National Republican., 1881-12-07

lncludcd Within the becoming limits OF this com
ports OF the Secretary of the anterior and the Com
missioner of Indian Affairs.
PoIygan,y.
For many years the Executive, IN his annual
message 10 Congress, has urged the necessity Of
stringent legislation for the suppression of poyg-
amy IN The Terrtories, and especially in the Ter
ritory of Utah. The existing statute for the pun
ishment of this odious crime, so revolving TO the
moral and religious sense Of Christendom, has
bern pcrsistently and contemptuOusy violated
ever since It's enactment. Indeed In spite of COM
mendabe efforts the part Of the authorities who
represent the United states in that Territory the
for cause TO which reference will presently be
made, Is practically dead letter.
The fact that adheronts of the Mormon Church,
which rests upon polygamy as Its cornerstone,
have recently been peOplinR I'm large numbers
Idaho, Arlzona, and other of our Western, Terri
tories is well calculated to excite the livelicst in
terest and apprehension. II imposes upon Con-
Eress and the Executive the duty of arraying
against this barbnrous system all the power which,
under the Constitution and the law, they can WELD
for Its destruction.
Reference has been already made to the obstacles
which the United States officers have encountered
In the efforts to punish violations of law. Promi-
nent among these obstacles Is the difficulty pro-
curing legal evidence sufficient TO warrant con-
yiction even in the case of the most notorious Of
Tenders
Your attention is called to recent opinion of
the supreme Court ofthe United States, explaln-
ing Its judgment OF reversal In the case of Miles,
who had been convicted Of bgamy In Utah. The
the celebration Of marriages in that Teritory
makes the proof OF polygamy very difficult; aud
the proprIely Is suggested Of modifying The law of
evidence which now makes wife incompetent to
testify against her husband,
This suggestion isapproved. recommend also
the passage of an act providing that in the Terri
tories of the United States the fact that woman
has been married TO person charged with bgamy
shall not disqualify her MS witness upon bis trial
for that ohense. further recommend legislation
by which any person solemnlzlng marriage in
any of the Territories shall be required, under
stringent penalties fOrneglect or refusal TO file
certificate OF such marriage in the Surname Court
of the Territory
Doubicss Congress may devise other practicable
measures for obviating the difficulties which have
hitherto attended the efforts to suppress this ini
guilty. 1assure you of my determined purpose to
cooperate with you In any lawful and discreet
measures which may be proposed 70 that end.
Education.
Although our system of government does not
contemplate that the Nation should provide or
support system for the education of our people,
no measures calculated to promote that general
intelligence and virtue upon which the perpetuity
been regarded with Indifference by Congress or the
| Executive.
A large portion ofthcpublic domain has been,
from time to time, devoted to the promotion Of
There is now special reason why, by setting
apart the proceeds Of ifs sales Of public lands or
by some other course, the Government should mid
| the work OF education. Many who now exercise
the right of suffrage arc unable TO read the ballot
emerged from condition of slavery were sud
denly devolved the responsibilities of citizenship
| III tuut portion OF tne country most Impoverished
| by war. i have been pleased TO learn from the
/ report OF the Commissioner of Education that
there has lately been commendnble increase of
interest md effort for their instruction; but all
that can be done by local legislation and private
generosity should be supplemented by such hid MS
can be constitntionally afforded by the National
| Iwould suggest that If any fund be dedicated to
this purpose 1t may be wisely distributed in the
different states according to the ratio of iliteracy
as by this means those localities which arc most
| in need OF such assistance will reap its special
| benefits.
| The report of the Commissioner of Agriculture
| exhibits tho results of the experiments in which
that Department has been engaged during the past
ence TO the agricultural development ofthe coun'
try.
consequent addition 70 the number of those Ell.
gagged In the pursuit of husbandry are giving tC
this Department growing dignity and import
anee. The Commissioners suggestions touching
its capacity for greater usefulness deserves atten-
ton, as 1t more and more commends itself to the
Interests Which IL was created to promote.
| Pensions.
l IL appears from the report of tho Commissioner
of Pensions that since 1860 7S90G3 original pension
claims have been filed 150,9iD of these have beer
allowed aud inscribed on the pension roll; 72,53
have been rejected and abandoned. being 13S pei
cent of the whole number of claims settled.
There are now pending for settlement 26j,57
original pension claims, 227 0i0 of which were ileC
prior to July l. 1880. These, when allowed vii
involve the payment Of arrears from the dn,c o
discharge in case of an invalid aud from date o
death or termination of a prior right in all oihe
From all the data obtainable It is estimated
that 10 per cent. of the number of claims nov
pending will be rejected or abandoned Thi
and the probable admission Of about l05.OO
claims, all ofwhich involve the payment ofarrcar
With the present force employed, the number O
adIudicntions remaining the same and no new
business Intervening, this number of caims IDS,
900 conld be acted upon In u period of six years
aud taking January l. 1881, as period from whicl
TO estimate in each case an average amount of ar
rears, It Is found that every case allowed wonlt
require, for the first payment upon II, the sum o
1880. Multiplying this AMOUNT by the ,whol,
number of ofiprobable admissions gives S25oO00.Oo
resents the sum which must be paid upon claim
which were filed before July ], 1880 and are nov
peuding and entitled to the benefit Of the ar
rcars act. From this amount (S250O0O,000) may b.
deducted from ten TO. iiileen millions, for case
where the claimant dying, there Is no person who
under the law, would be entitled 10 succeed to tn
pension, leaving s5, 900 900 as the probable amour
In these estimates no account has been taken o
the 49, 900 cases filed since June 80, 1880 and nov
! pending, which must receive attention as currcn
business, butwhich do otinyoiye the paymen
ofany arrears beyond the date OF Ming the claim
of this numberit Is estimated that S6 per cen
will be allowed
) As has been stated, with the present force OF tn
Pension Bureau. G75 clerks, II Is estimated that
VIII take six years to dispose of the claims no'
| pending.
dicnting force rather than the mechanically doubl
the amount OF work eouid be accomplished s
thnt these cases could he acted upon within tire
Aside from the considerations of justice whicl
may be urged for speedy settlement OF the claim,
now oil the files of tho Pension Olice II Is no les
!. important on the score of economy, iiIasmucl a
fully ne.third Of the clerical force of the oiiee
now wholly occupied in giving attention TO cor
e rcspopdence with the thousands of claimant
, whose eases have been on the files for the pis
! eighteen years, The fnct that sum so enornou
I'm nlxn lad hxf
mniids for arrears OF pensions is ln admonitio
!, TO Congress and the Executive to give caution
eonslderation to any similar project IN the intur'
. . The great temntaton 70 the presentation Of he
titous claims afforded by the fact that the averag
sum obtained upon each application Is sl3C
leads me to suggest the propriety OF making som
= special appropriation for the prevention of frauC
Internal Improve ments.
i advise appropriations for such internal i'm
: to be of public Importance. The necessity of i'm
proving The navigation of the Mississippi River jus
s tifes special allusionto that subject j sugYea
: | the adoption OF some measure for 'the'removal
distractions which now impede the navigation
v that great channel ofeommerco
Il 'Givfi4Service Reform.
5 In my letter accepting the nomination for tli
Vice Presidency ! stated that in my judgmeI
: "no man should be the incumbent ofan ofice tn
IS duties Of which he is for any cause unfit to pei
r form-who Is lacking in ability fidelity, or mtep
den demands" fhis Sentiment would doubtless llt met
Wdey divided poS the wisdom ad paecaS i s
It ity of the various refoImatory schemes whic
: have been suggested and of certain proposed reg
d ulations governing appointments TO public ofiic
d "The efficiency of such regulations has bee
distrusted, mainly because they have seemed
o exalt mere educational and abstract tests abov
y general business capacity and oven special htne'
h for the particular work in haud. Il seems TO IN
}. that the rules which should be applied TO Ia
1t management Of the public service may properl
= conform in the main to such regulate the con
a duct OF successful private business:
y ''Original appointments should be based upo
i aseerained fitness
d "The tenure of Office should be stabla