Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-01-03

Your attention is respectfully invited to TIA
various suggestions ofthe Secretary, for tho nm
provement Of the naval service.
Tho report of the Postmaster General exhibits
the progress and condition of tho mail sesvios.--
The operations Of the Post Office Department
constitute ono of tho most active elements of our
national prosperity, and il is gratifying to observe
with what vigor they are conducted. The mail
routes ftho United States cover an extsut of q.
bout one hundred and forty two Thousand eight
hundred and seventy seven miles, having been in.
creased about thirty-seven thousand one hundred
and three miles within the last two years. The
annual mail.transpertation on those routes il q.
bout thirty six millions two hundred and twenty
eight thousand nine hundrdod and sixty tive
miles, having been increased about ten millions
three hundred fifty nine thousand four hundred
and scve nty six miles within the same period.
The number of post Offices has also been in.
creased from ton thousand seven hundred and
seventy to twelve thousand and nnct whine, vory
few of which receive the mails less Than once q
week, and large portion Of them daily. Con.
tractors and postmastors in general are repfesen-
| ted as attending to their duties with most com.
mondable zeal and fidelity. 1900
! The revenue of the Department, within ths
year on the thirtieth June last was four millions
two hundred and thirty seven thousand and fifty.
six dollars and fifty nine-nine cents and it,
three millions three HUNDRED and eighty Thousand
eight hundred and forty seven dollars and seventy
five cents.
| For many interesting details refer you TO the
report ofthe Postmaster General, with the accom-
| panying paper. Your particular sttention is in
| vited to the necessity Of providing more safe
and convenient building for the accommodation
Of that Department.
| lay before Congress copies of Reports sab
l mt 0f rail- mad tl,a Mad
of Departments, for such suggestions as their sx-
| pcrienco might enable them to make, As to what
| further legislative provisions may be advaRta-
geously adopted to secure the faithful application
| of prplic moneys to the objects for which they
are appropriated to prevent their misapplicatiop
OF embezzlement by those entrusted with the ex-
pen1iture of them and generally to increase the
security Of the Government against losses in their
disbursement. II is needless to dilate on tho i'm
portance of providing such new safeguards a.
are within the powers of legislation to promote
these ends and have little to add 10 tho re-
Communications submitted in tho accompanying
papers.
BY law tho term Of service Of our most impor.
tant collecting and disbursing officers in the civil
departments are limited to four years, aud when
| re-appointed their bonds are required to DO TO
newed The safety of the public is much in
creased by this feature of the law. and there can
BIO doubt that its application to all officers
trusted with the collection or disbursements Of
the public money, whatever may DO the tenure of
their Offices, would be equally beneficial. I
therefore recommend, AN addition to esch of the
suggestions presented by the heads of depart
ments as you may think useful. general provis.
ion, that all officers of tho Army or Navy, or in
the civil department, entrusted with the receipt
or payment of public money, and whose term Of
service Is either unlimited or for longer time
than four years,bc required to give bonds, with
good and sufficient securities, at the expiration of
every such period.
A change in the period Of terminating the ifs.
cal year, from the first of October to the first of
April has been frequently recommended, and ap.
pears to be desirable. Fn
The distressing casualties, in steamboats,,
which have SO frequently happened during the
year, seem TO evnce the necessity of attempting
to prevent them, by means Of severe provisions
connected with their custom-house papers. This
subject was submitted to the attention Of Con.
gross by the Secretary of Treasury in his last an.
nual report, and viii be again noticed at the pres.
cnt session, with additional details 1t will doubt
less receive that early and careful consideration
which its pressing Importance apears to require.
Your attention has herstofore been frequently
called to the affairs Of the district of Columbia,
and should not again ask it, did not their entire
dependence on Congress give them constant
claim upon its notice. Separated by tho Consti-
tuition from the rest OF the Union, limited in OK
tent, and aided by no Legislature of it's own it
would seem to be spot whcro wise and uniform
system of local Government might have boon
easily adopted. This district, however, unfor.
tunately, has been left to lInger behind the rest
of the Union its Codes civil and criminal, are
not only very defective; but full Of obsolete or
inconvoniont provisions; y being formed Of poy.
tons of two States, discrepancies in the laws pro-
vail in different parts Of The territory, small as il
is and although il was selected as the seat Of tho
General Government, tho sito of its public odi-
fees, the depository Of its archives, and the
dence Of officers entrusted with large amounts Of
public property, and the management Of pub.
lie business, yet it has never been subjected to, or
received, that special and comprehensive leg
slation which these circumstances peculiarly de-
mand. am well aware Of the various subjects
of greater magnitude and immediate interest that
press themselves on tho consideration Of Con.
gross /; but believe there is not that appeals
more directly to its justice than liberal, and o
ven generous, attention to the District Of Column
ba, and thorough and careful revision gifts 10.
cal government.
M. VAN BUREN,.
Washington December 5, 1887.
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