The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1865-12-15

fertility, climate friendly to long life, AM
\ can, sustain denser population thanis fount
as yet In any part Of our country. And tia,
futufs. influx Of population TO them will b,
mainly from the North, or from the most cul
tivhted pauons In Europe From TIE suffer
ings tina, have attended them during our Int,
struggle, LET rs look away TO the future which
10 sure 10 be laden for them with greater pros
psrity than has ever before beea Known
The removal Of the monopoly of slave labo,
~ pledge that those regions will be peoplet
byG NUMEROUS and enterprising population
which will vie with any in the Union In com
paetness, inventive genius, wealth and in
dustry.
Our Go7ernment springs from and wa.
made FOR the people-not the people for th,
Government. To them it owes allegiance
rom them It must derive its courage, strength
and wlsdom. But while the Government 1!
thus bound 10 defer to the people, from
whom 1t derives il, existence, II should, from
the very confederation of lis origin, be strong
In Its power of resistance to the establish
ment Of inequalities. Monopolies, perpetni
ties, and class legislation, are contrary 10 tht
geniu' Of free government, and ought not b.
allowed. Here, there ia no room for favored
elasses or monopolies; the principle OF oul
Government Is that OF equal laws and fee.
dom Of industry. Wherever monopoly Mt.
tsins 'oolhod, il ia sure 10 be source Of
danger, d;seord, and trouble. We shall but
fulfil our duties ns legislators by according
equal and exact justice to all men," special
privileges to none The Government is sub.
ordinate to the people, but, as the agent sn d
representative ct the people. ii must he held
superior to monopolies, which in themselves,
ought AYer be granted and which. where
they exist must be subordinate and Yield TO
the Government.
The Constitution confer, on Congress the
rlght TO Regulate commerce among the sever
III states. II Is Of the first necessity for the
maintenance o.! the Union, that that com
incrce should be free and unobstructed No
cLate con be justified in any device to tax
tbe TRANSIT OF travel ard commerce. between
ntates. Tue position Of many States is such
that, II they were allowed to take advantage
oi II for purposes of local revenue, the COM
MERGE between States might be iniuriously
.nuraeRed, or evoa virtually prohibited. 1t
10 best, While the country is still Young. md
whi!e the tendency to dangerous monopolies
OF THIS kind is still feeble to use the power
OF Congress so as to prevent any selfish i'm
pedipient to the free circulation of men and
merchandise. tax on travel and merchan.
disc, IN their transit, constitutes one of the
worst forms Of monopoly, and the evil is in
creased If coupled with denial Of the choice
Of route. When the vast extent of our coun-
try is considered, it is plain that every OBJ
stacle TO the free circulation Of commerce be-
tween the States ought to be sternly guarded
against 6y appropriate legislation. witlin the
limits Of the Constitution.
The report Of the Secretary of the Interior
explains the condition Of the public lands,
the tssns1ctions of the Patent Office and the
Pension Bureau, the management OF our In.
DIAN affairs, the progress made in the con-
struction Of the Pacific railroad, and furn
lshes information in reference TO matters of
local interest in the District Of Columbia. II
also presents evidence of the successful orr
Grafton of tho Homestead Act, under the pro-
vision Of which ] 100, 500 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 during
mt period. 1t is estimated that the receints
derived from this source are sufficient to eoy
or the expenses incident TO the survey and
disposal OF the lands entered under this Act,
nhu tnat payments in cash to the extent of
from for'y to fifty per cent. will be made by
setlers, WHO may thus at any time acquire
Ntie before the expiration of the period ut
which It wesll otherwise vest. The home
stead pohcy was established only after long
ANA earnest resistance experience proves
ITS wisdom. The lands, in the hands of in
dustrlous settlers, whose labor creates wealth
ana contributes to the public resources. are
worth moro to the United States than if they
had been reserved as a solitude for future
purchasers
inc lamentablc events Of the last four year,
Hrd the sacrifices made by the gallant men
of our Army and Navy, have swellcd the rc-
cords Of the Pension Bureau to an unprece-
den,ed extent. On the 3Oth day of june last.
The total number ofpensoncrs was 81, $50, re-
curing for their annual pay, exclusive OF ox-
penses, the sum Of Ss,023 AS. The number
of applications that have been allowed since
that date viii require n large increase of this
anonnt for the next fiscal year The means
for the payment Of the stipends dus, under
existing hv', to our disabled soldiers and
sMlors,V0nd TO tho families Of such ~ haze
persisted IN the service Of tho country, will
no doubt be chc,,hny snd promptly granted
\ grateful people viii not hesitate to sane
tion amy measures having for their object the
relief Of soldiers nutilatcd and families made
fathcrlCss in the efforts to preserve our ma
tionnl exist nee.
rue report of tho Post Master General pre-
sents m encouraging exhibit Of tho. opera.
tions Of the Post Office Department during
the year. Tie revenues Of the past year from
the loyal States alone exceed the maximum
annual receipts i.'ow all the States previous
10 the rebellion, in tho sum of S6,03s, DOL
mud the annual average increase Of rcve-
nue. during the last four JSars, compared
with the revenue Of the four yenrs immedi-
dia'ely preceding the rebellion, was $685.
a|3. The revenues of the last h.cnl year
amounted to Sl4 ,556, lj5 and the expenGi lures
To Sl360i,723, leaving surplus Of rcce, ,nts
over expenditures Of 1851 ,i30 Progress ha,
been made IN restoring the postal service in
the Southern States, The views presented
by the Post Master General against tho poll
cy ofgrantng subsidies to ocean mail steam
ship lines upon established routes and Ia
favor OF continuing the present system, which
limits the compensation for ocean service to
the postage earnings, are recommended to
tho careful consideration Of Congress-
II appears from the report Of the Secrteta.
ry Of tho Navy, that while, Mt the commence.
ment Of the prcsen, year. there woro In com.
mission 43oyessels Of all classes and drscrip-
tious, armed w'ta 1900 guns and manned
by 900 men, the number of vessels ut pres
cnt In commission is III, with $50 guns and
l9,l2s men. by this prompt reduction Of tho
naval forces tho expenses Of the government
have been largely diminished, aud number
Of vessels, purchased for naval purposes from