Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-12-15

OF acres surveyed during the year has been
equal to the quantity disposed Of and there
is open TO settlement about l33, 900 900
acres Of surveyed lands.
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
The great enterprise Of connecting the
Atlantic with the Pacific States by railways
and telegraph lines has been entered upon
with a vigor that gives assurance Of success,
notwithstanding the embarrassments arising
from the prevailing high prices Of material
and labor. The route Of the main line Of
the road has been definitely located for one
hundred miles westward from the initial
point at Omaha City, Nebraska. and Il pre-
liminary location Of the Pacific railroad of
California has been made from Sacramento
eastward to the great bend Of Alucher river,
in Navada.
orR MINING RESOURCES.
Numerous discoveries of gold silver and
cinnebar mines have been added to the many
heretofore known, and the country occupied
by the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains
and the subordinate ranges now teens with
enterprsing labor, which is richly remuner
atiye. 1t is believed that the products of
the mines Of precious metals in that region
has, during the year, reached, if not ex-
cccded, 500, ,OO0,O00.
TIE INDIAN SYSTEM.
It was recommended in my last Annual
Message that our Indian system be remod-
eled. Congress, at its last session, acting
upon the recommendation, did provide for
reorganizing the system in California, and
it is believed that under the present organ
ization the management Of the Indians
there will be attended with reasonable sue
cess Much yet remains to be done to pro-
vide for the proper government Of the In
dians in other parts of the country, to rem
der it secure for the advancing settler and
to provide for the welfare of the Indian
The Secretary reiterates his recommendd-
tions, and to them the attention Of Congress
is invited.
PENSIONS.
The liberal provisions to invalid soldiers
and sailors Of the Republic. and to the wild
ows, orphansa and dependent mothers ofthose
who have fallen in battle or died Of disease
contracted, or of wounds received in the
service Of their country, have been dilgent
" administered There have been added to
the Rension rolls during the year ending
the 3Oth day Of June last. the names Of
! 1910 invalid soldiers, and of 21l disabled
seamen, making the present number Of ar
my invalid pensioners, 22 7O7, and OF navy
invalid pensioners, 7l2 OF widows, or
phans and mothers, %, l9S have been pla-
ced on the army pension rolls and 2iS on
the navy rolls The present number Of ar
my pensioners of this class, i -, ,433, and
of navy pensioners, 793 At the beginning
of the year the number Of revolutionary
pensioners was $50. Only twelve ofthem
were soldiers, of whom seven have since
died The remainder are those, who under
( the laws of reserve pensions, because Of re-
/ lationship to revolutionary soldiers. During
the year ending the 30th Of june, 1864,
81, ,504, GIG % have been paid to pensioners
of all classes.
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
/ cheerfully commend to your patronage
; the benevolent institutions of the District OF
Columbia, which have hitherto been estab-
lished or fostered by Congress, and respect
fully refer you for information concerning
these and in relation to the Washington
/ Acqueduct, the Capitol, and other matters
Of local interest, to the report Of the Sec
retary.
TIIE AGRICULTURAL BUREAU.
The Agricultural Department, under the
supervision of its present energetic and
faithful head, is rapidly commenting itself
to the great and vital interest it was created
to advance 1t is peculiarly the peoples
department. in which they feel more deeply
concerned than in any other. | commend
it to the continued attention and fostering
care Of Congress.
THE WAR AND SHERMAN S MOVEMENT.
t The war has continued since the last an
nual message All the important lines and
positions then occupied by our forces have
been maintained, and our armies have stead
= ily advanced thus liberatng the negroes
left in the rear, so that Missouri, Kentucky
f and Tennessee. and parts of other States,
t have again produced reasonably fair crops.
f The most remarkable feature in the mill
! tary operations of the year. is General Sher
mans attempted march of three hundred
: miles directly through the enemy region
# 1t tends to show great increase OF our rel
: ative strength that our General-in-C Chic
r should feel able to confront and hold il
V check every active force Of the enemy ans
t yet detach a well-appointed large army tC
G move on such an expedition.
The result not yet being known. cOnlec
| ture in regard to it is not here INDUCED in.
? Important movements have also occurred
during the year to the effect Of moulding
society for durability in the Union. Al
though short of complete success, it is much
in the right direction, that l., 900 citizens
in each of the States of Arkansas and Lou
isiana, have organized Loyal State Govern
ments with constitutions, and are earnestly
struggling to maintain and administer them.
The movement in the same direction, more
extensive though less definite, in Missouri,
Kentucky and Tennessee, should not be
overlooked. But Maryland presents the
example of complete success. Maryland Is
secure to liberty and union for all the future.
The genius of rebellion will no more claim
Maryland. Like another foul spirit, it may
seek to tear her, but it will WOO her no
more.
THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY BY CoNSTITU-
TIoNAL AMENDMENT.
At the last session of Congress a propo-
sed amendment of the Constitution, abol-
ishng slavery throughout the United
States, passed the Senate, but failed, for
lack of the requisite two-thirds vote, in the
House of Representatives. Although the
present is the same Congress, and nearly
|, the same members, without questioning the
wisdom or patriotism of those who stood in
opposition, venture to recommend the re-
consideration and passage OF the measure
at the present session. OF course the alb
stract question is not changed, but an inter
I, vening election shows almost certainly that
the next Congress will past the measure ii
this does not. Hence, there is only queS-
ton of time as to when the proposed amend
ment will go to the States for their action
) and as it is to so go, at all events, may we
} not agree that the sooner the better? 1t Is