The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-12-10

countries has kept pace with the growth
Of the domestic service. Within the
past year several countries and colonies
have declared their adhesion to the
postal union. It now includes all those
which have an organized postal service,
except Bolivia, Costa RIGA, New Zea.
land, and the British colonies in Aus
tralia.
THE STAR ROUTE CASES.
AS has been already stated, great re-
auctions have recently been made in
the expense of the star route service.
The investigations of the department of
justice and the postoffice department
have resulted in the presentation of in
dictments against persons formerly con-
nected with that service, accusing them
of offenses against the United States.
l have enjoined 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 presidency.
were called to their assistance, the duty
of prosecuting with the utmost vigor Of
the law all persons who may be found
chargeable with frauds upon the postal
service.
The acting Encouragement calls at
ton to the necessity of modifying the
present system of the courts Of the
United States, a necessity due to the
large increase of business, especially in
the supreme court. Litigation in our
Federal tribunals became greatly ex-
banded after the close of the late war.
So long as that expansion might be at
| irihuto hln t0 tho n p oonl;f;o,, -,
which the community found itself i'm
medlately after the return of peace,
prudence required that no change
be made in the constitu-
ton of our judicial tribunals.
But it has now become apparent that
an immense 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 it is likely to be much
greater is generally recognized by the
bench and bar. In view of the
fact that Congress has already given
much consideration to this subject l
make no suggestion as to detail but ex-
press the hope that your deliberations
may result in such legislation as will
give early relief to our over-burdened
courts. The acting encouragement
also calls attention to the disturbance of
the public tranquility during the past
year in the Territory of Arizona. A
band Of armed desperadoes, known
as cowboys" probably numbering
from fifty to one hundred men, have
been engaged for months in committing
acts of lawlessness and brutality which
The local authorities have been unable
10 repress. The depredations of these
" cowboys" have also extended into
Mexico, which the marauders reach
| from the Arizona frontier. With every
disposition to meet the exigencies of the
case, | am embarrassed by lack of au-
thority to deal with them effectually. The
punishment of crimes committed within
Arizona should ordinarily, of course, be
left to the Territorial authorities. But
it is worthy of consideration whether
acts which necessarily tend to embroil
the United States with neighboring
governments should not be declared
crimes against the United States. Some
of the incursions alluded to may perhaps
be within the scope of the law Revised
Statues, Section 5,286) forbidding mil
tary expeditions or enterprises" against
friendly States. But in view of the
speedy assembling Of your body. 1 have
preferred. to await such legislation as in
your wisdom the occasion may seem to
demand. 1t may, perhaps, be thought
proper 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 pun
lshable as an offense against the Uni
ted States. / will add that, in the
event of requisition from the Terri
torlal government for protection by the
United States against domestic vio-
lence," this government would be
powerless to render assistance.
The act of 1895, chapter SO, passed at
a time when Territorial governments re-
celved little attention from Congress,
enforced this duty of the United States
as to the States. But the act of 1907,
chapter 80, applied also to Territories.
This law seems to have remained in
force until revision of the statutes, when
provision for Territories was dropped.
l am not advised whether this altera-
ton was intentional or accidental, but it
seems to me the Territories should be
offered protection which is accorded to
States by the Constitution. l sug-
gest legislation to that end. 1t seems
to me, too, that whatever views may
prevail as to the policy of recent legis-
lation, by which the army has ceased to
be part of the posse commitatus, an
exception might well be made for per
hitting the military to assist the civil
Territorial authorities in enforcing the
laws Of the United States. This use OF
the army would nol seem to be within
the alleged evil against which that legis-
lation was aimed. From sparseness Of
population, and other circumstances, it
is often quite impracticable to summon
a civil posse in places where officers OF
justice require assistance, and where
military force is within easy reach.
THE INDIANS.
The report of. the secretary OF the
interior, with accompanying documents,
presents an elaborate account OF the
business of that department. A sum-
mary of it would be too extended for
| &l,e .,,l~ x-o,,r oarpf,l1 attention