Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-12-05

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since the last session of Congress.
Property is left without protection
by courts, and crimes go unpunish-
cd. TO prevent anarchy there, it
is absolutely necessary that Cont
gress provide thu courts with some
mode Of obtaining jourors; and /
recommend Legislation to that end
and also that the probate courts of
territories, which assume to issue
writs of injunctions and habeas
corpus, and to try criminal cases and
inquests as to land titles, be denied
ali Jurisdiction not possessed ordi-
narlly by courts Of that descrip.
ton.
ADVISES THAT THE "BANKRUPT ACT''
BE MODIFIED.
have become impressed with
the belief that the act approved
March rs, 1867, entitled can act to
establish asuniform system of bank
ruptcy 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 con-
sidered advisable, I think it will not
be seriously questioned that tn ose
portions of said act providing for
what is called involuntary bank.
ruptcy operate to increase the finan-
cial embarrassment Of careful and
prudent men, who very often be-
como involved in debt in the trans.
I action of their business, and though
they may possess ample property if
it could be made available for that
purpose, to meet all Of their liabili.
ties, yet on account of the scarcity
OF money and the difficulty of col.
lecting what is duo them, they may
not be able to meet all their pecuni-
airy obligations when they become
due, in consequence of which they
are liable to be Frustrated in their
business by proceedings in bank
ruptcy at the instance Of some unre.
lenting creditor. People are now
SO easily alarmed as to monetary
matters that the mere filing of pc
tition in bankruptcy by an unfriend
ly creditor will necessarily cmbar-
rass aud oftentimes accomplish the
financial ruin of responsible bust
ness men. Those who otherwise
might make lawful and just arrange
ments to retrieve themselves from
difficulties produced by the present
stringency in money matters, arc
prevented by their exposure to at
tack and disappointment by proceed
ings against them in bankruptcy,
and besides the law is made use of,
in many cases, by obdurate credit.
ors to brighten or force debtors into
compliance with their wishes, and
into acts of injustice to other cred
itors and to themselves. l there.
fore recommend that SO much OF
said act as provides for involuntary
bankruptcy, on account Of s1spen.
sion of payment, be repealed.
SWINDLING THE GOVERNMENT THRo
UNJUST CLAIMS.
Your careful attention is invited
to the subject of claims against the
government, and the facilities at.
forded by existing laws for their
prosecution. Each Of the Depart.
ments of State, Treasury and War,
have demands Of many millions of
dollars upon their files, and they
are rapidly accumulating. To these
may be added those now pending
before Congress, the Court Of
Claims, and the, Southern Claims
Commission, making in the aggre,
gate an immense sum. Most OF
these grew out Of the Rebellion,
and are intended to indemnify per-
sons of both sides for their losses
during the war. Not few of them
are fabricated and supported by
false testimony. Projects are on
foot, it is believed, to induce Con-
gress to provide new classes OF
claims, and to revive old ones
through the repeal or modification
OF the statute of limitation by which
they are now barred. l presume
these schmes, if proposed, will be
received with little favor by Con.
gress, and l recommend that per-
sons having claims against the Uni.
ted States, cognizable by any tribu-
] nal or department thereof, be re-
quired to present them at an early
day, and that legistion be directed
rs far as practicable t. defeat all
untounded and unjust demands up
on the government. l would sug-
gest, as q means ofpreventing fraud,
that witnesses be called upon to APP
pear in person to testify before those
tribunals having said claims before
them for adjudication. Probably
the largest saving to the National
Treasury can be secured by timely
legislation on these subjects. On
any OF the economical measures that
will be proposed you will be ad-
vised Of the operations Of the De-
rartment Of Justice by the report
of the Attorney General, and l in
Y. te your attention to the amend
ns.-nts of the existing laws sug-
gested by him with viewto reduc-
ing the expense fthat Department.
rNnIAU arrAVps
The policy inaugurated regard
ing Indians at the beginning OF last
administration has been steadily
pushed, and I believe with benefi-
cial result, and will be continued
with such notifications as time and
experience may demonstrate to be
necessary. With the encroachment
of civilization upon the Indian res
ervations and hunting grounds, dis
turbances have taken place between
tho Indians and whites during the
past year, and probably will contin-
ne to be so until each race appreci-
ates that the other has rights which
must be respected. The policy has
been to collect the Indians as rapid
ly as possible on reservations, and
so far as practicable within what is
known as the Indian Territory, and
to teach them the arts ofcivilization
and self.support. Where found off