Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-12-08


4 The report Of the postmaster general cor
tains full and clear statement Of the opers
tions and condition OF the postofico depart
. ment. The ordinary revenues OF tho depart
a mont for the dsoal year ending June 80, 1871
= including receipts from the money order busi
{ ness, aud from ofiici.l stamps and stsmpe
' enyelopes, amounted to the sum Of e27, ,5Si,
bs5.26. The additional sum Of $7,0l3,000 wa
realized from appropriations from the genera
1 treasury for various purposes making the re
ceipts irom all sources eS4, ,544, ,Ssb.28. Th'
4 total expenditures during tho fiscal yeal
cess Of total receipts over total expenditures
Of el,06s, 502.s2, and an excess Of total expen
J ditures over ordinary receipts Of e6954, 7s7. .18
, Deducting from the total receipts the sum Of
&63, 26l 81 received from international money
orders Of the preceding fiscal year, and deduct.
81, ,163, $500 paid on liabilities incurred In the
previous fiscal year, the expenditures and re-
ceipts appertaining to the business Of the last
fiscal year were as follows: Expenditures
sS2, ,s22, ,5o4.42. Receipts Ordinary, from
money order business and from official
ppsssnsS,nts postage stsmP ls s2SA Excess OF
The ordinary:revenues Of the post-ofaoe do.
partment for the year ending June so, 1879 arc
estimated at an increase Of three per centum
over those Of 1877. making or, ,0S4, ,09S.28, and
the expenditures for the same year are.estimat-
ed s Ss Ssvng e ssstsd Tss ds'sa sa
ditional legislation recommended BY the post
master-general for improvements OF the mail
service, and to protect the postal revenues from
the abuses practiced under existing laws, is re-
spectfully commended to the careful consider
alton Of Congress.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
The report of the encouragement contains
several suggestions 40 to the administration OF
| 49, MAX
pressure Of business in the Supreme Court and
in certain Circuit Courts Of the United States is
now such that serious delays, to the great in
jury and even oppression Of suitors occur, and
| q remedy should be sought for this condition Of
AFFAIRS Whether it will be found in the plan,
number Of judges Of the circuit courts, and,
by means Of this addition to the judicial force,
| OF creating an intermediate court Of errorsand
appeals, or whether some other modes can be
devised for obviating the difficulties hich now
exist, Ileave to your mature conside. alton.
THE INDIANS.
The present condition of the Indian tribes on
the territory Of the United States and our re.
lations with them are fully set forth in the re-
ports Of tho secretary Of the interior and the
commissioner of Indian affairs. After series
Of most deplorable conflicts, the successful
termination Of which, while rejecting honor
upon the brave soldiers who accomplished It,
cannot lessen our regret at the occurrence, we
are now at peace with all the Indian tribes in
our borders. To preserve that peace by q
just and humane policy will be the object Of
our earnest endeavors.
Whatever Aay be said Of their characters
and savage propensities, of the difficulties Of
introducing among them the habits Of civilized
life and the obstacles they have offered to the
progress Of settlement in certain parts Of the
country, the Indians are certainly entitled to
oy,r md N a
on our part for their claims upon our sense Of
Justice. They were the aboriginal occupants
Of the land we now possess. They have been |
driven from place to place. The purchase |
they called their own, has still left them poor,
in many instances. When they had settled |
down upon land assigned to them by compact, |
and began to support themselves by their own |
labor they were rudely ost1sa on ana mot thrust
Of our Indian wars have had their origin in |
broken promises and acts of injustice upon our
part, and the advance Of the Indians in civiiza-
tion has been slow, because the treatment they
received did not permit it to be faster and more
and to follow our guidance unless We keep
faith with them in respecting the rights they
possess, and unless, instead of depriving them
Of their opportunities, we lend them helping
hand. cordially approve the policy regard
ing the management Of Indian affairs outlined
|
and Of the commissioner Of Indian affairs. The
faithful performance Of our promises is the
first condition of good understanding with the
Indian. cannot too urgently recommend to
Congress that prompt and liberal provision be
made for the conscientious fulfllment Of all
with Indian tribes. To withhold the means
necessary for the performance Of promise is
always false economy, and is apt to prove dis
astrous in its consequence. Especial care Is
to provide for Indians settled
ON their reservations, cattle and agricultural
implements, to aid them in whatever efforts they
may make to support themselves, and by the
and maintenance Of schools to
bring them under the control OF civilized in
fuence.
seq no reason why Indians who can give
proof Of having. by their own
years, and who are willing to detach them
selves from their tribal relations, should not be
admitted to the benefit of the homestead act
and the privileges of citizenship, and recon-
mend the passage Of a law to that effect 1t
will be an act Of justice ~ well a. measure
Of encouragement.
Earnest efforts are being made to purify
the Indian SERVICE 30 that every dollar appro-
priated by Congress shall rebound to the bene- /
1T Of the Indians as intended. Those efforts !
will have my firm support. With an improved
service and every possible encouragement held ,
to elevate themselves in the scale OF civiliza-
lion, We may hope to accomplish at the same
time good work for them and for ourselves. ;
DEpREDAT1oNs ON GOVERNMENT TIMBER.
invite the attention of Congress to the inn /,
oortance Of the statements and suggestions !
made by the secretary of tho interior concerning !
The depredations committed upon the timber
ands Of the United States, and the necessity
'Or the preservation Of forests. 1t is believed
IL lot
ng law to arrest these depredations will be en- {
irely successful II Congress by an appropriation i
'or that purpose. renders their continued en-
orcement possible. The experience of other I
nations teaches us that q country cannot be {
stripped of its forests with impunity. and We I
'hall expose ourselves to the gravest conse- t
luences unless the wasteful and improyident l
manner in which the forests in the United 4
States are destroyed be effectually checked. / s
recommend that the measures sug- v
rested by the secretary of the interior for the {
suppression of depredations on the public tim i
Der lands of the United States, for the selling
" timber from the public lands, and for the S
Of forests, be embodied in a law, t
nd that, considering the urgent necessity of f
nablingsthe people Of certain States and Terri v
ories to purchase timber from the public lands Il
n a legal manner, which at present they cannot 5
10, such law be passed without unavoidable i
lelay. a
uNsALABLE GOVERNMENT LANDS. r
would also call attention Of Congress to :
tatements made by the secretary Of the in 4
erior concerning the disposition that might be !,
made Of the desert lands not irrigated west Of !
he one hundredth meridian. These lands are ;,
unstable under existing laws, and i
he suggestion is worthy of consideration that = =
system Of leasehold tenure would make them =
. source Of profit to the United States, while at
he same time legalizing the business Of CATTLE
aising, which is at present carried on upon 4
hem.
AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS. =,
The report Of the commissioner of agriculture r.
ontains tho gratifying announcement of the 4
success which has rewarded the e
gricultural industry Of the country for the Il
'ast year. With the fair prices which obtain |,
or the products of the SOIL especially for the Il
urplus which our people have to export, we t.
nay confidently turn to this as the most i'm 81
ortant Of all our resources for the revival Of in
he depressed industries of the country. The II
eport shows our agricultural progress duri.g W
be year, and contains statement of the work Il
one by this department for the advancement CT
agricultural industry upon which the pros q
erity Of our people 80 largely depends. Mat in
ers Of information are included Of great inter- til
st to all who seek by the experience Of others, m
, improve their own methods Of cultivation. A