The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-12-12

lection and remedies for the freedmen Until this isin
some way accomplished, there is chance for the adj
vantageous of their labor and the blame OF Iii sue
cess will not rest on them.
i know that sincere philanthropy is earnest for the
immediate realization of its remotest aims; but time is
always an element in reform 1t is 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; and then their future prosperity
and condition must after ALL rest mainly ON themselves
If they fail and perish away, let us be careful that
the failure shall not be attributable to any denial of JUS
tice In all that relates to the destiny ofthe freedmen.
need not be too anxious to read the future; many
incidents which. from speculative point of view,
might raise alarm, will quietly settle themselves.
Now that slavery is at end or near its end, the
greatness of its evil in the point OF view of public
nomy, becomes more and more apparent. Slavery was
essentially monopoly of labor anCas such locked the
States where it prevailed against the incoming of free
industry Where labor the property of the capital
ist the white man excluded from employment. or
had but the second bestsehahce of finding it and the
foreign emigrart turned away from the regbn where
his condition; would be precarious. With the de-
struction of monopoly free labor will hasten from all
parts ofthe civilized world to assist in developing var
Gus and immeasurabe resources which have hitherto
lain dormant The eight nine States nearest the
Gulf of Mexico have soil of exuberant fertility, eli
mate friendly to long life, and sustain denser po-
puation than is found yet in any part of coun-
try. And the future influx OF population to them will
be mainly from the North, from the most cultivated
regions of Europe. From the suferings that have at
tended them during late struggle let look away
to the future, which is to be laden for them with
greater prosperity than has ever before been known
The removal OF the monopoly Of slave labor pledge
that those regions will be peopled by and
enterprsing population, which will vie with any in the
Union in eompactness, inventive genius, wealth and
industry.
Our Government springs from and was made for the
people-not the people for the Government To them
it owes allegiance, and from them it must derive its
courage, strength and wisdom. But. while the Gov
eminent is thus bound to defer to the people, from
whom it derives its existence, it should, from the very
consideration of its origin be strong in its power OF re-
sistance to the establishment of inequalities Monopo-
lies, pepetuites and class legislation contrary to
the genius of free government and ought not to be al
lowed. Here there is room for favored classes or
monopoesi the principle OF our government IS that OF
equal laws and freedom of industry. Wherever mono
poly attans foothold it is to be of dan
ger. dscord and trouble. We shall but fulfill our duA
ties Legislators by according equal and exact justice
to all men,, special privileges to none. The govern
ment is subordinate to the people; but, as the agent
and representative the people, it must be held supe-
ror to monopolics. which in themselves. ought never
to be granted and which, where they exist, must be
subordinate and yield to the government.
The Constitution conters on Congress the light to re-
gulae among the several States 1t is ofthe
first necessity, for the maintenance of the Union, that
that commerce should be free and unobstructed. No
State can be justified in any device to tax transit of
travel and commerce between States The position of
many States is such that, they allowed to take
advantage OF for purpose OF local revenue, the COM
merce between States might be niuriously burdened,
oreven virtually prohibited 1t is best while the coun-
try is still young and while the tendency to dangerous
of Congress to prevent any selfish impeachment to
the free circulation of and merchandise tax on
travel and merchandise in their transit, constitutes
of the worst forms of monopoly and the evil is ncreas
ed if coupled with denial of the choice of route When
the vast extent of country considered it is plain
that every obstacle to the free circulation of commerce
between the States ought be sterny guarded against
by appropriate legislation within the limits of the Con-
stitutidfl
The report of the Secretary of the Interior explains
the condition of the public lands the transactions of
he nd he he man
ment of our Indian affairs, the progress made i'll the
construction of The Pacific Railroad. and furnishes in
formation reference 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 / 100 5:} ofthe public lands
were entered during the fiscal year-more than
fourth of the whole number of sold otherwise
disposed OF during that period 1t is estimated that the
receipts derived from this sufficient to
the expenses incident the survey and disposal of 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 may thus any time acquire title be-
fore the expiration of the period twoud otherwise vest
The homestead policy 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
sources worth to the L. States than if they
had been reserved solitude for future purchasers.
The lamenable events of the last four years, and the
sacrifices made by the gallant men of our Army and
Navy, have swrlcd the record Of the Pension Bureau
to unprecedented extent On the Seth day of June
last the total number of pensioners 1885, requir-
ing for their annual pay exclusive of expenses, the
of So 023443 The number of applications that have
been allowed since that date will require large increase
Of this amount for the next fiscal year The for
the payment of the stipends DUE under existing laws,
to disabled soldiers and Sailors and to the families
of such have persisted in the service of the country
will no doubt be cheertuly and promptly granted. A
grateful people will not hesitate to sanction any
having for their object the relief of soldiers nutat
ed and families made fatheresS in the efforts to pre-
serve our 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 of S603S 09l;
and the annual average increase of revenue during
the last four years, compared with the revenues
of the four years Immediately preceding the rebel
lion, was So, ,845. The revenues of The last
fiscal year amounted to Sl4556, 3d. and the expen-
ditures to Sl3 694 728 leaving surplus of receipts
over expenditures of S86l,43O Progress has been
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 upon established routes,
and in favor of continuing the present system which
limits the compensation for ocean service to the
postage earnings, recommended to the careful
consideration Of Congress.
1t appears from the report of the Secretary of the
Navy, that while, at the commencement of the pre-
year. there were in commission $50 vessels of
all classes and descriptions, armed with 3 900 guns
and manned by 81 900 men, the number of vessels
present in commission is III, with $50 guns and
l2,12S men. By this prompt reduction of the naval
forces the expenses of the Government have been
largely diminished, and number of vessels. pur-
chased for naval purposes from the merchant ma
rne have been returned to the ceful pursuits of
commerce. Since the suppression of active hostili-
ties our foreign sqnadroEs have been established,
and consists of vessels mach more efficient than
those employed on similar service previous to the
rebellion. The suggestion for the enlargement of
the navy yards and especially fer the establishment