, 1865-12-06

eric lain dormant. The eight or nine States
nearest the Gull of Mexico have soil Of exu-
berant fertility. a climate friendly TO long
life, and can sustain denser population than
And The future influx OF population to them
viii be mainly from the North, OF from the
most cultivated nations in Europe. From
the 5u1erings that have attended them during
our late struggle, let us look away to the ftl-
ture, which Is sure to be laden for them with
greater prosperity than has ever before been
known The removal Of the monopoly Of
slave labor is pledge that those region, will
be pcopled by q numerous and enterpnsing
population, which will vie with any in the
Union IN compactness, Inventive genius,
wealth and industry.
Our Government springs from and waa
made for The people-not the people for the
from them It mnst derive its courage,
strength, and wisdom. But, while the Gov
eIpment Is thus bound to defer TO the people,
from whom It derives its existence, 1t should,
ifem the very consideration of Its origin, be
strong IN Its power Of resistance to the estnb-
lishment of inequalities. Monopolies, per-
petuities, and class legislation, arc contrary
to the genins Of free government, and ought
not to be 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, Il is sure to BE- source Of
danger. dlscord, and trouble. We shall but
fnldi our duties as legislators By according
"equal and exact Justice to oil men," special
privileges to none The Government Is sub
ordinate to the people but, as the agent and
representative Of the people, 1t must be held
superior to monopoiles, which, in them
selves, ought never to be granted, and which,
where they exist, must bc subordinate and
yield to the Government.
The Constitution cpufrrs m ronrrpea thu
right to regulate commerce among tho several
States. II Is of the first necessity, for The
maintenance of the Union, that that commerce
should be free md unobstructcd. No State
can be justified in any device to Tax the transit
ofttavel and commerce between States. The
position OF many States is such that, If they
were allowed to take advantage Of II for pur-
poses Of local revenue, the commerce between
States might be ipjutiously b,rdepcd, OF even
virtually prohibited. 1t IL best, while the
country Is still young, aud while tho tendency
10 daDEerous monopohes Of this kind Is st!ll
feeble, TO use the power Of Congress so as to
prevent my selfish impcditnent TO the free cir
culation OF mcn and merchandise. A tax on
travel and merchandise, In their transit, con-
stltutes one Of the worst forms Of monopoly,
and The evil Is increased If coupled with de-
NAL of the choice OF route. When the rast
that every obstacle to the free circulation OF
commerce between the States ought 10 be
stcrnly guarded against By appropriate legis-
lation, Within the limits Of the Constitution.
The report Of the Secretary Of the Interior
explains the eRpdition Of the public lands,
the transactionsof tho pntcnt Office and the
Pension Bureau, the management Of our In
struction Of the Pacific railroad, and furnishes
information in reference to matters Of local
interest In the District of Columbia. It also
presents evidence Of the successful operation
Of the Homestead Act, under the provisions
Of which !, ,t60, ,5a3 acres of the public lands
were entered during the last fiscal year-1nore
tLan one-fourth ol The # hole number Of acres
sold or otherwise disposed of during tllat Pc
Rod. Il is estimated lint The receipts derived
from this source arc sufficient 10 cover tie c1-
penses incident TO the survey md disposal Of
The lands entered under this Act, and that
paymeuts In eash TO the extent Of FROM forty
TO ftly per cent Will be mcde BY settlers, who
may thus ut any time acquire tho title before
tho expiration ofthe period ut which It would
otherwise rest The homestead policy was
established only after long and earnest resist
nnce; experience proves Its wisdom. The
lands, In the hands OF industrious settlers,
whose labor creates wealth md contributes
to the public resources, are worth more to the
United States than If they had been reserved
as solitude Tor future purchasers.
The lamentatlc events of the last four
yeare, md the sacrifices made by the gallant
men Of our Army and Navy, hare swelled the
records Of the Pension Bureau to an unprece-
dented extent. On the 30th day Of June last,
the total number Of pensioners was $3.50, re-
curing for their annual pay, exclusive of OK
penses, the sum of &, ,GsJ,445. The number
Of applications that have been allowed since
that date will require q large Increase Of this
amount for the next fiscal year. The means
for The payment Of the stiPeuds Due, under
Eailors, and 10 the families Of such as have
perished In the service OF the country, will no
doubt be cheeriGlly and promptly granted.
! grateful people will not hesitate to sane
tfon any measures having for their object the
relief Of soldiers mutilated and families made
fatherless In the efforts to preserve our na-
tfonal existence.
The report of the Postmaster General pre-
kents an encouraging exhibit OF the opera
tions of the Post Office Department during
the year. The revenues ol 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 f6, ,N;s, ,0y1
aud the annual average lucrcase Of revenue
during tho last four years, compared With the
revenues Of the four years Immediately pre-
ceding the rebellion, was s, 80; 5:;S; 6445- The
iii, ,s5G, i5s, ana ihe expenditures to siSss,,
is, leaving surplus Of receipts over eI-
pendlturcs Of 1851 ,4O. Progress has bccn
made In restoring 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 upou established routes, aud in favor Of
continuing the present system, which limits
the compensation for ocean service to the
r0stage earnings, are recommended to The
careful consideration Of Congress.
1t appears, from the report Of the Secretary
orthe Navy, that while, At the commence
ment Of the present year, there were IN COM
mistion $50 vessels OF alt clnsses ind descrip-
tions, armed with 1900 guns and manned By
ST coo men, the number OF vessels nj present
In commission IS III, with $50 guns and l3,l39
men, BY this prompt reduction OF the nnFnl
forces the expenses Of the GoyeEnmcnt nave
been largely diminished. and number OF
vessels, purchased for nural purposes FROM
the merchant marine, have been returned TO
the peaceful pursuits of commerce.. Since the
suppression Of active lostilltics our foreign
sanadrons have been re-establtshed, and con-
Est Of vessels much more efficient than those
employed on siml1ar scryicc previous 10 Tie
rebellion. Tho suggestion for tho enlarge.
ment Of the navy -ynrds, and especially TOR
the establishment OF one In fresh water for
iron.clad vessels, Is deserving Of consldera-
tion, as is also the recommendation for DIFF
tercnt location and more ample grounds Tor
In the report Of The Secretary OF War, gcn-
eral summary Is given Of the military cam.
psigns of 1ed4 and 1865, ending In the sup.
preston Of armed resistance to the natlonal
auhno y ~ ans enara, sd1ntnjstra1;rc Nu,eam.
Q. tde ~ nS IN uns a. r H.
onr;.t,o,,s int n Vii he rennirrd ior miitary
piopa.o;s Y; tna' .o tsn.s - ynol cnn,mnnri,n ~
purposes ~ .ne 1esa ~ n.,;n1,si 1nIy, ~. =.
to.n oay o. ~ uns. 1oo nT Nav 1sGs nnn,hcrc!
1c6ce Ce @ On Inc ~ e. ra1,aS a1, , ~ redn"n r..
| l,uu,olo men; IL u pfoPofeu u teauce u.
military establishment 10 . peace loounS
compfenenaing MY tnoasu aa;, tFoops " 3a ~ ~ y.
arms ofGnnazea 80 as 10 auin1 o. an 1s snsa II
men. ny nihns up tnc ram lanhs 70 e.fneyss"e
thonsana ~ nuhd saa,1e ens n ana,nnntatien y
ne country Snoa!a .eaulre a. aug1nen1auon M :,
inc army ihc YOUNGER losce .i nus n;ea a.ieaa'
oeen feancea y tae alssan o erm seas III ~ -,
oyer e!eht n4nosea tlousaaa t5oop' h.ao ~
neatcnt as rLGeai1S w. aups ~ ~ W.T. :
reduced from *oH,@5olyl 70 9sS'1la,aot
which amount, ID tne oPlnson Q. a4i Iepast
ment, Is aaequale !o1 peass = oh n,Naa,