The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-12-12


end, the greatness Of itg evil IN the point d
view OF public economy, becomes more anc
more apparent. Slavery was essentially q
monopoly Of labor, and as such locked the
States where it prevailed against the incom-
Ing Of free industry, Where labor was the
property Of the capitalist, the white man was
excluded from employment, or had bat the
second best chance Of finding ii, and the for
eiOp cmiprant turned away from the region
where his condition would be 20 precautions.
With the destruction Of the monopoly, free
lebor viii hasten from all parts OF the civil
lied world TO assist in developing various and
;mrneasurable resources which have hitherto
lain dorm nj.
The eight or nine States nearest the Gulf
Of Mexico have a soil Of cXuberant fertility, 4
climate friendly TO long life, and can sustain
n denser population than any other yet found
in any part cf our country. And the future
influx Of population to them viii be mainly
Il Iom the North, or FROM the most cultivated
nations in Europe. From the suficrngs that
have attended them during our late struggle,
let us look away TO the great future, Walch IS
sure to be laden for them with greater pro :
perity than has ever before been known. The
remJyal Of the monopoly Of slave labor IS
uiedge that those regions VIII b@ peoptcd bY
anumerous and enterprising population, which
will Vie with any IN the onion IN compact
ness, in inventive genius, wealth and industry.
Our Government springs from and was
made for tde people, not the people Tor the
Government. To them it owes allegiance:
from them it must dc.ire It's courage, strength
and wisdom. But while the Government IS
bound to defer TO the people. from whom 1t
derives its cXistcnse, it should, from the very
consideration Ct its origin, be strong IN us
power OF resistance 10 the Establishment o.
INEQUALITIES. MonopOlies, pcrpctultes, and
class legislation are contrary to the genius o.
free government, and ought not TO be allowed.
Here there is no room for favored classes OF
monopolies: the principle OF our Government
is that Of equal laws and freedom ofindu5'rr.
Wherever monopoly altalns foothold, il
ic sure to be a source OF danger, discord and
trouble. We shall but fIihl our duties as
legislators by according "cqual aad exact
Justice to all men" special privileges to none.
The Government is subordinate 10 the people
but, as the agcu. aud representative OF the
Ieople, it must be held superior 10 noGopo-
lies, which, in themselves, ought never TO be
granted. and which, whore they exist, must be
sab ordinate and yield to The Government.
The Constitution cguters on C0ngr 80 the
RIGHT 10 regulate commerce among the several
Statef I, Is Of the first necessity. for the
maintenance O! tie Union, that commerce
slouli be free and uuob5truc'cd No State
can be JUST fed ia any device to tax the tran
Fit Of trage. and commerce between States.
The position Of many States is such that, il
they were allowed TO take advantage OF 1t fol
purposes Of local revenue, the commerce be
tween States might be iujuriously burdened,
or even virtually prohibited. lis best, while
the country is still young, aud white the ten
dency % dangerous mOnDpOiIes OF this kind Is
gtlil feeble, TO us3 the power Of Congress so
Hs 70 prevent any selfish impCdimcnt 10 the
free circulation Of men and merchandise. \
tax on travel and merchandise, in their tran
fit constitutes one Of the worst forms Of mo-
n0poly, 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 cir
culation Of commerce between the States
ought to be sernly guarded against by ap-
propriatc legislation, 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 ONCE and the Pen
ton Bureau, the management Of our Indian
affairs, the progress made in the construction
OF the Pacific Railroad, and furnishes inlor-
nation in reference to matters of local inter
est in the District of Columbia, II also pre-
6cnts evidence Of the successful operations OF
the Homestead Act, under the provisions Of
which l,l6O,5 533 acres Of the public lands
were entered during the last fiscal year
more than one-lourth OF the whole number OF
acres sold or otherwise disposed Of during
that period.
It is estimated that the receipts derived
from this source arc sufficient to cover the
expenses incident to the survey and disposal
Of the lands entered under this Act, and that
payments in cash TO the extent Of from forty
10 fifty per cent. will be 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 was
established only after long and earnest re-
sistancc 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
tho United States than if they had been re-
served as solitude for future purchasers.
The lamentable events Of tho last four years,
md the sacrifices made by the gallant men
Of our Army and Navy, have swellcd the
records of the Pension Bureau to an unpre-
cedented extent, On the 30lh day Of June
last, the total number of pensioners was So
986, requiring for their annual pay, exclusive
of expenses, tho sum Of SS,023, 445. The
number of applications that have been al
lowed since that date will require q large
increase Of this amount for the next fiscal
year The means for the payment Of the
stipcnds duo under existing laws, to our dis
nbled soldiers and sailors, and TO the families