Nebraska advertiser., 1862-12-13

AaA NaAlO III A4O J
States, and in part to a casual review OF
all the expenditures in that Department,
IN the interest of economy.
EFFIcIENCY-POsTAL CoNvENTIoN.
The efficiency of the postal service it
is believed has also been much improved.
The Postmaster General also opened a
correspondence. through the Department
of State, with foreign governments, pro-
posing a convention Of postal representa-
lives, for 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 interests of this
country, has been favorably entertained
and agreed to by all the governments
from whom replies have been received.
4 ask the attention of Congress TO the
suggestion of the Postmaster General lie
his report respecting the further legisla-
ton required in his opinion, for the Rem
eft of the postal service.
PARTNER OF THE INTERIOR.
The Secretary of the Interior reports
as follows in regard TO public lands:
THE public lands have ceased TO be q
source of revenue. From he Isl OF July
1861, to the 2Gth of September, 1862,
the entire cash receipts from the sales of
public rands were SI37,477 ga sum
much less than the expenses of our land
system during the same period.
1.-The homestead law, which will take
effect on the LIST of January next, offers
such inducements TO settlers that sales
for cash cannot be expected to an extent
sufficient to meet the expenses Of the
General Land Office, and cost of survey
ing and bringing the land into markell
The discrepancy between the sums
here stated as arising from the sales of
public lands and the sums derived from
the same source as reported by the Treas
ury Department arises, as | understand,
from the fact that the periods of time,
though apparently, were not really COIN
cident at the beginning point. The
Treasury report includes a considerable
sun now which had previously been re-
ported for the interior, sufficiently large
to greatly overreach the sum derived
from the three months now reported upon
by the Interior, and not by the Treasury
Department.
THE INDIAN A
The Indian tribes upon our frontiers
have, during the past year, manifested a
spirit Of INSTRUMENTATION, and at several
points, engaged in open hostilities against
the white settlers In their %vicititv. The
tribes occupying the Indian country south
of Kansas, renowned their allegiance to
the United States, and entered into a
treaty with the insurgents. Those who
remained 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 rela-
tons of the tribe with the United States.
He alleges that they were constrained by
superior force to enter into treaties with
the insurgents, and that the United States
neglected to furnish the protection which
their stipulation required.
THE MASSACRE.
In the month of August last, the Sioux
Indians, In Minnesota, attacked the sell
tiers In their vicinity with extreme feroc-
ity, killing Unfortunately men, women
and children. This attack was wholly
unexpected, and therefore the defense
had not been provided. 1t is estimated
that not less than 800 persons were killed
by the Indidns, and a large amount Of
property destroyed. How this outbreak
was induced is not definitely known and
suspicious, which may be unjust, need not
be stated.
Information was received by the Indi-
an Bureau from different sources, about
the time hostilities were commenced, that
a simultaneous attack was to be made
upon the white settlers by all the tribes
between the Mississippi river and the
Rocky Mountains.
The State of Minnesota has suffered
great injury from the Indian war. A
large portion of her territory has been
depopulated, and a severe loss has been
sustained by the destruction of properly.
The people of that State manifest much
anxiety foS the removal of the tribes be-
You'd the limits of the State, as a guaran-
tee against future hostilities.
The Commission of Indian Affairs will
furnish full details.
REMoDELING OF INDIAN SYSTEM.
/ submit for your special consideration
whether our Indian system shall not be
r%emodeled. Many wise and good men
have been impressed with the belief that
this can be proftably done.
PACIFIC RAILROAD AND THE SHIP CANALS.
Isubmit a statement of the proceedings
of the commissioners, which shows the
progress that has been made in the en-
terprise of constructing the Pacific Rail
road, and thus suggests the completion of
the road, and also the favorable action of
Congress upon the project now pending
before them for enlarging the capacities
of the great canals In New York and Hill
nois, and being of vital and rapidly in
creaslng Importance to the whole nation,
and especially tC the vast interior region
hereinafter to be noticed at some greater
length.
l propose having prepared and laid
before you at an early day. some inter
esting and valuable statistical informa.
ton upon this subject. The military and
commercial Importance of charging the
Illinois and Michigan Canal and improv.
ing the Illinois river, is presented in the
n