The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-07

IGNs IHES[sa1ssK4Hsgs
spartments. AT present those commissions
where appointments are Presidential, ar,
issued by the State Department. The iap
in all tine departments Of the Government
except those of the post-office and of JUS
tice, authorizes each to issue its own com
missions.
/ Always fayoring practical reforms, / re.
| spectfuiiy cali your attention to one abuse
remedied by this Congress. ItIisa reform
in the civil service of the country.
would have it 60 beyond the mere fixing oi
the tenure-of-offce Of clerks and emDIeyes,
Iwho do not require I" the advice and con.
sent OF the Senate to make their appoint
iments complete. would have it govern not
the tenure hut the manner of making all
appointments. There is no duty which 40
much embarrasses the Executive and the
heads of Departments as that Of appoint
| ments, nor Is there any such arduoug du-
| ties and thankless labor, imposed on Sena-
tors and Representatives as that Of finding
places for constituents. The present sys-
| TEN does not secure, the best men, and
often even not fit men for public places.
The elevation and publication of the civil
service of the Government will be hailed
with approval by the whole people of the
United States. Irs -. y ,.a ..tE. .f%@
Reform in the management of Indian of
fairs has received. the, special attention of
| the Administration from its Inauguration to
| the present day. The experiment ofmaking
| it a missionary work was tried with q few
agencies given to the denomination of
Friends, and has been found to work most
|advantageously. All agencies and superin-
tendencies not so disposed Of were given to
officers of the army. The act of Congress re-
ducing the army renders army officers incl
ieible for civil positions. .a
Indian agents being civil officers, deter
mined to give all the agencies to such reli-
gious denominations as had heretofore estab-
lished missionaries among the Indians, and
perhaps to some other denominations who
would undertake the work on the same
terms i. e., as missionary work.
The societies selected 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 mission
aries to christianize and ciyi!ize the In
dian, and train him in the arts of peace.
The Government watches over the official
acts of these agents, and requires of them
strict accountability, as if they were ap-
pointed in any other manner. / entertain
the confident hope that the policy now
pursued will, in a few years, bring all the
Indians upon reservations, where they will
live in houses, have school-houses and
churches, and will be pursuing peaceful
and selfsustaining avocations, and where
they may be visited by the law.abiding
white man with the same impunity that he
now visits the civilized white settlements.
I call your special attention to the report
of the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs for
full information on this subject.
During the last fiscal year S,095, 413 acres
of public lands were opposed Of Of this
quantity 3,69S, ,9l5 acres were taken under
the homestead law, and 2,159, ,515 acres sold
for cash. The remainder was located with
military warrants, college, or Indian script,
or applied in satisfaction OF grants to rail
roads for public uses.
The entries under the homestead law.
during the last year covered 96l ,545 acres
more than those during the preceding year.
to the full extent of the means applicable
to the purpose. The quantity of land in
market will amply supply the present de-
mand.
The claim of the settler under the home
stead or the preGmptioh lawis not, however,
limited to lands subject to sale or private
entry. ANY rnappropriated surveyed pub
lie lands may, to q limited amount, he ac-
uuired under the former laws if the party
entitled to enter under them will comply
with the requirements they prescribe IN
regard to the residence and cultivation.
The actual settlers preference and right
Of purchase is even broader, and eS-
tends to lands which were unsur-
veyed at the time of his settlement.
His right was formerly confined within
nm ar, irTI 1t ON
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 ma
tional domain. The opinion that the pub
| lie lands should be regarded chiefly as
source Of revenue is no longer maintained.
| The rapid settlement and successful cultl-
Vation Of them is now Justly considered OF
more Importance to our well-being than is
the fund wich the sale of them would pro-
duce. The remarkable growth and pros
perlty Of our new States and Territories
attest the wisdom of the legislation which
invites the ti!ler of the soil to secure per-
manent home on terms within the reach OF
all. The pioneer who. incurs the dangers
and privations Of frontier life, and thus aids
in LAYING the foundation of new common
wealths, renders signal service to his cO,.n-
try, and is entitled to its special favor and
protection.
These laws secure that object, and largely
promote the general welfare. They should
therefore be cherished as permanent fea-
ture of our land system. Good faith requires
| it., to give full effect to existing grants.
The time-honored and benefcent policy
Of setting apart certain sections OF pubic
land for educational purposes in the new
States should be continued. When ample
provision shall have been made for these
objects, I submit rs question worthy 0
serious consideration whether the residue
of our national domain should not D'
wholly disposed of under the provisions o
the homestead and preemptlon laws. II
addition to the swamp and overfiowe
lands granted to the States in which the
are situated, the lands taken under tn
agricultural college act and for interna
improvement purposes under the act {
September, 1S41, and the acts supplements
Thereto, there had been conveyed up to tn
close of the last fiscal year, by patent Q
other equivalent evidence Of title, to State
J and corporations, 27,S36, ,257.63 acres To
railways, canals, and wagon roads. 1t
still estimated that an additional quantit
of TIA, ,735 ,523 acres is still due under grant
for like uses.
| The policy of thus aiding the States 1
building works Of internal improvement
was inaugurated more than forty years sine
in the grants to Indiana and Illinois to al
those States in opening canals to connec
the waters of the Wabash with those 6
Lake Erie, and the waters of the Illinoi
with those Of Lake Michigan. 1t was fol
j llowed with some modification in the gran
Ito Illinois of alternate sections of publ
4 land within certain limits OF the Illinoi
! Central railway. -.
Fourteen States and sundry corporation
have received similar subsidies in connet
ton with railways completed or in proces