M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1865-12-14

anu LHo Oldlne VI VI Ill SUCCESS VIII
not rest on thdm.
| know that sincere philanthropy il
earnest for the immediate realization
} of its remotest aims, but time ia
always an element in reform. 1t ID
one OF the greatest acts on record to
have brought four millions of people
into freedom. The career Of tree
industry must be fairly opened to
them, and then their future prosperity
and condition must, after all rest,
mainly on themselves. Ii they fail,
and 80 perish away, let US be careful
that the failure shall not DO attribu
table to any denial Of Justice. In all
that relates to the destiny OF the
freedmen, We need not be too anx>
ious TO read the future, many incidents
which, from speculative point OF
view, might raise alarm, will quietly
ettle themselves.
The report Of the Secretary Of the
Interior explans the condition of the
pdbliC lands, the transactions of the
Patent Office and the Pension Bureau,
the management Of our Indian affairs,
the progress made in the construction
Of the Pacific Railroad, and furnishes
information in reference to matters of
local interest in the District Of C0lum.
bia. 1t aIsD presents evidence Of the
ucc,ssful operation of the Homestead
Act, under the provisions Of which
l ,l6O,S33 acres OF the public lands
were entered during tAe last fiscal
year-more than one. fourth OF tue
whole number OF acres sold or other,
wise disposed Of during that period.
1t is estimated that the receipts de-
rived from this source arc sufficient to
cover the expenses incident to the
survey and disposal of the lands
entered under this act, and that paw.
ments in cash to the extent of from
forty to fifty per cent. will be made by
settlers, who may thus at any time
acquire title before the expiration f.
the period at which it wunld other
wise vest. The homestead policy
was established only after long and
earnest resistance, experience proves
it's wisdom. The lands, in the hands
OF Industrious settlers, whose labor
creates wealth and contributes to the
public resources, are worth more to !
the United States than il they had
been reserved as solitude tor future
purchasers.
The lameutabie events of the last
four years, and the sacrifices made by
the gallant men OF our Army and
Navy, have sweled the records of the
Pension Bureau tU an unprecedented
extent. On the Both Of June last, the
total number OF pensioners was IS,
9S6, requiring for their annual pay,
exclusive Of expenses, the sum of So,
023, ,445. The number ofapplicatiuns
that have been allowed since that date
will require large increase OF thus
amount for the next fiscal year. The
means tor the payment OF the stipeEds
due, under existing laws, to our
disabled soldiers and sailors, and to
the families OF such as have pcrished
in the service of the country, will no
doubt he cheerfully ald promptly
granted. A greatIul people will not
hesitate to sanction any measures hav
ing for their object the relief Of sol.
diers mutilated and families made
fatherless in the efjrt to preserve our
national existence.
Now that slavery is at an end, or
near its eud, the greatness OF its evil,
in the point of view OF public econo.
my, becomes more and more apparent
Slavery was essentially a monopoly
OF labor, and as such locked the
States where it prevailed against the
incoming Of free industry. Where
labor was the property of the capi
talist, the white man was excluded
from employment, or had but the
second best chsnce OF finding it, and
the foreign emigrant turned away .
from the region where his conditions !
would be 80 precarious. With the
destruction OF the monopoly, free
labor will hasten from all parts of {
the civilized world to assist in devel.
opiug various and immeasurable re
sources which have hitherto lain
dormant. The eight or nine States
nearest the Gulf Of Mexico have
soil Of exuberant fertility, a clim ate
friendly tU long life, and can sustain
a denser population than is found as
yet in any part Of our country. And
the future influx of population to
them will be mainly from the North,
or from the most cultivated nations
iu Europe. From the sutierings that
have attended them during our late
struggle, let US look away to the
- l.