Year: 1871

ilization. They are being cared for


in such away, it is hoped, as to induce.
those still plrsuing their old habits of


life to embrace the only opportunity


which is left them to avoid extermina-
tion. | recommend liberal appropria-


tions to carry out the Idian peace
policy, not only because it is humane,
Christian-ike and economical but be-
cause it is right. | recommend to
your honorable consideration also the
policy of granting q territorial gov
ernment 20 the Indians in the Indian
territory, west of the Arkansas and
Missouri, and south kanses. In doing
do every right guaranteed to the In
dians by treaty should be secured,
such course might in time be that
means Of collecting most of the In
dians now between the Missouri and
the Pacific, and south of the British
possessions, into one territory or in
state. The secretary of the interior
has treated upon this subject at length
and recommend to you his sugges-
ton.


renew my recommendations that
the public lands be regarded as her.
itage to our children, 20 be disposed Of
only as required for occupancy and to
actual settlers. Those already grant
ed have been in great part disposed of
III such "a way as to secure access to
the balance by the hardy settler who
may wish to avail himself of them,
but caution should be exercised in at
tanning so desirable an object.


Educational interest may well be
served by the grant of the proceeds of
the sale Of public lands to settlers
| do not wish to be misunderstood as
recommending, in the least degree,
curtailmcnt of what is being done By
the general government for the en-
couragement of education. The re-
port of the secretarysof the interior
submitted with this, will give you all
the information collected and prepar-
cd for publication in regard to the
census taken during the year 1S70.-
The operations Gf the bureau of edu-
cation for the year; the patent Office
the pension office; the land Office, and
Indian bureau. The report of the
commissioners Of agriculture gives the
operations Of his department, for the
year. As agriculture is the ground
work of our prosperity, too much i'm
portance cannot be attached to the
labors of this department. 1t is in
the hands of an able head, with able
assistants, as zealousl;' devoted to III
PRODUCING into the agricultural pro-
ductions of the nation all useful pro-
ducts adapted to any of the various
climates and soils of our vast territory,
and to giving all useful information
as to the method of cultivation of the
plants, serials and other products
adapted to particular localities. Qui-
etly, but surely the agricultural bu-
reau is working a great national good,
and if literally supported, the more
widely its influence will be extended,
and the less dependent We shall be up
ON the products of foreign countries.


The subject of compensation to the
heads of bureaus and officials holding
positions Of responsibility and requir-
ing ability and character to ill prop
erly is one to which your attention is
invited. Bat few OF the officials re-
ceive compensation equal to the re-
spectacle support of 4 family, while
their duties are such as to involve mil
lions of interest in private. Life SER
vice demads compensation equal to
the service rendered. A wise economy
would dictate the same rule in the
government service. | have not given
the estimates for the support of gov
ernment for the ensuing year nor the
the comparative statement between
the expenditures for the year just pass
ed and the one just preceding, because
all these figures are contained in the
accompanying reports or in those pre-
sented directly TO congress.


More than six years having elapsed
since the last Frustile gun was fired be-
tween the armies then arraycd against
each other-one for the perpctuation,
the other for the destruction of the
union it may well be considered
whether it is not now time that the
disabilities imposed by the fourteenth
amendment should be removed. That
amendment does not exclude the bal
lot, but only imposes the disability to
hold office upon certain classes
When the purity Of the ballot is Sc
cure majorities are sure to- elect Off
GERS rejecting the views Of the ma
jority. | do not see the advantage or
propriety Of excluding men from
office merely because they were before
the rebellion Of standing and charac-
ter sufficient to BIZ elected to- positions
requiring them to take o3th to sup
port the constitution and admitting to
eligibility those entertaining precisely
the same views but of less stancingiin
their communities. 1t may be said
that the former violated an oath,
while the latter did not. The latter
did not have it in their power to do
so. If they had taken this oath it
cannot be doubted they would have
broken it as did the former class.


If there areany great criminals dis
tinguished fox the part they took in
opposition to the government, they
might, in the Judgment of congress, be
excluded from such az amnesty. This
subject is submitted for your careful
consideration. The condition of the
southern states is, unhappily, not such
as all true patriotic citizens would like
to see. Social ostracism for opinions
sake, personal violence Or threats to-
ward persons entertaining political
views opposed to those entertained by
the majority of the old citizens pre-
vents immigration and the flow of
much needed capital into the States
lately in rebellion. 1t viii be a hap