Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1850-12-03

Of the preceding year, was three millions nine b,
dred and ninetyseven thousand three hundred and fG
four miles, ami the increase in was three hund
and forty-wo thousand four hundred aud forty dorar.
The number Of post Offices in the United Stat 80
the first day of July last, eighteen thousand e.
hundred and seyenteen-being increase Of six,Go.
hundred and seventy during the preceding year
The gross revenues Of The Department for the fiscal
year ending June Both, $780, amounted to five rnj;oa
five hundred and ffty-two thousand niue hundred aus
seventyone dollars and orty-eght cents incudpo tho
annual appropriation of two hundred thousand dollar
for the ranked matter Of the departments and excII
ing the reign hostages collected for and payable to tho
British Government
The expenditures for the same period were five mil
lions two hundred and twelve thousand nine bundro1
and iftyhree dollars and forty-three cents -leavinr
balance ofrevenue expenditures Of three hundreJ
and forty thousand and eighteen dollars and five cents
am happy to find that the fiscal condition Of the De-
partment is such justify the Postmaster General
recommending the reduction Of inland letter postaga
to three cents the single letter when prepaid and G1
cents when prepaid. He also recomnen Is that tb
prepaid rate shall be reduced two cents whenever
the revenues Ct the Department. after the reduction
shall exceed its expenditures by more than five per
cent for two consecutive years that the postage ubon
California and other letters sent by our ocean steamers
shall be much reduced and that the of postage on
newspapers, pamphlets periodicals, and other printed
matter shall be modified, and some reduction thereon
made.
1t cannot be doubted that the proposed rednction.
WILL for the present. diminish the revenues Of The De-
parment. 1t is believed that the deficiency after The
surplus already accumulated shall be exhausted NAV 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 De-
partment equivalent to the postage Of which il i.
deprived by such privileges The last is supposed to
be the preferable mode and will, ifnot entirely 80 near.
~ supply that deficiency as to make any further annro
praton that may be found necessary so nconsiderbe
to form no obstacle to the proposed re iuctions
entertain no doubt of the authority Of Congress to
make appropriations for leading objects in that class If
public works comprising what are usually called works
OF internal Improvement. This authority suppose to
be derived chiefly from the power Of regulating com.
merce with foreign nations, and among the States and
the power OF laying and colec ing imposts Where
commerce IS to be carried on, and imposts collected
there must be ports and harbors as well as wharvesand
cusomhouses. If ships, laden with valuable cargoes
approach the Shore sail along the coast lighthouses
are necessary suitable points for the protection ofie
and property Other facilities and securities for COM
meIce aud navigation hardly less important; and
those clauses Of the Constitution therefore 10 which
have referred, have received from the origin Of the
Government liberal and beneficial construction
Not only have lighthouses buoys and heacons been es-
iablshed, and floating lights maintained but harLors
nave been cleared and improved, piers construcedand
even Dreakwaters for the safety Of shipping and sea
walls to protect hahors from being flied M and rem
dered useless by the action of the ocean, have been
erected at very great expense. And this construction
OF the Cons tuition appears the more reasonable from
the considerations that If these works. of such evident
Importance and utility, not 10 be accomplished by
Congress, they cannot be accomplished at all BY the
aaophon oil the Constitution the several States yolm-
'afy parted with the power of cole ting duties Of i'm
post ~ their own ports and it is not to be expected
inat they should raise money, by internal taxation d.
rect or Indirect for the benefit Of that commerce, the
revenue derived from which do not, either in whole
10 part, go INTO their treasures. Nor do per-
eeye any difference between the power Of Congress to
make appropriations for objects of this kind on the
peeaP and the powes to mako appropriations for SINH
lar OBJECTS on lakes aud rvtrs wherever thew are large
enough TO bear on their wates an excessive traffic.
ne magnificent Mississippi and its tributaries an / the
vast lakes OF the north and the northwest appear to
he 10 IAN within the exercise Of the power. as Justly
rs clearly as the Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico
II Is a mistake to regard expenditures .iudiciousy made
is 'hese ofJecs.as expenditures for local purposes
ne position, or site OF the work is necessarily local.
but lis uiiiy IS general ship canal around the falls
Of 81 Mary OF less than mile in length tho,oh local
IN ITS construction, would yet be national in It's purpose
ana us dement's, rs 1t would remove the only ohstcti
TO navigation OF more than thousand miles affecting
several States, as well as commercial relations with
1anada 50, too the breakwater at the mouth of the
delaware erected, not for the exclusive benefit of the
states bordering on the bay and river of that name but
Tor that OF the whole coastwse NAVIGATION of the In
t:u States ahu' to considerable extent also of for
eisn commerce If ship be lost on the bar at the en-
trance OF southern poit for want of pf6co, o,tl NJ
water, 1t IS very likely be northern hin. and If
be sunk IN any part of the Mi sisspp on ac-
count Oh lis channel not having been properly cleared of
II may ne Il boat belonging To either of
eight or ten States. may add as somewhat remarka
be that among all the thirtyone States, there is none
thal Is not, to greater less extent bounded on the
ocean, or the Gu OF Mexico or one OF the preat lakes
or some navigable river
10 fulhiling our constitutional duties. fellow
cHzens, on this subject, as in carrying INTO eff
lect all other powers conferred by the Constitu.
tlon, we should consider ourselves as deliherat
ing and acting for one and The same country and
bear constantly in mind, that our regard and orr
uuiy are due: not to particular part only, but TO
the whole - W ~
therefore recommend that appropriations be
; made for completing such works as have been
already begun, and for commencing such others
as may seem 10 the wisdom of Congress 10 he of
pubic and general importance
The difficulties and delays, incident 10 the set.
tlement OF private claims by Congress, amount
III many cases to denial Of Justice There is
reason to apprehend that many unfortunate
creditors OF The Government have thereby been
unavoldably ruined. Congress has so much busi.
ness of a public character, tina, il is mnossibIe
1t should give much attention to mere private
claims, and their accumulation is now 80 great
that many claimants must despair of ever beino
able to obtain hearing. 1t may well be doubfo
ed 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
clam on which he is compelled to vote and
II Is preposterous to ask Judge to decide case
winch he has never heard. Such decisions NAV
ana frequently must, do injustice either TO he
caimant or the Government, and | perceve M
DETER remedy for this growing evil than the es.
iaoshmen OF some tribunal to adudicate unop
sucn claims beg leaye therpfnrn ,,oo,