Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-12-06

navy, ana the suggestions therein mad, for il
improvement, together with the naval pole
II recommended for the security of our pacili
Coast, and the protection and extension of ou
{ commerce with Eastern Asia. Our facilitie
. for larger participation in the trade Vi tli
: East, by means of our recent settlements on tn
II shores OF tho Pacific, are too obvious 10 DO ov
erlookcd or disregardcd.
The question in relation to rank in the arm
:, and navy, and the relative rank between OH
GERS of the two branches oftho service, prescp
ted To the Executive by certain resolutions o
the House OF Representatives IA the last session
oi Congress, have been submitted to Il board q
, officers IN each branch Of the service, and the
report may be expected at an early day.
, also earnestly recommend tho enactmen
OF law authorizing officers of the army an,
navy To be rer rcd from the service, when in
, competent for its vigorous and active duties
, taking care to make suitable pruvis sion 70,
, those who have faithfully served their country
and awarding distinctions, by retanining il
appropriate commands those who have been
conspicuous for gaantry aud good conduct
While the obligation of the country lu inaip-
tain and honor Those, who, to the exclusion OF
other pursuits, have devoted themselves TO its
arduous service, this obligation should not be
permitted to interfere with the efficiency of
the service itself
am gratIied in being able to state, that the
estimates Of expenditure Of the navy in the en-
suing year are less, by more than one million
OF dollars, than those Of the present. excepting
the appropriation which may becom. necessary
for the construction OF Il dock on the coast of
! the Pacific, propositions for which are now be-
ing considered, and on which Il special report
may be expected early in your present session.
There is an evident business in the suggest
1 ion NE tI,n- ti,,t =
tho naval service proper should be separated
from those Of fixed and permanent objects,
such as building docks and navy yards, and the
fixtures attached; and from the extraordinary
| objects under the care Of the Department
! winch, however important. Gre not essentially
naval.
revision of the code for the government of
the navy seems TO require the immediate CON-
sideration Of Congress. Its system of crimes
and punishments had undergone no change for
hall II century until the last session, though its
defects have been often and ably pointed out,
and the abolition OF particular species of cor
poral punishment. which then took place, with
out providing any substitute, has left the service
IN Il state OF Effectiveness, which calls Tor
prompt correction. | therefore recommend
that the whole subject be revised without DELAY,
and such system established Tor the enforce.
mcnt OF discipline, as shall be al once humane
and eiiectua'.
The accompanying report Of the Postmaster
General presents a satisfactory view of the op-
erations and condition of that Department.
At the close of the last fiscal year, the length
of the inland mail routs in the United States
not embracing the service in Oregon and Cali
fornla,( was one hundred and seventy eight
thousand six hundred and sevcnty.two miles !;
the annual transportation thereon forty.5ix mil
lion five hundred and forty thousand four
hundred and twenty-three miles; and the an
nual cost of such transportation two millions
seven hundred and twenty-four thousand four
hundred and twenty-six dollars.
The increase Of the annual transportation
over that of the preceding yoar, was three mil.
lions nine hundred and ninety-,even thousand
three hundred and hity-fuur miles, and the in
crease in cost was three hundred and furty-two
thousand four hundred and forty doillrs.
The number of post Offices in the United
States on the first day of July last, was eiyh-
teen thousand four hundred and s-venteen-be.
ing an increase of sixteen hundred and seventy
during the preceding year.
The gross revenues of the Department for
the fiscal year ending June 3Oh, 1850, am
mounted to five millions five hundred and fifty
two thousand nine hundred and seventy -one
dollars and forty eight cents, including the an
uual appropriation Of two hundred thousand
dolors for the ranked mrtter of the depart.
ments, and excluding the foreign hostages col
lecled for and payable TO the British Govern.
ment.
The expenditures for the same period, were !
S5,2l2, 953,43 leaving a balance OF revenue
over expenditures oil $3i0,0lS,05. am happy
to find that the fiscal condition of the Depart. |
mo nj il surh In ,fv ih,D ,ll =
al in recommending the reduction OF our Inland
letter postage to three cents the single letter
when pre- paid, and five cents when not pre-. paid |
lie also recommends that the prepaid rate shall
be reduced to two cents whenever the revenues |
OF tho Department, after the reduction snail |
exceed its expenditures by more than five per |
cent, Tor two consecutive years: that the pos
tage upon California and other letters sent by
or ocean steamers shall be mucn reduced and
that the rates Of postage on newspapers, PAM
phlets, periodicals, and other printed matter
shall b. mtd.ied, and some reduction thereon
made.
1t cannot Be doubted that the proposed r.duc-
tons will, for the present, dcnini5l the rcven
ucs Of the department. 1t is believed that the
deficiency, after the surplu. already accumnia-
ted shall be exhausted, may be almost wholly
met, either by abolishng the existing priyjlc-
yes OF ;. iNlup lItS uldLttE tlNhHl kuc IniIlSi
or by paying out ui the Treasury to the Post
Office jepa a sum equivalent 10 the post
age Of which it is deprived by such privileges.
The last is supposed to be tho preferable II, De,
ana will, if not entirely, 80 nearly supply that
deficiency as to make any further appropriation
that may be found necessary so inconsderable
A. 10 form no obstacle TO the proposed reInc-
tons.
Ientc'ain no donb, Of the authority Of Con-
gross 10 make appropriations for leading objects
in that class o, public works comprising what
are usually called works of internal improve
mcnt This authority suppose 10 be derived
chiefly from the power Of regulating commerce
with foreign nations and among the States,
and the power oflaying and collecting mposts.
Where commerce is carried on, and impo.,s
collected, there must be ports and harhors, as
well as whnrves and custom-hnuses. If ships,
laden with valuable cargoos, approach the shore,
sr sail along the coast, lighthouses are ncceS-
,,Ary at suitable points for the protection Of life
md property. O'her facilities and securities
or commerce and navigation are hardly less
imnOrtnnt and those clausps of tho Cunbtitu-