ano
rapidly increasing Importance to the whole
nation, and especially to the vast interior re
gion hereinafter to be noticed at some grea
length ! purpose having prepared ant
laid before you at an early day some inter.
estng and statistical Information on the sub
| j ct The military and commercial impor-
tance of enargiEg tho Illinois and Michigan
canal, ard improving the Illinois river, il
presented in the report Of Colonel Webster
to the Secretary of War, and now transmit
ted to Congress. respectfully ask attention
to it, s
To carry out the provisions Of the act o
Congress of the 18th of May last, | have
caused the Department. of Agriculture OF the
United States to be organized.
/ ms uic btihb w lttii
tho period of fow month this department
has established an extensive system Of cor
rsspondence and exchanges, both at home
and abroad, which promises to effect highly
beneficial results in the development Of a
correct knowledge of recent improvements
in agriculture, in the introduction of new
products, and in the collection Of the agri-
cultural statistics Of the different States.
Also that it will soon be prepared to DIS
tribute largely seed, cereals, plants and cut
tings, and has air ady published, aud lber-
ally diffuscd much valuable information in
anticipation Of a more elaborate report
,, which will in due time be furnished enn,u
bracipg some valuable tests in chemical sci!
enco now in progress in the laboratory
The creation Of tins department was 70,
the more immediate benefit Of large class
of our most valuable citizeus: and trust thai
the liberal basis upon which it has been or
ganized will not ottiy meet your approhs,
tion, but that it will realize at no lstsG
day, all the fondest anticipations of its mos
saDguinc friends, ard become the fruitful
! source Of advantage to all onr people.
On tho 22d day of September last a proc