Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-12-09


cepted os something which "a to supply every
mans wants Without any cost or Effort on his part
| A true revenue reform cannot be made In n day,
but must be the work OF national legislation and ol
| time. As soon as the revenue can be dispensed
with all duty should be removed from coffee, tea,
| and other articles of universal use not produced
| by ourselves. The necessities of the country COM
pei us to collect revenue from our imports. An
army OF assessors and collectors Il not pleasant
sight to the citizens but that tariff for revenue
Is necessary Such tariff 80 far ~ II acts In en-
| couragcment to home products, affords employ
pauper labor of the old world. and also in the de-
| velOpment of home resources. Under the act of
| Congress of the 18th day of july the army has
gradually been reduced so that the first day OF
January, 1871, the number ofcommissioned officers
| aud men In all will not exceed the number con-
templated by that law.
~ DEPARTMENT BUILDING.
| The Department building is an old structure,
not flre-proof, and entirely Inadequate In dimen-
dollars are now paid annually for rent of private
| buildings 10 accommodate the various Bureaus
| OF the Department. recommend an ,appropria,
| tion for a new War Department building, suited
| to the present and growing wants of the nation.
| ARMY AND NAVY.
| The report of the Secretary of War shows very
satisfactory reduction In the expenses of the
army for the last fiscal year For details you arc
referred to- his accompanying report The cx-
ponses Of the navy for the whole of the last year.
4, G., from December l. 1869, the date Of the last
report, less than S19OO0OO0 about 81 000,O 900
less than they were the previous year.
The expenses since the commencement OF this
fiscal year, L. e., since July ], show for the five
months decrease of over 50 100000 from those of
| the corresponding months Of last year.
The estimates for the current year were $2s,2o5.
| 76S03 Those for the next year arc $206S3,3l1,
| with 1856 100 additional for the necessary perma-
nent improvements. These estimates are made
closely for the maintenance of the naval establish
| ment as II now Is, without much In the nature of
permanent improvement. The appropriations
made for the last and current years were evidently
| intended by COngIess and are sufficient only to
| keep the navy on Its present footing, by tho re-
| pairing and redtting of our old ships This policy
| m al
navy; and it is In itself far from economical, as
each year that it is pursued the necessity for mere
| repairs in ships and navy yards becomes more Inn
peratve and more costly, and our current expenses
are annually increased for the mere repair of ships
many ofswhich must soon become unsafe and use
| less.
| hope during the present session Of Congress TO
| be able TO submit to II a plan by which naval ves
sells can be built and repairs made with great saw
ing upon the present cost. II can hardly he wise
| craftsmanship of a Government which represents
country with over five thousand miles OF coast
line on both oceans, exclusive OF Alaska, and con-
tanning forty millions of progressive people, with
relations of every nature with almost every foreign
country, 10 rest with such inadequate means OF en-
forcing any foreign policy either of protection or
redress.
Separated by the ocean from the nations OF the
Eastern continent our navy is our only means Of
protection TO our citizens abroad, or for the en-
fOrcement of any foreign policy.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The accompanying report of the Postmaster Cen
eral shows a most satisfactory working of the de-
partment. With the adoption of the recommends
ons contained therein, particularly those relating
to a reform in the frankng privilege, and the
adoption of correspondence cards, self-sustaining
postal system may speedily be looked for, and at
no distant day a further reduction of the rate of
postage attained. tt..
recommend authorization by Congress TO the
Postmaster General and Attorney General TO issue
all commissions to officials appointed through their
respective departments. At present these commits
sions where appointments are Presidential are is
sued by the State Department. The law in all de-
partments OF Government, except those OF the
Posonice and of Justice, authorizes each 10 issue
its own commissions.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Always favoring practical reforms. respectfully
call your attention to one abuse OF long standing,
which would like 10 see remedied by this Con-
gress Ii is reform in the civil service of the
country. | would have 1t 90 beyond the mere fix
ing of the tenure of office of clerks and employees
who do not require the advice and consent Of the
Senate TO make their appointments complete. I
would have IL govern not the tenure but the man
ner of making all appointments; There Is no duty
which so much embarrasses the executive and
heads of departments as thatof appointments, nor
posed on Senators and Representatives as that of
finding places for constituents.
The present system does not secure the best and
often not even at men for public places The e,e-
walton and publication of the ciyil service of the
Government will he hailed with approval by the
whole people of the United States.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Reform In the management OF Indian affairs has
received the special attention Of the Administration
from it, Inauguration to the present day The ex-
pertinent of making It a missionary work was tried
with few agencies giyen 10 the denomination or
Friends: and has been found to work most advan,
tageously All agencies and superintendencies not
disposed OF were given to officers OF the army.
The act of Congress regulating the army renders
army officers ineligible to civil positions. Indian
agencies being civil offices determined TO give all
the agencies to such religious denominations a.
had heretofore established missionaries among the
Indians. and perhaps TO some other denominations
who would undertake the work on the same terms,
4. g., as missionary work.
The societies selected are allowed to name their
own agents, subject to the approval of the dfXecu-
tive and are expected to watch over them and aid
them as missionaries TO ChristianZe and civilze
The Indian and to train him in the arts OF peace.
these agents and requires of them as strict an ac-
countabiiy as IL they were appointed In any other
manner entertain the confident hope that the
policy now pursued will. In few years bring all
the Indians upon reservations, where they will live
In houses, have school houses and churches VIII he
pursuing peaceful and sclfsustaining ayocations,
and where they may be visited by the law-ahiding,
white man with the same impuniy that he now
visits the civilized white settlements l call yopr
special attention TO the report of the Commissioner
Of Indian Affairs for full Information on this sub
ject
PUBLIC LANDS.
During the last hscal wear S.095,iB acres OF pub
lie land were disposed Of OF this quantity 36R91O
acres taken under the homestead law and 7l59;
SIS acres sold for cash. The remainder was located
with military warrants, college or Indian scrip, or
applied In satisfaction OF grants to rairoads or Tor
stead law during The last wear covered 5i5 acres
more than those during the preceding year. sur
veys have been vigorously prosecuted TO the full
quantity of land in market will amply supply the
present demand The claim of the settlers under
the homestead or the pre-empton laws is not how
ever, limited to lands subject 10 sale AZ private
| entry. ANY unappropriated surveyed pnblic land
| may TO a limited amount he acquired under the Tor
mer laws, II the party entitled to enter under them
| will comply with the requrements they prescribe
| in regard to residence and cultivation:
The actual settlers preference to 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
limite; and, at one period OF our history was con-
| ferred only by special statutes; They were
| enacted from time to time 10 legaiIe what was
| then regarded as an unauthorized Intrusion upon
| the national domain. The opinion that tne pun,
| revenue is no longer maintained. Ihe rapid set
| tlement and successful cultivation OF them 10
/ now Justly considered OF more importance
| to our well-being than is the fund which the
| sale OF them would produce. The remarkable
| growth and prosperity of our new States and
| Territories attest The wisdom Of the legislation
which invites the tiller of the soil 10 secure per
manent home on terms within the reach OF all. Ihe
pioneer who incuIs the dangers and Priyailons OF
frontier life and thus aids IN laying the foundation
| OF the new commonwealth, renders signal sery-
ice TO this country and is entitled TO It's special IA
| vor and protection. The laws secure that object
and largely promote the general welfare. They
should, therefore, he cherished as permanent tea-
ture Of our land system. Good faith requires us TO
| give full effect 10 existing grants
| The time -hOnored and benehcient policy OF set-
ting apart certain sections of public land for edu-
caional purposes In the new States should be con-
When ample provision shall have been made for
| these objects, l submit, as a question worthy ol
| serious Consideration whether the residue OF our
national domain should not be wholly disposed
OF under the provisions OF the homestead and pre-
emption laws. lf~l.
l. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. d. = I
| In addition to the swamp and oVerhowed lands
granted to the States in which they are situated,
| the lands taken under the Agricultural College
acts and for internal Improvement purposes, under
the act of September, 1S4l, and the acts supple
mental thereto, there had been conveyed, up Ia
the close of the last fiscal year, by patent or Other
equivalent evidence OF title to States and corpora
tions 27 800 257 1900 acres, for railways, canals
and wagon-roads and II is estimated that an ad
dtional quantity Of 17l735,523 acres Is still due
Nndor grants for like uses.
The policy of thus aiding the States in building
works of internal improvement was inauguratet
than forty years since In the grants 10 Indians
and Illinois to aid those states IN opening canals &c
connect the waters OF the Wabash with those o
Lake Erie and the waters OF Illinois with those o
Lake Michigan Itwas followed, with some modih
cations, IN the grant 20 Illinois OF alternate SEQ
tOns OF public land within certain limits TO aid II
the construction OF the Illinois Central Railway
Fourteen States and sundry corporations hay'
received similar subsidies In connection with rail-
ways completed or In process of construction. Al
nN 1..ttl.I 81. L.