The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-12-06

| exclusive Of Alaska ana containing loEty
millions Of progressive people, with rela'
ito1s Of every nature with almost every for
eign country, TO rest with such inadequate
means Of enforcing any foreign policy Of
protection or redress. Separated by the
ocean from the nations Of the British
continent, our navy is our only means Of
direct protection TO our citizens abroad,
or for the enforcement Of any foreign
policy. ...A-
The accompanying report Of the Post.
master General shows most satisfactory
working OF that Department. With the
adoption Of the Recommendations con
tanned therein, particularly those relating
to reform in the frankiug privilege aud
the adoption of correspondence cards, a
self.suslaining postal system may speedily
be looked for, and at no distant day q
further reduction Of the rate Of postage be
attained. recommend the authorization
by Congress to the Postmaster General
and Attorney General TO issue all com;
missions to officials appointed through
their respective Departments. At present
these commissions, where appointments
are made, are issued by the State Depart
mept. The law in all the departments Of
the government, except those Of the Post
office and Justice, authorizes each to
issue its own commissions, always favor
ing practical reforms. r .,..I.''
I respectfully call your attention to one
abuse Of long standing, which | would
like to see remedied BY this Congress,
It is q reform in the civil service Of the
country. Iwould have it 60 beyond the
mere fixing Of the term fotice Of clerks
and employees who do not require the ad'
vice and consent Of the Senate to make
their appointments complete. l would
have It govern, not the tenure, but
the manner Of making all appoint
ments. There is no duty which so much
embarrasses the Executive and heads Of
departments as that Of appointments
nor is there any such arduous and thank
less labor imposed on Senators and Rep.
resentatives as that Of finding places for
constituents. The present system does
not secure the best men, and often not
even ct men for public place. The eleva'
ton and publication of the civil service
of the Government will be hailed with
approval by the whole people of the
United States. rms .s ~
Reform in the management of Indian
affairs has received the special attention
of the administration from its inaugura'
ton TO the present day. The experiment
of making il missionary work was tried
with few agencies given to the denomi'
nations Of Friends, aud has been found to
work most advantageously. All agencies
and superintendencies not so disposed Of
were given to officers of the army. The
act Of Congress reducing the army rem.
ders army officers ineligible for civil
positions. Indian agencies being civil
Offices, I determined to give all the
agencies to such religious denominations
as had heretofore established missions
among the Indians, and perhaps to some
other denominations who would under
take the work on the same terms, /. c., as
a missionary work. , ..
The societies selected arc allowed to name
their agents, subject to the approval OF the
Executive, and arc expected to watch
over and aid them as missionaries and
christians, and civilize the Indian and
train him in the arts Of peace. The GOV:
ernment watches over the official acts OF
these agents and requires of them as
strict on accountability Us If they were
appointed in any other manner, l enter
tain the confident hope that the policy
now pursued will in few years bring oil
the Indians upon reservations, where they
will live in houses, have school houses
and churches and win be pursuing peace;
fill and selEsustaining vocations, and
where they may be visited by the law
abiding white man with the same impu'
nifty that he now visits the civilized white
settlements. I call your special attention
to the report Of the Commissioner Of In
dian Affairs for full information on this
subject. ....,'. 49, ,,o
acres Of public land were disposed Of. or
this Quantity 3,G0S,9lO acres were
taken under the homestead law, and
2,15O,505 acres sold for cash. The re-
lnainder was located with military war.
rants, college or indian scrip, or applied
in satisfaction Of grants to railways, or
other public uses. The entries under the
homestead law during the past year GOV.
cred 001 ,545 acres more than those dur.
ing the preceding year. Surveys have been
vigorously prosecuted to the full extent Of
the means applicable to the purpose. The
quantity Of land in the market will amply
supply the present demand. The claim oi
the settler under the homestead or precmp.
tion laws is not, however, limited to lands
subject TO sale at private entry. Any unap-
propriated surveyed public land may, to a
limited amount, be acquired under the
former laws ifthe party entitled to enter
under them will comply wit .hthe require.
ments they present In regard to the resi-.
dence and cultivation. The actual set,
tiers 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 spc.
cial statutes. They were enacted trom
time to time to legallze what was then re-
garded as an unauthorized intrusion
upon the national domain. The opinion
that the public lands should be regarded
chiefly as a source Of revenue Is no longer
maintained. The rapid settlement and
successful cultivation oFthem Is now justly
considered gilmore Importance to our well
being than the fund which the sale ofthcm
would produce. The remarkable growth
and prosperity Of our new States and ter.
ritories attest the wisdom Of the leglsla.
tion which invites the tiller Of the soil to
secure permanent home on terms within
the reach of all the pioneers who will In.
cur the dangers and privatlons Of q from
tier lie, and thus aid In laying the lounda'
tion of new conmonwealLhS, render sig.
nal service TO his country, and Is enli.
tied TO It's special favor and pro:
lection. These laws secure that object and
largely promote, the general welfare.
They should, therefore, be cherished as a
permanent feature Of our land system