Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-12-04

Able 10 preceding years, so that the
actual expenditures for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1873, are $685..
574.647.50. The amount drawn from
the treasury In appropriations, in ad-
dition to the revenues of the depart
ment, was IS. 307, 652.S2. The expen.
ditures for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1880, are estimated at $780,
57l, 800, and the receipts from all
sources at $50, 1854, $50, leaving de.
to be appropriated out Of the
treasury Of $5,907, S76.l0. The report
calls attention to the fact that the
compensation Of Postmasters, and Of
railroads for carrying the mails, 10
regulated by law, and the failure of
Congress to appropriate these
amounts required for these purposes
does not relieve the Government of
responsibility, but of necessity in
creases tho deficiency bills which
Congress will be called upon to pass.
In providing for the postal service,
the following questions are present.
ed: Should Congress annually appro-
pirate sum for its expenses largely
in excess of its revenues, or should
such rates Of postage be established
as will make the department self-sus-
tanning? Should the postal service
be reduced by excluding from the
mails matter which does not pay its
way? Should the number Of post.
routes be diminished Should other
methods be adopted which will in
crease the revenues or diminish the
expenses OF the postal service?
THE INTERNATIONAL POSTAL UNION.
The International postal congress,
which met at Paris, May l, 1873, and
continued in session until June 4, of
the same year, was composed of dele
gates from nearly all the civilized
countries of the world. 1t adopted q
new convention to take the place of.
the treaty concluded at Berne, Octo-
Der 9, 1874, which goes into effect on
the first of April, 1879, between the
countries whose delegates have sign
ed it. 1t was ratified aud approved,
by and with the consent Of the presi-
dent, August Ii, 1878. A synopsis If
this universal postal convention will
be found in the report OF the Post
master General, and the full text In
the appendix thereto. In its origin
the Postal Union comprised twenty.
three countries, having q population
Of three hundred and fifty millions Of
people. On the first Of April next it
will comprise forty-three countries
and colonies. with Il population of
over six hundred and fifty millions of
people, and will soon, BY the Access
zion of the few remaining countries
and colonies which maintain organic.
ed postal Service, constitute in fact as
we'll as in name, a. its new title indi.
Gates, universal union, regulating
upon q uniform basis of cheap post
age rates, the postal service between
all civilized nations.
Some embarrassment has arisen out
of the conflict between the customs
laws Of this country and the provis-
ions Of the postal convention in re.
gard to the transmission Of foreign
books and newspapers 10 this country
by mail. 1t is hoped that Congress
will be able to provide some means
of reconciling the difficulties which
have thus been creatci, SO astu do
Justice to all parties involved.
JUDICIAL BUSINESS.
The business Of tho supreme court
and Of the courts in many Of the cir.
cults has increased to such an extent
during the past years, that additional
legislation is imperative to relieve and
prevent the delay of justice and pos
sible oppression to suitors which Ii
~ l..
condition of these dockets is present.
ed anew in the report ofthe Attorney.
General, and the remedy suggested IL
earnestly urged for congressional &C.
ton. The creation OF additional cir.
cult judges proposed would afford q
complete remedy and wOnld involve
an expense, AT the present rate Of sal
aries, of not more tha n $G0. 900 year
INDIAN MATTERS.
The annual reports Of the Secreta
~ Of The Interior and the Commits.
sioner Of Indian Affairs present an
elaborate account of the present con
dition Of the Indian tribes. and Of that
branch of the public service which
ministers to their interests. While
The conduct of tho Indians generally
has bee n orderly, and their relations
with their neighbors friendly and
peaceful, two local disturbances have
occurred which weru deplorable in
their character, and remained happi.
ly confined TO comparatively small
number of Indians. Tho discon-
tent among the Bannocks, which
led first to some acts of violence on
the part OF some members of the
tribe, and finally to the outbreak, ap.
pears to have been caused by an in
sufficiency of food on the reserva-
ton, and this insufiiciency to have
been owing to the inadeQuacy of the
appropriations made by congress to
the wants of the Indians, at time
when the Indians were prevented
from supplying the deficiency by
hunting. After an arduous pursuit
by the troops Of the United States,
and several engagements, the hostile
Indians were reduced TO sui lection,
and the larger part Of them surren-
dered themselves as prisoners. In
this connection desire to call atten-
ton to the recommendation made by
the Secretary Of the Interior, that a
sufficient force be placed ut the dis
posal of the executive to be used with
proper accountability, at discretion,
in sudden emergencies of the Indian
service. The other cause Of disturb
ance3 was that band Of northern
Cheyennes, who suddenly left their
reservation, in the Indian Territory,
and marched rapidly through the
states of Kansas and Nebraska, in the
direction of their old hunting grounds
committing murders and other crimes
ON their way. From documents ac-
complaining the report Of the Secre-
tary Of the Interior il appears that
this disorderly band was "a fully
supplied with the necessaries of life
as the four Thousand seven hundred
other Indians who remained qui.
city on the reservation, and
that the disturbance was caused by
men Of restless and mischieyous dis
position among the Indians them
selves. Almost the whole of this
band have surrendered to the militia
ry authorities, and II is a gratifying
fact that when some Of them had ia
ken refuge in the camp of the Red
Cloud Sioux, with whom they had
been in friendly relations, the Sioux
held them as prisoners, and readily
gave them up to tho officers Of the
United States, thus giving new proof
of the loyal spirit which, alarming
rumors to the contrary withstand-
ing, they have uniformly shown ever
since the wishes they expressed at
the council Of September, 1877, had
been complied with. Both the score.
tary Of the interior aud the secretary
of war unite in the recommendation
that provision be made by congress
for the organization of corps of
mounted Indian auxiliaries, to be un-
der the control. Of the army, and to
be used for the purpose of keeping
the Indians on their reservations, and
preventing or depressing disturbance
on their part. Iearnestly concur in
this recommendation. 1t 10 believed
that the organization Of such a body
Of Indian cavalry, receiving moder-
ate pay from the government, would
considerably wesken the restless ele.
ment among the Indians. by With
drawing from il "A number OF