Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-13

the greatest acts on record 10 have brought four
millions of people into freedom. The career of
free industry must be fsred opened to them and then
their future prosperity and condition must after all
rest mainly on themselves. If they fail, and so
perish away let us be careful that the failure shall
not be attributable to any denial of justice. In all
that relates to the destiny of the freedmen we need
not be too anxious to read the future; many incl
dents which from speculative point of view, might
/ raise alarm, will quietly settle themselves
Now that slavery is at end or near its end, the
greatness of its evil in point ofview ofpubc econ
my, becomes more and more apparent Slavery
was essentially monopoly of labor, and as such
locked the States where it prevail against she IN
coming Of free industry. Where labor was the
! property of the capitalist, the white man was
excluded from employment, or had the second best
chance of finding it and the foreign emigrant
! turned away from the region where his condition
would be so pTecarous. With the destruction OF the
monopoly free labor will hasten from all parts OF
the civilized world TO assist in developing the var-
Gus and Unreasonable resources which have hither-
! to lain dormant.
The eight or nine States nearest the Gulf Of Mex
/ leo have a soil Of e1ubersnt fertility, a climate
friendly to long life and sustain denser popu-
ation than is found as yet in any part of our
! try. And the future influx of population to them
( will be mainly from the North, from the most
cultivated portions of Europe From the suherlngs
that have attended them during our late struggle
let US look away to the future, which Is to be
/ laden for them with greater prosperity than has
ever before been known. The removal Of the mo-
nopoly of slave labor is pledge that these regions
1 will be peopled by numerous and enterprising
/ population, which will vie with any in the Union
/ III compaetness inventive genius, wealth and in
| dustry.
| Our Government springs from and was made for
/ the peOpl6-nOt the people Tor the Government
/ To them it owes allegiance; from them it must
/ derive its courage, strength, and wisdom. But,
while the Government IS thus bound to defer TO the
people from whom it derives its existence it should
from the very consideration Of its origin, be strong
in its power Of resistance to the establishment of in
CAPABILITIES. MonOpoGssl perpetuiies and class leg
slatiOn, contrary to the genius Of free govern
| msnt, and ought not to be allowed. Here there IS
no room for favored classes or mOnopoles the
principles Of Government Is that of equal laws
and freedom Of industry.
| Wherever monopoly attains q fOothOld It Is sure
to be source Of danger, discord, and trouble. We
shall but fulfill our duties legislators by accord
| ing equal and exact justice to all men, special
! privileges to none. The Government is subordinate
to the peopl but as the agent and representative Of
the people it must be held superior to monopolies
which, in tn mselves, ought never to be granted
and which, where they exist must be subordinate
and yield to the Government.
The Constitution confers on Congress the right 10
regulate commerce among the several States. It Is
Of the first necessity, for the maintenance Of the
/ Union that that commerce should be free and I'M
vice to tax the transit of travel and commerce be
tween States. The position of many States is such,
that if they allowed to take advantage Of it
for purposes of local revenue the commerce between
States might be njuriousy burdened, even virtu-
ally prohibited 1t is best while the countryi still
! young, and while the tendency to dangerous monOp-
oes Of the kind is still feeble to the power Of
Congress so to prevent any selfish impeachment to
/ the free circulation of men and merchandise
\ tax on travel and merchandise, in their transit
constitutes one Of the worst forms OF monopoly, and
the evil is increased if coupled with denial of the
choice of route When the vast extent Of our coun
try is considered, it is plain that every obstacle to
the free circulation of commerce between the States
ought to be sernly guarded against by appropriate
legislation within the limits Of the Constitution
The report of the Secretary of the Interior ex-
plains the condition of the public lands, the trans
actions 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 Columbia 1t also pre-
SCENTS evidence of the successful operation ofthe home
stead Act, under the provisions of which ll60533
acres Of the public lands were entered during the
last fiscal year-more than one-fourth Of the whole
number Of acres sold or otherwise disposed Of dur
ing that period 1t is estimated that the receipts
from this source are sufficient to cover the expenses
incident to the survey and disposal Of the lands
tered under this Act and that payments IN cash to
the extent Of from forty to fifty per cent. will he
made by settlers who may thus at any time acquire
title before the expiration Of the period at which it
would otherwise vest The homestead policy vas
established only alter long and earnest resistance
. experience proves its 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 if they had
been reserved as a solitude for future purchasers.
The lamentable events Of the last four years, and
the sacrifices made by the gallant men Of the army
and navy, have swelled the records of the Pension
Bureau TO an unprecedented extent On the Both
day Of June last the total number OF pensioners was
sjG56 requiring for their annual pay exclusive Of
expenses, the sum Of S6,025 It5 The number of APP
plica1icus that have been allowed since that date
will require large increase Of this amount for the
next fiscal year. The means for the payment Of the
stipends due under existing laws, to our disabled
soldiers and sailors, and to the families Of such
have persisted in the service OF the country VIII uV
doubt be CLeeTtully and promptly granted. \ CRATE
full people will not hesitate to sanction any measure
having for their object the relief 0Isoders mutilated
and families made fatherle5s in the efforts TO pre-
! serve our national existence.
The report Of the Postmaster General presents an
encouraging exhibit Of the operations Of the Post
J OHice department during the year. The revenues
Of the past year from the loyal States alone exceed
el the maximum annual receipts from all the States
previous 20 the rebellion in the sum Of S6,038 09I
and the annual average increase Of rev eDUC during
the last four years. compared with the revenue Of
] J
wa >3,533345. The revenues Of tie last fiscal year
amounted to $I4556,l59 and the expenditure TO
SI3694 7ge, leaving surplus Ofrecepts over eZPen
dituros of $56l $50 Progress ha- been made in re-
storing the postal service in 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 lin
its the compensation for ocean service to the postage
earnings, arc recommended to the careful consider
alton Of Congress.
1t appears from the report q the Secretary gl the
Navy, that while, at the commencement Of the pres
ent year. there was in commission $50 vessels Of all
classes and descriptions armed with 5000 guns and
manned by 81 900 men, the number Of vessels at
present in commission is III, with $50 guns and
I2I28 men. By this prompt reduction ofthe naval
forces the expenses of the Government have beer
largely diminished, and number Of vessels, pur-
chased for naval purposes from the merchant marine
have been returned to the peaceful pursuits of conf
merce. Since the suppression OF active ho5JIiites
our foreign Ladron have been Te-estabGshed, and
consist Of vessels much more efficient than those en-
ployed on similar service previous TO the rebellion
The suggestion for the enlargement Of the. navy
yards and especially for the establishment Of one
on fresh water for Iron-cad vessels is deserving of
consideration, as Is also the recommendation for
different location and more ample grounds for the
Naval Academy.
in the report Of the Secretary OF War, a general
summary Is given Of the military campaigns
Of 1854 and 865 ending in the suppression OF arm
ed resistance to the National authority in the in
5urgenL States. The operations Of the general al
ministratve Bureaus of the War Department dur
ing the past year are detailed, and an estimate made
Of the appropriations that Will be required for mill
in the fiscal Cinar fine Roth