The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-12-08


commended 10 the careful consideration of Congress.
JUDICIARY.
The report of the Attorney General contains sew
cral suggestions as TO the administration of justice.
10 which invite your attention. The pressure OF
business Ill the supreme Court and in certain Cir
cult Courts of the United States is now such that
serious delays, To the great injury and even oppres
sion of sutors, occur, and remedy should be sought
for this condition of affairs. Whether it will be
found in the plan briefly .kctched in the report in
crcasing the number of Judges of the Circuit Courts,
aud by means of this addition to the judicial force,
creating an intermediate Court of Errors and APP
pealsSor whether some other mode can be devised
for Obyiatng 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 relations
with them are fully sci forth in the reports of the
Secretary of the Interior and the Commission
crs of Indian Aiairs After u series OF most depor-
able conflicts the successful termination of which.
while rejecting honor upon the brave soldiers who
accomplished II, cannot lessen our regret at the
occurrences, We are now al peace with all the Indi
an tribes on our borders, 70 preserve that peace
by a lust and humane policy will be the object OF
nv earnest cndeayors. Whatever may be said of
their character and savage propenstics, of the diff
culties of Introducing among them the habits of civ
ilized life, and the obstacles they have offered TO
the progress of settling in certain parts of the coun-
try. the Indians are certainly entitled to our sym
patty and to a conscientious respect on our part FOR
their claims upon our sense of justice. They were
the aboriginal occupants of the land we now pos
sess. They have been driven from place To place.
The purchase money paid to thcm IN some cases
DOOR In many instances, when they had settled
down upon land assigned to them by compact, and
begun TO support themselves by their own labor,
they were rudey iosted off and thrust into the will
derness again. Many. il not most, OF our Indian
wars have had their origin in broken promises and
acts of injustice upon our part ana the advance OF
the Indian in CIVILIZATION has been slow, because the
treatment they received did not permit II to be
faster and more general. We cannot expect them
to improve 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 regarding the manage
ment of Indian affairs outlined in the reports OF the
Secretary of the Interior and of the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs. The faithful performance of our
promises is the first condition of good understand
ing with the Indians. ! cannot too urgently recon-
mend to Congress that prompt and liberal provis
ion be made for the conscientious iulhllment of all
agreement entered into by the Government with the
Indian tribes To withhold the means necessary
for the performance of promise is always false
economy and apt TO prove disastrous in It's con
sequences Especial care Is recommended to pro-
vide for the Indians settled their reservations
cattle and agricultural implements to aid them in
whatever efforts they may make to support them
selves, and by the establishment and mainten-
anCe of schools to bring them under the control oil
civilized influences | see no reason why Indians
who can give satisfactory proof of having by their
own labor supported their families Tor number Of
years, and who are willing to dctach themselves
from their tribal relations should not be admitted
to the benefits of the homestead acts and the priv
leges of citizenship; and recommend the passage
of law to that effect 1t will be an act of justice IA
well as a measure OF encouragement
Earnest efforts are being made to purify the Ind
an service, that every dollar appropriately by Con
gress shall rebound to the benefit OF the Indians
benefited. These efforts Will have my hrm support.
With improved service and every possible en-
couragcment held ont to the Indians to better their
condition. and to elevate themselves III the scale OF
civilization, we may hope to doyat the same time,
good work for them and for ourselves
THE TIMBER THIEVES
invite the attention of Congress to the import
ancc of the statements and suggestions by the Sec
rotary of the Interior concerning the depredatlons
committed upon the Understands of the United
States and the necessity for the preservation of the
forests 1t is believed that the measures taken
in pursuance The existing law 10 arrest these dep
relations will be entirely successful Congress- by
an appropriation for that purpose, renders their
continued enforcement possible.
Tnc eXpcrenCc of other nations teaches Us that
country cannot be stripped of its forests with I'M
punity and we shall expose ourselves To the gravest
consequences unless the wasefu and improvident
manner in which the forests OF the United States are
destroyed be eiicctuay checked. ! earnestly
ommend that the measures suggested by the Secre-
tary of the Interior or ne e"rrs.rs: dfprGiha
States, for the selling of timber from the pubic
lands, and for the preservation OF the forests be
embodied in law, and that, considering the urgent
necessity of enabling the people of certain States
and Territories to purchase timber from the publc
lands in legal manner, which AZ present they can
not do, such law be passed without unavoidable
delay.
would also call the attention OF Congress to the
concerning the dispersion that might be made of the
desert lands. not irrigated, west OF the one hun
dredth meridian. These lands are practically IN
salable under existing laws. and the suggestion ~
worthy of consideration that system of leasehold
tenure would make them source OF proiit 10 the
United States while at the time lcgalizing the
business of cattcraisng, which is at present car
ried on upon them.
AGRICULTURE.
The report of the Commissioner of Agriculture
contains the gratifying announcement of the extra
ordinary success which has rewarded the agrlcutuf-
al industry of the country for the past year. with
the fair prices which obtain for the products OF the
soil especially for the surplus which our people
have to export, we may confidently turn TO THIS az
the most important of all our resources Tor the re-
vval of the depressed industries Of the country
The report shows agricultural progress durln
the year and contains statement OF the work done
by this department for the advancement oil the az,
ricutura industry upon which the prosperity OF
our people so largely depends Matters OF INFORM
alton are included of great interest to all who seek,
by the experience of others, to improve their own
methods of cultivation. The efforts OF the depart
ment to increase the production OF important arti-
clcs of consumption will, 1t Il hoped improve
the demand for labor and advance the business OF
hccounry and eventually result in saving some Oh
the many millions that are now annually pad 10
foreign nations for sugar and other staple products
which habitual use has made necessary III our 10
nestle everyday life.
CENTENNIAL BOARD.
The board, on behalf of the United States eXecu-
tive departments at the International Exposition OF
1876 has concluded its labOrs. The fnai report oil
the board was transmitted to Congress at the Iast
session. As these papers are understood 10 contain
interesting and valuable information, and Will con-
stitute the only report emanatin: from the Govern
ment the subject of the exhibition. invite at
tention to the matter, and recommend that the re
port he published for general information
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Congress il empowered by the constitution WIN
the authority of exclusive legislation over the DIS
triCt of Columbia, In which the seat OF the uoNtrn-
of the nation is located. The interests OF the
district having no direct representation IN Con
gress entitled to special consideration ana care
at the hands Of the general Government
THE CAPITAL
of the United States belongs to the nation ana II
il natural that the American people should take
pride in the seat OF their National Government ana
desire it TO be an ornament to the country: Mucn
has been done to render il heathiul convenient ana
attractive. but much remains to be done, when US
permanent inhabitants not able ana ought not 70
be expected to do. To impose upon them Iarsc
proportion of the cost required FOR publc improve,
ments, which are in great measure planned anu
executed for the convenience al the SoNernnoniSS
and for the many thousands OF VISITORS from az
parts of the country who temporarily reside III 'Ae
capital Of the nation, is an evident lnlusuCc.
Special attention is asked by the commissioners
of the District in their report, when Il heIe"ltin
transmitted to the importance oil permaHent au'
iustmcnt by Congress of the financial relatlous ue-
tween the limited States and the District involving
the regular annual contribution by the United
States f IT, nrnnoriOu of the expenses OF tnc Dis