The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-12-04
TUESDAY MORNING, DEC. 4.

cruit all companies to at least so men, and all
batteries OF artillery to at least 70 meD, with
power, IN case of emergency, to increase the
former to 100 and the latter to 122 men each.
invite your special attention to the follow
lpg recommendations of the Secretary OF war:
FIRST, that provision be made for supplying 10
the army more abundant and better supply OF
reading matter; second, that early action be
taken by Congress looking to complete re-
vision and republication OF the army Iegula-
tlons; third, that section l2oo OF the Revised
Statutes. limiting the number OF officers on the
retired list be repealed fourth, that the claims
arising under the act of July 4th, 1864 for
supplies taken by the army during the war be
taken from the offices Of the quartermaster and
commissary generals and transferred to the
Southern Claims Commission, or some other
tribunal having more time and better facilities
for their prompt investigation aud decision
than are possessed by these officers; fifth, that
Congress provide for annuities for the families
of deceased soldiers, as recommended by the
Paymaster General of the army.
The Navy.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy
shows that we have six squadrons now engaged
in the protection of our foreign commerce and
other duties pertaining to naval SERVICE The
condition and operation of the department ara
also shown. The total expenditures for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1877, were S16,O77,-
974 "a There are unpaid claims against the
departing. chargeable to the last year, which
are presented to the consideration Of Congress
by the rep ort of the Secretary
The estimates for the fiscal year commencing
July LIST, 1873. are $18, 232, 234 40, exclusive of
the sum of 81, ,23l submitted for new build
ings, repairs and Improvements at the several
navy yards. The appropriations for the pres
ent fiscal year, commencing July LIST, 1877, are
$13, 592, 932. 80. The amount drawn from the
Treasury from July 1st to November 1st, 1877,
is $524, 303, $40, of which there is estimated TO
be yet available. $1,029, $780,, showing the
amount of actual expenditure during the first
four months of the present fiscal year to have
been $4,313 50910.
The Post Office Department.
The report of the Postmaster-G General con-
tains full and clear statement of the opera
tons and condition of the post Office depart
ment. The ordinary revenue of the department
for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1877, includ-
ing receipts from the money order business and
from official stamps and stamped envelopes
amounted to the sum of 1921, 531 ,585 26. The
additional sum of $7,013,000 was realized from
appropriations from the general treasury for
sources $s4,544 so5.26. The s total expendi.
lures during the fiscal year amount
ed to $50, 386, 1922 A, leaving an excess
of total receipts over total expenditures of
81 058,562 82,and an excess of total expend-
lures over ordinary receipts of $685. 1918
DeductiDg from the total receipts the sum of
500, 261.84 received from international money
orders of the preceding fiscal year and deduct
log from the total expenditures the sum of
$l,163,818.20 paid on liabilities incurred in
previous fiscal years, the expenditures and re-
ceipts appertaiDiDg to the business of the last
fiscal year were asa MISUNDERSTANDING
1888 322, 502.24 receipts ordinary from money
order business and from official postage stamps,
81, 1892; excess of expenditures, 81 3d.
$50 AZ The ordinary revenues of the Post
Office Department for the year ending june 30,
1879, are estimated at an increase of three per
cent over those of 1877, making $29, 034, O98 %,
fNr fhao
timated at $36, BAT vi leaving an estimated de-
ficiency for the year 1879 of 1888, 672 Y. The
additional legislation recommended by the
postmaster General for improvement of mail
service and to protect the postal revenue from
the abuses practiced under existing laws is re-
spectfully commended to the careful considera-
ton of Congress.
The Judiciary.
The report of the Attorney General contains
several suggestions as to the administration of
justice to which invite your attention. The
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, ano
remedy should be sought for this condition of
AFFAIRS. Whether it will be found in the plan
briefly sketcbed in the report of increasing the
number of Judges of the Circuit Court, and BY
means of this addition to the judicial force
creating an intermediate Court of Error and
Appeals or whether some ether mode can be
devised for obvating the difficulties which now
exist leave to your mature consideration.
The Indians.
The present condition of the Indian tribes
IN the territory of the United States and our 70
lations with them are fully set forth in the re-
ports of the Secretary of the Interior and the
commissioner of Indian Affairs. After a Sc
rles OF most deporabe 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
within our borders. To preserve that peace by
q just and humane policy will be the object of
my earnest endeavor5. Whatever may be said
OF their character and savage propensities of
the difficulties of introducing among them the
habits of civilized life, the obstacles they have
offered to the progress of settlement in certain
parts OF the country, the Indians are certainly
entitled to our sympathy and to a conscientious
respect on our part for their claims upon our
sense OF Justice. They were the aboriginal oc-
cupants OF the land we now possess. They
have been driven from place to place. The pur-
chase money paid to them in some cases for
what they called their own has still left them
poor In many instances when they had set
tied down on land assigned to them by compact
and began to support themselves by their labor
they were rudely jostled off and thrust into the
wilderness again. Many, if not most, of our
Indian wars have had their origin in broken
promises and acts of injustice upon our part
aRd the advance II the Indians in civilization
has been slow because the treatment they re-
ce1ved did not permit it to be faster and more
general. We cannot expect them to improve
and to follow our guidance unless we keep faith
with them respecting the rights they possess
and unless. instead of depriving them of their
opportunities, we lend them helping hand
cordially approve the policy regarding the
management of Indian affairs outlined in the
reports OF the Secretary of the Interior and of
tho Commissioners of Indian affairs. The
faithful performance of our promises is the
first condition of a good understanding with
the Indians. l cannot too urgently recommend
to Congress that prompt and liberal provision
be made for the conscientious fulfiIlment of all
engagements entered into by the Government
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 consequences. Especially is it
recommended to provide for Indians settled on
their reservations, cattle and agricultural i'm
plements to aid them in whatever efforts they
may make to support themselves, and by the
establishment and maintenance of schools to
bring them under control of civilized influ-
ences.
sac no reason why Indians, who can give
satisfactory proof OF having BY their own abors
supported their families for a number of years,
and who are willing to detach themselves from
their tribal relations should not be admitted to
the benefit of the homestead act and the priyi-
leges OF c,tlzenship. L recommend the passage
OF law TO thst effect. 1t will be an act of
Justice as well as a means of announcement
Earnest efforts are being made to purify the
Indian service SO that every dollar approprl-
ated by Congress shall rebound to the benefit
of the indians as intended Those efforts will
have my firm support With an improved ser
vice aud every possible encouragement held out
to the Indians to better their condition and to
elevate themselves in the scale of civilization
we may hope to accomplish at the same time
good work for them and for ourselves.
Protection of Timber Lands.
invite the attention of Congress to the i'm
portanee OF the statements and suggestion made
by the Secretary of the Interior concerning the
depredstions committed upon the timber lands
OF the United States and the necessity for the
preservation of forests. 1t is believed that the
measures taken in pursuance of the existing
law to resist these depredations will be entirely
successful if Gong ress, by an appropriation for
that purpose, renders their continued enforce
ment possible.
The experience of other nations teaches us
tnat country cannotibe stripped of its forests
with impunity, and we shall expose ourselves
to the gravest consequences unless the wasteful
and improvident manner in which the forests
IN the United States are destroyed be effectual-
Iy checked. l earnestly recommend that the
measures suggested by the Secretary of the IN |
terror for the suppression of depredations on the