The weekly clarion., 1870-12-15

ICut OA DNlNatC AunuluEe W Hl(ONuutOuaA'
4 the various bureaus Of the department.
! recommend an appropriation for new Wa
Department building, suited 70 the nation
The report OF the Secretary OF War show
q very satisfactorily reduction In the ex
penses of the army for the last year. Fol
details you are referred to his accompany
ing report
The expenses of the navy for the whole o.
} last year-that Is, from December I, 1859
SIS, 100000, or about 100000 less thar
: they were the previous year. The expen-
ses since the commencement Of this dsca
/. year-ehat Ia, since July 1-show for the
i've mouths decrease OF over S2,40oo0C
from those OF the corresponding months oi
last year. The estimates for the current
year were o2S 206661 81. Those for next
year were e2066S3l7, with 9o66,100 addi-
rional for necessary permanent improve
menrs.
|, These estimates are made closely for the
mere maintenance OF the naval establish
ment rs Il now is, without much In the ma
ture OF permanent Improvement. The APP
preparations made tor the last and current
years were evidently intended by Congress.
and are sufficient only, to-keep the navy on
It's present footing by the repairing and re-
fitting of our old ships This policy must,
Of course, gradually, but surely, destroy the
navy and it Is ia itself far from economi-
cal, as each year that IL Is pursued the ne
cessity for more repairs In ships and navy
yards becomes mere imperative and more
costly. and our current expenses are annu-
ally increased for the mere repair of ships,
many OF which must soon become unsafe
and useless. hope during the present ses-
sion Of Congress 70 be abl 10 submit to II
I plan by which naval vessels can be built
| and repairs made with great saving upon
| the present cost. It can hardly be wise
craftsmanship In Government which rep
rese1ts country with over five thouAand
miles Of coast line on both oceans exclusive
OF Alaska, and containing 40,0O0.OO0 of pro-
| gressive people, with relations OF every ma
| ture with almost every foreign country, TO
rest with snch inadequate means of enforc-
/ ing any foreign policy either of protection
or redress. Separated by the ocean from
| the nations of tile Eastern Continent, our
navy u our only means of our direct pro-
| lection TO our citizens abroad. or for the ell
forcement of any foreign policy. The ae-
compa1ying report of the Postmaster Gen
eral shows "A most satisfactory working of
that department. With the adoption of the
| recommendations contained therein, par
ticulally those relating TO reform in the
franking privilege, and the adoption of the
correspondence cards." self sustaining
postal system, may speedily be looked for,
| and at no distant day further reduction OF
the rate of postage be attained. | recon-
mend authorization by Congress to the
Postmaster General and Attorney General
to issue all commissions to officials appoint
ed through their respective departments.
At present these commissions, where
appointments are presidential, are Is
sued by The State Department. The
law In all the departments of
government, except those of the Post Office
and of Justice, authorizes each TO issue its
own commissions. Always favoring prac-
tical reform, | respectfully call your atten-
ton to one abuse of long standing. which 1
would like to see remedied by this Congress
It is a reform In the civil service of the
country. 1 would have IL 20 beyond the
mere fixing of the tenure of office of clerks
and employees who do not require 1.-THE ad-
vice and consent of the Senate" to make
their appointments complete. / would have
it govern not the tenure, but the manner of
making all appointments. There Is no duty
which so much embarrasses the Executive
and heads of departments as that of appoint
ments, nor Is there any such arduous and
thankless labor imposed on Senators and
Representatives as that OF finding place for
constituents. The present system does not
secure the best men, and often not even fit
men, for public place. The elevation and
publication of the civil service of the Gov
ernment win be hailed with approval by the
whole people OF the United States. Reform
in the management OF Indian affairs has re-
ceived the special attention of the Admin
istration from its Inauguration to the pres
ent day. The experiment OF making tia
missionary work was tried with few agen-
cies given to the denomination OF Friends,
and has been found to work most advanta-
geously. All agencies and superintendent
cies not so disposed of were given to the Of
ficers of the army. The act of Congress re-
ducing the army renders army officers in
eligible for civil positions. Indian agencies
being civil offices, determined to give all
the agencies to such religious denomlna-
tions as had heretofore established mission
aries among the Indians. and perhaps to
some other denominations who would un-
dertake the work on the same terms, that is
as missionary work. The societies select
ed are allowed to name their own agents,
subject to the approval of the Executive.
and are expected TO watch over them and
aid them as missionaries, to christianize and
civilize the Indian, and to train him in the
art of peace. The Government watches
over the official acts of these agents, and
requires of them as strict an accountability
as If they were appointed In any other man
ner. / entertain the confident hope that
the policy now pursued will, in few yeara,
Bring all the Indians on reservations where
they will live in houses, have school-houses
and churches, and will be pursuing peaceful
aud self-sustaining avocations, and where
they may be visited by the law-abiding
white man with the same impunlty that he
now visits the civilized white settlements.
1 call your especial attention to the report
of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for
full Information on this su bjecL
During the last fiscal year S.095.4l3 acres
OF public land were disposed of. OF this
quantity 369S. 9l0.050 acres were taken un-
der the homestead law, and 2,l59.5l5 acres
sold for cash. The remainder was located
with military warrants, college or Indian
scrip, or applied In satisfaction of grants
70 railroads, or for other public uses. The
entries under the homestead law during the
last ear cOversd 96l ,545 acres more than
those during the preceding year. Surveys
have been vigorously prosecuted To the full |
extent of the means applicable to the pur-
pose. The quantity Of land in market will |
amply supply the present demand. The |
claim of the settler under the homestead |
a.
limited to lands subject to sale at private en-
try. Any unaPpropriated surveyed public |
land may, TO limited amount, be acquired |
under the former laws, II the party enti- |
tied TO enter under them will comply with |
requirements they prescribe in regard TO |
the residence and cultivation. The actual |
settlers preference right of purchase is even |
broader and extends to lands which were |
unsurveyed at the time of his settlement.
His right was formerly confined within
much narrower limits, and At one period Of |
our history was conferred only by special
statutes They were enacted from time to
time TO legalize what was then regarded as
an unauthorized intrusion upon the vast do
main. The opinion that the public lands
should be regarded chiefly as a source of
revenue is no longer maintained. The rap
i'd settlement and successful cultivation Of
them Is justly considered of more impor-
tance TO our well-being than IL the funds
which the sale of them would produce.
With the remarkable growth and prosper
ity Of our new States and Territories attest
the wisdom Of the legislation which invites
the tiller of the soil to secure a permanent
home on terms within the reach o5 all. The
pioneer who incurs the dangers and
privations Of a frontier life, and thus
aids In laying the foundation Of
new comm0nw ealths, renders a signal
service TO his country and Is entitled to its
special favor and protection. These laws
secure that object and largely promote the
general welfare. They should, therefore,