The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-24 00:00:00

THE POST OFFICE.

The report of the Postmaster-General, herewith com-
municated, contains a detailed statement of the opera-
tions of his department during the past year. It will
be seen that the income from postages will fall short of
the expenditures fur the year between one and two mil-
lions of dollars. This deficiency has been caused by the
reduction of the rates of postage' which was made by
the Act of the 3d of March last. No principle has been
more generally acquiesced in by the people than that
this department should sustain itself by limiting its ex-
penditures to its income. Congress has never sought to
make it a source of reven .10 for general purposes, except
for a short period during the last war with Great Britain,
nor should it ever become a charge on the general trea-
sury. If Congress shall adhere to this principle, as I
think they ought, it will be necessary either to curtail
the present mail service, so as to reduce the expendi-
tures, or so to modify the Act of the 31 of March last
as to improve its revenue. The extension of the mail
service, and the additional facilities which will be de-
manded by the rapid extension and increase of popula-
tion on our western frontier, will not admit of such cur-
tailment as will materially reduce the present expendi-
tures. In adjustment of the tariff of postages the inte-
rests of the people demand that the lowest rates be
adopted which will produce the necessary revenue to
meet the expenditures of the department. I invite the
attention of Congress to the suggestions of the Post-
master-General on the subject, and the belief that such
a modification of the late law may be made as will yield
sufficient revenue without further calls on the Treasury,
and with little change in the present rates of postage.
Proper measures have been taken, in pursuance of the
Act of 3d of March last, for the establishment of lines
of mail steamers between this and foreign countries. The
importance of this service commends itself strongly to
favourable consideration.

With the growth of our country, the public business
which devolves on the heads of the several executive
departments has greatly increased. In some respects
the distribution of duties among them seems to be incon-
gruous, and many of these might be transferred from
one to another with advantage to the public interest. A
more auspicious time for the consideration of this sub-
ject, by Congress, with a view to system in the organisa-
tion of the several departments, and a more appropriate
division of the public business, will not probably occur.

MISCELLANEOUS.
The most important duties of the State department re-
late'to our foreign affairs. By the great enlargement of
the family of nations, the increase of our commerce, and
the corresponding extension of our consular system, the
buthieee of this department has been greatly increased.
In its present organisation, many duties of a domestic
natai-e, and consisting of details, are devolved on the
Secretary of State, which do not appropriately belong
to the foreign department of the Government, and may
properly be transferred to some other department. One
of these grows out of the present state of the law con-
cerning the Patent.office, which, a few years since, was
a subordinate clerkship, but has become a distinct bureau
of great importance. With an excellent internal orga-
nisation it is still connected with the State department.
In the transaction of its business, questions of much im-
portance to inventors, and to the community, frequently
arise, which, by existing laws, are referred for decision
to a board, of which the Secretary of State is a member.
These questions are legal, and the connexion which now
exists between the State department and the Patent-
office ma , with great
propriety and advantage, be trans-
y
ferred to the Attorney-General.
In his last annual Message to Congress, Mr. Madison
invited attention to a proper provision for the Attor-
ney General as an "important improvement in the exe-
cutive establishment." This recommendation was
repeated by some of his successors. The official duties
of the Attorney-General have been much increased
within a few years, and his office has become one of
great importance. His duties may be still further
increased with advantage to the public interests. As an
executive officer his residence and constant attention at
the seat of Government. are required. Legal questions,
involving important principles and large amounts of
public money, are constantly referred to him by the
President and executive department for his examination
and decision. The public business, under his official
management before the judiciary has been so augmented
by the extension of our territory, and the acts of Con-
gress authorising suits against the United States for
large-Portions of valuable publio lands, as greatly to
amass* his labours and responsibilities. I, therefore,
recommend that the Attornez-General be placed on the
same footing with the heads of the other executive
department*, with such subordinate officers provided by

law for his department, as may be required to discharge
the additional duties which have been, or may be, de-
volved upon him.

COLUMBIA.
Congress possess the power of exclusive legislation
oYerithe district of Columbia ; and I commend the inte-
rests of its inhabitants to your favourable consideration.
The people of this district have no legislative body of
their own, and must confine their local, as well as their
general, interests to the representatives in whose election
they have no voice, and over whose official conduct they
have no control. Each Member of the National Legis-
lature should consider himself as their immediate repre-
sentative, and should be the more ready to give atten-
tion to their interests and wants, because he is not re.
sponsible to them. I recommend that a liberal and ge-
nerous spirit may characterise your measures in relation
tion to them. I shall be ever disposed to show a proper
regard for their wishes, and, within constitutional limits,
shall at all times cheerfully co-operate with you for the
advancement of their welfare.

THE LATE GENERAL JACKSON.
I trust it may not be deemed inappropriate to the oc-
casion for me to dwell for a momenton the memory of the
most eminent citizen of our country, who, during the sum-
mer that i; gone by, has descended to the tomb. The
enjoyment of contemplating, at the advanced age of near
four score years, the happy condition of his country,
cheered the last hours of Andrew Jackson, who de-
parted this life in the tranquil hope of a blessed immor-
-1 tality. His death was happy, as his life had been
eminently useful. He had an unfaltering confidence in
1 the virtue and capacity of the people, and in the perma-
nence of that free government which he had largely
contributed to establish and defend. His great deeds
had secured to him the affections of his fellow-citizens,
and it was his happiness to witness the growth and glory
of his country, which he loved so well. Ile departed
amidst the benedictions of millions of freemen. The
nation paid its tribute to his memory at the tomb.
Coming generations will learn from his example the love
of country and the rights of man. In his language on a
similar occasion to the present, " I now commend you,
fellow-citizens, to the guidance of Almighty God, with a
full reliance on his merciful Providence for the mainte-
nanie of our free institutions ; and with an earnest sup-
plication, that whatever errors it may be my lot to
commit in discharging the arduous duties which have
devolved on me, will find a remedy in the harmony of
our counsels." JAMES K. POLK.
Washington, Dec. 2, 1845.

Tlig SUN, LONDON, WEDN'ESDAY MOR,

TUESDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE
WHITEHALL, DEC. 20, 1845.
The Queen has been pleased to nominate, constitute, and
appoint the Right Hon. Henry Goulburn to be one of the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England, in the room of the
Right Hon. Sir Herbert Jenner Fast, resigned.
CROWN-OFFICE, Dec. 22.
MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE DT THIS PRESENT PARLIAMENT.
Borough of Woodstock—Alfred Spencer Churchill, com-
monly called Lord Alfred Spencer Churchill, in the room of
John Henry Loftus, commonly called Viscount Loftus, now
Baron Loftus, called up to the House of Peers.
OFFICE OF ORDNANCE, DEC. 22.
Royal Regiment of Artillery—Second Captain G. Innea to
be Adjutant, vice Sandham, who resigns the Adjutantcy only,
Dec. 18 ; Second Captain H. T. Fyers to be Adjutant, vice
Shone, promoted; Second Captain A. Bean to be Adjutant,
vice P. Benn, promoted. Dec. 22.
OFFICE OF ORDNANGE, DEC. 22.
Royal Regiment of Artillery—Captain and Brevet Major
W. E. Lock to he Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Hanwell, retired
on full pay ; Second Captain J. Hill to be Captain, vice
Lock • First Lieutenant J. 11. Lefroy to be Second Captain,
vice 11111; Second Lieutenant R. Phelps to be First Lieu-
tenant, vice Lefroy, Dec. 12.
Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of the West Riding of
Yorkshire.
Sir W. Lawson, Bart, to be Deputy-Lieutenant, March
7, 1844.
Commission by the Lord• Lieutenant of Worcestershire.
T. S. Lea, Esq., to be Deputy-Lieutenant, Dec. 1, 1845.
Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall.
J. K. Lethbridge, to be Deputy-Lieutenant, Dec. 13.
Commissions by the. Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk.
Joseph Scott, Esq., to be Deputy Lieutenant; Thomas
Blake, Esq., LL.D., to be ditto ; John Longe, Eeq., to be
ditto; Thomas Havers, Esq., to be ditto; Frederick North,
Esq., to be ditto; William Sancroft Holmes, Esq., to be
ditto; William Robert Cann, Esq., to be ditto; homas
Edward Scott, Esq., to be ditto, Dec. 6.
Commission by the Lord- Lieutenant of Somersetshire.
North Somerset Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry—L. Hel-
bert, Gent., to be Cornet, vice Maule, promoted, Dec. 17.
WHITEHALL, Dac. 5.
The Lord Chancellor has appointed Thomas Rodham, of
Wellington, in the county of Somerset, Gent., to be a Master
Extraordinary in the High Court of Chancery.
WHITEHALL, DEC. 9.
The Lord Chancellor has appointed C. B. Portmore, of
Leicester, Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the High
Court of Chancery.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
ROLLS' COURT, Dec. 23.
His Lordship sat at ten o'clock, and proceeded with
the hearing of short causes.
DRADSTOCK v. WATLEY.
An application was made on the part of the plaintiff
in this case, in which a decree was made by his Lordship
on the 12th December last, to the effect that an altera-
tion should be made in the declaration.
Lord LANGDALE considered that a part of the appli-
cation, which required that the Master should be directed
to distinguish the personal from the leasehold property
of the defendant, should be granted.
Several petitions were then heard, but none of them
possessed a particle of public interest.

VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT, Dec. 23.
(Before the VICE-CEtexcELLoa of ENGLAND.)
His Hosouß heard cause petitions to-day, taking the
unopposed first. None of the causes that came before
the Court possessed any points of interest except to
the parties concerned.