Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-12-07

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number received during the year was 2e,.
674 the number disposed was Ss,17s:
making net gain of 1924, The
whole number of claims now on fIe
Is 79,Os5. On the 3Oth of June, 1879,
there were on the rolls the names Of 95,.
4oS, invalid military pensioners, 1888
widows, orphans and dependent relatives
making an aggregate of 2Gs,92S army
pensioners. AT the same time there
were on the rolls, the names OF LAG
navy pensioners, aud 1880 widows, or
phans and dependent relatives, making
the whole number Of naval ppnsi oilers
3,l70. There have been received since
The passage Of tire act 10 provide ben-
siOns for the survivors of the war of 1912.
36,55l applications prior to June 80,
1872. Of these there were allowed dur
ing the last FISCAL year 20,l26 claims:
4,S45 were rejected during the year, leav-
ing $50 claims pending at that date.
The number of pensions OF all classes,
granted during the last fiscal year was
23,83S during that period there were
dropped from the rolls for various causes
9,l04 names, leaving grand total Of
232, ,239 pensioners Oh the rolls en- the
3Olh of June, 1879. II is thought that
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will be disposed of by the lst of May
1873. 1t is estimated that $40 ,4so.Ooo
will be required for she pension service
during the next fiscal year.
THE CENSUS.
The ninth census is about completed,
Its completion is a subject of congratu-
atfon, inasmuch as the use to be made
OF the statistics therein contained de-
pends very greatly on the promptitude
of publication. The Secretary OF the In
terror recommends that census be
taken in 1875, which recommendation
should receive the ready attention of
Congress. The interval at present estab-
lished between the Federal census is SO
| long that the information obtained at
the decenial periods as to the material
condition, wants and resources Of the
nation is OF liule practical value after
the expiration OF the first half of that
period. 1t ould probably obviate the
constitutional provision regarding the
decenniAl census, if census taken in
1875 should be dvested of all political
character and no reapportionment of
Congressional representation be made
under it. Such census, coming as it
would III the last year of the first centu-
ry Of our national existence, would fur
nish a noble monument of the progress
OF the United States during that centu-
ry.
TERRITORIAL AFFAIRS.
Affairs in the territories are generally
satisfactory. The energy and business
capacity OF the pioneers who are set
Ting up the vast domains not yet incor-
pOrated into states, are keeping pace in
internal Improvements and civil govern
ment with the older communities. In
but one Of them, Utah, is the condition
of affairs unsatisfactory. Except so far
as the quiet OF the citizen may be dis
turbed by real or imaginary danger of
Indian hostilitics, it has seemed 10 be
The policy OF the Legislature of Utah. to
evade all responsibility to the Govern
ment Of the United States, and even TO
hold position in hostility to it. l re-
commend careful revision of the pres
ent laws OF the Territory by Congress,
and the enactment of such law, as the
one proposed in Congress at its last see,
sion, for instance, or something similar
to IT, as will secure peace, the equality
of all citizens before the law, and the
utter extinguishment of polygamy.
Since the establishment of a territori-
al government for the District of CO..
lumbia, the improvement Of the condi-
tion OF the city of Washington and sur,
roundings, and the increased prosperity
of the citizens, is observable to the most
casual visitor. The natoA being large
owner of property in this city, should
bear with the citizens of the District n
just share of the expense OF these i'm
provements. recommend, therefore,
an appropriation to reimburse the eiti.
zens Tor the work done by them, along
and in front OF pubic grounds during
the past year, and liberal appropriations
in order that the improvement and en-
bellishment of the public buildings and
grounds may keep pace with the inn
provements made by the territorial au-
thorities. .......I.r
AGRICULTURE.
The Report of the Commissioner of
Agriculture gives a very full and inter-
esting account OF the several divisions Of
that department-the horticultural, agri-
cultural, statistical, chronological, and
chemical, and the benefits conferred by
each upon agricultural interests of the
country. The whole report is COM
plete history in detail of the workings
of that department iu all it's branches,
showing the manner in which the farm
er, merchant, and miner is informed, and
the extent to which he is aided in. his
pursuits. The Commissioner makes one
recommendation, that measures be taken
by Congress to protect and induce the
planting of forests, and suggests that no
part of the public lands should be dis
posed of without the condition that one
tenth of it be reserved in timber, where
it exists, and, where it does not exist,
inducements should be offered for plant
ing it.
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION "4E
In accordance with the terms of the
act Of Congress, approved March Sd,
1871, providing for the celebration of
the one hundredth anniversary OF Ameri-
can independence, commission has been
organized, consisting of two members
from each of the States and Territories.
The commission has held two sessions
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