The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-08

and credit OF 80 distfHgn fshed q contribution
The advantages to The country or acfeditabi
display are, Id an international pofnt OF view
Of the FIRST importance, while at fasifefen
or fncreditabie participation by the Govern
ment would Big humilatipg. to the patriots
feelings Of our people atbemse lives. i com
mend the estimates OF she Board for thi
necessary additional appropriations to the
favorable consideration os Congress. The
powers of Europe almost without exception
many of9the SoEtt American States, and
eyenth more distant Eastern powers, have
manifested their friendly sentiments towards
the United States and the interest OF the
world in our progress bysasing steps 10 jpin
withius fnfcelebrating the centennial OF the
natios and strongly recommend that o
more national Importance be given to this
exhibition by such legislation and by such
appropriations as will insure its success.
It's value 10 bringing to our shores Immune
rable useful works of art and skill the cone
mingling of citizens OF foreign countries and
our own, and the interchange Of ideas and
manufactures, will far exceed any peeuniary
outlay we may make. g y 4 - i3ftis3
THE pEPARrxENr OF piaRsg1LTUREs
transmit herewith the reportEof the
Commissioners OF Aariculture together with
the reports Of the Commissioners The Board
Of Audit, :and The Board of Health of the
District Of Columbia, to all Of which { In.
yite your attention. 3ax ~ ~ Ss;s,3tsa
The Bureau of Agriculture has accom-.
plished much Ia disseminating useful ,knoTl.
edge TO the agrieultufist, and also introdue.
our soil and climate, and is worthy or the
Or1fSnnnH nes
ment. ..,..s...,i,.;; Il !, ,9ai p :
Et3l EDUoATIoN.kz lss aftyIissa.
= The report OF the Commissioner of EdI.
cation. which accompanies the report of she,
Secretary of the Interior, shows gratifying
progress in educational matters
h,.s = tSsriI: PoLYaANY;ta9 ActgTsFx4
In nearly every annual message that
have had the honor OF transmitting to. Con-
gressl have called attention to the ahoma-
ious, not to say scandalous. condition Of
affairs existing in the Territory of Utah, and
have asked for definite legislation to correct
it. That polygamy should exist in free, en-
lfghtened, ana Christian country, without
the power 80 punish so grant crime
against decency and morality, seems pre-.
posterous. True, there is no law to sustain
this unnatural vice, but what Is needed is a law
to punish it as o crime, and At the same time
to fix the status of the innocent children the
offspring of this system, and Of the possibly
innocent plural wives; butas an institution
polygamy should be banished from the land.
PIE CHINESE SCANDAL.
While this is being done I invite the atten
tion of Congress to another though perhaps
no less an evil-the importation of Chinese
women, but few of whom are brought to
our shores to pursue honorable or useful
occupations.
PUBLIC LANDS.
! Observations while visiting the Territories
of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado during The
past autumn convinced me that existing laws
regulating the disposition of public lands
timber, &c, and probably the mining laws
themselves, are very defective, and should
he carefully amended, and at an early day
In territory whege cultivation of the soil car
only be followed by irrigation, and where
Iirrig cation Is not practicable, the land car
only DE used as pasturage, and this only
where stock can reach water to quench Its
thirst, cannot be governed by the same laws
Jas to entries as lands, every acre OF which il
Jan independent estate by itself. fs.4 ~
/ Land must be held in larger quantities tt
Justify the expense OF conducting water upor
lit to make 1t fruitful or to justify utilizing II
as pasturage. The timber in most of thu
Territories is principally confined to thu
mountain regions, which are held for entry
lin small quantities only and as mineral lands
/ The timber is the property Of the. United
States. for the disposal Of which there Is now
mo adequate law. The settler must become
10 consumer of this timber whether he live!
upon the plain or engages In working the
mines, hence every man becomes either
trespasser himself or, knowingly, patron o.
;trespassers. - = = - -, -
f My opportunities for observation were moi
sufficient to qualify me In recommending
specific legislation on these subjects, but
do recommend that joint committee OF tht
two houses Of Congress, sufficiently large TO
he divided into subcommittee, be organized
Ito visit all the mining States and Territories
during the coming summer and that the
committee shall report to Congress at the
next session such laws or amendments to
laws as it may deem necessary to secure the
best interests of the Government and the
people of these Territories, who are doing SC
much for their development. -sga.aC
/ I am sure the citizens occupying the terri.
tory described do not wish TO be trespsssers
nor will they be if legal ways, are provided
for them, to become owners of these actua
necessities Of their position. = - t's&3
/; =. S-''.'-5. THE CONCLUSION. -,s4, -
/ AS this wfif7be the last annual message
which I shall have the honor Of transmitting
ito Congress before my successor is chosen,
will repeat or .recapitulate the question:
(which deem of vital importance, which
may be legislated upon and settled at thi
session: ,.y,g,.,,,5ts ,...4t 90 ag.zsi..Ey
/ First. That the States shall be required tx
afford the opportunity of a good common
school education to every child within theil
limits. .;g2>!..t3 .t ;..1 81. 3 ls e,
/ Second. No sectarian tenets shall ever b.
taught In any school supported in whole OF
In part by the State, nation,5 or by the pro
ceeds of any tax levied upon any community:
make education compulsory as far as 8 &c
deprive all persons who cannot read an0
write from becoming voters after the yeaI
1890; disfranchising none, however, or
grounds of illiteracy who may he voters al
the time this amendment takes effect. -sa
: Third. Declare Church and State forever
separate and distinct, but each free within
their proper spheres, and that all church
property shall bear its own proportion, OF
taxation. ,zY.-a ,.,,s.fr5i.,ss ~; - ,....,Es
! Fourth. Drive out licensed immortality,
such as polygamy and the importation OF
women for fllegitimate purposes. ;. = ;,
To recur again to the centennial year, II
would seem as though now, as we are about
to begin the second century Of our national
existence, would be most fitting time fer
these reforms. sllsy5:T
/ Fifth. Enact such laws as will insure
speedy return to sound currency-s O.
will command the respect Of the world. 49,
/ Believing that these views will commend
themselves to the great majority OF the right.
thinking and patriotic citizens of the United
States, [ Submit the rest to Congress
I; + 80 Z q u. s.. GRANT. 7:
r.ac,.t;,,a Enn eiia1a. Daeemhnr Z. 1915. );