The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-12-14

other OF our western Territories, is
well calculated to excite the liveliess
interest and apprehension. 1t i'm
poses upon Congress and the Exec
utive the duty of using. against this
barbarous system all the power
which under the Constitution and
law thev cap WELD for its destruc-
ton. Reference has been made al
ready to The obstacles which the
United States officers encountered
in their efforts to punish violations
Of the law. Prominent among the
obstacles is the difficulty of procur,
lug legal evidence sufficient to war
rant a conviction even in the case OF
the most notorious of them. Your
attention is called to the recent opin-
of the Supreme Court of the United
States explaining its judgment of re-
versal in the case of Miles, who had
been convicted of bigamy in Utah.
The Court refers to the fact that the
secrecy attending the celebration of
marriages in that Territory makes
that part of the polygamy very diff
ficult, and the propriety is suggested
of modifying that law of evidence
which now makes wife incompe-
tent to testify against her husband.
This suggestion is approved. ] rec
ommend also the passing of an act
providing that in the Territories Of
the United States the fact that a
woman has been married TO a per-
son charged with bigamy shall not
disquslify her as a witness upon his
trial for that offense. | further rec
ommend legislation by which any
person solemnizing a marriage in
any of the Territories shall he re-
quired under stringent penalties for
neglect or refusal to file a certificate
of such marriage in the supreme
Court of the Territory, unless Con-
gress may devise other practicable
measures for obviating the Difficult
ties which have hitherto attended
the efforts TO suppress this iniquity.
[ assure you of my determined pur-
pose to cooperate witt you in any
lawful and discreet measures which
may be proposed to that end.
THE AID OF EDUCATION.
Although our system of govern
ment does not contemplate that the
nation should provide or support
system of education of our people,
no measure calculated to promote
that general intelligence and virtue
upon which the perpetuity of our in
sti'utions SO greatly depends, have
ever been regarded with indifference
by Congress or the Executive. \
large portion of the public domain
has been from time to time devoted
to the promotion of education.
There is now a special reeson why
by setting apart the proceeds of its
sales of public lands, or by some
other course, the Government should
aid the work of education. Many
who now exercise the right of suf-
frage are unable to read the ballot
which they cast. Upon many who
had Just emerged from a condition
of slavery, were suddenly devolved
the responsibilities of citizenship in
that portion of the country more i'm
poverished by war. | have been
pleased to learn from the report of
the Commissioner OF Education that
there has been lately commenda
BILE increase of interest and effort
for their instruction, butall that can
be done by local legislation and pri
vate generosity should be supple
mented by such aid as can be con
stitutionally afforded by the Nation
al Government.
/ would suggest that if any fund
be dedicated to this, it will be wise
ly distributed in the different States
according to the ratio of illiteracy,
as by this means those locations
which are most in need of such as
sistance viii reap its especial bene-
fit.
The report OF the Commissioner
of Agriculture exhibits the results
OF the experiments in which that
department has been engaged dur
ing the past year, and makes inn
p9rtant suggestions is reference to
the agricultural development of the
country. The steady increase of
our population and the consequent
addition to the number of those en-
gaging in the pursuit OF husbandry
are giving to this department a
growing dignity and importance.
the Commissioners suggestions
touching its capacity for greater
usefulness deserve attention, as it
more and more commends itself to
the interest which it was created to
promote.
THE WORK OF THE PENSION BUREAU.
1t appears from the report of the
Commissioners of Pensions that
1869, 7S9,003 original pension
claims have been filed, 450,949 of
those have been allowed and in.
scribed on the pension roll 1888 |
have been rejected and ,bandoned,
being thirteen per cent. of the whole |
of claims settled. There are now |
pending for settlement 265, ,575 orig |
iIial pension claims, 265,575 of
which were filed nrior to July 1st,
1880. These, when allowed, will |
involve the payment of arrears from
the date OF discharge in the case OF
an invalid, ard from the date of
death or termination of prior right
Id all other cases. From all the da- |
Ia obtainable it is estimated that |
fifteen per cent. of the number OF
claims now pending viii be reject /
ed or abandoned This would show 4
the probable rejection Of 34,040 cas-
es and the probable admission of
about l93, ,090 claims, all Of which |
involves the payment of arrears of
pension. With the present force |
employed, the number of adjudica
tioDs remaining, no more new bas
ness intervening, this number ~
claims (l93,000) could be acted ul,-
on in a period six years, and taking /
January /, 1884, as near period |
from which TO estimate in each case
an average amount of arrears. it is
found that every case allowed would |