Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-12-12

Gu hine the situation Of our COMMERCIAL inte-
,rfeSN m The West Indies required gfeater num-
Der tllla usual of armed vessels 10 be kept ON that
N"o'n II Is gratifying To perceive that the prutec-
''oa "ae To our commerce in o.her quarters ol
.'V "ofid has not proved inst ilicient Every 81
io'' mas oeeh made II facilitate the equipment nj
NE exploring cNpcd.toH authorized ht ,lla act Il
'"e i'> session, ftut ali the preparations necessary
~ e'"oie ltlo>di, has not yet been completed. w
means Will be spared by the Government To iii
out The expedition on a scale corresponding with
Tue hoefdl appropriation for the purpose, and with
INC elevated character of the objects which ar, 10
be effected by il.
ors leave To renew the Recommendation made
III my last annual message, respecting the cnist.
'eht o. aoNs III our naval service, and urge upon
Your attention the necessity oi further approp ia
tons to increase the number Of ships anoat. and
TO enlarge generally the capacity and force of the
navy. The increase OF our commerce, and our
position N regard 10 other power, Of the world
VIII al"tSs make our policy and interest cher.
lsi the great naval re,our.e of our country.
The report OF the Postmaster General presents
gratifying picture Of tho condition of the Post
Once Department. lis revenues for the year
ending the 30,h June last, were S5,3oS ,i55 10
showing an Increase oil revenue that of the pre-
cedlng year OF ) iO4, SSS, %, more than IL per
cent The exp nlurrs Tor the same wear were
c2,''',o23 40, exhibiting surplus OF S6i2 S3l
l3. lim department has been redeemed from en-
harraS>mcni and deli, has accumulated a surplus
cxcccdln. halt a million oil dollars la, ,rcelv rN.
tended and Ii preparing sill further TO extend, the
mail service, and recommends reduction of pos
tages equal 10 about 20 per cent. 1t is practising
upon the .reat trincipl, which should control eve
~ branch OF our Government, OF rendering to the
public the greatest good possible, will, the lcas.
possible taxation to the people.
The scale of poStagcs suggested by the Post
mastcrG General recommend, Itself, no, only bv
the reduction it proposes, but bv the SIM ici,v of
It's arrangement, its conformity with the Federal
currency, and the improvement it will introduce
into the accounts Of the Department and its IL
gents.
our particular attention Is invited to the sub
iCct OF mail contracts iih rail road companirs.--
The present laws, providing for the making OF
contracts, are bascdnpon the presumption that COM
petition among bidders will secure the service Al IA
fair pric,. Blu, on most of the railroad lines there
Is competition in that Mud of trans patt,tion,
and advertising is therefore Useless. W contract
now be made with thcn except such "a shall
be negotiated before the time OF offering after
wards, and the power Of the Postmaster General
to pay them high prices, is practically without Ii
IL
doubt wo4d conlncc 10 the public interest, To pre-
scribe, by law, some equitable basis upon which
such contracts shall rc,t and restrict MIN by fixed
rule OF ,IloNAncc Uni alibarll act OF that ,agt
he would un nubtrdlv DC able 10 secure the Sci vices
OF most OF the railroad companies, and the IN
tcrc,t of the Department would be thus advanced.
The correspondence heiwcrn tho people at the
United states and The European nations, and par
ticuarlv viii, thn.l'rish Islands, has become very
extensive, and requires the inierposiiion OF Con
gress III give it security. No obstacle is perceived
TO an interchange of mails between New York and
Liverpool, or other foreign ports, As proposed ~
the po>lmaStcr-G General on the contrary, it pro-
m>rs, by the security it will afford, 10 facilitate
commercial trans lctomS, and Give rise to an en-
lafL"J Intercourse among the people VI dlIleIent
nations, which cannoftnt have happy cilrct.-
Through the citS 81 New York, most of the cor
res loadcncr between the CaDadas and Europe is
n1w carried on, and urgent representation, have
been received from the head OF the Provincial
po>r-O flee, asking the nterposllion of the |. ).
Ia .uail it from the accidents and losses to winch
it noW subjected. Some legislation appears to
/ he called for, wei, by our own interest as by
conitsr the djoning British Provinces.
The cxepIency of providing ire-prooi bnild-
ing for the important books and papers OF the T. 81
Otlirc Department., is worthy Of consideration. Ii
the present condition If our Treasury, is neither
/ necessary nor nsc 10 leave essential pubic lntc-
rests exposed 10 $, much danger, when they can ST
readily be made secure. There weightv con
sidcrations ia the location OF new building ia
the Department, in favor of placing /, near the o.
, lhcr Executive buildings.
The mpnl,an; subjects of Il survey Of the coast
and the manufacture OF a standard OF weight and
measures for the different custom-houses, have
ht,a I1, Npar -
raj direction of The Executive, and the immedat,
! superintendent of gentleman possessing hlgl
scientific attainncntS. At the last session oi Con
gress, the making OF "A set of weight, and measure
for each State in the Union was added to the other
/ by Joint resolution.
! The care aud correspondence As TO all these sub
| cctS have been dcvolvcd On tn Treasury Depart
mrnt dnrin. the last wear. \ special report ilon
1 the Secretary of the Treasury will soon be COM
n,nnrated to Congress, which will show what ha'
! been accomplished ~ 10 the whole, the number 4
compensation of the persons now employed II
these duties, and tho progress expected to be inai'
during the rn,un. year. wilh a copy OF the various
CORES ondcnce deemed ncrcSsi"y 10 tro" l'gh
on the subjects which seem to require additional
legislation. Claims have been made for retros
perrivc allowances in behalf of the superintendent
and SunIc OF his assistants, winch did not fec
justified in granting other claims have been made
for lar"e increase in compensation, winch, undo
all the circumstances OF the several cases, declined
making, without the express SANCTION OF Congress
In order Ia obtain that sanction, the subject was a
the last session, on my suggestion, and by rcqnr>
ot il1f. immrdalc Superintendent, submitted BIZ tht