Year: 1865

to the country; and. instead of hasty antici.
patious of the dertanty of failure, let there be
nothing wanting to tho fair trial of the expert.
mcnt. The change in their condition is the
substitution OF labor by contract for the status
of slavery. The freedman cannot fairly be
accused OF unwillngness to work, so long AS 4
doubt remains about his freedom Of choice in
his pursuits, and the certainty of his recovering
his stipulated wages. In this the interests OF
the employer and the employed coincide
The employer desires in his workmcn spirit
and alacrity, and these Can be permanently Sc
cured in no other way. And if the one ought
to be able to enforce the contract, so ought the
other The public nterest will be best promo.
ted, if the several States will provide adequa te
protection and remedies for the freedmen
Until this is in some way accomplished, there
is no chance for the advantageous use Of their
l;bor; and the blame of ill-saccess will not rest
on them.


know that sincere philanthropy is earnest
for the immediate realization Of its remotest
aims; but time is always an element in reform.
1t is one of the greatest acts on record to have
brought four millions Of people into freedom
The career. of free industry must be fairly
opened to them; and then their future prosper.
ity and condition must, after all, rest mainly
on themselves. If they fail, and so perish
away, let us be careful that the failure shall
not be attributable to any denial Of Justice
In all that relates to the destiny Of the freed.
men, We need not be too anxious to read the
future; many incidents which, from spec.
ulativc point of view, might raise alarm, will
quietly settle themselves
! Now that slavery is at an end, or near its
end the greatness Of its evil, in the poin. Of
view of public economy, becomes. pmore 'appa-
rent Slavery was essentially a monopoly Of
labor, and as such locked the States where it
prevailed against the incoming of free industry.
Where labor was the property of the capitalist,
the white man was excluded from employment,
, or had but the second best chance OF finding it
and the foreign emisrant turned away from the
region where his condition would be so preca
rious. With the destruction of the monopoly,
free labor will hasten from all parts of the
civilized world to assist in developing various
| and immeaSurable resources which have h;ther.
to lain dormant. The eight or nine States
nearest the Gulf Of Mexico have o soil of
exuberant fertility. climate friendly to long
life, and can sustain denser population than
| is found as yet in any part of our country
And the future influx OF population to them
will be mainly from the North or from the
most cultivated nations in Europe. From The
su u.ferings that have attended them during Our
late struggle, let us look away to the future,
which is shure to be laden for them with
etSaIeE prosperity lndu HdS VWEt DtiOIc DttN
known The removal of the monopoly OF slave
labor is pledge that those regions will be
peoped by numerous and enterprising pop
ulaion, which will vie with any in the Union
in compactness, inventive genius, weelth, and
| industry.


Our Government springs from and was made
for the peope-not the people for the Govern
ment. TO them it owes allegiance; from
them it must derive its courage, strength, and
wisdom But, while the Government is thus
bound to deter to the people, from whom it de.
rives its existence, it should, from the very
consideration Of Its origin, be strong in its
power OF resistance to the establishment Of
inequalities. Mouopolies, perpetuities, and
class legslasiOn, are contrary TO the genius OF
free government, and ought no to be allowed.
Here, there ia no room for favored classes or
monopocs. the principle Of our Government
is that Of equal laws and freedom of industry.
| Wherever monopoly attains fOothOld, it is
sure to be source OF danger, discord and
trouble. We shall but fulfill our duties a.
Legislators by accor,ng "equal and exact jus
tice to all men" special privileges to none
The Government is subordinate to the people
but, as the agent and representative of tht
people; it must be held superior to monpolies
which, in themselves, ough tnevcr to be gran
ten, and which, where they exist, must be sub
ordinate and yield to the Government


The Constitution confers on Congress the
right to regulate commerce among the several
States. 1t is of the first necessity, for the
maintenance of the Union, that commerce
should be free and unobstructed. No State
can be justified in any device to tax the transi,
OF travel ana commerce between States. The
position Of many States is such that, if they
we're allowed to take advantage of it


for purposes Of local revenue, the
commerce between States might be njuriously
burdened, or even virtually prohibited. 1t is
best, while the country is still young. and
while the tendency to dangerous monopoles
of this kind is still feeble, to use the power of
| Congress to prevent any selfish inpedi-
mens to the free circulation Of men and mer-
chandise. A tax On travel and merchandise,
in their transit, constitutes one Of the worst
! forms of monopoly, and the evil is increased ii
coupled with denial y t the choice af route
| w hen the vast extent OF our country is con.
sidered, it is plain that every obstacle to the
free circulation Of commerce between the States
ought to be sternly guarded against by appro.
pirate leg sis ation, within the limits OF the Con
stitution.


The report Of the Secretary of the Interior
explains the condition Of the public lands, the
transactions of the Patent Office and the Pen.
sion Bureau, the management Of our Indian
affairs, the progress made in the construction
OF .he Pacific ltailroad and furnishes inferma
ton in reference 70 matters of local interest in
the District OF Columbia. 1t also presents
evidence of the successful operation of the


Homestead Act, under the provisions Of which


l6O ,533 acres Of the public lauds were entered
during the last fiscal year--more than one


fourth OF the whole number of acres sold OF


otherwise disposed Of during that period. L


is estimated that the receipts derived from th


source are sufficient to cover the expenses Incl


dent to the survey and disposal Of the land
entered under this Act, and that payments il


cash to the extent OF rom forty to fifty pei
cent, will be made by settlers, who may thus


ut any time acquire title be fore the expiration
of the period al which it would otherwise vest.
The homestead policy. was established only
after long ana earnest resistance; experience
proves It's wisdom. The lands, in the hands
OF industrious settlers, whose labor creates
wealth and contributes to the public resources.
are worth moe to the United States than if
they had been reserved as q solitude for future
purchasers.


The lamen.able events Of the last four years
and the sacrifice made by the gallant men OF
our Army and Nav, have swelled the records
of the Pension Bureau to an unprecedented
extent On the 3Oth day of June last, the
total number of pensioners WAS c5 ,9S6, requr.
ing for their annual pay, exclusive OF expenses,
the sum Of $S,023,445. The number OF ap-


plications that have been allowed since that
date will rdquire a large increase Of this
!, amount for The next fiscal year The means
for the payments of the stipends due, under
, existing laws, to our disabled soldier. and
sailors. and to the families Of such As have
perished in the service of the country, will no
, doubt be cheerfuIly granted. grateful peo.
, pie will not hesitate to sanction any measures
|, having for their object the relief Of soldiers


mulitated and families made fatherless in the
efforts to preserve our national existence.
The report of the Postmaster General pre-
, sents an encouraging exhibit OF operations OF
, the Post Office Department. during the year
The revenues of the past year, from the loyal
States alone. exceeded the annual maximum
, annual receipts from all the States previous to
the rebellion in the sum Of $6,O3sO O9l and