Year: 1861

their increased number, by reason OF the
war. 1t is as much the duty of the Gov
ernment to render prompt justice against
itself in favor Of citizens as Il Is To admin
lister the same between private individuals
The investigation and adjudication of All
claims in their nature belong TO the iudi
cial department Besides, it is apparent
thai the attention Of Congress will be
more than usually engaged for some time
with great national questions.


it was intended by the organization of
the Court of Claims mainly to remove
this branch of business from the halls of
Congress; but. while the Court has proved
to b0 an efficient ana valuable means of
Investigation, it. in general degree. fails
to effect the object of its creation for
want Of power to make its judgments final.


Fully aware of the delicacy, not to say
the danger of the subject, | commend to
YOUR careful consideration whether this
form of making judgments final NAV not
ba properly given To the court, reservinr
the right of appeal, on questions OF law,
/ to the supreme court, with such other
provisions as experience may have shown
to be necessary.


The present insurrection shows, | think
that the extension of this District across
the Potomac river at the time of estab-
fishing the Capitol here, was eminentlv
wise, and consequently the relinquish-
iii mt Of that portion of it which lies in
the State of Virginia was unwise and
dangerous | submit to your considera-
ton the expedencv of retaining that part
of the District, aud the restoration of the
original boundaries thereof, through ne
gotiations with the State of Virginia
Tho rppoTt of tba Sacratary pf bo II
terror, with the accompanying documents,
exhibit the condition of the several
branches of the public business pertain
ing TO that department. The depressing
influences Of the insurrcction have been
have been especially felt in the Patent
and General Land Offices The cash re
ceipts from the sales Of public lands dur
ing the last year have exceeded the ex-
penses of our land system only about two
hundred thousand dollars The sales
have been entirely suspended in the
Southern States, while the Interruptions
to the business of the country and the
diversion of large numbers of men from
labor to military service, has obstructed
settlements in the new States of the North
West The receipts of the Patent Office
have declined III nine months about Sl00,-
900, rendering a large reduction of the
force employed necessary to make it self
sustaining


The demands upon the pension Office
Will be largely increased by the insurrec-
ton. Numerous applications for pensions
based upon the casualties of the existing
war have already been made There is
reason to believe that many who are now
upon the pension roll and in receipt of the
bounty of the government, are in the
ranks Of the insurGent army, or giving
them aid and comfort The Secretary of
tn Interior has directed the suspension
of the payments of the pensions of such
persons upon proof Of their disIoyalty.-
| recommend that Congress authorize that
officer to cause the names Of such persons
to be stricken from the pension roll.


The relations of the Government with
the Indian tribes have been lately dis
turbed by the iasurrection. especially in
the Southern ~upcrintendencv and in that
Of New Mexico. The Indian country
south of Kansas is in possession OF insur
gants from Texas and Arkansas The
agents OF tie |. :. appointed since the
4th Of March, for this superintendency.
have been unable to reach their posts
nile most of those who were in Office
before that time have espoused the insur-
rectory cause and assumed to execute the
power of agents bv virtue Of comniss ons
from the insurrcctionists.


1t has been stated in the public press
that portion of these Indians have been
organized as a military force and are AT
tached to the army of the Insurgents, al
though the government has no official in
formation upon the subject Letters have
been written to the Commissioner of IE-
dian Affairs by several prominent chiefs
giving assurance Of their LOYALTY to the
United States. and expressing the wish for
the presence of the Federal troops TO pro
tcct them. 1t is believed that on the re-
possession Of the country bv the Federal
forces the Indians will readily cease all
hostile demonstrations and resume their
former relations to the Government


Agriculture, confesscdly the largest in
terest of the nation, has not a department
or Bureau but Il clcrkship assigned to it
in the Government While it is fortunate
that this great interest is so Independent
in its nature as not to have demanded and
eNtOrtcd more from the Governments | re
Spectiully ask Congress to consider wheth-
er something more cannot be given volun-
tarilv with general advantage Annual
reports exhibiting the condition Of our az
ricultnre, commerce and manufactures





great practical value to the country
While | make no suggestion rs to details,
! venture the opinion that an Agricultural
and systematical Bureau might protitably
be organized.


The execution of the laws for the sup
precision of the African slave trade has
been cortided to the Department Of the
Interior 1t is a suhjcctof congratulation
that the efforts which have been made for
t." suppression of this inhuman traffic
have recently been attended with unusual
success Five vessels being fitted ont for
the slave trade have beeu seized and con-
dcmncd Two masters engaged in the
trade and one person equipping the vessel
rs SLAYER, have been convicted and sub
iected to the penalty Of fine and impriSon-
ment: and one captain, taking mp cargo
Of Africans on board his vessels. has been
convicted Of the highest grade Of offence
under our laws, the punishment Of which
Is death.


The Territories of Colorado Dacotah
and Nevada. created by the last Congress,
have been organized, and civil administra-
tons have been inaugurated therein under
auspices especially gratifying, when it i
considered that the leaven of treason was