The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-12-12
VOL. XIX, NO. 81.

courts OF JnaL Jerr1bOry SINCE the las
d session of congress-. Property is lef
It without protection by the courts AM
: crimes go unpunished. To prevent an
It archy there, it is absolutely necessar,
: that congress provide the courts witt
y some mode of obtaining jurors, and
g recommend legislation to that end, anC
: also that the probate courts of the ter
{ ritory which now assumes to issue writl
: of Injunction and habeas corpus AMI tC
try criminal cases, and in questions as
3 to land titles, be denied all jurisdiction
! not possessed ordinarily by courts OF
{ that description.
7 BANKRUPTCY.
/ have been impressed with the be-
lief that the act approved March 2,
1867, entitled an act to establish a uni
form system of bankruptcy throughout
the United States, is productive of more
evil than good. At this time many con-
siderations might be urged for its total
repeal, but if this is not consid cred
advisable, think it will not be serious
ly questioned that those portion5 of
said act providing for what is called
involuntary bankruptcy operate to in
crease the financial embarrassment of
the country. Careful and prudent men
very often become involved in debt in
the transaction of their business, though
they may possess ample property, If it
could be made available for that pur-
pose, to meet all their liabilities. Yet
on occount of the extraordinary scarcity
of money they may be unable to meet
all their pecuniary obligations as they
become due, in consequence of which
they are liable to be prostrated in their
business by proceedings in bankruptcy
at the instance of unrelenting creditors.
The people are now so easily alarmed
as to monetary matters that the mere
filing of petition in bankruptcy by an
unfriendly creditor will necessarily EN-
barrass and ofttimes accomplish the
| financial ruin of a responsible business
man. Those who otherwise might make
| lawful and Just arrangements to relieve
themselves from the difficulties pro-
| duced by the present stringency in
money, are prevented by their constant
exposure to attack and disappointment
by the proceedings against them in
bankruptcy, and besides the law is
made use of in many cases by obdurate
creditors to frighten or force debtors
into a compliance with their wishes and
into acts of injustice to other creditors
and to themselves. recommend that
SO much of said act as provides for in
voluntary bankruptcy on account of
the suspension of payment be repealed.
CLAIM OoRMoRANTs,
Your careful attention is invited to
the subject of claims against the gov
ernment, and the facilities afforded by
the existing laws for their prosecution.
Each of the departments of state, the
treasury and war, have demands for
r -
files, and they are rapidly accumu ating. |
To these may be added those now |
pending before congress, the court of |
claims, and the southern claims COM
mission, maxine the aggregate an i'm |
mense sum. Most of these grew out of |
the rebellion, and intended to indemni- |
fy citizens on both sides for their losses |
during the war, and not few of them |
are fabricated and supported by false |
testimony. Projects are on foot, it is |
believed, to induce congress to provide |
for a new class of claims, and to revive |
old ones through the repeal or modifica-
ton of the statute of limitation by /
which they are now barred. / presume |
these schemes if proposed will be re-
ceived with little favor by congress, and
/ recommend that persons having claims /
against the United States cogni- |
Fable by any tribunal or department !
thereof, be required to present them at
an early day, and the legislation be di-
rected as far as practicable TO the de-
feat of unfounded and unjust demands
upon the government, and would sug.
gest as a means of preventing fraud,
that the witnesses be called to appear
in person to testify before those tribu-
nails having said claims before them fer
adjudication. Probably the largest
saving to the national government can
be secured by timely legislation on
these subjects, of any of the esonomi-
cal measures that will be proposed.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
You will be advised of the operations
of the department of justice by the re-
port of the attorney general, and 1 will
invite your attention to the amend
ments of existing laws suggested by
him with the view of reducing the ex-
penses of that department.
THE MoDoos IGNORED.
In the department Of the interior the policy
toward the Indians, at the begin
ming of the last administration, has been
steadily pushed, and, believe, with bene-
fetal result. 1t will be continued, with only
such modification as time and experience may
as necessary. With the encroach-
ment of civilization upon Indian reservations
and hunting grounds, disturbances have taken
place between the Indians and whites during
the past year, and probably will continue to
do so until each race appreciates that the ,
other has rights which must be respected. ,
The policy has been to collect the Indians as
rapidly as possible on reservations, and, as far
rs possible, within what is known the Indian ,
territory, and to teach them the arts OF civil
cation and self-support. When found of
their reservations, and endangering the peace
and safety Of the whites, they have been pun
shed, and will continue to be for like ohenses. ;
oKLAHAMA.
The Indian territory south OF Kansas and
west of Arkansas is sufficient in area and ag- {
-icultural resources to support all the Indians 4
Df the Rocky mountains. In time no doubt /
I'll of them except few who may select 10
make their home among white people, will be !
collected there. As a preparatory step for this
l am not [now II satisfied that
territorial form Of government should be 1
given them which will secure the treaty rights :
1f the original settlers, and protect their
lomestesds from alienation for a period Of {
twenty years. l
PATENT RUBBISH. :
The operations of the patent office are grow .
ng to such mag itude and the accumulation
Of material is becoming so great that the ne
,essity for more room Is becoming obvious {
lay by day. / respectfully invite your atten- {
lion to the reports Of the secretary Of the In /
.erior and commissioner Of patents ON this
subject.
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
The business OF the general land office ex- I
libits a material increase in all OF it's branches
Turing the last fiscal year During that time 4
here were disposed Of the public lands l3,- :
)39, 606 acres, being an amount greater by .
|, 166, 631 acres than was disposed the preoed
ng year.
or the amount disposed Of, 1,626, ,266 acres {
we're sold for cash 214, $40 acres were located :
With military land warrants 3,7936l5 acres
we're taken for homesteads: 663, 446 acres
we're located with agricultural college scrip;
J, ,083, ,636 acres were certified by railroads I
1856, 756 acres we're granted TO wagon roads;
13S, ,54S acres were appropriated to states ~ I
.wamp lands 1873, ,681 acres were certified for
agricultural colleges, common schools, uni- :
Tersities and seminaries 190,772 acres were !
approved to states for internal improvements c
md IL 222 acres were located with In lien q
Icrip. The cash receipts during the same !
ime were %, ,405, 1880, being $3.50, ,4l5.6O In
EXCESS of the receipts for the previous year.
During the year 80, ,4Ss, ,182 acres Of public
and were surveyed, an increase Of the amount g
the previous year OF LOST, l93 acres
md added to the area previously surveyed | n
aggregates GIG, 554, ,595 acres which have been :
J1rveyed, leaving ,21S AS, sos acres OF the Z
1u bile land still unsurveyed
The increased and steadily increasing faclli- d
les for reaching our unoccupied public do {,