Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-12-16


if the one ought to be able to enforce the con-
tract so ought the other. The public in erest
will be best promoted. II the several States
will provide adequate protection and RENE dies
for the freedmen. Until this is In some way
accomplished, there is no chance for the adj
vantag eous use of their labor, and the blame
of ill-success will not rest on them.
know that sincere philanthropy is earnest
for the immediate realization OF its remOtest
aims: but time is always an element in re-
TO have brought four millions of people into
freedom. The career of free industry must be
fairly opened to them; and then their future
prosperity and condition must, after all, rest
mainly on themselves. LII they fail, and SO
perish away, let us be careful that the failure
shall not be attributable to any denial OF jus
tice. In all that relates to the destiny of the
freedmen, we need not be too anxious TO read
the future many incidents which, from
speculative point of view, might raise alarm, Will
quietly settle themselves.
Now that slavery liz at an end, on near its
end the greatness of its evil, In the point OF
view of public economy, becomes more and
more apparent. Slavery was essentially mo-
nopoly OF labor, and as such locked the STATES
where it prevailed against the incoming OF
free industry. Where labor was the property
of the capitalists the white man was excluded
from employment. or had but the second best
chance of finding it; and the fotelgn emlgrant
turned away from the region where his condl-
ton would be so precarious. With the de-
struction of the monopoly, free labor Will hasten
from all parts OF the civilized world to assist
in developing the various and lmmeasurable re-
sources which have hitherto lain dormant.
The eight or nine States nearest the Gnn OF
Mexico have soil of exuberant fertility,
climate friendly to long life, and can sustain
denser population than is found as yet III any
part OF our country. And the future influx OF
population to them will be mainly from the
North or from tue most cultivated nations IN
l. From ha an1f
| tended them during our late struggle, let us
| look away to the future, which IL sure to be
| laden for them with greater prosperity than
has ever before been known. The removal OF
the monopoly OF slave labor rs pledge that
| those regions will be peopled by numerous
and enterprising population, which Will We
with any ia the Union in compactness, lnyen-
| tive genius, wealth and industry.
| Our Government springs from and was made
| for the people-nOt the people for the Govern
ment To them il owes ALI glance; from them
| il must derive its courage. strength AMI Wis
dom. But while the Government is thus
bound to defer to the people from whom 1T de-
rives its existence, it should, from the very
consideration of its origin, be strong in its
power of resistance to the establishment OF
| inequalities. Monopoles, peTpetuities, 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
4
Wherever monopoly attains fOothOld, 1t Is
| sure to be a source of danger, discnrd, and
trouble We shall but fulfill our duties as leg
| iaIators by according equal and exact justice
TO all men" special privileges to none. The
| Government il subordinate to the people; but,
| as the agent and representative of the people,
4 il must be held superior to monopohes, which,
| in themselves, Ought never to be granted,
aud which, where they exist, must be subor-
| dnate and vi ld To the Government.
L - aN..N... ON no
right to regulate commerce among the several
| States. Ii is of the first necessity. fOr the
maintenance of the Union, that that commerce
! should be free aud unObstTuctfd. No state
can be justified in any device to tax the transit
of travel and commerce between States. The
position of many States is such that, if they
| were allowed to take advantage OF it for pur-
poses of local revenue, the commerce between
States might be injnrously bnrdened, or even
virtually prohibited. 1t ls best, while the
| country is still young, and while the tendency
| 10 dangerous monopolies of this kind is still
| feeble to use the power of Congress 30 as to
prevent any selfish impeachment 10 the free
| circulation of men and merchandise. A tax
| on travel and merchandise, IN their transit
| constitutes one of the worst forms ofmODopoly,
and the evil is lncrea ed if coupled with de-
| NAL of tho choice of route. When the vast
extent of our country rs considered, 1t Is plain
| that every obstacle to the free circulation OF
| commerce between the States ought to be
/
lation, within the limits OF the Constitution.
| The report of the Secretary of the Interior
| explains the condition of the public lands. the
| transactions of the Patent Office and the Pen
son Bureau, the management of our Indian
| affairs, the progress made in the construction
of the Pacific Railroad and furnishes infor-
nation III reference to matters OF local inter
| est in the District of Columbia. 1t also pre-
sents evidence of the successful operation of
1 the Homestead Act, under the prov isiOns OF
Il xuhi ol, 4 of
| entered during the fiscal year-more than one
/ fourth OF the whole number OF apres sold or
otherwise disposed of during that period. 1t
/ is estimated that the receipts derived from
| this source are sufficient to cover the expenses
/ incident to the survey and disposal of the
lands entered under this act, and that pay
1 ments i'm cash to the extent of from forty to
| fifty per cent. will be made by settlers, who
may thus at any time acquire title befo,e the
expiration of the period &C which it would 9TH
| erwise vest. The homestead policy was estab-
lished 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 moe to the United States
than if they had been reserved as solitude
| for future purchasers.
| The lamentable events of the last four years,
and the sacrifices made by the gallent men al
| the Army and Navy, have swelled the records
| of the Pension Bureau to an unprecedented
II
| tai number of pensioners was 50 1856, requiring
| for their annual pay, exclusive OF expenses.
| the sum of SIS, 023, AIS. The number OF appli-
cations that have been allowed since that date
! will require a large increase ofthis amount for
the next fiscal year. The means for the pay
ment of the stipends due, under existing laws,
to our disabled soldiers and sailors, and to the
families Of such as have persisted In the SER
vice of the country, will no doubt De cheer
fully and promptly granted A grateful peo-
pie will not hesitate to sanction any measures
having for their object the relief of soldier s
INITIATED and families made fatheIless in the
efforts to preserve our national existence.
The report of the Postmaster General pre-
sents an encouraging exhibit of the opera
tons of the Post Office Department during the
year. The revenues of the past year from the
loyal states alone exceeded the maximum an
nIIal receipts from all the States previous to
the rebellion, in the sum of Sc, O35, O9l and the
annual average increase of revenue during the
last four wears compared with the revenues of
the four Immediately preceding the rebellion,
was So 593 S45. The revenues or the last fiscal
year amountedfto $l4, 500, 1853, aid the eXpend-
lures TO $l3,G9472S, leaving a surplus OF re-
ceipts over expenditures of 1861 ,43O. Progress
has been made in restoring the postal service
i'm the Southern States. The views presented
by the Postmaster General against the policy
of granting subsidies to ocean mail steamship
lines upon established rOutes, and in favor of
continuing the present system, which limits
the compensation for ocean service to the
postage earnings, are recommended to the
carefal consideration OF Congress.
It appears from the report Uf the Secretary
of the Navy, that while, at the commencement
of the present year there were in commission
$50 vessels of all classes aud descriptions,
armed with 8, 900 guns and manned by oil ,OO0
men, the number of vessels at present IN COM
mission is IT. with $50 guns and IL, i2S men.
Al of nox 0RE