Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-12-12

granting territorial government 10 the lD'
. dams iu the Indian territory West Of Arkau
sns aud Missouri and South Of Kansas. IL
doing SO every right guaranteed to the In
dams By treaty should be secured. Such !
course might 10 time be the means Of collect
ing most Of the Indians now between the
Missouri aud the Pacific, and south Of the
British possessions, into cue Territory or one
State
The Secretary Of the Interior has treated
upon this subject ut length, and l commend
to you his suggestions.
renew my recommendation that the pub.
lie lands to be regarded as n heritlge to our
children, to be disposed OF only Us required
for occupation and to actual settlers.
Those already granted have been, in great
part, disposed oFin snch way astose;urc access
to the balance by the hardy settler who may
wish to avail himself of them. But caution
should be exercised even in attaining so de-
sirabc an object
Educational interest may well be served by
the grant Of the proceeds Of the sale Of the
public lands to the settlers. | do not wish to
be understood as recommending in tho least
degree curtailmcnt OF what is being done
by the General Government for the encourage.
ment Of education.
The report Of the Secretary Of tho Interior,
suburt'ei with this, will give you all tho in.
formation collected and prepared for publica'
ton in regard to the census tIkcn during the
year 1870, the operations Of the Bureau Of
Educpton for the year, the Patent Office, the
PeuSon Office, the Land Office, und tho In.
dian Bureau. The report Of the Commis.
sinner Of Agriculture gives the operations of
his Department Tor the year. Asngriculturc
is the groundwork Of our prosperity, too
much Importance cannot be ntttchGd tl the
labors OF this Department ltis in the hands
Of an able head, with able assistants, all zeal.
ously devoted to Introducing into the agrcu
tnEaI productions Of the nation all useful pro.
ducts adaI ted To any Of the various eli
mates and soils of our vast territory, aud 10
giving all useful information as to the method
Of cultivation of the plants, cereals and other
products adapted to particular localities
Quietly, bur SurcIy.thC Agricultural linreuu il
wOrSin. great national gonl. and, il liberally
supported. the more widely its influence wlI
be extended and the less dependent we shall
be upon the products u for ign countries.
The subject Of compensation tn the heads
of Bureaus and officials holding positions of
neutrality-suspicious. ability and charac.
ter t. ill properly, is one to which your attGn.
ton is invited. But few Of the officials re-
ceivc n compensation cqusl to the reasonable
support Of u family, while their duties arc
such As II involve millions Of interest.
ln private life services demand cUmpersa.
tion equal to the service rendered. A wise
economy would dictate the saIue rule in the
Government service,
have not given the estimates for the sup
pOr, Of the tiovcrnmcn, for the ensuing year,
nor the comparative StatcmeD. between tho
expenditures for the year jut passed, and the
nno just preceding, because nIl these figures
arc contained in the accompanying reports. or
in those presented directly to Congress-
Th,so estimates have my approval.
Moro than six years having elapsed since
tho lat hostile gun was fred between the
armies then arrayed again,t each rthCr, one
for the pCrpc,mtjnu, the other for tho de-
struction OF the Union, i, may we'll be cons
sidcrCd whether it is not now timC that the
disabilities Imposed Ey the Fourteenth
| Amendment shnuld bn removed
That amendment does not exclude the
ballot, but only impose, the disability to hold
Office upon certain classes. When the purity
OF the hallut is secure, majoriries are sure to
elect officers rejecting the views Of tho ma>
joriiy.
| do not SEQ tho advantage or propriety Of
excluding men from office merely because
they were, before the rebellion, Of standing
and character sufficient t. be elected ~ posi-.
tions requiring them u takc oaths IN support
tho Consultation, aud admitting tD eligibility
those cnrert.iuiug precisely the same views,
but Of less standing in their communities. 1t
may be said that the former violated an oath.
%hiIo the later did not The latter did not
hnvO it in their power to do so. lI'they had
t,kcn this oath. it cannot be doubted they
would have broken it us did tho Iormcr class.
II there are any grout criminals distinguished
above all others for tho pnrt they took in Op.
position to tho Government, they might, in
the judgment Of Congress, DO excluded from
such amnesty.
| This subject is submitted for your careful
consideration.
The condition of tho Southern States
is, unhappiIy, not such US oil true patriotic
citizens would like to sec. Social OstruciSm
lor opion's sake, personal violence or threats
towards persons CutG,ttining political views
opposed to those entertained by tho majority
OF tho old citizens prevents emigration aud
the flow Of much needed capitll into the
States lately in rebellion. 1t will be huppy
condition Of tho country when the old cilI.
izous OF these States will take an iuterest in
pubIio affair, promulgate ideas honestly
entert liued both for men representing their
views, and tolerate the same freedom Of Gx.
prcsssiou and ballot to those entertaining DIFF
lerCnt political convictions.
Under the provisions pfthe act Of Congress
approved Febrnury2l 1871 territorial gov
Crnmcut was organized in tho District o.
Columbia; it, results have thus far fully
realized tho expectations Of its advocates
Under the direction Of tho territorial officer
system Of improvements has boon inausura
ted, by means Of which Washington is rapid,
, bGcumug cityworthy Of the nations capital
The cit zeus OF the District having invouuti
rily taxed themselves to large amount 70
tie purpose Of contributing to the adornmen
of the seat Of Government, recOmmen
liberal appropriations on tho part of Congress
| in order tlnt the Government may bear il