Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-12-11

change for half century, until the last session, though s
defects have been often aud ably pointed out, and the a0o
ton of particular species of corporal punishment which
then took place, without providing any substitute has let
the service In state of which calls for pomP
correction therefore recommend that the whole suCec'
be revised without delay and such asysem established o
the enforcement of discipline rs shall be at once huN
and efctual.
The acconpanyng report of the Postmaster General pre-
senls satisfactory view Of the operations and conoch OF
that Department.
At the close of the last fiscal year. the length OF the IN
land mail routes in the United States mot embracing me
cor vice in Oreron and California; hundred and Sc
Thousand six hundred and SeyenlytwO miles
the annual Transportation thereon loryslN million hVe nun
dred and ono thousand four hundred and twentyhree
miles and the annual cost OF such transportation two mil
lions hundred auu "eUy cd luous@uu Ou nuuteu
and twentySiX dollars
The increase of the annual transportation that ofthe
preceding year, three millions nine-hunded and nine
tyseyen thousand three hundred and rtyour miles ana
the increase in cost three hundred and fOry"o '"
and four hundred and forty dollars.
The number Of Post Offices in the United STATES o 1
fist of July last eighteen thousand TOUR nu I a1
seyenteen-heing increase of sixteen hunu0u "u '"
ty during the proceed ing year. ch ALL
endnp June 3Oh 1850 amounted 10 uYe ul'.i'ons lVe
hundred and fittytwo thousand nine huueu a"u seventy
dollars and forty cents T'lOT n "e S. c
preparation of two hundred thousand Go'S loL Tue ''Neu
matter Of the epartnens, and excluding the tOegn posta
ues collectaJ far and payable the British Government
'Tna evre,,lures for the period were live millions
two bnodted and twelve thousand nine hundred aud fifty
three dollars and forty three ceneayiug balance OF re-
venue over expenditures Of three hundred aud 0ry thou
sand and eighteen dollars aud five cents.
Lam happy to find that the fiscal condition OF the De
parnent is such as to Justify the Postmaster General IN re-
commencing the reduction Of lnand letter postage 10
three the single letter when prepaid ana i'e Genus
when prepaid He also recommends l"a the prepaid
rate shall be reduced cents whenever the revenues
Of the Department after the reduction shall exceed It's eX
pendures by more than five per cent for two consecutive
years. that the postage upon California aud other Ie'er'
sent by our ocean steamers shall be much reduced ana tna
the rates Of postage newspapers, pamphlets peOu'caS'
and other prael matter sha DO modified, and some reduc
tlon theron made -,
1t cannot be doubted that tho proposed reductions will,
for the present diminish the revenues ID the Department.
Il is believed that the deficiency, after the surplus already
accumulated shall be exhausted, may De almost wholly
met either 6y aboshing the existence privileges OF SEN
ding free matter through the mails by paying out OF the
Treasury to the Post Office Department equivalent
the postage Of which it deprived ~ such privileges
The last is supposed to be the preferable m0de ana Wul Il
not entirely 50 nearly supply that deficiency rs 10 make any
further appropriation that may be found necessary 50 neon
siderable form obstacles 10 a proposed TeuUc'oS
IeEertain no doubt Of the authority of Congress to make
appropriations Tor leading objects N hat class oil Puohc
works comprising what usually called works oiuternal
Improvement This authority suppose TO be derived chief
iy rga! the power of regulating commerce with oegn ma
lions and among the States, and the power OF laying and
i
1posS collected there FAUST be ports and habos as well
as WharyeS and custom houses Il ships, laden with yalu-
Dia Ga goes approach the shore, or sail along the costs
h houses necessary at suitable points io the pfoIec-
tluf life aud property Other facilities and securities OF,
"a rLN.ce and naEuaun hardly less important and
clauses otaa Constitution, therefore, 10 which have
red have received from the orgIa OF The government
'ai aud beneficial construction.
toay have lighthouses, bJoys and bsacous beens es-
4. aud floating lights mai0Ia!ned, but hGroOfa have
rat and rtlr pi t
.ters Sy lae safety 0t Sapprg and Seawal!S to pro-
f),e JeWg filled up and rendered useless, oy
tho oceaa have been erected at very great eX-
a. 'lais construction oil the Constitution appears
re .: sm,aCe rtya the considerations that 1t these
.l evident Importance aud utility, are no, 10 be
ned b; Congress they cannot be accomplished at
tUc&dyllo. lttac Constitution the several States
)la1,o lg aylel l lie power oi collecting duties OF
npos in ao rs and 1t IS not to be expected that
tblyshaui rjss Internal taxation, director lndI,
rect; ia- tie bCRe be-. lmmerce, the revenues derived
4om whch do n, 49, whole or in part, go into their
own tr. ury.
Not do perch a, diff. nee between the powers of
Congress 90 make arpy, ais Or objects OF this kind on
tie ocean ar! tle 2ov r ko appropriations for similar
objects on lakes 0ud rvcis they large enough
to bear iher waters Extensive traffic. The magnh-
cent Mississippi ,d Is Ibg les and the vast lakes OF
the North aud Northwest appear to 10 fall within The
oflhe power ust add clearly as the Ocean
tld the GulSof Mes co 1t sa mistake regard 7Xpendl-
tur udiciousy mst for these OBJECTS al expenditures for
Fs purposes. Ia, position or size 0i ne work. Is neceS-
s2rh losa hat It's a. {I!y Is general ship canal around
Ils falls Of ST. Mar less than nj IN length, though
local in It's construction, yoUI vel VS. ualioni n its pur.
pos, and It's benefits as you'd the ~ ubsiruc-
i0l navigation of more than thousand lies. affect
seyeiSl States IS ven orr rofanurcalr laUps with
canada
So too the Nretkvr ter 81 Ii 9 m1utI q, Delaware is
TEL n0J f. tie exclusive ben fit tho states bordering
~: hay enc re ut taN maae, b1I r Ihas q The whole
as, yisg navigation o. tie Lpud State aud % a coasd-
EF- T... h shin i.l,