The Columbian fountain., 1845-12-04

tarias for ship building have been collected and are
! now under shelter in state of good preservation,
while steamers be built with great facility
various parts Of the Union. The use Of iron
terial, especially in the construction of steamers
which enter with safety many of the harbors
along our inaccessible TO vessels of greater
dranght and the practcabiliy of constructing them in
the interior, strongly recommends that liberal appro-
priations should be made for this important Object
w Whatever may have been policy in the earlier
stages OF the government, when the nation in its
infancy our shipping interests and compa-
ratively small, our resources limited, population
sparse and scarcely extending beyond the limits OF the
original thirteen States that policy must be essentially
different now that We have grown from three TO more
than twenty millions OF people,-that commerce,
carried IN our own ships found every and that
our boundaries and settlements have been so
greatly expanded. Neither our commerce,
long line Of coast on the and the lakes, can
be successfully defended against foreign aggression by
means OF Notifications alone. These are essential al
important commercial and military points, but our
Chief reliance for this object must be well organic
ed, efficient navy The benefits resulting from such
navy are not confined to the Atlantic States. The
productions of the interior which seek market
abroad, directly dependent the safety and free
dom OF our commerce. The occupation OF the Balize
below New Orleans by hostile force would embar-
rass il not stagnate the whole export trade Of the
Mississippi, and affect the value Of the agricultural pro-
ducts Of the entire valy Of that mighty river and its
tributaries.
It has never been policy to maintain large stand
the genius Of free Institutions, would impose hea
Wy burdens the people, and be dangerous public
liberty Our reliance for protection and defence on
the land must be mainly on our citizen soldiers, who
will be ever ready, as they ever have been ready in
times past to rush with alacrity at the call of their
country to her defence. This description of force,
however, cannot defend coast harbors and inland
seas, protect our commerce on the ocean the
| lakes These must be protected by our navy.
Considering increased naval force, and especially
OF steam vessels corresponding with our growth and
Importance as nation, and proportoned to the in
creased and increasing naval power OF other nations,
of vast Importance regards safety, and the
great and growing interests to be protected by it
commend the subject to the favorable consideration of
Congress.
The report of the Postmaster General herewith
| communicated contains detailed statement of the
operations OF his department during the past year It
will be that the income from postages will fall
short OF the expenditures for the year between
and two millions Of dollars This deficiency has been
caused by the reduction of the rates of postage,
which was made by the act of the third Of March last
No principle has been more generally acquesced in by
the people than that this department should sustain it.
self by limiting its expenditures to its income. Con-
gress has never sought to make it of
Tor general purposes except tor short period during
the last with Great Britain, should it ever be-
come charge the general treasury. If Congress
| shall adhere to this principle, | think they
ought, it will be necessary either to curail the pre-
sent mail service, to reduce the expenditures
to modify the act of the third of March last
improve its revenues The extension of the mail SER
vice, and the additional facilities which will be de-
manded by the rapid extension and increase of popu
ation western frontier, will not admit of such
curtailmcnt as will materially reduce the present ex
penditures In the adjustment of the tariff of post
ages the interests of the people demand, that the
lowest rates be adopted which will produce the
sary to meet the expenditures of the depart
mcnt. invite the ATTENTION Of Congress to the sug
gestions of the Postmaster General this subject,
under the belief that such modification Of the late
law may be made as will yield sufficient with
out further calls on the treasury, and with very little
change in the present rates OF postage.
Proper measures have been taken, in pursuance Of
the Of the third of March last for the establish
ment of lines of mail steamers between this and for
cign countries. The importance of this service
mends itself strongly tofavorable consideration.
With the growth of our country, the public business
which devoes the heads of the several Executive
Departments has greatly increased In some respects
the distribution OF duties among them seems to be IN
congruons, and many OF these might be transferred
from one to another with advantage to the public into
rests more suspicious time for the consideration OF
this subject by Congress- with view to system in the
organization of the several departments, and
appropriate division of the public business, will not
probably occur.
The most important duties of the State Department
relate to foreign affairs BY the great enlargement
1 of the family of nations, the increase OF our COM
merce, and the corresponding extension of
lar system, the business OF this department has been
greatly increased. In its present organization many
duties of domestic nature and consisting of Details
arc devolved on the Secretary of State, which do
not appropriately belong to the foreign department
of the government and may properly be transferred
| to some other department One of these grows out
of the present of the law concerning the Patent Of
flee, which, few years since, subordinate clerk
ship but has become distinct bureau of great impor
tancc. With excellent internal organization it is
still connected with the State Department In the tran
sacton Of its business questions of much importance to
inventors, and to the community frequently arise,
which, by existing laws, referred for decision to
board of which the Secretary of State is member.
| These questions legal, and the connexion which
now exists between the State Department and the Pa
tent Office, may, with great propriey and advantage,
be transferred to the Attorney General.
In his last annual message to Congress, Mr. Madison
invited attention to proper provision for the Attorney
| General ''important Improvement in the execu
tive establishment. This recommendation
peated by of his successors. The official duties
of the Attorney General have been much increased
within a few years, and his Office has become of
great importance. His duties may be still further in
creased with advantage to the public interests As
executive officer his residence and constant attention
at the seat of government are required Legal ques-
tions involving important principles and large amounts
of public money, constantly referred to him by the
President and executive departments for his examna-
tion and decision The public business under his Off
cal management before the judiciary has been aug
mented by the extension of territory and the acts
of Congress authorizing suits against the United States
for large bodies Of valuable public lands greatly to
increase his labors and responsibilities. therefore
recommend that the Attorney General be placed on
the same footing with the heads of the other cxecu
tive departments with such subordinate officers, pro-
vided by law for his department. may be required to
discharge the additional duties which have been or