Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1837-12-23

.he pICEfn-s lll t1tcil1h ui me mai SEM
The operations o. tie Post Office pr---,--'1,''
constitute ore of tie iaUsi sctiye eieuer,s -
National prosperity, and "a Is gratifying 10 60.
with what Yigof they are CU1Gucied. tn.
routes OF the United States over an 60. 80
about one hundred and forty two Thousand -,
hundred aud seYenty-seyen miles. having ~
increased about thriy-scyen thousand ope L..
dred and three miles within the last two -
The annual mail transportation on these ro.,,..
about thirty-six millions tSo hundred and ,u.,,-
eight thousand niue hundred and sixty.lwo m;l.:
having been increased about ten millions ,b,.,
hundred and iify-nlne thousand four hundred, ~
seventy SIX miles withia the same period. IT..
numbtr Of post offices has also been incrs.,.,
from ten thousand seyeA hundred and geyen,v :.
twelve thousand and niDety-nine, very few -
which receive the mails less than once us.l
and q large portion Of them daily. Con,rac,,.'
and postmasieTs IN general are represented ass.
t.ndlne 10 their duties With most comnena,l.
zeal and fidelity.
The revenue Of the Department, within u.
wear ending on the thirieth June last, was a..
millions one hundred and thiry-seYen ibou.s,5
and fity-six dollars and Gity-nihe cents and !,
idbtilBfs hNAluhlE NltuB Ntc ZANE tune Wprs
three millions three bundled and eighty ihous,,9
eight huu5fed and fory-seven dollars and seyeDT
FIVE cents. The increase Of revenue over iha,s
the preceding wear was seven hundred and e,eA
thousand one hundred and sixiy-six dollars srS
| forty one cents.
For many Interesting leiails refer you to 4,
report Of the Postmaster General, With the &C.
! companyinc V,>y-- YOSr paIIi, Ui4- Mt,asat,oa =
| invited ic the necessity Of providing more sas
and convenient building for the Accommodate
Of that Department
lay before Congress copies ofreports subnt.
| ted in pursuance Of a call made By NE upon Inc
heads Of D, pahments, for such suggestions a.
their experience nigh, enable them 10 make 4.
to what further legislative provisions may be I'D.
vaHtageously adopted TO secure the faithful apph.
cation Of public moneys 10 the objects for which
thew are appropriated; to prevent their misapph
cation or embez2lement by those entrusted WITH
the expenditure Of them, and generally TO 10.
crease the security OF the Government agains
losses in their disbursement. II is needless d
diaie on the importance Of providing such new
safeguards rs are within the power Of Legislation
to promote these ends; and have lite 10 aid
10 the recommendations submitted in the uccor.
panying papers.
By law, the terms Of service Of our mos, in,
psrtani collecting and disbursing officers in lhs
civil departments are limited TO four years, snl
when reappoinied, their bonds are required to ;,
. renewed.
The safety Of the public Is much increased b
this feature Of The law, and there can he no doul
that lis application TO all officeis entrusted WI
! the collection or disbursement ef the public mo.
, new, whatever may lie the tenure al tfeir Offce
would be equally beneficial. ! therefore recon.
mend, in addition 10 such OF the suggestions pe
scented by the heads OF Departments as you msY
think useful, general provision, that all ,fice,
Of the Army or Navy, or IN the Civil Department
entrusted with the receipt or payment Of public
money, and whose Term 81 service is either IN.
limited or for longer time than four years, tt
required to give bonds. with good and sufictDl
sureiles, al the expiration oi every sHch ptrtG.
A change in the period Of terminating The fiscal
year, ON the first Of October TO the frst q Apl
has been frequently recommended, and appears
TO lie desirable.
The distressing casualties in s;esnboas,
which have SO frequently happened during he
year, seem to eynce the necessity Of attempting
10 prevent them, by means Of severe provisions
connected with their custom house papers. This
) sublectlwas submitted to the attention OF Con.
D gress BY The Secretary Of the Treasury in bis last
! annual report, and will be again al The plcscR
session, with additional details 1t will doubles
receive that early aud careful consideration whict
ITS pressing Importance appears 10 require.
J Your attention has heretofore been frequenly
called 10 the affairs Of tie District of Columbia
and should not again ask it, did not then cnIs
dependence on Congress give them constnsI
claim opon its notice. Separated BY the COnst.
tuition from the rest Of the Onion, limited in sH.
E tent, and aided by no Legislature of its own, i
would seem To be spot where wise and uniform
! system Of local government might have been ia
h silly adopted This District, however, unlorr+
naiely, has been left to luger behind the restd
r the Unlon; Hs codes, civil and criminal, are mol
only very defective, but full Of obsolete OF iDCOD,
, venlent provisions being formed Of portions d
two States, discrepancies in the laws prevail ID
different parts of the territory. small as il is aEl
although was selected as The seat OF the Gene
! al Government, the site Of lis public edifces, i'
depository Of its archives, and the residence O.
officers entrusted with large amounts Of pubh'
property. and the management Of public bushes
, yet II has never been subjected 30, or recelyet
t that special and comprehensive legislation whd
these circumstances peculiarly demand. an
well aware Of the various subjects Of CREATE
, magnitude and immediate interest that pres
themselves on the consideration oil Congress; but
believe there IS not one that appeals more d.
rectly 10 rs justice than liberal. and even Gen.
erous, attention to the interests of the District o.
Columbia. and thorough and careful revision d
Ms local government NJ. VAN BUREN,
WAsHNGToN, Dec. 5th, 1897.
The Hon Benj. Watkins Leigh, died at hs
residence in Richmond. on the Isl Of Decembcf
INST Columbia GaEeie.
REVENUE OF PENNsYLvASIA.-The United
States Gazette Of Friday says: Ave are bapp
caa that IL. works