Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1840-01-24
the staff officer. b permanently separated from

The navy In. bcon uselu''y md honorahly
emploved in protecting the rights and property OF
citizens whenever the condition OF atlnirs seemed
IN rroire its presencc. With the exception OF
one instance, where IN outrage, accompanied ny |
murder, WA committed on vessel Of the United
States while engaged il a lawfl commerce, no
thing s known {, have occurred to impede or
mocsr the enterprise Of our citizens on tltt Gle
ment whrre il is so s2ually displayed. On learn
Ing this daring act Of pnacv, Commodore Reed
proceeded immediately TO the spo'. and received
no .atisfac ion, either IN the surcn rrof the MUIR
terer., or the restoration Of the Nundcrod proper
", inflicted setere ard merlted chCtsencnt on
the harharisns
II will hn seen, nv the report OF the Secretary
81 the Navy, respecting the deposition OF or
shins of war, thai it has been deemed necessary
IN station n competent force on the coast OF Al
rica 10 prevent IL fraudulent use Of oW nag by
foreigners
Recent experience hns shown tina the provisions
In our eyi sting laws which relate tD the sale aud
transfer Of American vessels, While abroad, are
extremely defective. Advantage has been taken
Of these defects 20 give 10 vessels wholly belong
Ing to Foreigners, aud navigating the o'ean, M
apparent American ownership. This character
has been so well simulated as 10 a0Nd them COM
paratiee srcrftiy in prosecuting the slave trade,
h:afic emnhaicnlly denounced in orr statutes,
regarded with adherence by our citizens, nnd OF
which the efFcctual suppression is nowhere more
sincerely desired than in the L. states, These
circumstances make it proper 10 recommend to
your early attention careful revision Of these
hws, 90 that, without mpcGing the freedom and
facilities of our navigation, or impairisg an i'm
portnnt hrinrh Of our industry connected with II,
the integrity aud honor OF our flag may he care
flllv preserved Information derived from or
consul Al Havana, showing The nrcre' ~ " h1S,
WINS communicated 10 Il romntitc Of IN Scnate
near the close Of the last session. but too air, a.
Il appeared, to be acted uOan. ItwillheH ontht
20 your notice by tho proper dcrat meut, with
additional communications from other sources.
The latest cccolnts from he Exploring EXNe-
pi ion reprcscn it as u occCdmg successfully ~ it'
objects, and promising results no less useful u
trade and navigation than to science.
The extent OF post roads covered ny mil ser.
vice on tho si Of July last, was about 1880
miles. AMI the rate Of animal transportation on
them 34,4a6,N79 miles. The number Of most Of
fcr' on that day was l2,7S0, AMI on the 3&h ult
1923
The rrrcauc Of the Post Office Department Ior
the wear cndnr with the Both Of June Inst, was
four millions fIrr hur lred and soyen;y-six thou
sand six hundred aud thiry-ci. IT, do'lars-cX-
hibitng mn increase over the protecting year Of
two hun Ire AMI fo.ty enc thousand five hundred
AMI sixtv dollars. The crgagciueUts and IiabIl-
iiics OF the dcpar'acnr Cor the 50 ne period, are
four millions six hnndrcd an twenty four thou
sand ONO hu1lrrd and seventeen dollar'.
The excess IF liabilities over the revenue for
the last two wear. has been met ont OF he sur
plus Which rad previously accumulated. Tur
cash IN hand en- the Seth u'timo, was about
Gl0f7ll o.. md the current income Of the de-
partm-n, varies VIEW ljte from the rate OF cur
rent expenditures. MVs,of the services suspend
Cd last year has breu restored, and most ~ the
ncw routes established by the act Of Il My
1893. have been GET in opertinn al IN annuolco
of $4,000. Notwithstanding the rccnniary
diff u'ties Of tie country, the revenue OF the de
par,meut appears 10 lc increasin.; AMI uAlrss
it shall lie seriously chCcked by the recent sus
pension Of payments by many OF the banks, it will
be able not only to mniutNin the present mai
service, bn, in short time TO extend il, l. i
gratifying to witness the rromNtirTc AMI fdci-
ity with which the agets Of this department il
general reform 'hcir p1b'ic duties.
Some Giffir,ltirs have arisen in relation to con-
tracts for the Incorporation Of the mails by rail
road md steam boat companies. II opNearS that
the maximum Of com1cnsaton provided by Con
grcis for the TRANSFORMATION of tie mails upon rail
ronls is not sufficient to induce some Of thc com
panies to convey them ut such hn1iS n arc r.
qaired for the accommodation Of the public. II
IS one Of the most in1otant duties OF the Genera
Government to progde and maintain Tor the Ust
Of the pconlr OF the states, thr hes. practicable
mail ostab'ishmcnt. To arrive at that end il i
indsDenschle that the Post Office Depmtmcn
should he enabled to control the hours at whicl
the mails shall be carr led over rail roafs, as i
now does over other Toala Should srfous in
~ rrnr to pf 4
compensation now provided by law, or from IN
rcnson1he demands by any OF the rai' road COM
panips the subirc, is OF such general importance
as require the prompt attention Of Fong,ess
IL relation 10 steam holt lines. the mos Ell
Gent remedy is obvious, and has been sugges e
bv the postmascr General The War and Ma
w Departments ALREADY employ steam boats il
their service. and although il is by no means dc
sifabla TINT The Government should undertake liz
transportation of passengers or freight ms a bnsi
ness, there can be no reasonable objection 10 run
nin2 boats, Temporarily, whenever it may be ne
cessary TO Nnt down attempts at extortion, to b
discontinued ms soon rs reasonable contracts cal
he obtained
The suggestions Of { e Postmaster General re
latre to the inadequacy OF the legal allowances
TO witnesses in cases of prosecutions for mai
tiepreiatlons. merit yonr serious consideration
TIE safety Of the mnils req.es thst such prose
cnons hall I've Efficient, and Justice to the c,i
gems whose time is required to he givcn 10 th
public, demands moi only TINT his expenses shall
be paid, hui that he shall receive REASONABLY
corporation.
The Renorts from the War. Navy, and Pos
OH Departments will accompany this con'mu
nicaion and one from The Treasury Department
will be presented to Congress in lew DAYS.
For various details IN respect to the matters /
charge Of tho departments, would refer you {
those important documents, satisfied that you wi