American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-12-13
NO. so.


| CLAIMS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
| Your careful attention Is invited to the sablec
| of claims against The Government. aud the facllI
ties All ,rded by exisIing laws for their pro'eenlo
| in each of the Department. The Department
- State TEeasurg aud o MaF m mpon r el
and they they NV rapsy added hef"in''a th%e
now pending before Ccngres~. the Court. 0
| Claims. and the Southern Claims ff'rmlssion
| making in The aggregate an immense sum- Mo-
these grew of the rebellion. and are int 40
| ed to indemnify persons of both sides for thei
| losses during The war, and not few Of them are
fabrlea'ed AID supported by false i, ties ties
| lieved, 10 induce Congress to pro
vide for new classes Of claims, and
ton % the of Limitation, by which they are
| now barred. presume these schemes if proposed
will he received with little favor by Congress and
| recommend that persons ndTi"g claims against
the United State. cognIzable by aDy tribunal or
department thereof be required to pre,se;i hem
oirect 4; as as practicable, 10 tue deiea of mn
ment: and wonld siiSst-ti as a means OF pre-
venting fraud. that witnesses n" .led upon to
appear in person testify before thc-s tribunals
having sid clam- before them for al judirsii.'
Probably the largest saving the National
Treasury can be secured by timely legislation on
thgse r.6hjsef-, of any of the economic measures
pEPAnfWEnr OF JUSTICE
You will be dvfsed Of the operations OF the De
o,.erai and invite your attention 70 the amend
men's of existing laws suggested by him VIII the
DEPARTMENT Of THE ;r@rEIoH.
The policy inaugurared toward the !"dians at
the beginning of the last Admin traion has been
steadily ru~ he'd, and, believe: with beneficial re
snrs. Il viii be continued with only such modifi-
cation time and experience may demons, ate az
necessary. With the eBtrCathrnents OF CIVILIZATION
upon The Indian ions ana ttni fn grounds
disturbances have taken place be ween he Ind nan
and whites during the past year and PROBABLY
Be respected The policy n has been zee 1.sd to
vations. and as far a. practicable. within what ls
known as the Indian Territory, and TO teach them
ever found off their RESERVATIONS. and
endangerins the pesee and safety OF
and will continue TO he for like offe,fsAs The
Indian Territory. sonth of Kansas aud wesi ~
Aiktr-s, is sufficient in area and agricultural re-
sources to sd3fGrt all the Indians of The Rocky
mountains. In time. &c d,'uft. fl Of them. except
few who may select to make thc'r homes among
preparatory step for this contamination, l a,n
now satisfied that territorial ,rm of government
rights Of the original settlers and protect their
homesieads from alienation for period OF twenty
gears.
The operations of the Patent Office are growing
TO such magnitude End the accumulation Of mater
more room j. becoming obvious day by day. i. re-
specially invite your attention 10 the reports OF
the Secretary of the Interior and Commissioner OF
Patents ON this subject.
GENEhAL LAND OFFICE.
The business of the General Land Office exhibits
a material increase IN all Is branches during the
last ti-cal year During that time There were dis
posed of Of the public lands. 1899 Doc acres,
being an amount greater by 1898 acres than
a disposed OF during he preceding year. Of
The amount disposed Of. 162G766 acres werr
sold for cash; ayr acres were ,aa I 70,
taken for homesteads; 653 40
acres were located with agricultural
roads: 1t55 .56 acres granted to wagon roads:
S,5is acres were approved 10 States as sw mp
colleges comm n schools, universities and semi
narics; 10 -1.5 acres were approved 10 States for
internal improvements, and li.2s acres ere
during the same time were 80 4os,5l5 80 be
ing $19O.i155o in excess of the receipts for
the previous year. During The year 30 4SS. IL!
acres of public land were surveyed. an increase of
the amount surveyed the previous year of l3,. E.3
acres. and, added 10 the area previously surveyed
as,etega.ing MS SD SIS acres which have been eur
lands sill unsurveyed. The increased
reaching unoccupied pubic domain
and for the Transparent n OF surplus pro
ducts enlar.es the available field for desirable
homestead cations. thus stimulating settlement
and extending year by year, i'll gradually m
crca-ing ratio, the area of occupation and cult
The expressed desire of the representatives of
large colony of citizens of Russia to emgra'e TO
this country, as Is understood with me
certain concessions can be made
to enable them settle in compact c lony, i of
great interest going show the light in which
our in,1i uons are regarded by an industi ious in
teuent and veal by people DESTROYS OF enjoying
civil and religious liberty. and the acquisition OF
so large an immigratiHn of citizens, of II superior
class would without doubt be of such sub~taf
tial benefit to the country that | invite your at
tenion to the suggestion of the Secretary OF the
Interior in this behalf
There was paid during the last fiscal year for
pensions including the expenses of disbursement,
Than was expended for the same purpose the
preceding year. Although this statement of
expenditures would indicate a material re-
preceding year ii is believed that the changes in
the pension laws made a. the last session OF
Congress will absorb that amount the current
wear At the close of the last III cal year there
were on The pension rolls 99sOi invalid military
pensioners. and IL. 0SS widows, orphaus, ana de-
pendent widows of deceased soldier. making a
total that If 211.S Is 26i survi vnrs OF tn
war of 1sfa and so 3 widows soldiers of that
war pen-ioned under the act of Congress Of Feb
cIaa9s of s9l3ia: / $50 Invalid nav ,ensi"n-
ers and l.77O widows and orphans ard dependent
relaJiv, of deceased Ulcers sailors and ma ines
of the navy pensi ners. making a total
23s41i showing a net increase during the
Inst fiscal of 6.sls- The names If
a23 names were dropped therefr'm for Nariou.
causes. The ~ stem adop ed r the de'e ctlon Il
pensions has been productive OF satisfactory re.
sulis. but legislation is needed 10 provide. If
possible. against The perpeIratlng OF such FRAUDS
in future.
The evidently increasing interest in the cause of
is a most encouraging feature in The |
general progress of the country, and the Bureau |
Of Education il in earnest in it, efforts TO give |
proper direction to the new applicants, and the |
Increased facilities which are being offered to |
aid the educators of the country in Their great
work.
THE CENSUS.
The ninth ceneus has been competed, the re |
port thereof publ he'd and distributed and The |
working force of the bureau d isbindrd- The |
Secretary of he Interior renew- his rtcbmm' nda-
fion for CENSUS TO h. taken in 1875 to which |
subject the attenrin of CONGRESS is in |
yed The ,, original with 5"sT iss General
a. provai of the country. AID, even |
if il he deemed advisable at present TO pr vide
for regular quinqnenn,a' census, census takeI
in 1873, the report of which could be conn leted
and published before The Tooth anniversary 81 our
natto"a ndcpen. ence, would he e-p' claiIS INFER
rsring and valuable as showing inc pr,srSSs oi
tional cxi-renee. 1t is believed, however. that
regular every five Years would ~ al
benefit the country ina~much a. our
growth hiIher has been 80 rapid that the results
Of the dcccnnial necessarily unrc lahle
basis of estimates for the later years OF me dc
cennial period
THE NATION CAPITAL
Under the very efficient management 81
the Governor an the Board of nGbhc
Works of this district, the city OF WASH
inston is rapidly assuming the appearance 'f a
capital of which the nation may well he proud
From being most unsightly place three year. iep'
10 pass through in summer in con
sequence of the dust arising from unpaNrd streets
aud almost impossible in the win'er from 'ne
mud il is now one of The must eighty cities III
the. country. and can boast Of being the
best paved. The work has been done sys-
trmAtIcaIly. the plans OF grades location 81 sew
er- wafer and gas mains beng determined upon
before The woi k c mmeuced. Tins securing
when Completed question "l''hti
81 much has ever been accomplished before ~ nv
'meiican city Tor the sam" eNp-ndit urr. ne
G. ,vcr,m nj having large reservati NJ in the CIV
and he nation larr having an interest ~ tntf
Capi al recommend a liberal policy toward ne pi
IL