Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-12-06

previous year. The total cost of the
United States ocean mail steamship SER !
vice, including $735, ,0S0 paid from spe-
cial appropriations to subsidized lines |
of mail steamers, was 81 OF, ,27l 81
New or additional postal conventions |
have been concluded with. Sweden, Nor |
way, Belgium, Germany. Canada, New /
foundland and Japan, reducing postage /
rates on correspondence exchanged with /
those countries. and further efforts have |
been made to conclude satisfactory /,
postal convention with zee, but |
without success, I invite the favorable |!
consideration of Congress to the sugges- |
tions and recommendations of the Post
master General for an eXtention of the
free delivery system in all cities having
a population of not less thanlt ten thous-
and; for the prepayment of postage on
newspapers and other printed matter OF
the second class; for uniform postage
and limit of weight on miscellaneous
matter; for adjusting the compensation
of all postmasters not appointed by the
President, by the old method of COM
missions on the actual receipts of the
Office, iustead of the present mode of
fixing the salary in advance, upon spe-
cial returns; and especially do l urge
favorable action by Congress on the i'm
portant recommendation of the Post
master General for the establishment of
United States postal saving repositories.
Your attention is also again called to a
consideration of the question of postal
telegraphs, and the arguments adduced
in support thereof, in the hope that you
may take such action in connection
Herewith as in your judgment will
most contribute to the best interests of
the country.
AFFAIRS IN UTAH.
The Department of Justice affairs In
Utah require your early and special at
tention. The Supreme Court of the
United States, in the case of Clinton VS..
Englebrecht, decided that the United
States Marshal of that territory could
not lawfully summon jurors for the Dis
trict Courts, and those courts hold that
the Territorial Marshal faithfully should
perform that duty, because he is elected
by the legislative assembly, and not ap-
pointed, as provided for in the act or
ganizing the territory. All proceed
| ings at law are practically abolished by
| few or no jury trials in the district
| courts of that teraitory since the last
session of Congress. Property is left
without protection by the counts and
crimes go unpublished. 10 prevent
anarchy there it is absolutely necessary
that Congress provide the courts with
some mode OF obtaining jurors, and
recommend legislation to that end, and
also that the probate courts of the terri
tory, which now assume to issue writs
of injunction and habeas corpus, and to
try criminal cases, and in questions as
to land titles, be denied all Jurisdiction
not possessed ordinarily by courts of
that description.
INVOLUNTARY BANKRUPTCY.
I have become impressed with the be-
lief that the act approved March I'd, 1867,
entitled "An act to establish a uniform
system of bankruptcy throughout the
United States" Is productive of more
evil than good. At this time many coll
siderations might be urged for its total
repeal, but if this is not considered, l
think it will not be seriously questioned
that those portions of said act providing
for what is called involuntary bank
ruptcy operate to increase the financial
embarrassment of the country. Careful
and prudent men very often become in
/ volved in debt in the transaction of
their business, ,and though they may pos
sess ample property, If it could be made
available for that purpose, to meet all
their liabilities, yet on account of the ex-
traordinary scarcity of money they may
be unrble TO meet all their pecuniary OBJ
legations as they become due, IN conse-
quence OF which they are liable to be
protested in their business by proceed
ings iu bankruptcy, at the instance of
unrelenting creditors. People are now
so easily alarmed as to monetary mat
ters that the mere filing of a petition in
bankruptcy by an unfriendly creditor
will necessarily embarrass and often
times accomplish the financial ruin of a
responsible business man. Those who
otherwise might make lawful and just
arrangements to relieve themselves from
difficulties produced by the present
stringency in money, are prevented by
their constant exposure to attack and
disappoint by proceedings against them
in bankruptcy, and beside 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 cre9i-
tors and to themselves. recommend
that so much of said act as provides foi
: involuntary bankruptcy on account ol
) the suspension of payment be repealed
CLAIMS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
Your careful attention is invited tt
} the subject of claims against the Govern
ment, and the facilities afforded by ex
, istiDg laws for their prosecution. Each
II
. and War have demands for many mil
f lions OF dollars upon their files, and they
are rapidly accumulating. To these may
be added those now pending before Con
gress, the Court of Claims, and tn,
Southern Claims Commission making il
the aggregate an immense sum. Mos
of these grow out of the rebellion, and
are intended to indemnify persons OIL
both sides for their losses during thu
war, and not Il few of them are fabrica
ted and supported by false testimony
Projects are on foot, it is believed. to in
duce Congress to provide for new class
!; es of claims, and to revive old ones
u through the repeal or modification of thu
= statute of Limitation by which they ar,
4 now barred. / presume these schemes
5 if proposed, will be received with bu
I little favor by Congress, and recon
! mend that persons having claims agains
Z the United States, cognizable by an.
4 tribunal or department thereof, be re
e quired to present them at an early day
: and that legislation be directed as far a
II practicable TO the defeat of unfounde,
!, and unjust demands upon the Govern
y ment; and | would suggest as mean
i of preventing fraud that witnesses b
: called upon to appear in person, to ties
/ tify before these tribunals having sal
l. claims before them for adjudication
e Probably the largest saving to the Ma
l. tional Treasury can be assured by time
:. ly legislation on these subjects, of any G
: the economic measures that will be pre-
u posed.
~ DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
d You will be advised of the operation
i OF the Department of Justice by the n
=, port of the Attorney General, and l In
It vire your attention to the amendment
is existing laws suggested by him, with
h view of reducing the expense of that d,
IS partment.
/ DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
~ The policy inaugurated towards IL
a. Indians at the beginning of the last Al
:. :. ministration has been steadily pushes
g !. and ! believe with beneficial results.
- will be continued with only such mo-,
,e ificatiQns as time and experience ma
ar demonstrate as necessary. With the ei
: croachmcnts of civilization upon Il
Indian reservations and hunti.
grounds, disturbances have taken pla,
between the Indians and whites durin
in the past year, and probably will contil
T. ue TO ,lo so until each race appreciat,
:. | tbat th,4 othnr has RIGHTS yvhich ,nust