The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-12-12
lions necessarily occasion.
Pr0tection of Federal Officers and wit

q
The assault made by David s. Terry upon the
person of Justice Field, Of the supreme court OF
the United States, at Lathrop Cal, in August
last, and the killing of the a:sailant by deputy
United States marshal who had been deputed te
accompany Justice Field and to protect him from
anticipated violence at the hands of Terry in con
nection with the legal proceedings which have
followed, suggest questions which. in my judg
ment, are worthy Of the attention of congress.
Irecommend that more definite provision be
made by law. not only for the protection of fed
eral officers but for full trial of such cases ir
the United States courts. In recommending such
legislation do not at all impeach either the gen
eral adequacy of the pre-. :sion made by the state
laws for the protection Of all citizens, the gen
eral good disposition OF those charged with the
execution Of such laws to give protection to the
officers Of the United States. The duty of pro.
tectng its officers, as such, and of Furnishing
those who assault them on accouE. Of their Off.
cial acts, should not be devolved expressly or by
acquiescence upon the local authorities.
Events which have been brought to my atten.
ton, happening in other parts of the country,
have also suggested the propriety of extending
by legislation fuller protection to those who may
be called witnesses in the courts Of the United
States. The law compels those who are supposed
to have knowledge Of public ohenses to attend
uIon oUr courts and grand juries and to give evi.
derce There is manifest resulting duty that
these witnesses shall be protected from injury on
account Of their testimony. The Investigations
of criminal ofenses are often rendered futile and
the punishment of crime impossible by the in
timidation of witnesses.
The necessity of providing some more speedy
method for disposing of the cases which nov
come for final ad djudication to the supreme court
becomes every year more apparent and urgent
The plan of providing some Intermediate courts
having final appellate jurisdiction Of certain
classes Of questions and eases, has, think, re-
ceived more general approval from the bench
and bar OF the country than any other. Without
attempting to discuss details recommend that
provision be made for the establishment Of such
courts.
The salaries Of the judges Of the district courts
in many 1T the districts are, In my Judgment, in
adequate. l recommend that all such salaries
now below S., 900 per annum be increased to that
amount. 1t is quite true that the amount OF labor
performed by these judges is very unequal; but
as they cannot properly engage in other pursuits
to supplement their incomes, the salary should be
such in all cases as to provide an Independent and
i comfortable support.
Earnest attention should be given by congress
to consideration of the question how far the re-
straint of those combinations of capital commonly
called trusts is matter of federal jurisdiction.
When organized, they often are, to crush out
all healthy competition and to monopOlize the
production sale of an article of commerce and
general necessity, they dangerous conspira-
cles against the public good, and should be made
the subject of prohibitory and even penal legis-
lation.
The subject OF an international copyright has
been frequently commended to the attention of
congress by my predecessors. The enactment OF
such a law would be emnently wise and just.
Our naturalization laws should be 30 revised as
to make the inquiry into the moral character
and good disposition towards our government OF
the persons applying for citizenship more thor
Ough This can only be done by taking fuller
control Of nv yin times
for hearing such applications, and by requiring
the presence Of some who shall represent the
government in the inquiry. Those who are the
avowed enemies Of social order, who come to our
shores to swell the injurious influence and to ex-
tend the evil practices Of any association that de-
fies laws, should not only be denied citizen
ship, but domice.
The enactment of a national bankrupt law of
charac. + to be permanent part Of our general
legislation is desirable 1t should be simple in its
methods and inexpensive In its administration.
The Postmaster Generals Report.
The report of the postmaster general not only
exhibits the operations of the department for the
| last fiscal year, but contains many valuable sug
| geStions for the improvement and extension Of
| the service which commended to your atten-
tion. No other branch of the government has so
close contact with the daily life of the people
Almost every one uses the service it offers, and
every hour gained in the transmission of the
| great commercial mails has an actual and posi-
| bic value that only those engaged in trade can
| understand.
| The saving of one day in the transmission of the
mails between New York and San Francisco,
| which has recently been accomplished, is an Incl
| dent worthy of mention
The plan suggested Of a supervision of the post
offices in separate districts that shall involve in
| struction and suggestion and a rating of the
efficiency of the postmasters would, I haoe no
| doubt, greatly improve the service.
| Secretary Tracy's Report.
! The report Of the secretary of the navy shows q
reorganization of the bureaus of the department
that will, do not doubt, promote the efficiency of
| each.
In general, satisfactory progress has been
made in the construction of the ships of
war authorized by congress. The first vessel Of
the new navy, the Dophin subjected to
very severe trial tests and to very much adverse
criticism. But it is gratifying to be able to state
that cruise around the world, from which she
has recently returned. has demonstrated that
| she is first class vessel of her rate.
The report of the secretary shows that while
the effective force of the navy is rapidly increas-
| ing, by reason of the improved build and arma-
ment Of the ships, the number OF ships
fit for sea duty grows very slowly. We had. on
| the 4th of March last, thirty seven servceable
| ships, and though four have since been added to
the list the total number has not been increased,
| because in the mean time four have been lost
| or condemned Twenty-siX additional vessels
| have been authorized and appropriated for but it
| is probable that when they completed our list
will only be increased to foity-two, gain of five.
The old wooden ships are disappearing almost as
| fast the vessels are added These facts
| carry their argument One OF the ships
| may in fighting strength, be equal to two of the
DID, but it cannot do the cruising duty of two. II
Is important, therefore, that We should have a
| more rapid increase il the number OF serviceable
| ships. l concur in the reconInlcn l,:ton of the
IL
ships, three gunboats and five torpedo boats be
authorized.
An appalling calamity befeil three of our nava
vessels On duty the Samoan islands. in the
harbor of Apa. i'll March last, involving the loss
of four officers and forty seven s-anen. of two
vessels the Treuton and the Vandal.a. and the
disabling OF a third. the Nipsic. Three vessels Of
the German navy, also in the harbor, shared viii
our ships the force of the hurricane AMI st.ffere,
even more heavily. While mourniIg The bFav.
officers and men who died, facing vi II high re
solve perils greater than those of battle, it il
most gr1tif, !, ing to state that the credit of tht
American navy for seamaiiship, courage, anC
. generosity magniicently sustained in tn,
storm beaten harbor Of Apia.
(The president here speaks at length of tn,
progress and condition Of tl. Indian on gov
ernment reservations and refers to tn,
Sioux and Cherokee negotiations.)
The Opening of Oklahoma.
$ Under the agreement made between the Unitel
States and the Muscogee (or Creek) nation o.
Indians the 10Th day Of January 1882 an ab
solute title secured by the United States Il
| about three and half millions of acres of land
Section IL Of the general Indian appropriation
act approved March 2. 1889. made provision fo
| the purchase by the United States from the Sem
mole tribe of certain portion of their lands
. The delegates Of the Seminole nation, having