Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-12-03

Department of Justice by the report Of The At.
torney General, and | invite your attention to
the amendments o. existing laws suggested by
him with the view of reducing the expenses OF
that Department.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
The policy inauguratcd towards the Indians
at the beginning Of the last Administration has
| been steadily pursued, and, l believe, with BEN
| ehclal results. 1t will be continued with only
such mod -cations as time and experience may
| demonstrate us necessary.
NTH the. encroachment OF CIVILIZATION upon
the Indian reservations and hunting grounds
disturbances have taken place between The In
| dams and whites during the past year and PROB
ably will continue to do SO until each race ap-
preciates that the other has rights VIII Oh must
| be resi- ectcd
The policy has been to collect the Indians as
| rapidly rs possible, on reservations and AS far
| as practicable within what Is knr~n AZ the In
dian Territory, and 10 each them lhe arts OF
civilization and self-support Where found of
| their reservations and dungering the pe"ce
and safety OF the whites they have been punish
ed and vii. continue TO be for like Offences
The Indian Territory, south OF Kansas and
west of Arkansas, is sufficient in area and agrl-
cultural resources to support ai the lndla east
| of the Rocky Mountains. In liuie, no doubt al
of them, except few who may select to make
| their homes among white people, will be col
| lee ed there. AS preparatory step Tor TINS
! consumma ion ! am now satisfied that terri
torial form of govern merit should be given them
(which will secure the treaty rights of the or.gi-
| nal settlers, and lrotect th"ir umes.cads from
iena,ion for n ,riod of twenty years.
The operations of the Patent Office are grow
| ing to such magnitude, and The accumulation of
material s b coming 50 grest taal the necessity
| for more room is becoming more obvlnus day by
day. | respectfully invite your attent on 10 the
reports OF the Secretary o. the Interior Com
| missioner of Patents this subject.
The business of the General Land Office eX
hibits y material it, crease in all its branches dur
| Ing The last fiscal year. Turing that time there
we're disposed OF out OF the public lands Is 90
COS acres being an amount greater by |, lG3 G3l
acres than disposed OF during the preceding
YEAR or this amount disp Scd vi ,626 2i'' acres
were sold tor cash; IA $40 acres were located
with military land warrants; 3, '93 6i2 acres were
taken Tor homo stcaGs; CO. 44D ACRES were located
| with Agricultural Co icgc scrip u ooi,3I6 acres
| certified by railroads; 1G $40 acres were granted
F.! to wagon ronds; 25S. :43 acres were approved l."
States as swamp lands; l3o, Gol acres We're ccTtl-
tied tor ~ Agricultural colleges, Common schools
| universities ard >crninuric>; 1907 acres We're
approved to States TOR internal improvements
and ID Do acres were located with Indian scrip
, The cash receipts during the same time were
So 40S, Sis SO, beng 500, AS % in eNces of the
receipls of the prer!ou, year Dur:ng the year
30 ass 1872 acres Of public land were surveyed,
| an increase over the an unit surveyed the pre-
viuus year of l,Oj1, l93 acres, aud added t. the
area previously surveyed aggregates GIG, ool,o9
ares which have been Surv ycd, leaving rs
445 sos acres of the pub land IT II unsurvcy ed.
The increased and s-,adily increasing !acll-
ties for reaching our iln"ccuri"d pu1lc domain
| And for the transportation ot surplus products
| enlarges the available field or desirable ncnie-
stead ;o:ations, thus stimulating set c:t.cnt and
extending year by lar IN Gradually lncreas-
ing ratio the area. vi occupation and cultivation.
1 The expressed desire of the representatives OF
large colony of citizens Of Russia to enligrate
to this country, rs Is understood, with the con-
sent of their Government, ii Certain concessions
can be made TO enable them to settle in COM
pact colony, is of great interest ms go ng to show
the light in which our lnstllu,l ms are regarded
by al indus rious, INTEL gent and wealthy pco-
pie, DESTROYS OF enjoying civil and Ieiig!ois I'D
urtv and tne acquisition of large an imngrn-
ton Of citizens OF superior class would, with
ont doubt be of substantial benefit - the coun.
try. invite attention to the suggestion Of The
Secretary of the interior in this behalf.
There WAS paid durl & Lhe ast fiscal year tor
pensions, inciu ing the expenses OF i<blrse-
mn $50 ls5, $50 81, being an amount less by
S9S4 u5U SO thar WAS expended for the snl:e pr
pose the preceding year Although this state
| nleut of expenditures would indicate material
reduction in amount compare with the proceed
ing wear, it lie believed that the changes in the
| pension laws IL the last session OF Congress VIII
absorb that amount the current year AT the
| Csc Of The last fiscal year there were on the
the pension rolls SO S4 invalid military pension
dent relations Of deceased soldiers, making Il TO-
tai of that class OF 81 992 Is GG survivors Of the
war OF 1872, and D. Uo3 widows OF soldiers OF t.
war, pensioned under the act Of Congress OF Feb
ruary a. 1871, making Il total OF that class OF
% 1885, 1859 Invalid navy pensioners ana tto
widows orphans, ard dependent reati Q: OF de-
ceased officers sailors, and marines Vi the iiaVy,
making total Of navy pensioners OF 3.AU, Mld
u grand total of pensioners Of all classes OF 23o,
All, show net increase during the ast fiscal
l,ct hn ans
of lG, 4n5 pensioners were sdded to the rolls. nd
10. l23 names were dropped thererom ior various
causes.
Tue system adopted for the detection of frauds
against the Gov ernment in the matter OF pensions
has been productive OF satisfactory results but
legislation is needed to provide, If possible,
against the pei petrution of such traldsin future
The evidently increasing interest IL the cause
of education is u most encouraging feature IN the
general progress and prosperity or the country,
ana the Bureau of Education is earnest IN It's
efforts to give proper direction to the new april
ances ana the increased facilities winch are be-
ing offered to aid the educators Of the country IN
tIer great work.
The ninth census has been completed and the
report thereof published and distributed and
the working force of the bureau disbanded. The
Secretary OF the Interior renews his recommen-
datun for census 10 be taken In 1873, to which
subject the attention of CONGRESSES invited The
original suggestion in that behalf has met with
the general approval OF Inc couh'iS' ou o'oii
il j. Be- not deemed dvsable ut present to pro-
vide for regular quirquennial census, census
taken in 1875. the report OF which could be com
,lcted and published before the one hnndredth
anniversary of our natl ma Independence, would
be especially interesting and valuable, us show
ing the progress of the country during the first
century of our national existence. 1t is 3ellev-
ed, however thata re ;uar Ger sus every i've years
would be OF substantial benefit to the country, IN
rs much a. cur growth hitherto has been so rap d
that the result OF the decennial census are ne
cessar;ly unreliable as n basis of estimates for
the latter years of u de"ennla period.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Under the very efficient management OF the Gov
ernor and Board of Public Works OF this District
the city of Washington is rapidly assuming the APP,
leara,cc OF capital Of which the nation may well
be proud From being most unsightly place
three years ago, disagreeahle to pass ln!ougu III
SIMMER in consequence or the dust arising from
unpaved streets, and almost impossible in the win
ter from the mud, it is now one of the most slightly