Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-12-03


Inc annual transportation lottin the United States,
Excluding the service in California and Oregon
which Is now, for the first tme reported and embra,
ced IN the tabular statements Of the DEPARTMENT. ex-
ceeds that otthe preceding year 6 855 miles, at
an increased cost of $547,1I0.
The whole number OF post offices in the United
States, on the goth day ofJune last was 10 .796.
There Were 1888 post offices established, and
256 discontinued, during the year.
The gross revenues of the Department for the
fiscal year, including the appropriations for the
ranked matter OF Congress, of the Departments
and officers oil Government, and excluding the
foreign hostages, collected for and payable to
the British post Office amounted to SO, 727 SOC, rs
The expenditures for The same period (excludinq
S2O,599,4 AZ, paid under award of the Auditor
IN pursuance OF resolution of the last Congress
for mail service on the Ohio and Mississppi rivers
IN 1882 and 1885, and the amount paid to the Brit
lsh post Office for foreign postages collected for and
payable to that ofhcel amounted to S602l Soc 10;
leaving balance of revenue over the proper ey-
pendItures Of the year Of sos 299 SO.
The receipts for hostages during the year Tex
cudlng the foreign hostages collected for and paw
able to the British post ofce) amounted to Sc 3f5.
~ "a, being an increase of 1897 $40 49, or Is g.
ing year
The reduction of postage, under the Act of
March last, dld not take effect until The commence
ment Of the present fiscal year The accounts for
the lrst quarter, under the operation Of the reduc-
co rates, VIII not be settled before January next;
and no reliable estimate of the receipts for the
present year can yet be mlde. 1t is believed, how
ever, that they will fail far short of those of the
last year The surplus of the revenues now on
baud is, however, so large that no further appro-
prlation from the treasury, in aid of the revenues
OF the Department, is required for the current ifs
cal year.
In his last annual report the Postmaster General
recommended a reduction of postage to rates
which he deemed as low could be prudently
adopted unless Congress prepared to appro-
pirate from the treasury for the support of the De-
partment, a sum more than equivalent to the mail
services performed by it for the Government The
recommendations of the Postmaster General, in
respect to letter postage except on letters from and
to California aud Oregon, were substantially adopt
ed 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
lie also recommends that the rates of postage
on printed matter be revised as to render them
more simple, and more uniform in their operation
upon all classes of printed matter. | submit the
recommendations Of the report to your favorable
consideration.
The Government of the United States is EN-
phatcaly government Of written laws The
statutes should therefore, far practicable, not
only be made accessible to ALL but be expressed in
language so plain and simple to be understood by
all, and arranged in such method as TO give per
nave revised their public acts with great and mani
fest benefit; md recommend that provision be
made by law for the appointment Of a commission
to revise the public statutes of the United States,
arranging them in order, supplying Deficiencies,
correcting incongrutles, simplifying their Ian
guage, and reporting them to Congress Tor its
action
An act of Congress approved Both September
1850, contained provision for the extension of
the Capitol, according 10 such plan as might be
approved by the President and appropriated
SSlO0,O60 to be expended under his direction, by
such architect, as he should appoint to execute
the same. concluded to make the addition by
wings, detached from the present building, yet
connected with ii by corridors. To carry this
plan into effect have appointed experienced
and competent architect The corner stone
laid on the 4h day ofJuy last, with suitable GER
emonies, since which time the work has advanc-
ed with commendable rapidly, and the fopnda-
tons of both wings are now nearly complete.
/ again commend TO your favorable regard the
interests Of the District of Columbia, and deem
it only necessary TO remind you, that although its
inhabitants have 10 voice in the choice of repre-
sentatives in Congress, they are not the less en-
titled to just and liberal consideration in your
legislation. My opinions the subject
more fully expressed in my last annual commu-
nlca;ion.
Other subjects were brought to the attention Of
Congress in my last annual message, to which
would respectfully refer. But there was one of
more than ordinary interest to which | again in
wife your special attention | allude to the re
commentator for the appointment of a commits
sion to settle private claims against the United
States,
It's deeply to be regretted that in several in
stances officers of the Government, in attempting
TO execute the law for the return of fugityes from
labor have been openly resisted, and their efforts
frustrated and defeated by lawess and violent
mobs; that in one case such resistance resulted in
the death Of an estimable citizen, and III others
serious injury ensued to those officers and to in
dividuals who were using their endeavors 10 sus-
tain the laws. Prosecutions have been instituted
against the alleged offenders, so far they could
be identified, and are still pending. have re-
garded it as my duty, in these cases, to give all
aid legally in my power to the enforcement of
the laws, and shall continue TO do so wherever
and whenever their execution may be resisted
The act of Congress for the return of fugitives
from labor is one required and demanded by the
express words Of the constitution
TheIconstitulion declares "That no person held
to service or labor in one state, under the laws
thereof escaping into another, shall, IN conse-
equence of any law or regulation therein, be dis
charged from such service or labor, but shall be
delivered up on claim of the party to whom
{ such service or labor may be DUE" ms con-
stitutional provsioni is equally obligatory upon the
Legislative, the Executive, and Judicial Depart
ments Of the Government, .and upon every citizen
of the United States.
Congress, how ever must, from necessity, first act
upon the subject, by prescribing the proceedings
necessary to ascertain that the person is fugitive,
and the to be used for his restoration to the
claimant. This was done by act passed during
the first term Of President Washington, which was
amended by that enacted by the last Congress, and
il now remains for the Executive and Judicial De-
partments to take that these laws be faithfully
executed. This injunction of the Constitution is as
peremptory and as binding as any other; it stands
exactly on the same foundation that clause which
provides for the return of ugitives from justice,
that which declares that no bill of atlainder ca
-, c,cto n,u shnnd be nassed that which nrn-