The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-12


most recently admitted into the Union.
The standards for these States, and for the custom
houses OF older States not yet supplied are IN the course
preparation The attention of the States called, IN
the report OF the superintendent of weights and measures,
received in June last the necessary steps Tor preparing
county standards, TO uniformity in the
weights and measures in common Fifteen balances
for regulating standards have been supplied TO five States,
and up by agent from the office of weights and
measures. Two more sets, six IN number, have been
supplied to two other States Twenty nine hand
the LIST OF January last ready for distribution The
establishment produces at the rate of six balances OF the
first class and three OF the second or nine OF the second
or four OF the third, per annum.
The present distribution OF weights and measures is,
in my opinion, provisional, and has been so considered
by statesmen and OF science, "A more general unl
fomity extending to different nations was looked forward
by Jefferson ana John Quincy Adams, one day at
ainable, and recommended in my last annual report
The time, my opinion, has come Tor the serious con
siieraon OF this subject by Congress. New standards
are about TO be made in England. The reorganlza-
ton of the Germanic confederation will give great
extension to whatever system of weights and meas
ures they may adopt, and the political changes go
in other parts OF Europe are favorable to the IN
shows that practicable break up the old system,
and 10 introduce another, new and entire. One standard
of length, standard of weights, standard OF ca
pacity with suitable mauples and subdivisions, would
be pronotlve OF convenience and OF economy Of time IN
the business of life and the Intercourse OF nations The
adoption of the decimal system would also, IN my opn-
ion, simplify and facilitate computation; and recon-
mend that authority be gwen to this department to take
the necessary steps Tor obtaining International views ana
action as to uniformity OF CONS and OF weights ana
measures.
Daring the past year the third of series of elaborate
reports of Investigations sugars and hydrometers I'M
der the direction OF Professor d. Bache, superntend'
ent OF weights and measures, by Professor X; Nc
Cuoch, melte and reiner of the mint at Philadelphia
has been presented the department and Transmitted to
Congress, by whom it has been ordered to be printed with
collection of the preceding reports This report COM
pees the subject OF hyometers far as is necessary to
make the changes required in the OF the instrument
at the custom houses and standard instruments and
M nua nearly prpUarel These extra OtlCla
duties discharged by these gentlemen without com
pensatlon
Ny last report recommended the grant of one section
of land for schools in every quarter township IN Oregon
This grant, in each of the States, OF section of
the public lands in each township, was designed to Sc
cure the benefit of education all the children OF that
township This object has failed TO great eXlent be-
cause section in the centre of a township SIX miles
square distant from many other sections to furnish
school to which all can resort and because, as pecu
mary provision, II is inadequate. The grant, however
of section for every quarter township would be sul
Gent whilst the central LOCATION would De adjacent 10
the school house within the Immediate vlcinage ofevey
child within its limits Congress, extent! adopt
ed this recommendation. by granting two school sections
in each township, instead OF one, for education in Ore
gon but is respectfully suggested that even thus
tended the grant is still inadequate IN amount whilst the
which all attend This subject is again pre-
scented TO the attention OF Congress, with the rec
ommendation that it shall be extended TO Ca!ltor-
MA and New Mexico, and also to all the other new
States and Territories containing the public domain
Even question of revenue, such grants would more
than refund their value to the government, as each
quarter township composed of nine sections, OF which
the central section would be granted for schools and
each of the remaining eight sections would be adjacent
to that granted These eight sections thus located and
each adjoining school section, would be OF greater
value than when separated, by many'mles, from such
opportunities; and the hry-two sections OF one entire
township with these benefits would bring larger price
to the government than thirty five sections out OF thirty
where section only remote from the rest was
granted for such purpose The pubic DOMAIN would
thus be settled at earlier period aad, yielding larger
products thus augment our exports and our Imports
with correspondent increase OF revenue from duties
The greater diffusion of education would Increase the
power of mind and knowledge applied to our industrial
pursuits, and augment in this way also the products and
wealth of the nation Each State IS deeply Interested IN
the welfare of every other for the representatives of the
whole regulate by their the OF the Union,
which must be happy ana prosperous IN proportion
as ITS councils are guided by more enlightened views, re-
suliing from the universal diffusion OF light, and
| knowledge, and education.
condition of the public lands in California. Tue official
reports of the great mineral wealth OF that present
important questions for your consideration. That gold
and quicksilver exist to great extent IN California would
to be placed beyond controversy THIS gold would
appear require the establishment OF branch OF the mint
OF the United States at San Francisco The quicksilver
only important connected with the mining of the
precious metals, with health and the arts, but still more
with the advance of science and the progress OF discovery
| in physics The mines of gold, and perhaps of other
minerals, would seem to be located chiefly on the public
lands They belong to the government as trustee for
the people, whose interests should be protected and
cured by Congress. scientific commission to make a
geological examination, accompanied with linear sur
veys, is deemed important
The volumlnous character OF this report growing out
of the varied and important duties, constantly augment
ing ASST ned by law this depa nent, renders neces-
sary that should for few days, and for spe
cal report Congress- the warehousng system In ad
vance of that report, would remark at this time that
new instructions prepared by this department, and
the forms nearly completed, among other regulations ex
tending free competition for the storage OF foreign
imports The progress of the system has been most sat
isactory and successful; the value OF foreign goods
waehoused in ports since the passage OF the law IN
August, 1916, up to the 3Oth September last having
amounted TO the very large OF about forty -four mil
| lions OF dollars.
In retiring from this department, and from public
| life in which have served so long with inferior abilities
10 many Others but with equal sociludc to promote the
best interests OF my beloved country, submit with the
utmost Difference to the superior wisdom OF Congress, my
views and experience regards the organization of the
| Treasury Department. Its varied and important duties
with the rapid increase OF business and popua-
on scarcely be all promptly and properly performed
by any Secretary Yet IN detachng any OF It's duties
from this department the greatest must be taken
TO impair the unity simplicity and efficiency of the sys-
TEN. TO take from this department its supervision
the and finances. any of the accounting
officers of the treasury, the two CoNptrolles, the
Auditors, the Treasurer the Solicitor Register the AS
sstant Treasures collectors the maSne the
coast survey, the mint, the weights and measures the
marine hospitals, or the lighthouse SYSTEM would
confuslon and be most judicial to the public service
But there are important public duties having no neces-
sarY conneXon with commerce finances that could be
most advantageousy separated from the treasury and
devolved upon new department of the government
Among these the Land Office land titles and surveys
| 90 nd lnvira ha hue