The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-12-09

be also the agent, and the commander
Of troops are independent of each
other, and are subject to orders from
different Departments of the Govern.
meAt. The army officer holds po-
sition for life; the agent one, at the
will Of tho President. The former is
personally Interested in living in har-
mony with Indians, and the estab.
lishnent Of permanent peace, to the
end that some portion Of his life may
be spent within the limits ofa civil.
lied section, tho latter has no such
personal interest. Another reasc b
is an economical one, and still auoth.
or hold which the Government has
upon q life officer, to secure faith.
full discharge of duties in carrying
out given policy.
The building OF railroads and the
access thereby given to all agricul.
tural and mineral regions Of their
country is rapidly bringing civilized
settlements in contact with all the
tribes Of Indians. No matter what
ought to be the relations between
such settlements and the aborigines,
the fact Is they do not harmonize
well: one or the other has to give way
in the end. A system which looks
to the determination of race is too
horrible for q nation to adopt with.
out entailing upon itself the wrath Of
all christendom, and engendering in
the citizen disregard for human life,
and the rights Of others dangerous
to society. 1 see no substitute for
such q system except in placing all
the Indians in large reservations as
rapidly as can be done, and giving
them absolute protection there as
soon as they are fitted for it, and
they should be induced to take their
lar de in community, and to set up
territorial governments for their own
protection. For full details on this
subject, ] call your attention to the
reports Of the Secretary Of the Into.
rior and the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs.
The report of the Secretary of War
shows the expenditures of the War
Department for the fiscal year end,
ing the 3Oth of June, 1869, to be $780,.
644,O42, Of which $23,882,310 was
disbursed in the payment of debts
contracted during the war, and is not
chargeeble to current army expenses.
The estimate of $34,53l, 031, for the
expenses Of the armyfor the next ifs.
cal year is as low as it Is believed can
be relied on. The estimates of the
Bureau officers have been carefully
scrutinizod, and reduced wherever It
has been deemed practicable. IT,
however, the condition of the coun-
try should be such, by the beginning
OF the next fiscal year, as to admit q
greater concentration of troops, the
appropriations asked for will not be
expended.
The appropriation estimate for riv-
er and harbor improvement and for
Notifications are submitted separate
~. Whatever Congress may deem
proper to appropriate Tor these pur-
poses will be expended.
The recommends. ions of the Gen
eral OF the army that appropriations
DO made for the forts at Boston, Port
land, Now York, Philadelphia, New
Orleans and San Francisco, if for no
other, is concurred in.
l also ask your special attention to
the recommendation of the General
commanding the Military Division OF
the Pacific, for the sale OF the Seal is
lands of st. Paul and St. George,
Alaska Territory, and suggest that
it either be complied with, or that
legislation be had for the protection
of the seal fisheries, from which q
revenue should be derived.
Thereport of the Secretary Of War
contains synopsis Of the heads OF
bureaus, Of the commanders Of mill
tary divisions, and of the districts of
Virginia, Mississippi and Texas, and
the report of the General of the Ar.
my in the field. The recommenda-
tons contained therein have been
well considered, and are submitted
tor your action. however call spe-
cial attention to the recommendation
ofthe Chief of Ordnance for the sale
of arsenais and lands of no longer use
to the Government; also to the rec
concentrations of tia Secretary of
War, that the act of March Sd, 1869,
prohibiting promotion and appoint
ments in the staff corps OF the army,
be repealed, The extent of country
to be garrisoned, and the number OF
military posts to be occupied, is the
same with reduced army as with a
large one. The number of staff off,
GERS required is more dependent upon
the latter than the former condition.
The report of the Secretary of the
Navy, accompanying this, shows the
condition of the navy when this ad-
ministration came into Office, and the
changes made since. Strenuous ef-
forts have been made to place as
many vessels in commission, or rem
der them fit for service if required, as
possible, and to substitute the sail tor
steam while cruising, thus materially
reducing the expenses of the navy
and adding greatly to its efficiency.
Looking to our future, recommend
a liberal and though not extravaganza
policy toward this branch of the pub
lie service.
The report Of the Postmaster Gen
eral furnishes q clear and compre-
hensive exhibit of the operations OF
the postal service and Of the financial