The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-12-07

Cnunce OF nnulnB III anu the Iorolgn
emigrant turned away from tho region
where his condition would be so pre-.
carious. With the destruction of the
monopoly, free labor will hasten from
all parts Of the civilized world to as.
sist in developing various and i'm.
measurable resources which have hith-
erto lain dormant.
The eight or nine States nearest th
.fGulfof Mexico have a soil. ofexuber.
-ant fertility, climate friendly to long
life, and eau sustain q denser pepula.
ton Than is found al. yet in any part
OF our country. Aud the future influx
OF populatiopto them will be mainly
from the North, or from the most cul.
tivated nations in Euro pc. From the
sufferings that have attended them du.
ring our late struggle, let US look
away to the future, which is sure to
be laden for them with greater pros.
perity than has ever before, been
known. The removal of the monop.
oily Of slave labor is pledge that those
regions will be peopled by q numerous
ard enterprising population, which
will vie with any in the Union in
compactness, inventive genius, wealth,
and industry, s,3 .... .,..
Our Government springs from and
was made for the people-not the peo.
pie for the Government. To them it
owes allegiance; from them it must
derive its courage, strength, and wis
dom. But, while the Government is
thus bound to defer to the people,
from whom it derives its existence, it
should, from tho very consideration Of
its origin, be strong in its power of
resistance to the establishment of in
equalities. Monopolies, ,perpetuities, and
class legislation, are contrary to the
genius Of free government, and ought
not to be allowed. Here, there is no
room for favored classes or monopolies;
the principle of our Government is
that of equal laws and freedom of in
dustry. Wherever monopoly attains
a foothold, it is sure to bc a source of
danger, discord, and trouble. We
shall but fulfil our duties as Legislators
by according "equal and exact justice
to all men," special privileges to none.
The Government is subordinate to the
people; but. as the agent and represen-
tative of the people, it must be held
superior to monopolies, which, in
themselves, ought never to be grant.
ed, and which, where they exist, must
be subordinate and yield to the Gov.
crnment.
The Constitution confers on Con.
gress the right to regulate commerce
among the several States. 1t is of the
first necessity, for the maintenance of
the Union, that commerce should be free
and unobstructed. No State can be
justified in any device to tax the tran
sit of travel and commerce between
States. The position of many States
is such that, if they were allowed
to take advantage of it for purposes of
local revenue, the commerce between
States might be injuriously burdened,
or even virtually prohibited. 1t is
best, while the country is still young,
and while the tendency to dangerous
monopolies of this kind is still feeble,
10 use the power of Congress so as to
prevent any selfish impediment to the
free circulation of men and merchan-
disc. A tax on travel and merchan.
disc, in their transit, constitutes one
of the worst forms of monopoly, and
the evil is increased if coupled with q
denial of tho choice of route. When
the vast extent Of our country is con-
sidered, it is plain that every obstacle
to the free circulation of commerce be.
tween the States ought to bo sternly
guarded against by arpl opriatc legisla-
tion, within the limits of the Constitu.
ton.
The report Of tho Secretary of the
Interior explains the condition of tho
public lands, the transactions of the
Patent Office and the Ponsion 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 Colum-
bia. 1t also presents evidence of the
operations of the Home
stoad Act, under the provisions of
which l,l6O,533 acres of tho public
lands wero entered during the last fis-
cal year-more, than one.f fourth of
whole number of acres sold OF other.
wise disposed Of during that period
1t is estimated that the receipts deriv-
ed from this source are sufficient to
cover the expenses incidentto the sur
vey and disposal of the lands entered
under this Act, and that payments in
cash to the extent of from 40 to fifty Der
cent. will be mado by settlers, who
may thus at any time acquire title be-
fore the expiration of the period at
which it would otherwise vest. The
homestead policy was established only
after long and earnest resistance; ex-
perience proves its wisdom. The
lands, in the hands Of Industrious sct.
Tiers, whose labor creates wealth and
to the public resources are
worth more to the United States than
If they had been reserved as solitude
Ior future purchasers. z
The lamentable events Of the last
Tour years, and the sacrifices made by
the gallant men of our Army and Ma.
w, have swelled the records of tho
Pension Bureau to an unprecedented
'xtent, On the 30th day Of juno last,
,he total number of pensioners was
80, 1856, requiring for their annual pay,