The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-12-05

. a
coast of the Pac hc, propns iiionS or which
now. being considered, aui on y hich a special
report may DC expected euiy IN your pre- seat
session.
There Is an evident jns.ness in the snggoz
ton OF the same reP1Tt, thit apPropriation
ior the naval service Prnier. shuuid be sep ,r.
ted from those f'I fix ed I'D perm 1T Obj eCls,
such us building docks and navy yards, and the
fixture attached; and from the cxtr aordinary
objects under the care of the Department
which, however important, not essentially
naval.
of the navy seems TO require the immediate
consideration of Congress. Its system of crime
and punishments had undergone no change for
half century, until the last session, though
its defects have been often and ably pointed out
and the abolition of particular species of
corporal punishment {, which then took place
without providing any substitute h as left the
service in a state of effectiveness which calls
tor prompt correction. | therefore recommend
that the whole subject be revised without delay
and such system established for the enforce.
ment of discipline, shall bo at once humane
and effect1aI.
Ihe accompanying report of the Postmaster
r Generai, presents satisfactory view of the
operations and condition fthat Department.
AT the close of the last fiscal year, the length
OF the inland mail routes in the United States
(not embracing the service in Oregon and Cal
iiornia) was one hundred and seventy eight
thousand six hundred and seventy-two miles;
the annual transportation thereon forty-six
millions five hundred and forty ono thousand
four hundred and twenty three miles, and the
annual cost of such ira spoi tation two IN lions
seven hundred and twenty four thousand four
hundred and twenty six dollars
The increase of the annual transports al ION
over that of the preceding year. three mil
lions nine hundred and ninety ty-seven Thousand
three hnndred and fifty four miles and the in
crease 10 cost was three hundred and forty two
Thousand four hundred and forty dollars.
The number of post Offices in the United
States. on the lst day of July last. was Is, All
being increase Of 1870 during the prece
ding year.
The gross revenues of the Department for
the fiscal year ending June 30th 1850. amount
ed 10 S5, $50 81 4S, including the annual ap
ProPriation Of S200, 010 for the franked matter
of the departments. nd excluding the foreign
hostages collected for and payable 10 the BRIT
ISL Government.
The expenditures for the same psriol were
s5,2l2,953 43-leaving a b.lauce of revenue
over expenditures of $3490I6 05.
am happy to fiud that the fiscal condition
OF the Department is such to justify the
Postmaster General in recommending the e.
duction Of our inland postage to three cents
the single letter when prepaid, and FIVE cents
when not prepaid. He also recommends that
the prepaid rate shall be reduced TO two cents
whenever the revenues of the Department, af
oy more than FIVE per cent. for two consecutive
years: that the postage upon California and
other letters sent by our ocean steamers shall
bo much reduced; and that the rates of postage
on newspapers. pamphlets, periodicals, and
other printed matter shall be modified and
some reduction thereon made.
Ii cannot be doubted that the proposed reduc.
tions will. for the present, diminish the revenues
of the Del artmsnt II is believed that the de
hcicncy, after the surplus slrcady accumu!a e !
shall be exhaus led, may be almost wholly met,
either by abolishing the existing privileges OF
sending free matter through the mails, or by
paying out of the Treasury TO the Post Office
Department u sum equivalent to the postage of
which IT is deprived by such privileges. The
last is supposed TO be the pre- eferable mode, and
will, If not entirely, so nearly supply that de.
6ciency us to make any further appropriation
that may be found necessary SO incons1erabe
as 10 form ebst ace to the proposed reduc.
lions.
entertain doubt oF the authority OF Con
gross 10 make appropriations for leading objects
in that class of public works comprising what
are usually called works Of internal improve
menf. This authority l suppose TO be derived
chiefly from the power of regulating commerce
with foreign nations. and among the States
and the power of aging and collecting Imposts.
Where commerce is to be carried on, and i'm
posts collected, there mast be ports, ana har
bors, as well whaTve5 and custom houses
If ships, laden with valuable cargoes. approach
the snoTe, or SAIL along inc coast, lighthouses
are necessary at suitable points Tor the pr otec-
lion of life and property. OF her facilities and
securities for commerce and navigation are
hardly less Important; and those clauses Of the
Constitution therefore, to which 1 have refer
red, have received from the origin of the Gov
-ernment a liberal and beneficial construction.
Not only have lighthouses, buoys and beacons
been established. aud floating lights mliutain-
ed, but harbors have been cleared and improv-
ed, piers Constructed. and even breakwat for
Zoo safety of shipping, and sea walls to protect
hsrbnrs from being filled up. and rendered
less, by the action of the ocean, have been
erected at very great expense. And this CON-
struction OF the Constitution appears she more
reasonable from the considers ion, that il these
works. of such evident importance and utility.
not 10 be occounpl shed by C,.u ygess, they
caiuut be acCpuI Jlished at all. BY the ddup
lion OF the Constitution the several states vol
unfairly parted with the power of cole citing
duties of impost in their own ports; and il is
not to be expected that they should raise money
by internal taxation. direct or indirect, for the
benefit of that commerce, the revenues derived
from which do not, either in whole or in part
20 into their treasures. Nor do | per-
ceive any difference between the power of Con-
yress to make appropriations for similar objects
of this kind on the ocean, and the power to
make appropriations on sim lar objects on lakes
and rivers, wherever they are large enough TO
hear their waters an extensive traffic
The magnificent Mississippi and its
tributaries, and the vast lakes of the north
and the northwest, appear to me to fall
wif,s.i. the exercise of the power, as Justly
and as clearly as the Ocean and the Calf
of Mexico. II is mistake to regard ex-
pendiiures iudiciously made for these OBJ