National Republican., 1881-12-07

! The statistics of mail transportation show that
| during the past year railroad routes have been
Increased IN length 62iOmilcs, and In cost sl,ll1,
~, While steamboat routes have been decreased
IN length Else miles, aud in cost sl5l05i; The
90 eaed star routes have been decreased IN lepgth
| 3giV miles, and In cost s3Gi, la.
| Nearly all the more expensive routes have been
py railroad service Ihe cost o. ,he %
| western States and Territories
inc postmaster General, however, calls attention
| othe constantly increasing cost Of the railway
mhil service as serious difficulty in the way OF
making the Department self sustaining.
| our postal intercourse with foreign countries
"s EeP' PSGe Win the growth Oh tne aomesne
aud colonies have declared their adhesion TO the
Postal Union. II now includes all those which
nave an organized postal service, except BOLIVIA,
costa Rica, New Zealand, and the British colonies
| IN Australia.
As has been already stated, great reductions
have recently boon made in the expense of the
stnr- route service. The Investigations of the De-
partment of Justice and the Post.Omce Depart
ment have resulted IN the presentation OF indict-
ments against persons formerly connected with
that service accusing them of ofenses against the
| United States. | have onjoincd upon the officials
who are charged with the conduct OF the cases on
| the part OF the Government and upon the eminent
counsel. who, before my accession to the Presi,
dency, were called to their assistance, the duty Of
prosecuting with the utmost vigor OF the law nll
persons who may be found ohargeablc with frauds
upon the postal service.
Department OF Justice.
The Acting Attorney. General calls attention to
the necessity Of modifying the present system of
inc COURTS O tilO United SttteS-h necessity que 10
the large increase of business, especially In the
supreme Court. Litigation in our Federal trlbu-
nails became greatly expanded aher the close ofthe
late war so long as that expansion might be at
tributnbc to the abnormal condition in which the
community found itself Immediately after the re-
turn OF peace prudence reanimted m ,hat mo Gn9ange
bunals.
But 1t has now become apparent that an i'm.
mcnsc increase of litigation has directly resulted
from the wonderful growth and development of
the country There is no ground for belief that the
business Of the United States courts Will ever be
less In volume than at present Indeed, that II 10
likely TO be much greater Is generally recognized
In view Of the fNct that Congress has already
given much consideration to this subject make
no suggestion as to detail, but express the hope
ton as VIII give early relief to our oyerburdcned
courts.
The Acting Attorney. General also calls attentir
to the disturbance of the public tranquility durS
the past ycnr In the Territory of Arizona. band
of armed dcsperndOes known as "COw Boys"
probably numbering from fifty to one hundred
!. men, have been engaged for months in commit
ting acts of lawlessncss and brutality which the
Local % anth9rities have been - unable 70 repress.
| extended into Mexico, which the maraudcrs reach
from the Arizonia frontier. With every disposition
{ rassed by lack OF authority u deal with them
eilectually. The punishment OF crimes committed
LEFT to the Territorial authorities But 1t is worthy
consideration whether acts which necessarily tend
to embroil the United States with Lcighboring
. the United States. Some of the incursOns alluded
TO may perhaps be within the scope of the law
heVlseu S,taitntes section g2so infaadng MIL
states; but in view of the speedy assembling of
your body, have preferred to await SUCH legisa-
tion rs in your wisdom the occasion may seem TO
demand.
1t may. perhaps, be thought pepper to provide
that the setting ON foot within our own territory,
of brigandage and armed marauding expeditions.
against friendly nations and their citizens. shall
be punishable as nn olense against the United
, States.
l win add that in the event Of request from
ne territorial government Tor protection by the
United States against domestic Violence" this
government would be powcrless TO render assist
nnce.
The act of 1896 chapter &c. passed nt n time
when Territorial governments received little at
tention from Congr,ss, enforced this duty of the
United States only as to the State governments
liut the act of 1901 chapter 80 applied also to Ter
ritories. This law seems to have remained in force
until the revision OF the statutes, when the pro.
vision for the Territories was dropped / am moi
advised whether this alteration was Intentional o
accidental but ms II seems to me that the Terri.
tories should be offered the protection which is
corded 70 the states by the Constitution, sugges
legislation to that end.
It seems to me, too, that whatever views may
prevail as to the policy of recent legislation by
! which the army has ceased to be part Of tho
! posse cou,itdtus aiI exception might well be made
Tor permitting the military to assist the civil Ter
ritorial authorities In enforcing the laws of the
United States The use of the army would no
seem TO be within the alleged evil against which
that legislation was aimed. From sparseness o
-
, quite impracticable to summon civn posse IN
paces where officers Of justice require assistance
and where a military force is within easy reach
Indian Affairs.
The report Of the Secretary of the Interior, will
accompanying documents, presents an elaborat,
, account of the business Of that Department. a
summary OF would be too extended for this place
: ask your careful attention to the report itself
f Prominent among the matters which ohnl leng,
: the attention of Congress at It's present session Ii
! the management of our Indian Affairs. Will,
= this question has been cause of trouble and chi
! barrassmcnt from the infancy of the Government
tits but recently that any effort has been made fol
its solution at once serious, determined, consist
: ent, and promising success.
| II has been easier to resort to convenient make
shifts for tlding over temporary difficulties thar
+ to grappe with the great permanent problem, and
accordingly, the easier course has almost inyaria
y bly, been pursued.
= 1t was natural, at q time when the national ter
ritory seemed almost illimitable and conaine,
!, many millions of acres far outside the bounds o
= civilized settlements, that policy should hay,
q been initiated which, more thnn nught else, ha
# been the fruitful source OF our Indian complica
a. tions
9 / refer of course, to the policy of dealing will
a the various Indian tribes MS separate nationalites
% of reegating them by treaty siipulations to tn
- occupancy OF immense reservations In tho West
= and of encouraging them to live savage life, un
: disturbed by any earnest aud well. directed effort
= to bring them under the influences of civilization
The unsatisfactory results which have sprun
from thispoiiey are becoming apparent 70 nll.
Is ders OF the reservations the Indians, sometime
eontentedly and sometimes against their will, hav
Il which they have again been disodged .wheneve
d their new. found homes have been desired by tn
10 adventurous settlers.
n These removals and the frontier. collisions b
s. which theyhnvc often been preee'ied, have led
frequent and disastrous confics between the race
1t Is prOfltless 10 discuss here which of them ha
= been chiefly responsible for the disturbance
y, whose recital occupies SO large space upon th
= pages OF oilr history.
l. though thousands Of lives have been sacrihGet
D aud hundreds OF millions OF dollars expended
~ until within the past few years, seemed scarcel
ii nearer u solution than II was half a century az,
But the Government has of late been cautionsl
}. but steadily feeling its way o.tlie adoption of
policy which has already produced graft flying
10 suits, and which, in my Judgment likely, ifCon
Of gress and the Executive accord in Its support,
relieve us ere long from the difficulties which hay
TO hitherto beset us.
:" For the success Of the efforts now making to In
Df trOduce among the Indians the customs and pun
le suits Of civilized life and gradually to absorb thcI
into the mass Of our citizens, sharing their righ
r. and holden to their responsibilities there is In
10 perativc need for legislative action.
nj My suggestions in that regard win be chief
D. such MS have been already called to the attento
OF Congress, and have received to some extent II
4 FiTst-I recommend the passage of an act mai
70 ing the laws of tho various States aud Tcrtori'
applicable to the Indian reservations within the
n borders, aud extending the laws of.the State
ly Arkansas to tho portion of the Indian TerritoI
not occupied by the five civilized tribes,
rs The Indian should receive the protection OF III
be law, lie should be allowed 10 maintain In cou
X his rights of person and property lie has repea
@ yeTy 1Sh ySuSSe I s 10 IL his rs nSoSe tUwa
ae second~of even greater Importance is a meusu
r. which has been frequently recommended by III
predecessors in ofce. and In fnrtherance OF whc
IS several bills have been from time TO time intrI
ly duced in both Houses Of fCongress The enactnel
crafty, 10 such Indians nc least, as desire IT, Of
reasonable quantity of land secured to them
- patent, and for their own protection made mailer
he | able for twenty tWgutN-five Is uemanug