The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-06-08


Of the state securities, and The attitude of the
states would become once more as it should ey.
er be, lofty and erect. With states laboring I'M
der no extreme pressure from debt, the fund
which they would derive from this source would
enable them 10 improve their condition in a ern.
inent degree. So far as this Government Is con-
cerned, appropriations 10 domestic objects ap-
preaching in amount The revenue derived from
the land sales might be abandoned, and thus a
system of unequal and therefore unjust leeisla-
ton would he substituted bv one dispensing e.
quality to all the members of this coniederacy.
Whether such distribution should be made d.
rectlY TO the states in the proceeds of the sales
or in the form of profits BY virtue of the opera
tons Of any fiscal agency having those proceeds
as its basis, should such measure be contemplated
by Congress, would well deserve Its considera-
lion. Nor would such disposition of the pro-
Deeds of the sales, in any manner. prevent Con
gress from time to time from passing all necessa-
ry presumption laws for the benefit of The actual
| settlers-or from making any new arrangemer t
as 10 the p-Ice of The public lands which might
in future be esteemed desirable.
The state OF the Navy pension fund requires
the immediate attention OF Congress By The
operation of the act of the Sd of March 1887.
entitled San act for the more equitable admins
tration of the Navy Pension Fund''-that fund
has been exhausted. 1t will be seen, from the
OF Pensions. that there will be required, for the
payment of Navy pensions, on the LIST of July
next, SS4, On6, 13, and On the Is, of January.
1912. the sum of $50, 900. In addition to these
sums, about Sc, 900 will be required lie pay ar.
re RS of pensions which will probably be allow
ed between the lSt Of July and the 1st of Janu-
airy, 1912, making in the whole Sl50,O06 ID
TO meet these'payments, there is, within the con-
troll of the Department the sum of S2S, 040,
leaving deficiency of Sl2l, 966,O6 ID The
public faith rcqnires that Immediate provision
should De made for the payment of itese sums.
In order to introduce into the Navy desirable
efficiency. new system Of accountability may
he found 10 he indispensably necess ary-To
ma'ure plan having for is object the accom-
plIS.nent OF an end so important, and to meet the
lust expectations Of the country, require more
tim than has yet been allowed TO the secretary
at the head Of the D parmcnt. The hope is in
dulged that, by the ume of your next regular
session, measures Of importance, in connexion
with this branch of the public service, may be
matrred for your consideration.
Although the laws regulating the Post Office
Department only require from The cfficer charged
with its direction to report at the usual annual
Session oil Congress. The Postmaster General
has presented TO me some facts connected with
tie financial coalition of the Department which
are deemed worthy the attention Of Congress.
BY tie accompanying report Of that officer, il
appears the existing liabilities oil that Depart
mcni. beyond the means of payment at its com
mand, cannot be less than $500 900. As the laws
ORGANIZING that branch Of the publ service. Con-
fine the expenditure TO its own revenues, def
c'ences therein cannot be presented under the
usual estimates for the expenses of Government.
1t lust, therefore, be left 10 Congress TO deter
mine whether the moneys now due the contract
ors shall be paid from the public Treasury, or
whether that Department shall continue under
present embarrassments IL will be seen by thr
report of the Postmaster General, that the re-
cent lettings of contracts in several Of he States.
have been made a such reduced rates of com
pensarop, as TO encourage the belief that if the
Department was relieved from existing difficulties
its future operations might be conducted withou,
any further rail- upon the general Treasury.
The power of appointing to office is one
of a character the most delicate and respon-
sible. The appointing power is even more
exposed to be led into error with anxious
spllcitude to select the most trustworthy
for official station. | cannot be supposed to
possess personal knowledge of the qualifi-
cations of every applicant. Ideem it there.
fore proper in this most public manner, to
invite on the part of the Senate just scru-
tiny into the character and pretensions of
every person may bring to their notice in
the regular form of a nomination for office.
Unless persons every way trustworthy are
employed in the public service, corruption
and irregularity will inevitably follow. /
shall with the greatest cheerfulness acqui.
esce in the decision of that body, and regar-
ding it as wisely constituted to aid the Elk
ecutive Department in the performance of
this delicate duty, shall look 10 its "consent7
and advice" as given. only in furtherance of
the best interests of the country. | shall
also, at the earliest proper occasion, invite
the attention of Congress to such measures
as, in my judgement. will be best calculated
10 regulate and control the Executive Pow
er in reference to this vitality important SUBJ
ject.
| shall, also, at the proper season, invite
your attention to the statutory enactments
for the suppression of the slave trade which
may require to be rendered more efficient
in their provisions. There is reason to be-
leve that the traffic is on the increase.
Whether such increase is to be ascrlbed 10
the abolition of slave labor i'll the British
possessions in our vicinity, and an attendant
dminutaton in the supply Of those articles
which enter into the general consumption
of the world, thereby augmenting the de-
mand from other quarters, and thus calling
for additional labor. it were needless to
inquire. The highest considerations of
public honor,as well as the strongest promp-
tings of humanity, require a resort TO the
most vigorous efforts to suppress the trade.
In conclusion. beg to invite your par
ticular attention to the interest of this Dis
trlct: nor do | doubt but that in liberal
spirit of LEGISLATION Won will seek To ADVANCE