Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-12-06

The gross revenues OF the department. loT lho 10
cal year ending June 30th 1850, amounted to hve
millions FIVE hundred and ffty-two thousand nine
hundred and seventy-one dollars and forty eight
cents including the annual appropriation OF two hun
dred thousand dollars for the franked matter of the
departments, and excluding the foreign hostages col
lected for and payable to the British Government.
The expenditures for the same period were 1--WE
millions two hundred and twelve thousand nine hum
dred and fty-three dollars and forty-three cents
leaving balance of revenue over expenditures OF
three hundred and forty thousand and eighteen dol
lars and five cents.
am happy to find that the fiscal condition of the
Department is such to justify the Postmaster Gen.
eral in recommending the reduction of our inland
letter 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 Depart
ment after the reduction, shall exceed its expendi-
lures by than five per cent for two consecutive
years; that the postage upon California and other
letters sent by ocean steamers shall be much re-
duced and that the rates of postage newspapers
pamphlets, periodicals, and other printed matter
shall be modified, and some reduction thereon made
1t cannot be doubted that the proposed reductions
WILL for the present, diminish the of the
Department. 1t is believed that the deficiency after
the surplus already accumulated shall be exhausted
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 sum equivalent to the postage of
which it is deprived by such privileges The last is
supposed to be the preferable mode, and WILL if not
entirely nearly supply that deficiency to make
any further appropriation that may be found neces
sary ncOnsderable as to form no obstacle to the
proposed reductions
entertain no doubt of the authority of Congress
to make appropriations for leading objects in that
class of public works comprising what usually
called works of internal improvement. This authori-
ty suppose to be derived chiefly from the power of
regulating commerce with foreign nations and a
mong the States, and the power of laying and col
Letting imposts. Where commerce is to be carried
on and imposts collected there must be ports and
harbors as we'll wharves and custom-houses. If
ships, laden with valuable cargoes. approach the
shore, sail along the coast lighthouses are neces-
sary at suitable points for the protection of life and
property Other facilities and securities for COM
merce and navigation are hardly less important
and those clauses of the Constitution, therefore, to
which have referred, have received from the orr
of the Government a liberal and beneficial construc
ton Not only have Zig houses, buoys, and bea-
cons been established, and floating lights maintained
but harbors have been cleared and improved, piers
constructed, and breakwaters for the safety of
shipping and walls to protect harbors from being
filled up and rendered useless by the action of the
ocean, have been erected at very great expense And
this construction of the constitution appears the
reasonable from the consideration that if these works.
of such evident Importance and utility are not to be
accomplished by Congress, they cannot be accom-
plished at all By the adoption of the Constitution
the several States voluntarily parted with the power
of collecting duties of mpost in their own ports; and
it is not to be expected that they should raise money
by internal taxation, direct indirect, for the bene
fit of that commerce, the revenues derived from
which do not either in whole in part, 90 into their
own treasures. Nor do perceive any difference
between the power of Congress 10 make appropria-
tons for objects of this kind the ocean and the
power to make appropriations for similar objects on
lakes and rivers, wherever they large enough to
bear on their waters an extensive traffic. The mag
nfcent Mississippi and its tributaries, and the vast
lakes of the north and the northwest appear to me
to fall within the exercise of the power, justly and
as clearly as the Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. II
is mistake to regard expenditures judiciously made
for these objects expenditures for local purposes
The position site of the work successfully local
but its utility is general ship canal around The
Falls of St. Mary of less than mile in length tho
local in its construction. would yet be national in it
purpose and its benefits, as it would remove the on
ly obstruction to navigation OF more tnan thou
sand miles, affecting several States, as we'll as ou
commercial relations with Canada. SO. too, the
Breakwaer at the mouth of the Delaware is erected
not for the exclusive benefit of the States bordering
the bay and river of that but for that of the
whole coastwise nav cation of the United States and
to considerable extent also of foreign commerce j
ship be lost the bar at the entrance of a south
port for want of sufficient depth of water, it is
very likely to be northern ship and if steamboat
be sank in any part of the Mississippi, account
it's channel not having been properly cleared of OBJ
structions, it may be boat belonging to either OF
eight or ten States. may add, somewhat remark
able, that among all the thirtyone States there is
none that is not to greater less extent bounded
on the ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, or one of thu
great lakes, some navigable river.
In fulfilling our constitutional duties fellow cit
zens, this subject. in carrying into effect al
other powers conferred by the Constitution, we
should consider ourselves celebrating and acting
for one and the country, and bear constantly In
mind that regard and our duty are DUE not tC
particular part only, but to the whole.
Therefore recommend that appropriations be made
for completing such works as have been already be-
gun and for commencing such others as may seem
to the wisdom OF Congress to be of public and gen
, eral Importance.
The difficulties and delays, incident to the settle
ment of private claims by Congress, amount in many
cases to denial of justice. There is reason to ap
prehend that many unfortunate creditors of the Go
vernment have already been unavoidably ruined
Congress has much business of a public character
that it is impossible it should give much attention
now great that many claimants must despair OF
ever being able to obtain hearing. 1t may well be
doubted whether Congress, from the nature of its
organization, is properly constituted to decide upon
such cases 1t is impossible that each member should
examine the merits of every claim on which he i:
compelled to vote; and it is preposterous to ask
judge to decide case which he has never heard
Such decisions may, and frequently must, do njus
tce either to the claimant the Government, and
perceive no better remedy for this growing evil thar
the establishment of some tribunal to adjudicate up
such claims. beg leave, therefore, most respect
! fully, to recommend that provision be made by Law
for the appointment of commission to settle all pri
vate claims against the United States and as an e;
pdre hearing must in all contested cases be very un
satisfactory, also recommend the appointment of
Solicitor whose duty it shall be to represent the Go
vernment before such commission and protect it n
gainst all illegal fraudulent unjust claims, which
may be presented for their adjudication.