Litchfield enquirer., 1873-12-11

eourtu. amia ahusw Suures lluld thne Che terz rftoxinl naxshal cannot lawfully perform thai drkw. beeause he is elected by the lexislmAiTe assembly and not appointed.
 xs provided for in the act organizing the territory. All proceedings at law are practically abolished by these decisions, and there have been but few or no jury trials in the district courts of that terFito- " since the last session of congress. Property is left without protection by the courts. and crimes go unpunished. To prevent anarchy there, it is absolutely necessary that congress provide the courts with some mode of obtaining jurors, and recomnanAd leemlaki0n to that end, and also that the probate courts of the territory, now assuming the issue of writs of in- junction and habeas corpus, and to try criminal cases and questions as to land titles be denied all jurisdiction not pos kessed ordinarily by courts of that descrip- ton. eEa.
 I have become impressed with the belief that the act approved March 9, IS61, entitled an Act to establish a uni form system of bankruptcy throughout the United States, g is-productive of more evil than good. At this time many con- sideTations might he urged for its total repeal, but if this Is not considered advis- able. think if will not be seriously ques- toned that those portions of said act pro- vSding for what is called involuntary bank FUpscY appear to increase the financial embaErassme1ts of the country. Careful and prndeat man very often become in volved ln debt m tine transaction of their business and though they may possess property, If it could be made available for thai purpose to meet all their liabili- tle&s yet oa account of the extraordinary scarcity of money they may be unable to meet all their pecuniary obligations as they become due m consequence of which they are liable to be prostrated in their bzs1ne<s by proceedings m bankruptcy at the instance of unrelenting creditors. People are now 90 easily alarmed as to noaetaxy matters that the mere filing of a Pet1tlOa an bankruptcy by m importunate creditor wln necessarily embarrnss, and often accomplish, the financial ruin of a responsible business man. Those who 0sAe<vSse night make lawful and just ar raEge1anta to relieve themselves from dl8czlkdes prodneed by the present strin- Ss2sy n money are prevented by their constant exposure to attack and disaster hy proceedings against them Tn bankrupt ey. and. beside, the law IS made use of in
 many cases by obdurate creditors to trEAte1 debtors into compliance with saesr w1sheS. and acts which woak inius- tace Co other creditors and to themselves. | reco1Ze1d thet 50 much of said act as provides for involuntary bankruptcy on =eco2nt of suspension of payment he re- Reoled
 1o0r careful attention Is invited Co the sablect of claims against the gov SEnment and facilities offered by existing laws for thnlg prosecution. Each of the dspaxszAts of state, treasury and war have demands for many millions of dollars aPoa their nlzA and they are rapidly ac- e1zHAatm&. 10 tAese may be added those Eow pe1alng before congress, the court of claims. ana the southern claims commis- Sa0a. 21klng 1n the aggregate m immense S1z- Most cf these grow out of the re- eeAilon and are intended to indemnify psrzo1s o7 beth sides for their losses dur tag the war, and not a few are fabrica- tto1z and supported by false testimony. Projects are ua foot, it Is believed. to in dEce congress to provide for new classes os claims and Co revive old ones, through the repeal or modification of the statnte o4 ltnltatSo1s by which they are debarred. \ preS1He these schemes. if pronosad wtH be received with little favor by con. sresS and recommend that persons hay- I1g claims against the United State. cor 1Ezahle by any tribunal or department hereof. be requireT to present them at Aa early day. and that legislation be di- 'ec<ed. as far as practicable. to the defeat lt unfounded and unjust demands upon .he government, and would suggest. as 5 means of preventing fraud, that wit ae<se& be called upon to appear in person 'o testify before those tribunals having A4ld claims before them for adiudication. rrobably the largest savings to the na- 10Gal treasury can bs secured by timely eglSl2tloa on these subjects of any of the economic measures that will be proposed. ou wIu be advised of the operations of iaa department of justice by the report of he attoEnsy general, and I invite your attention to the amendments of existing lAws suggested by him with a view of re- 41c1ng the expenses of that department of the interior.
 rHR INDIAN POLICY.
 The policy inangurated towards the In- dians at the beginning of the last admin lstrst1oa has been steadily pursued. and l believe with beneficial resultsr It will he continued with only such notifications Ss tune and experience may demonstrate to be necessary. With the encroachment of civilization upon the Indian reserya-. tlons ana hunting grounds disturbances have taken place between the Indians and whites during the past year, and probably VII do so until each race appreciates that the other hMs rights which must be re- spected. Inc policy has been to collect the Indians a rapidly as possible on the reseZSatlons. and as far as practicable wtthln what IS known as the Indian terri tory, and to teach them the arts of civ iiLxat1on and self-support Where found on thefr reServatiOns and cndangering the peace and safety of the whites, they have been punished, and will continue to be For like ot1enses. The Indian territory. south ot Kansas and west of Arkansas, is sufficient m area and agricultural resour- ees to support all the Indians west of the Rocky mountains. In time, no doubt all of them. except few who may select to make their homes among white people. will be collected there. As preparatory step for this c0nsummation, I am now satisfied that territorial form of govern menf should be given them. which will secure the treaty rights of the original settlers and protect their1 1homesteads from alienation for q period of twenty years
 THE PATENT OFFICE.
 The operations of the patent office are growing to such magnitude, and the ac- eumuiation of material is becoming so great. that the necessity for more room is becoming more obvious day by day. I respectfully invite your attention to the reports of the secretary of the interior and the commissioner of patents on the sub- lect. The business of the general land ofice exhibits . material increase in all