The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-12-10


recommend that the hole subject he re-
vised without delay, and snch system es-
ab'ishcd for the enforcement of discipline,
as shal be at once hunonc and elieclual.
The accompanying report OF the Post
master General, presents satisfactory
view Of the operations aud condition oil That
Department
At the close of the last fscal year, the
length Of the inland mail routes in the
United States mot embracing the rvice
ia Oregon and California; WINS one hund-
red and seventy eight thousand six hurd-
red aud sevcnty.live miles; The annual
transportation thereon forty six million five
hundred and forly-one thousand four humid
red and twenty-lhrce miles; and the annual
cost of such transportation two millions
srven hundred and iweniv.lonr thousand
four hundred and twenty six dollars
The Increase of the annual transportation
over thai OF the preceding year, was three
million nine hundred and ninety seven thou
ssnl three hundred and fifty four miles, and
the increase in cost was three hundred and
forty two thousand four hundred aud forty
dollnrs.
The number Of post Offices in the United
States, on the first day Of July last. was
eighteen thousand four hundred and seven
t1cn--bcins an increase OF sixteen hundred
and seventy during the preceding year
The gross revenues Of the Department for
the fiscal year ending June 30h 1850 IL
mounted to five millions FIVE hundred and
fifty two thousand nine hundred and seventy
one dollars and forty eight cents, including
the animal appropriation of two hundred
thousand dollars for the frankcd matter oi
the departments, and excluding the foreign
hostages collected for and payable to the
British Government
The expenditures for the same period
were Eve millions two hundred and twelve
thousand nnc hundred aud fifty three dol
lars and forty three cents leaving a balance
of revenue over expenditures Of three hum
dred and forty thousand and eighteen dollars
and five cenis.
am happy to find that the fiscal condi-
ton IF the Department is such as 10 justify
tho Postmaster General in recommending
the reduction Of our inland letter postage
10 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, after the reduction, shall
exceed lis expenditures by more than five
per cent. for two consecutive years; that
the postage on California and other letters
sent by our ocean steamers shall be much
rcdaccd and that the rates Of postage on
newspapers, pamphlets, periodicals and 9th
cr printed matter shall be modified, and
some reduction thereon made.
1t cannot lie doubted that the proposed
reflections will for the present, diminish the
revenues Of the Departments 1t is believed
that the deficiency, alier the surplus already
accumulated shall be exhausted, may be AZ
most wholly met, either hv abo!ishirg the
existing privileges Of sending free matter
through tho mails, OF by paying out Of the
rreasu " to tho Post Office Department a
~an. -uiNalent 10 the postage Of which it is
dom, we'd ly such privileges. The last is
snpuoscc - be tie preferable mode, and will
if not entirely. 20 nearly supply that def
cheney as 70 mako Al; further appropriation
,hAt may be found n"eessa, - 50 lnco" 'dera
BE Ms 10 form 10 obsiarlc 70 III propoSc'
rellcions.
entertain 10 doubt Of the authority Of
Congress tn making appropriations for lead
ing objects in that class Of Public works
rompris'n. what arc usually ra,l,l works Of
internal inpro' o,nrnt. Til, authority
suppose to ba derived chiefly from the pow
cr Of rrguaina commerce with foreign ma
tons ami ampna ;hr States. AMI the power
Of laying aud collecting irlposs. Where
commerce is to hr carried On, and the i'm
posts collected there must lie ports and har-
hors. ns well ~ whar,cs and custom houses
II ships latlen with valuable cargoes, APP
ptoAch the shore or sail along the coast.
light houses a"c necessary at suitable points
TOR the protection OF lite and property OH
cr facilities anl >ccuri les for commerce and
navigation are hardly less important and
those clauses Of the Constitution. therefore.
20 which have referred, have received from
the origin Of the Government liberal and
beneficial construction. Not only have light
honsrS, huoys and beacons been established,
and l)a'ing lights maintained, but harbors
have been cleared and improved, piers con-
Sirucicd and even breah waters for the safety
Of shipping, and sea walls to protect harhors
from being filled up and rendered useless
by the action OF The ocean, have been erect
ell al very great expense. And this con.
struction of the Constitution appcars the
more reasonable from the consideration. that
il these works, Of such evident importance
and utility, are not TO be accomplished by
Congress they cannot be accomplished At
all. BY the adoption Of the Constitute II
the several States voluntarily parted with
the power Of collecting duties OF mposs in
their osn por's and it 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 90
into their own treasures. MOI 10 ! perceive
any difference between the power Of Con-
sress 10 make appropriations for objects Of
this kind on the ocean and the power to
make appropriations for similar Objects on
lakes snd rivers. wherever they are large e.
noulh TO bear on their waters an extensive
traffic. The agnfcent Mississippi and it,
tributaries, and the vast lakes Of the norl
and northwest, appear to fab within the OK
crci,e of the power, as justly and clearly a.
the Ocean and the Gulf Of Mexico 1t j. a
mistake TO regard expenditures iudiciousy
mate for these objects as expenditures fol-
local purposes. The position, OF site OF til,
work, is necessarily local but It's utility i
general. A ship canal around the falls o
| st. Mary of less than mile in length
though local in its construction, would We
be national in its purpose and its berof's, a
1t would remove the only distractions 10
navigation of more than thousand miles
affecting several States as well us our com
mercial relations with Canada So, too, ia,
break water at the mouth of Ike Delawar,
is erected, not for the exclusive benefit o
the States bordering on the bay and river O
that name, but foI that Of the whole coas
wise navigation OF the United States and
TO u considerable extent also of the fhreigl
commerce If ship be lost on the bar a
at the entrance of southern port for wan
| Of sufficient drn1h Of mnlrr and il l. Nnr,