Natchitoches spectator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1867-18??, 1867-12-19


rial, and greatly reduce in numbers the
army of tax gatherers created by the
SYSTEM; who sstake from the mouth OF
honest labor the bread it has earned"
Retrenchment, reform and economy
should be carried into every branch OF
the pnblic service, that the expenditures
of the Government may be rednced ana
the people relieved from oppressive tax
alton; sound currency should be re-
stored, and the public faith in regard TO
the national debt sacredly observed.
The accomplishment of these important
results, together with the restoration OF
the Union of the States upon the prln-
ciples of the Constitution, would inspire
confidence at home and abroad in the
stability if our institutions, and bring
to the nation prosperity, peace and good
will. saaigA 81
Ifst4id THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary of War
ad interim exhibits the operation of the
army and of the several Bureaus OF
the War Department. The aggregate
strength of our military force, on the
30th of September last, was 56,3l5.
The total estimate for military apprOpri-
atoms is $77, 124,707, including def
cheney in last years appropriation OF
$13, 600 COG. The payments at the Trea-
sury on account of the services of tue
War Department from January to DC.
tober 20, 1S67--a period of ten months
amounted to $1O9, 100000. The ex-
penses of the military establishment, as
well as the numbers of the army, are
now three times as great as they have
ever been in time of peace; while che
discretionary power is vested IN the Ex-
ecutive to add millions to this expendi-
ture by an increase of the army to the
maximum strength allowed by the law.
a uG- THE INDIANS. aa
The menacing attitude of some of the
warlike bands of Indians inhabiting the
district of country between the Arkan-
sas and Platte Rivers, and portions of
Dakotah Territory, requires the presence
of large military force in that region.
Instigated by real or imaginary griev-
anccs, tho Indians occasionally commit
ted acts of barbarous violence upon en-
| grants and our frontier settlements; but
| a general Indian war has been prOyi-
dentially averted. The Commissioners
under the act of Doth July, 1867, were
invested with full power to adjust exist
ing difficulties, negotiate treaties. with
the disaffected bands. and select for
| them reservations remote from the ira
veled routes between the Mississippi
and the Pacific. They entered without
delay upon the execution of their trust,
but have not yet made any official report
of their proceedings, 1t is of vital i'm
portance that our distant Territories
should be exempt from Indian out
breaks, and that the construction of the
Pacific Railroad, an object of national
Importance. should not be interrupted
by hostile tribes. These objects, as well
as the material interests and the moral
and intellectual Improvement of the In
dians, can be most effectually secured
| g
country set apart for their exclusive use,
and located at points remote from our
highways and encroaching white settle
mentS.
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
| Since the commencement of the Sc
cond session of the Thirty Ninth Con-
gress, five hundred and ten miles of
road have been constructed on the main
line and branches of the Pacific Rail
way. The line from Omaha is rapidly
approaching the eastern base of the
Rocky Mountains, while the terminus of
the last section of constructed road in
California; accepted by the Government
on the oath day of October last, was
but eleven miles distant from the sum-
nit of the Sierra Nevada. The remark
able energy evinced by the companies
offers the strongest assurance that the
completion of the road from Sacramento
to Omaha will not be long deferred.
PUBLIC LANDS.
During the last fiscal year seven mil
lions torty-one thousand one hundred
and fourteen acres of public lands were
disposed of, and the cash receipts from
sales and fees exceeded by one-half mil
lion dollars the sum realized from those
sources during the preceding year. The
amount paid to pensioners, including
iexpenses of disbursements, was SIS, 619, '
956, and sc, 4S2 names were added to
the rolls. Fhe entire number of pen
sioners on the 30th of June last was one
hundred and fifty-five thousand four
hundred and seventy four. Eleven thou
sand six hundred and fifty-five patents
and designs were issued during the year
ending Sept. 80, 1867, and at that date
the balance in the Treasury to the credit
of the Patent Fund was $2S6,607.
i THE NAVY.
The report of the Secretary of the Ma
w states that we have seven sqnadrons
actively and judidiciously employed, IN
der efficient and able commanders, in
protecting the persons and properly of
American citizens, maintaining the dig
i nity snd power of the Government, and