Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-12-03

posed.
4 THE DEPARTMENT Oh JUSTICE.
You viii be advised Of the operations Of tn
o. snd INVITE Py ycar ssg1lst @
| 10 the amendments of the existing laws sug
, gested by him, with the view OF reducing Tho
expenses Of thsd department.
THE INDIANS AND THE PEACE POLICY
In the department OF the interior, the policy
inaugurated toward the Indians al the begin
ing Of the last administration has been
steadily pursued, and, beiieVe5 With 0eneIi-
cial results. IL Will be continued, with only
such mobilization as time and experience
may demonstrate as necessary. With the en-
croachment OF civilization upon the Indian
| reservations and hunting grounds, disturb
anees have taken place between the indiana
and whites during tue past year. and
this will probably continue 70 occur
| until each appreciates that the other has
Il rights which must be respected. The policy
has been to collect the Indians as rapidly 81
| possible on reservations and as far as practi-
cable within what Is known as the Indian
Territory, and to teach them the. arts or civil
| ization and self-suppoFt. Where found OF
and safety of the whites, they have been pun
| ished, and viii continue 10 be for like often
ses. The Indian Territory, south
| OF Kansas and west of Arkansas, is
sufficient IN area and agricultural resources
10 support all the Indians of the Rocky noun
tains. In time, no Doubt all Of them, except
a few who may be selected TO make their
homes among white people, will be collected
1 there as a preparatory step for this consunl-
! nation I an now satisfied that q Territorial
| form Of government should be given themi
which viii secure the treaty rights of the
original settlers, and protect their home
steads from alienation for the period OF
twenty years.
THE PATENT OFFICE-PUBLIC LANDS.
The operations Of the patent Office are
| growing to such magnitude, and the accu-
| mutation of material is becoming so great,
that the necessity for more room is becoming
more obvious day by day. I respectful
| ly invite your attention to the reports
/ Of the secretary of the Interior and the
| commissioner Of patents on this subject fhe
business of the general land-ofice exhibits a
material increase IN all its branches during
/ the last fiscal year. During that time there
/ were disposed Of, out Of the public lands, l3,-
G9r r6o acres, being an amount greater Dy l,Ibo,-
81 acres than was disposed OF the preceding
year. or the amount disposed OF, l,o26, ,26o
/ acres were sold for cash, 2l4S40 acres
We're located with military land-warrants;
i 3,793,6l2 acres were taken for homesteads; 65S,-
i 4i6 acres were located with agricultural col
| lege scrip; 6,0S3y556 acres were certified by
| roads; 1876 acres were granted TO wagon
/ roads; &SS,5f5 acres were appropriated to
| states as swamp-lands: I3Sy y5Sl acres were GER
titled for agricultural colleges, common
| schools, universities, and seminaries; l90,7T5
acres were appropriated to states for internal
Improvements, l4,222 acres were located with
Indian SCRIP The cash receipts during the
same tire were S3f4OSy5l5 30, being zlyO,4l3 81
| in excess Of the receipts for
| the previous year. During the year 30,4Ss ,l32
acres Of public land were surveyed, an in
/ year Of i.027, ,l93 acres, and added to the area
| previously surveyed, aggregates 6l6r504Y SO
| acres which have been surveyed, leaving 81
/ 2lS, 500 acres still unsurveyed. The in
| creased, and steadily increasing, facilities for
| reaching our unOccupied public domain, and
| for the transportation OF suplus products, en-
| IaTges the available field for desirable home
| stead locations, thus stimulating settlement
| and extending, year by year, in gradually
| increasing raIO, occupation and cultivation.
THE MENoNITE COLONY.
| The expressed desire of the representatives
! Of a large colony OF citizens of Russia TO emil
| CRATE to this country, as is understood with
| the consent of their government, If certain
| concessions can be made 10 enable them 70
| settle in compact colony, IS OF great interest
| as going to show the light in which our lnst1-
| tutions are regarded by an industrious, intel
1 ligent and wealthy people desirous OF enjoy
ing civil and religious liberty, and the acqui-
| sition of so large an immigration Of citizens
| of a superior class would, without doubt, be
| of substantial benefit 10 the country. 1 invite
| attention to the suggestions of the secretary
| of the interior in this behalf.
PENSIONS.
! There was paid, during the last fiscal year,
| for pensions, including the expense Of dis
bursement, S29 IS5, ,2Sg 81, being an amount less
| by 1881 $50 9S than was expended for the same
| purpose the preceding year. Although this
| statement OF expenditure would indicate a
material reduction in and compared with the
| preceding year, it is believed that the
/ changes in the pensions at the last session OF
| congress will absorb that amount the pres
/ ent year. The close Of the last fiscal year
| there were on the penSiOn-rOlls g9-sO4 invalid
| mill tary pensioners and ll2,OsS widows, or
| pha Is and dependent widows OF deceased
soldiers, making the total Of that class n ,S92.
and 1io 5S.8 Su5'iv9ts Widows of W soldiers Of that
war pensiOned under the act of congress OF
| February II, ISL, making a total OF that class
| Oi.S3, ,l9l i3O invalid navy pensioners, and l7IO
| widows and orphans and dependent relatives
! of deceased officers, sailors and marines; OF
| the navy pensioners OF 300, and grand total
! OF pensioners Of all classes of 2S, All, showing
| a net increase during the last fiscal year OF
| 62IS. During the last year the names OF l6,4O5
| pensioners were added to the rolls and l0,2z;
| names were dropped tneretrom Tor various
| causes. The system adopted for the detection
| of frauds against the government in the mat
! ter of pensions has been productive of salts
| factory results, but legislation is needed tC
/ provide, If possible, against the perpetratine
/ Of such frauds in future.
| EDUCATION.
! The evidently increasing interest in the
| cause of education is almost encouraging lea
/ ture in the general progress and prosperity Of
] the country and the bureau of education Ii
| earnest in its efforts to give proper direction
J to the new appliances and the increased facil
4 ities which are being offered to aid the educa
| ton Of the country in their great work
! THE CENSUS.
| The ninth census has been completed, and
| the report thereof published and distributed
and the working force OF the bureau disband
| ed. The secretary of the interior renews his
| recommendation for q census TO be taken in
| 1875, to which subject the attention of con
| zresS is invited. The original suggestion in
this behalf has met with the general approval
of the country, and even If it be not deemed
advisable at present to provide FOL
regular quinque919InlaI census, cen,
sus taken in 1879, the report OF
which could be completed and published
| before the one-hundredth anniversary of 0ul
/ nation, would be especially interesting and
| valuable, as showing the progress of the
country during the first century of our ma
tiOnal existence. 1t is believed, however, that
i Substantial benefit to the country, inasmuch
as our growth hitherto has been so rapid thai
the results Of the deceDnial census are neces
sarily unreliable as a basis of estimates fol
the later years.
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Under the very efficient manage
ment of the government and the board
OF public works OF the district, the city
appearance OF a capital of which the nation
may well be proud. From being most un
slightly place three years ago, dtSagreeable tC
pass through in the summer in consequence
Of the dust arising from ugpaved streets apC
almost impossible in the winter from tn,
mud, it is now one OF the most slightly citie
in the country, and can boast OF being th'
best paved. The work has been done sys
tematically; the plans. grades, and location
| of sewers for water and gas mains being de
termined upon before the work was com
menced, thus securing permanence wheI
completed, question whether so much ha
ever been accomplished before in any Ameri
| can Guy IOG Tue same expenditures. Inc gov
ernment having large reservations in the city
and the nation at large having an interest Il
their capital, recommend a liberal polio,
| toward the District OF Columbia, and tha
the government should bear its just share o
the expense Of these Improvements. Ever,
citizen visiting the capital feels pride in II
growing beauty, and that he TOO is part OWne
In the investments made here.
THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
: 1 would suggest TO congress the prophet,
| of promoting the establishment, in this dis
trict, of an institution of learning, by the do
nation OF lands. There is no place bette
| suited for such an institution than the ma
tional capital. There is no other place II
which every citizen is so directly interested.
CIVIL SERVICE REBORN
In three successive messages to congress
have called attention to the subject of cfvl
service reform. Action has been taken $
TAR to authorize the appointment o
a board to devise rules governing methods o
making appointments and promotion. Bu
there never has been any action making thes
| rules binding, or even entitled to oh
, servance. Where persons desire the appoint
Of an official who may be disagreea
bic to them, TO bave any rule
effecting it, we must have the acquieseenc
of congress as well as Of the executives.
recommend, therefore, the subject to your al
tention, and suggest that a special committe
! OF congress might confer with the usual boar
during the present session for the purpose O
deviSing such rules as viii be maintained an,
which will secure the service OF honest an
| capable Ornclais, ana Wnlch Will also prOtec
| them in a degree of Independence while il
office; propose proper rules, such as will pro
tect congress as well as the executive iron
much needless precaution, and Will prove O
great value 70 the public at large.
THE ADMISSION OF COLORADO.
| would recommend for your favorable con
! sideration the passage OF an enabling act 70
the admission OF Colorado as a state in tn
Union. It possesses all the elements Of
prosperous State-agricultural and mineral
and 1 believe has a position to Justify sucl
an admission.
IRBIGATING CANALS.
In that connection would also recOmmeni
the encouragement Of canal for the purpos
of irrigating from the eastern slope OF tn
Rocky mountains TO the Missouri river As
rule, I am opposed to the donation of publ
lands for public improvements owned an,
controlled by private corporations, but in thi
instance I would make an exception. Be
tween the Missouri river and the Rock,
| mountains there is a belt of ruhlic land frov,