The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-12-07
success ofthis noble aad humane enterprise ia vet

success ofthis noble a,d humane enterprise ia vet
uncertain.
! invite your attention to the resent view Of
our present naval establishment and resources pre-
scented in the report Of the Secretary ofthe Navy.
and the suggestions made therein for its improve
ment, together with the naval policy recommend
ed for the security Of Pacific coast and the pro
lection and extension Of our commerce with east
en Asia. Our facilities for larger participation
in the trade Of the east by means of our recent
settlements on the shores Of the Pacific, are too
obvious 30 be overlooked or dIsregarded.
! The question III relation to rank In the army
and navy, and relative rank between officers of
the two branches Of the service, presented to the
executive by certain resolutions Of the House Of
Representatives at the last session Of Congress
have been submitted to n board of officers in each
branch Of the service, and their report may be
expected at an early day.
also earnestly recommend the enactment of
n law authorizing officers ofhe army TO be retired
from the service when Incompetent for its vigo
rous and active duties taking care 10 make suita
lie provision for ;hose who have faithfully served
their country, aud awarding distinctions by re-
tanning in command those who have been particu.
lsrly conspicuous in gallantry and good conduct
B.. Willie We acknowledge the obligation Of the
country 70 maintain and honor those who TO the
exclusion Of other pursuits, have devoted them
selves to its ardu0us servlcr-thiS obligation
should not be permitted to interfere with the eff
cacy Of the service itself
am graticd nj being able to state that the
estimates for naval expenditures fer the ensuing
year are less by more than Sl,OQOO0O, than
those Of the present, excepting the appropriations
which may become Necessary for the construction
Of the dock upon the coast Of the Pacific, PROPOSE
tlons for which are now being considered, and on
which special report may be expected early in
yoHr present session.
There Is an evident business in the suggestions
Of the same report, thai appropriations for the ma
val service proper should lie separated from
those for fixed, permanent objects such as build.
ing docks and navy yards aud the fixtures attached
and the extraordinary objects under the care Of
the department, which, however important, are
not essentially naval
revision Of the code for the government Of
the navy, seems to require the immediate consd-
GRAFTON Of congress Its system Of crimes and
punlshments had undergone no change until the
last session Of congress though its defects have
been often and ably presented, aud the abolition
Of the particular species Of corporea punishment
which then tool; place, without providing any sub
stitu,c has left the service in state Of defective
ness watch calls for prompt correction. | there
fore recommend that the whole subject he revised
without delay, and such a system established for
the enforcement Of discipline as shall be at once
human and effectual
The accompanying report Of the Post Master
General presents satisfactory view of the opera
tious and cond ton of that department AT the
close Of the last fiscal year the length of the IN
land mail routes in the United States not embra-
eng the service in Oregon and California, was
l2s 672 miles. The annual transportation there
Of 1854 .i23 miles and the annual cost Of such
transportation, s2,72i426 SIS. The increase of
the annual transportation over that of the prece-
ding year, was 3,997,35i miles and the increase
Of cost was S342 4I0,59. The number of post
offices on the first day of July lastwas lS4l7, be-
Ing an increase of 1910 during the preceding
year. The gross revenue of the department, for
the fiscal year ending June 3Oth, 1850 amounted
to f5,55227l IS, including the annual appropria-
ton Of the 10000 for the ranked matter of the
departments. and excluding the foreign postages
collected Tor and payable to the British govern.
ment, The expenditures for same period were
sj'2l2,953 So leaning balance of revenue over
expenditures Of s3iOulS 05
/ am happy to find tina, the fiscal condition of
the department is such as to Justify the Postmas-
ter General IN recommending reduction Of our
ll.ani postage 10 3 cents the single letter when
prepaid or . cents when not prepaid He also
recommends that the prepaid rates shall be
reduced whenever tic revenue of the department
after the reduction, shy cxcesd its expenditures
by more than D per cent for two consecutive
years; that the postage upon the California and
those letters sent by our ocean steamers shall be
much reduced, and that the rates If postage on
newspapers, pamphlets, periodicals, and other
printed matter shall be modified and some reduc-
ton thereon made. itclnnot he doubted that the
proposed reduction will, Tor the present diminish
the revenue Of the department.. II is believed
thst the deficiency, alter the already accumulated
surplus shall be exhausted. may be almost fully
met by aooiShiug the privilege OF sending free
matter through the mails, or 10y paying out of
the treasury to the post oit'e sum oquivaentto
the postage OF which it ia deprived bY these pri-
rtlrgeS The last "a supposed to be the prefern-
''e m1i' and will, If nos entirely, sD nearly sup
p.' mo iHen'y, Is to make any further appro-
prtt1n unnecessary, II may be found 80 ,nrou
siderable as to form nu obstacle to the reduction
entertain no doubt Of the authority of Congress |
N make appropriations for leading objects IN that !
CHS, OF uI'' work. called by the general name of
ln'"uh improvements Tmsnuhoa'y suppoSe To
lee derived chiefly from Oh" power u congress Of
regulating commerce with foreign nations and q %
mouE the states, nui the power at evyur and col |
lrfIlbE imports When commerce h. To- he carried /
on and mp1g., collected, there mus, BE- ports and |
h0rAors, ls well 0s whIUe- and custom houses, III
shp', laden with valuable carEoes. approach the
shore or sa, along The coast, and light houses are
necessary at suitable points Tor the protection OF
le AMI property, other facilities and securities tor
commerce and navigation are not les, important;
ana those clauses Oi the constitution, therefore To
winch have referred, have received from the organ
at he government u Abcra, aud beneficial cunsIrc-
ton. Not only had lighthouses but buuysaud hea-
cons been established aud floating lights been main
tanned Du, haIhpr- have been c,ealed and improy- l
ed, pier, constructed, aud even break waters tor the
safety vi smppuI and sra-wn,ls On protect harbors
from beng titled up AMI rendered useless by the
action cd the ocean, have been erected AT very great
expense, ! ms construction NJ the constitution mp
pear, norc warrantabe from the consideration that
II these works, of such evident importance aud ut.
", nre not 10 hr accomplished bv congress thrvcan-
not he accomplished at nll BY the adoption Of this
construction. the several states voluntarily parted
with the power ol collecting duties on imports with.
~ Their own ports, and IT'S not to be expected that
they shouidrllse money 10y internal taxation. direct,
or indirect, for ia. benefit of that commerce. the
revenues from which do not, either in whole or in
part, 60 into their own treasury; nor do perceive