The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-12-10

upon the society itself. The result
has proven satisfactory. 1t will be
found more fully set forth in the re-
port of the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs. For superintendent and
Indian agents, not on reservations,
officers of the army were selected.
The reasons for this are numerous,
and when Indian agents are sent
there, or near there, troops must be
sent also. The agent and COM
mander of the troops are independ-
ent of each other, and are subject
to orders from different departments
of the government. The army Of
fcer holds a position for life. The
agent IS one at the will Of the Pres
ident. The former is personally
interested in living in harmony with
the Indians, and in the establish
ment of a permanent peace to the
end, that some portion of his life
may be spent within the limits of a
civilized section. The latter has no
such personal interest. Another
reason is an economic one, and still
another hold which the government
has upon life officer to secure a
faithful discharge of duties in car
rying out given policy. The
building of railroads and the access
thereby given to all agricultural and
mineral regions of the country is
rapidly bringing civilized settle
ments into contact with all tribes
of Indians. No matter what ought
to be the relations between such
settlements and the aboriginies, the
fact is that they do not harmonize
well, and one or the other has to
give way in the end. A system
which looks to the determination of
a race is too horrible for a nation
to adopt without entailing upon it
self the wrath of all Christendom,
and engenderipg in the citizens a
disregard for human life and the
rights of others. Being dangerous
to society, I see no substitute for
such a system except in placing all
the Indians on large reservations as
rapidly as can be done, and giving
them absolute protection there. As
soon as they are fitted for it they
should be induced to take their
lands in severally, and to set up
territorial governments for their
own protection. For full details on
this subject, 1 call your special at
tention to the reports of the Secre-
tary of the Interior and the Com
missioner of Indian Affairs.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary of
War shows the expenditures of the
War Department for the year end
ing June 80, 1869, to be S80,644,
042 of which S23,882,310 was dis
bursed in the payment of debts con-
tracted during the war and is not
chargeable to current army expenses.
His estimate of S34,531,034
for the expense is of the
army for the next fiscal year,
is as low as can be relied on. The
estimates of bureau officers have
been carefully scrutinized and re-
duced where ever it has been deem
ed practicable. If, however, the
condition of the country should be
such by the next fiscal year as to ad-
nit of a greater contraction of
troops, the appropriation asked for
will not be expended. The appro-
priation estimated for river and har-
Dor Improvements, and for fortifca-
tions, are submitted separately.
Whatever amount Congress may
deem proper to appropriate for
these purposes will be expended
The recommendation of the gener-
al of the army that appropriations
be made for the forts at Boston,
Portland, New 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 Pasifc, for the sale of the
seal islands of st. Paul and st.
George, Alaska Territory, and sug-
gest that it either be complied with
or that Legislation be had for the
protection fthe seal fisheries, from
which a revenue should be deriY-
ed.
The report of the secretary of
war contains synopsis of the re-
ports ofthe heads of bureaus, of
the commanders of military divis-
ions, and of the districts of Virgin
la, Mississippi and Texas, and the
report of the general of the army
in full. The recommendations
ther in have been well considered
and are submitted for your action.
l, however, call special attention to
the recommendations of the chief of
ordnance for the sale of the arse
nails and land no longer of use to the
government; also to the recommen-
dation of the secretary of war, that
the act Of the third of March, 1869,
prohibiting promotions and appoint
ments in staff corps of the army be
repealed. The extent of coun-
try to be garrisoned, and the mum
Der of military posts to be occupied,
is the same with reduced army as
with large one. The lumber Of
staff officers required is more depen-
dent upon the latter than the form
er conditions.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The report of the secretary of
the navy, accompanying this shows
the condition of the navy when this
administration came into Office and
the changes made since. Siren
uous efforts have been made to
place as many vessels in commiss-
ion, or render them fit for sevice if
required, as possible, and to sub
stitute the sail for steam while cruis-
ing, thus materially reducing the
expenes of the navy and adding
greatly to its efficiency. Looking to
our future, 1 recommend a liberal,
though not extravagent policy to-
ward this branch of the public SER
vice.
THElPOsTOFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Postmaster
General furnishes clear and COM
prehensiYe exhibit of the operations
| &c A. ,,oeEol sa,.vina and of fba