Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1865-12-13
NUMBER so.
inventive genius, Eealthj


made Tor the reople--not the people for
the Government To them it owes allegi-
ance, from them it must derive it's cour>
age, strength, and wisdom But while
the Government is thus bound to defer to
the people, from whom ii derives its exist
! ence, it should, from the very considera-
ton of its origin, be strong in its power of
/ resistance to the establishment of ineaual-
ltIes. Monopolies, perpetuities and class
| legislation, are contrary to the genius OF
tree government, and ought not to be al
lowed Here, there is no room for favor.
ed classes or monopolies, the principle of
our Government is that of equal laws and
freedom of industry Wherever monopo
" attains foothold, it is sure t. be a
source Of danger. discord, and trouble
We shall but fulfill cur duties as legisIa-
tors 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 representa-
tive of the people, it must be held superb
or to monopclies, which, in themselves.
ought never 60 be granted, and which,
where they exist, must be subordinate and
Weld to the Government
The Constitution confers on GoT.rress
the right to regulate commerce among the
stNSTUi ENldttS- 1T Is OF GilG urSt GceeSSlty
for the maintenance of the Union, that
commerce should be free and unobstruct-
ed. No State can be justified in any de-
vice to tax the transit of travel and eom-
merce between States The position Of
many States is such that, if they wers al
lowed to take advantage of it for purposes
of local revenue, the commerce between
the States might be iniuriouslv burdened.
or even virtually prohibited 1t is best,
while the country is still young and
while the tendency to dangerous monopo-
lies of this kind is still feeble, to,usa the
power of Congress so as to prevent any
selfish impediment to the free circulation
of men and merchandise A tax on travel
and merchandise, In their transit, egristi~
tutes one of the worst forms of monopolv
and the evil is increased if coupled with
denial of the choice of route When the
vast extent of our country Is considered.
IL IS plain that every obstacle to the free
circulation of commerce between the
States ought to be stcrnly guarded against
by appropriate legislation, within the.lin-
its of the Constitution
The report of the Secretary of the In
terror explains the condition Of the public
lands, the transactions ofthe PatentOfice
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 presents evidence of
the successful operation of the Homestead
Act, under the provisions of which .l6O,.-
533 acres of the public lands were entered
during the last fiscal year-mors than
One-fourth of the whole number of aeres-
sold or otherwise disposed of during that
period. 1t Is estimated that the receipts
derived from this source are sufficient IN
cover the expenses incident to the survey
aud disposal Cf the lands entered under
this Act, and that payments in cash to the
extent Of from forty to fifty per cent will
be made by settlers who NAV Thus ut anv
time acquire title before the exDiration Of
the period at which it would otherwise
vest The homestead poiicv was estab-
llShed only after long and earnA Ast resist
ance; experience proves its wisdom. Tho
lands, IN the hands of Industrious settlers.
whose labor creates wealth and contri--
bute5 to the public resources. arc worth
more to the United States than If they.
had been reserved as a solitude for future,
purchasers
The lamentabIe events Of the last four
years, and the sacrifices made by the GAL
liant men of our Army and Navy. have
swcllei the records or the Pension Bureau
to an unprecedented extent On the 3Ofb
day Of June last the total number of ncn~
sioners was S5.9S6, requiring for their an
nual pay, exclusive of expenses. the sum
OF $, 023, AS. The number of apnlica-
tlons that have been allowed since that
date viii require Il large increase of this
amount for the next fiscal wear. The
means for the payment of tbl stipends
due, under existing laws, to our disabled
soldiers and sailors, and to the families Of
-such as have perished in the service Of
the country, will no doubt Is cheerfully
and promptly granted \ grateful people
will not hesitate to sanction any measures
having for their object the relief of SOL
diers mutilated and families made father
less in the efforts to preseryeour national
existence.
The report Of the Postmaster General
presents an encouraging exhibit of the
/ operations of the Post Office Department
during the year The revenues of the past
year from the loyal States alone exceeded
the maximum annual receipts from all
. the states previous to the rebellion. in the
sum OF 5U.O3n,UJI and the annual aver.
age increase of revenue during the last
.our years, compared with the revenues
Of the forr years Immediately preceding
the rebellion, was 1858, So. The rev.
euucs of the last fiscal wear amounted TO
$ 4,J56- l5S, and the expenditures 10 49,
69f,1Zo, leaning n surplus of receipts over
expenditures OF $S6i 80. Progress has
been made in restoring the postal service.
in tie Southern States Tho views pre-
sebted by the Postmaster General against
tho policy Of granting subsidies to ocean.
mail steamship lines upon established
routes, and N favor Of continuing the.
4 present system, which limits the compen-
sation for. ocean service to the postage
earnings, are recommended sosthe careful
+ consideration Of Congress.
/ 1t appears, from the reports Of the Sec
I retary oi the Navy, that while Mt the com
! lcnccment Of the present year. there
! were in commission 80 vessels of all
Glasses and descriptions, armed with 5,0'lo
guns and manned by $1,000 mon, the
number Of vessels at present in commits
+ sion Is II with $50 guns and 2. % men.
Bv this prompt reduction Of th, navai !
I forces The expenses Of the Government
have been largely diminished, and a mum
I Der Of vessels, purchased for navel pur-
! poses from the merchant marine. have