Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-12-27

was sent for that purpose, against those
outrages on the peaceful commerce oil
the United States, Of which many had
occurred. That officer, protesting his
own want oil authority 10 make salts ac-
tion for our JUS. complaints, answered
only by reference Of them TO the GO
vernment of Spain. The minister oil
the United States TO that court was espe-
cially instructed TO urge the necessity oil
the immediate and effectual interposi-
ton of that government, directing resti-
tuition aud indemnify for wrongs already
committed, and inerdIctmg the repeli-
lion Of them. The Minister, as has
been seen, was debarred access to the
Spanish Government, and, in the mean
time, several new cases Of flsgranl out
rage have occurred, and citizens OF the
United States in the Island OF Porto RI
co have Suffered aud others been threa-
Tened with assassination, Tor asserting
their unques inuabe rights, even before
the lawful tribunals of he country.
The usual orders have been given to
all our public ships, to seize American
vessels engaged in the Slave trade, and
bring them in for adjudic alion, and |
have the qualification To state, that no.
one SO employed has been discovered,
and there is good reason TO believe that
our llag is seldom, if at all, dlsgraced
by thai traffic.
/ is a source of great satisfaction, that
we are always enabled to recur to the
conduct of our Navy with pride AM com
mendation. As means OF national de-
fence, it enjoys the public confidence,
and Is steadily assuming additional I'M
por,ance. Ii is submitted, whether a
more efficient and equally economical
organization of ii might not, in several
respects, be effected. | is supposed
that higher grades, than now exist by
law, would be useful, They would at
ford well merited rewards To those who
have long and faithfully served their
country; present the best incentives to
good conduct, aud the best means oi en-
suring a proper discipline destroy the
inequality in that respect between the
military and naval services; and relieve
our officers from many Inconvenience
and mor,iicalions, which occur when
our vessels meet those Of other Nations
our being the only service in which such
grades do not exist.
A report OF the Postmaster General,
which accompanies This commune alton,
will show the present state OF the 1st
Office Department, and It's general ope-
rations for some years past.
There is established by law eighty
eight thousand six hundred miles OF post
roads, on which the mail is now trans
ported eighty five thousand seven hun
dred miles; and contracts have been
made for lis transportation Oh all The es-
tabiished routes, with one or two eXcep-
tons. Th,re arc five thousand two hun
dred and forty post Offices in the Union,
and as many post,nasters. The gross
amount of postage which accrued from
the first Of July, one thousand elshl hun
dred and twenty-five, TO the first OF Jnly,
one thousand eight hundred and twenty
three, was one million one hundred and
fourteen thousand three hundred and
forty i've dollars and twelve cents. Dur
ing the same period, the expenditures of
the Pos, Office d partment amounted to
one million one hundred and sixly-nine
thousand eight hundred and eighty five
dollars and fifty lone cents: and consisted
OF the following items: com pensa,lon to
pos,maslers, three hundred and lily
three thousand nine hundred and ninety
FIVE dollars and ninety light cents; incl
dental expenses, thirty thousand eight
hundred and slxty-slx dollars and thirty
seven cents; payments into the treasury,
four hundred and twenty-three dollars
and eight cents. On the first OF July
last, there was due TO the Department,
from poslm rs ers, one hundred and thlr
ty-hve thousand Two hundred and forty
Ave dollars and iwenty-eight cents; rom
late postmasters and contractors, two
hundred and fiHy-slx thousand seven
hundred and forty-n,ne dollars and thir-
ty-one cents; making total amount oil
balances due TO the d .parlmen,, of three
hundred and ninety-one thousand nine
hundred and ninety-fnur dollars and fifty
nine cents. These balances embrace all
delincuencies of postmastcrs and con-
tractors, which have taken place since
the org anlza,on of the Department.
There was due by the Department to
contractors, on the first day OF July last,
twenty.si thousand five hundred and
for,y-eight dollars and slx,y-four cents.
The transportation of the mail, within
FIVE years past, has been greatly extend
ed, and the expenditures of the Depart