Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-12-06

form atioa and i'm portant recommendations re-
islug 10 the public lands, indian affairs, the
Pacirc railroad, and mineral discoveries con-
tanned IA the report Of the Secretary OF the In.
terror, which IS herewith trans united and
which report ai-o embraces the subjects of
patents, pensions, aud other matters Of public
id,erfs: pertaining 10 his department
The quantity OF public land di>posad of mr.
ing the five quarters ending on tue 30th of Sep.
TENDER LIST W as 4.22l ,342 acres OF which ,53a-
6la acres were entered under the n .mestsad
law The remainn.r was located with mill.
tary land warrants. agricultural scrip certi.
fed 70 States forr ailroads. aud sold for cash
The cash received from sales and location fees
was SI.bl9,4i6.
The income from sales during the fisca, wear
ending June 80 1884, WAS S67S, 0U7,2l, against
2i36, OF, as received during tue preceding year
I he aggregate number of acres surveyed dur
Ing the year has been equal to the quantity dis.
posed of; and there is open 10 settlement about
1884, o., 0c0 acres of surveyed land.
The great enterprise OF connecting the Allan
tic with the Pacific States by railway and tel
egraph lines has been entered upon with a
vigor that gives assurance of success. not
urhstanding the er barrassments arising from
the prevailing high prices OF materials and
labor The ronts of the main line of the road
has been definitely located for one hundred
miles westward from the initial point at Oma.
ha City. Nebraska, and a preliminary location
of tie Pacific railroad Of California has been
made from Sacramento eastward to the great
ber d OF the Truckee river in Nevada.
Npmprous discoveries of gold, silver and
cinnaher mines have been added to the MANY
heretofore known and the country occupied
by tie Sierra Nevada and Rocky mountains,
ard the subordinate ranges, now teens with
enterrrisiEg labor, which Is richly remunera-
tive. 1t is believed that the product of the
mines of precious metals In that region has
during the year reached, If not exceeded, one
hundred M Il ions in value
1t was recommended in my last annual mes.
sage that our 1ndian system be remodeled
Congress, at its last session, acting upon the
rrc' mmrndation, did provide Tor recognizing
- q md ta hal hat
Under the present organization the manage
mrnt OF the Indians there will be attended
with reasonable success Much yet remains
TO be done to provide for the proper govern
mpDt CT the Indians in other parts of the coun.
Try 70 render il secure for the advancing set.
tier, and to provide for the welfare of thu In
dian The Secretary reiterates his recommen-
daiions, and 10 them the attention OF Congress
is invited.
TIE liberal provisions made by Congress for
paying pensions to invalid soldiers and sailors
OF the Republic, and to the widows, orphans,
and dependent mothers of those who have fall
tn in battle or died OF disease contracted, or of
wounds received in the service OF their coun-
try, have been diligently adm inistered There
have been added to the pension rolls. during
year ending the Both day of June last, the
names of 1870 Invalid soldiers, and of al dis
abled seamen, Masking the present number of
army invalid pensioners ~ 67, and of navy
IN valid pensioners 7i2
or WIDOWS. orphans, and mothers, - los
have heen placed on the army pension rolls,
Re" OF army pensioners of this class is 25433,
arj of rayy pensioners 7!E}. At the beginning
OF the year the number of revOl utlonary pen-
siCners was I,i30; only twelve of them were
soldiers, of W HON seven have since died. The
remainder are those who under The law, re-
Give pensions because OF relationship to revo-
lntonary soldiers During the year ending
The 3Gth vi June, fsGf, Si,50i6 60 81 have been
paid to pensioners of all classes.
l cheerfnily commend to your continued
patronage the benevolent institutions OF the
District Of Columbia which have Jeen estab-
hsned or fCstered by Congress, and respectfully
refer, for Information concerning them, and in
relation to the Washington aqueduct, the Cap
itol and other matters Of local interest, TO the
report of the Secretary.
The Agricultural Department, under the
supervision OF its present energetic and faith
tui head, is rapidly commencing itself TO the
great and vital interest it was created to ad-
vance. 1t is peculiarly the peoples depart
meDt in which they feel more deeply concern
ed than IN any other. / commend it to the
continued attention and fostering care of Con-
gTess.
The war continues. Since the last annua
message all the important lines and positions
then occupied by onr forces have been main
tanned, and our arms have steadily advanced;
thus Iibera'ing me regions left in rear, so that
Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and parts OF
other States have again produced reasonably
fair crops.
The NEST remarkable feature in the military
operations of the year is General Sherman's
attempted march OF three hundred miles dt
re s,s se iaersase In our relative
strength that our GeneraI-in- Chief should feel
aole TO confront and hold in check every active
force of the enemy, and vet detach We'll ap-
pointed large army TO move on such an eXpe.
di'lon. The res ult not yet being known, con-
lecture in regard 10 it is not here INDUCED.
1npOrtsnt movements have also occurred
during the year to tae effect of m guiding society
for durability in the Union. Although short
OF complete success, 1t is mnch in the right
direction that twelve thousand citizens in each
M p a q too f r. mr. 1iCto hor
organized loyal State governments, with free
constitutions, and are earnestly struggling 70
maintain ahd administer them.
The movements In the same direction, more
extensive, though less definite, in Missouri,
Kentucky and Tennessee, should not de over
looked. But Maryland presents The example
Liberty and Union for all the future. The ge-
Mus Of rebellion Will no mere claim Maryland
Like another foul spirit, being driven out, it
may seek TO tear her, Snt will WOO her no more
AT the last session Of Congress proposed
amendment Of the Constitution, abolishIng
slavery throut hout the United States, passed
the senate. but failed for lack of the requisite
two.tnirds vote in the House of Representa-
lives. Although the present is the same Con.
eress. and nearly the same members, and with
out questioning the wisdom or patriotism OF
those who stood in opposition, 1 venture to
recommend the reconsideration and passage OF
the measure at the present session.
OF course the abstract question is not
changed; but an intervening election shows,
almost certainly, that the next Congress will
pass the measure if does not. Hence there is
only q question OF time as to WHEN the proposed
amendment till 60 to the States for their action
And as 1t Is 10 so go, at all events, may we not
agree that the sooner the better,
1t is not claimed that the election has i'm.
posed a duty on members to change their
views or their votes, any further than, as an
additional element to be considered, their judg-
ment may be affected by il. 1t is the voice OF
the people now, for the first time, heard upon
the question. In a great national crisis, like
ours unanmity Of action among those seeking
a common end is very desirable almost indis-
pensable.
And yet no approach to such unanimity is
attainabIe, unless some Difference shall be paid
TO the will OF the majority, simply because it
is the will OF the majority. In this case the
common end is the maintenance OF the Union;
and, among the means 10 secure that end, such
will, through the election, is most clearly de-
ciared In favor of such constitutional amend
ment.
The most reliable indication OF public pur-
pose in this country is derived through our
popular elections. Judging by the recent can,
the n