Blue hen's chicken. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1848-1854, 1851-12-05

ors for the support Of the naval service proper from
those for permanent unprecedented navy yards anil
stations mud fron steam mS service aud othn
-peea Obj ics nssgnra ~ tas supervisors Of ihis lie
parliament.
'tir report of the Postmaster Genesai. hesewith colt
nuntcatcd rr,eelts au interesting view Of the pro-
gress. operations aud Condition oil his pepatihtht
AT the close Of tne last ea year the length u INA
routes within the United States was lb1pu miles, the
annual transportation ihereua 512,a $50 mlirs anu
'the annual cost OF such transportation 1j42l ,f5s
The length NJ The foreign mail routes is esinsted al
lslG milca. aud the ann al anspnftAtipn tifron ~
no 1tb milss Tim snnnai vi this service is o.
Aaisi, OF which eiis WI Is paid by ihr Yos ohet
Department. aid siUaa2So is paid through the Navy
Department
(exrluins the service IN California and Oregon which
is for the fret time. repnTted a.d embraced IN me
tabular siatrnents Of ihe Department. shesels va. "
the precerdinE year O,i6aeS5 lnies at an increase"
cost Of s5ff, iIn.
The whole rumber of post Offices IN the rn'et
States, the Jllr day NJ Juue laat was 10 79b Th fr
were tas most nheas established, sni 25J discohunu
ed during ihe year.
The gross nvenues " the Department for the fiscal
Including the appropriations for the iranked mat
Yer ofcongrras nfir Departments aud nihcers OF Co
vefumshi and excluding the fnreigu postuges, e"lce
sl for mud payable to the British poet office, amounted
to Sj,137 $40 ~.
The expenditures for the same period (exclud-
ing $50, 800 40, paid under an award Of the Au-
diior in pursuance Of a resolution Of The last Con-
g,ess, for mail service HE Ohio and Mississippi
nycis ia 1882 and 1898, and tho amount paid to
he British post office for foreign po-tages collect
ed for aud payabls to that otfice) amounted 20
5000 .566 ~; leaving balsnce Of revenue over
thu proper expenditures Ct The year of $7O3,s99
90.
The receipts for pos.igcs during the year lex
sludins the foreign postaaes collected for and pay
able TO 'he British post otiice)amounted to $685.,
l7i7 81. being ali incteasp Of S997,6lO 10, or
S.65-I00 per cent. over the like receipts for the
preceding year.
The reduction Of postage, under the act Of
March last, did not take effect until the COM
nienccnsnt OF the present fiscal year. The
accounts Tor the 6rs quarter, under the operl'
ton Of The reduced rates, will not be settled be
fore January next: and no reliable estimate o.
the receipts for tho present year can yet b'
made. II is believed, however, that they will
fall short Of those OF the last year. Tho sur
plus Of the revenues on hand is, however 81
large tina, no further appropriation from th'
Treasury, in aid oil the revenues oil the Depart
mrn,, is required for the current fiscal year
but an additional appropriation Tor the wear en-
ding June 30, 1858, will probably be found ne
eessary when the receipts Of the first two quar-
tsrs OF the fiscal yoar are fully ascertained.
In his last annual report the Postmaster Gen
ersl recommended a Reduction of postage
rates which he deemed az could be prudcntly .
doplrd, unless Congress was prepared 10 ar
propiisie from the treasury, for tile support
The Department, sum more equivalent 10 III
mail services performed by il tof the Govern
ment. The recommendations oil the Posi-lnas
ter General, in respect 10 letter postage, exceG
on letters from and 10 California and Oregon
were substantially adopted by the inst Cor
uress. lie now recommends adherence to III
Ipreseent letter raies, and advises against lu
liner reduction until justified by tho revenue
the Department.
lie aleo recommends that the rates Of posiag
Ion printed matter be so revised MS to rendi
ltheln moro simple, and moro uniform in the
operation upon all classes OF printed matter.
submit the recommendations Of the report
your favorable consideration.
The public statues Of tho United States hal
now been accumulating for more than SKI
Years, and, ininrspefsed with private acts, al
scattered through numerous volumes, and, irD
tho cost Of the whole, have become almost II
accessible TO the great mass Of the community
They also exhibit much Of the ineongfuity an
Iimperfection Of hasiy Legislation. As il seen
bs generally conceded that there 10 no 'co1
: mop syr'' Of the United States to supply u
4 defects Of their Legislation, il is most impo
. tan, shat th~t legislation should bess perfect
possible, defining every power inIended TO
!. conferred, every crime intended TO be mat
l. punishable, and Prescribing the punishment
n DO inflicted. In addition to some particular C
o sss spoken Of more at length, the whole crld
= nal code 10 now lsmsniably defective. Son
" offences are imperfecily described, and othe
N are entirely omitted; so that fragrant Grim
y NAV be- committed with immunity, The sea
!. lorpunishment is ne, in all cases graduated a
n cordina 10 tbs degree snd nature Of the ohen,
l. and is often rendered more unequal BY the d
n. fsrsut modes Of imprisonment, OF peniientta
re confinement, in thu diiferen. States.
OF MANY laws of a permanent character have be
I'd Introduce ed into appropriation bills, and it is oil
" difficult TO Determine whistler the narticu
b. clause expires with the Temporary act OF viii
I'd liz 10 a part, or continues in force. 1t has a
n Ilreuusnty happened that enaetmests and pro
v aions of law hsvs been introduced into bile, ~
Vi the lille or general subject of which they hi
n little or no connection or Islation. In this mt
m Of legislation so many snactments have b.
a. lhesped upon each other and often with but Il
n consideration, that, in many instances, it is d
10 cult to search out and determine what 10
lag.
's The Government Of the United States is
re phatieally government Of written laws,
ed statutes should therefore, ss far as practical
cd not only be made accessible to all, but be
'e pressed in language 80 plain and simple as 10
% Understood by all, and arranged in such meit
y as 10 give psrspiouity 10 every subject, Many
ne the Sn'es have revised their public acts "
NE great and maniiest beneht and | recomm
~ that provision be made by Law for the apo
n' msnt OF a commission TO revise the public 8
tues Of the United States, arranging them
~, order, supplying deficiencies, correcting inc
~ gruiiies simplifying their language, and report
iunle them to.Congress for it's action.
vi An aci of Congress proved S0th septem
~, 1850, contained provision for tho extension
=. ~, the Capitol, according to such plan IS might
IA approved by the President, and appropriated
~ kundreS thousand dollars DO be expended "
IN. his direction, By such architect as he should
-" point 10 execute the same. On examining
~. various plans which had b~en submitted by
,,v ierent architects. in pursuance oil an advert
~ ment by committee of the Senate, no one
MI found to be entirely satisfactory and It was IN
an fore deemed advisable to combine and adopt
III advantages Of serosal.
III The great object 10 be accomplished wac
make such an addition as would afford al
and convenient halls for tho deliberations oil
a. two Houses of Congress, with sufficient ace
/. modatons for spectators, and suitable ar
~. ments for tho committees and officers of the
n branches OF the Legislature 1t was also de'
, " hta mt IN mar tha harmony and beauty of