Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-12-07


protection and remedies for the freedmen. |
Untl this is in some way accomplished, |
there is no chance for the advantageous use |
OIL their labor, and the blame of illsuocess
will not rest on them.
know that sincere philanthropy IL earn
est for the immediate realization of its re-
motest aims; bat time is always an element
in reform. 1t is one of the greatest acts on
record to have brought four millions of |
people into freedom. The career of free |
Industry must be fairly opened to them;
ana their future prosperity and condition
must after all. rest mainly on themselves.
Ii they fail, and so perish away, let us be
careful that the failure shall not be attrib-
utable to any denial ofjustice 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 quiet.
Iy settle themselves ID : i
Now that slavery is at an end or, near it's
end, the greatness Of its evil in the point
OF view OF public economy, becomes more
and more apparent. Slavery was essentially
a monopoly Of labor, and as such locked the
States where it prevailed against the in.
coming OF free industry. Where labor was
the property of the capitalist, the white
man was excluded from employment, or
bad but the second best chance of finding
it, and the foreign emigraut turned away
| from the region where his condition would
be so precarious With the destruction of
the monopoly, free labor will hasten from
all parts OF the civilized world to assist in
developing various and immeasurabe re-
sources which have hitherto lain dormant.
The eight or nine States nearest the Gulf of
Mexico have soil Of exuberant fertility, a
climate friendly to long life, and can sus-
tam denser population than is found as
yet In any part of our country. And the
future influx of population to them will be
mainly from the North or from the most
cultivated nations in Europe. From the
sufferings that have attended them during
our late struggles, let us look away to the
future, which is sure to be laden for them
with greater prosperity than has ever be-
fore been known. The removal of the mo-
nopoly OF slave labor is pledge that those
regions will be peopled by numerous and
en'erprlsing Lopula,icn, which will vie with
any In the Uuion IN cOmpactness, inveR-
tive genius, wealth and iniustry
Our Government springs from and was
made for the ppople-Dct the people for the
Government TO them it owes allegiance
from them it must derive its courage,
strength and wisdom. But while the Gov
ernment is thus bound to defer to the peo
pie, from whom it derives its existence, it
should fromthe very consideration of its
origin, be strong in its power of resistance
to the establishment of inequalities. Mon.
| opolies, perpeualitics, ana class legislation,
are contrary to the genius of free govern
ment, and not to ba allowed. Here, there
is no room for favored classes or monopolies
the principle of our Government is that
OF equal laws and freedom of industry.
Wherever monopoly attains foothold, it is
sure to be source Of danger, discord and
trouble. We shall but fulfill 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 representative
OF the people, it must be held superior to
| monopOics, which, in themselves, ought
never to be granted. and which, where they
exist, must be subordinate and yield to the
| Government. .E
The Constitution confcrs on Congress the
right to regulate commerce among the sew
eral States. II is Of the first necessity, for
the maintenance OF the Union, that com
nerce shoud he free and unebstructed No
State can be justified in any device to tax
! the transit travel and commerce between
States. The position of many States is
such that if they were allowed to take ad
vintage oft for purposes Of local revenue,
tho commerce between States might be in
Jnrinusly burdened, or even virtually pro-
hibltod. 1t is hest, while the country is still
young, and while the tendency too danger
Gus monopolies OF this kind is still! feeble, TO
use the power OF Congress 80 as to prevent
any selfish iupediment to the free circula
ton OF men aud merchandise. A tax on
travel and merchandise, in their transit, con-
s.itutes one of the worst forms of monopoly
and the evil is increased if coupled with a
denial Of the choice of route. When the
vast extent of our country is considered it
is plain that every obstacle to the free crcu,
lation Of commerce between the States
ought to be strongly guarded against by an
propriate legislation, within the limits of the
Constitution.
The report of the Secretary of the Interi.
or explains the condition of the public
lands, the transactions of the Patent Office
and the Pension Bureau, the management
of our Indian affairs, tho progress made in
the construction of the Pacific railroad. and
furnishes information in reference to mat.
terS OF local interest in the District of Co.
lumbia. 1t also presents evidence of the
successful operation of the Homestead Act
under the provisions of which l,I6O. 533
acres of the public lands were entered dur.
ing the last 6sc i ynur-more than one.
fourth of the whole number of acres sold or
otherwise disposed OF during that period =
Ii is estimated that the receipts derived
from this source nre sufficient to cover the
xoonse incident to the survey and Dis,
posal OF the lands entered under this Act
and that payments in cash to tho extent of
from forty to fifty per cent. will bs made
by settlers, who may thus at any time ac |
quire title before he expiration of the peri-
od at which it would otherwise vest The |
homestead policy was established only after
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 it they had been reserved as
solitude for future purchasers.
The lamcntable events of the last four
years, and the sacrifices made by the Gal.
liant men Of our army and navy, have swell
led the records of the Pension Bureau To
an unprecedented extent. On the both
day of june last, the total number of men.
sioners was 359S6, requiring for their an,
nual pay. exclusive of expenses, the sum
Of $9,023445. The number of applications
that have been allowed since that date will
require large increase of this amount for
the next fiscal year. 'The means for the