Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-12-13


eon 200 40 Maid under an award of the Auditor, In
pursuance of resolution of the last Congress, or mai
service on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers IN 1872 anu
1888 and the amount paid to the BRUSH post once o
foreion hostages collected for and payable to that
Office amounted to Sc, O24,566 10 leaving Dalahce
of revenue over the proper expenditures Oh Tue yea"
! S703.29 SO. l,1a;nr
the foreon hostages collected for and payable to the
British post Officer amounted to $6,345,747 Il, being
an increase of S9976l0 10, lS.6510o per cent. over
the like receipts for the preceding year
The reduction OF postage under the act OF Marcn ias'
did not take effect until the commencement OF the
present fiscal wear The accounts for the first quar-
ter under the operation of the reduced rates. VIII not
be settled before January next and no reaDle esu
mate of the receipts for the present year can yer oe
made 1t is believed however, that they VIII 1ali lar
short of those of the last year. The surplus OF the
revenues now on hand is, however, so large that no
further appropriation from the Treasury, in aid OF the
revenues of the Department, required Tor tne cur
rent fiscal year; but additional appropriation Tor
the year ending June 30 1853 will probably be found
necessary when the receipts of the first two quarters
of the fiscal year are fully asoertained.
In his last annual report he Postmaster General
recommended a reduction of postage to rates Which
he deem as low could be prudently adopted, unless
Compress was prepared appropriate from the treasu
ry for the support of the Department. sum more
than equivalent to the mail services performed by 1t
for the Government. The recommendations OF the
Postmaster General, in respect to letter postage eX
cent on letters from and to California and Oregon,
were substantially adopted by the last Congress. He
now recommends adherence to the present letter rates
and advises against further reduction until JUSTIFIED
: by the revenue of the Department.
He also recommends that the rates of postage on
printed matter be revised to render them more
simple, and more uniform in their operation upon all
classes of printed matter | submit the recommen-
daons of the report your favorable consideration.
The public statutes of the United States have now
been accommodating for than sixty years, and, in
terspersed with private acts, scattered through
volumes, and from the of the whole have
become almost inaccessible to the great of the
l community.
They also exhibit much of the incongruty and i'm
perfection of hasty legislation. As it seems to be
generally conceded that there is common law of
the United States to supply the defects of their legs
atiOn it is important that that legislation should
be perfect possible defining every power intend
ed to be conferred every crime intended to be made
punishable and prescribing the punishment to be in
ilcted. In addition to particular spoken
of more at length, the whole criminal code is la
: mentally defective. Some offences imperfecty
described, and others entirely omitted that
;, fragrant crimes may be committed with impuni.y.-
The scale of punishment is not in all graduated
according to the degree and of the offence and
is often rendered more unequal by the different modes
: OF Imprisonment, penitentary confinement, in the
= different States
Many laws of a permanent character have been in
troduced into appropriate bills, and is often difficult
II to determine whether the particular clause expires with
the temporary act oil which is part continues i'll
k force. 1t has also frequently happened that enact
ments and provisions of law have been introduced in
/ bills, with the title general subject of which they
have little cOnneXiOn relation. In this mode
of legislation many enactments have been heapec
upon each other and often with but little consideration
that instances, it is difficult to search
, determine what is law.
j. The Government of the United States is emphat
!, cally government of written laws. The statutes
should, therefore, far practicable, not only be
made accessible ALL but be expressed in language
plain and simple to be understood by ALL and arrang
ed in such method to give perspicuy to every sub
ject. Many of the States have revised their public
: acts with great and manifest benefit and | recon-
l. mend that provision be made by law for the appoint
ment OF commission to revise the public statutes
the United States, arranging them in ORDER supplying
1t Deficiencies correcting ncongruites, simplifying hei
language, and reporting them to Congress for its action
An act of Congress approved Both Sept. 1850, con
tanned provision fer the extension OF the Capitol,
cording such plan might be approved by the Pres
ident, and appropriated hundred thousand dollars
h to be expended under his direction, by such archtee
20 as he should appoint to execute the same On exam
ing the various plans which had been submitted by
d different architects in pursuance of advertisement
ID by committee OF the Senate, found to b.
entirely satisfactory and it therefore deemed ad
visabe combine and adopt the advantages of several
j. The great object to be accomplished was to make
,r such addition would afford ample and convenient
Halls for the deliberations of the two Houses OF Con
70 gress with sufficient accommodations for spectators
ID and suitable apartments for the committees and off
GERS OF the two branches of the Legislature. 1t was
f also, desirable to the harmony and beauty
e the present structure which, specimen of archi
lecture, universally admired. Keeping these OBJ
IS jeets in view, | concluded make the addition BY
wings, detached from the present building, yet con
d Dected with it by corridors This mode of enlarge
ment will leave the present capitol uninured and af
Is ford great advantages for ventilation and the adms
,, sion OF light, aud will enable the work to grogress
without interruptng the deliberations of Congress-
Is To carry this plan into effect have appointed ex
c perenced and competent architect The cornerstone
l-.I -
, emonies since which time the work has advanced witt
rapidly, and the foundations of both wings nov
: nearly complete.
20 again commend to your favorable regard the inter
ests Of the District of Columbia, and deem it only ne
cessary remind you, that although its inhabitant
have voice in the choice of representatives, in Con
% gress they the less entitled to Just and lib
q era consideration in your legislation. Ny opinions
" on this subject more fully expressed in my las
annual communication.
Other subjects brought to the attention of Con
e gress in my last annual message to which would re
specially refer. But there one of more than or
binary interest to which again invite your special at
Il tenton. aude to the recommendation for the ap
# pointment of commission to settle private claims
against the United States Justice to individuals al
well as to the Government, mperatvely demands tina
some convenient and expeditions mode than al
e appeal to Congress should be adopted.
1t is deeply be regretted that in several instances
officers ofthe Government in attempting to execute
the law the fugves from labor have beer
ed by awess and violent mobs that in one case sucl
N resistance resulted in the death of an estmabe cit
zen, and in others serious injury ensued to those off
nd individuals who