The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-03

To moderate punishment isom one grade 10 snohsf -
among the humane reforms OF the age hut to abolish
one Of severity which applied generally offences
ship board aud provide nothing IN lis stead Is 10
pose progress OF Improvement in every individual
among which is not assumed by the legislature
in respect 10 any other class OF II hoped that
Congress, in the ample opportunity Afforded by the pres
subject and establish such modes OF determining guilt
and such gradaons OF punishment, are consistent with
humanity and the personal rights OF individuals. and al
the same time shall insure the energetic and eff
Gent performance OF duty, and the suppression OF crime
IN our ships. war. /
The stone dock in the navy yard New York. which
Was ten years IN process oil construction. has been far
hAshed as 10 be surrendered up Tie authorities OF the
yard The dry dock at Philadelphia is reported com
pe.eu ana IS expected soon TO be tested and deyeed
over 10 The agents OF the government, That at Ports
mouth, New Hampshire, Is also nearly ready for deye
~ and contract has been concluded. agreeably the
o. Congress its last session for floating sectional
dock he Bay OF San Francisco invite your aten-
ton 10 the recommendation Of the department touching
The esabshnen OF navy yard in conjunction with this
10 the convenience and effectiveness of fleet in that
ocean, which must be expected 10 increase with the
growth OF commerce and the rapid extension OF our
whale hsheres over It's waters.
The Naval Academy ct Annapolis, under revised and
improved system OF regulations affords opportunities
OF education and instruction TO the pupils quite equal
is believed for professional Improvement, those
joyed by The cadets in the Military Academy large
class OF acting midshpmen received at the com
mencement oil the last academic term and practice ship
has been attached TO The institutions to afford the ampest
means Tor regular instruction in seamanshp, well
Tor cruises during the vacations OF three or four months
| The advantages of science in nautical affairs have
rarely been more srkngly illustrated than in the fact
stated in the report OF the Navy Department that by
means of the wind and CHARTS projected and pre-
pared by Lieutenant Maury the superintendent OF the
Naval Observatory, the passage from the Atlantic the
Pacific ports OF our country has been shortened by about
forty days
The estimates for the support of the navy and marine
corps the ensuing fiscal year will be found TO be IS $780,
472 l9-he estimates for the current year being So
9O0,62l
The estimates for special objects under the control of
this department amount TO 2 6s4 22o So against 30
$50 Tor the present yearthe increase being occasoned
by the additional mail service the Pacific and the
construction of the dock in California, authorized at the
last session OF Congress- and slight additions under
the head OF improvements and repairs in navy yards,
buildings, and machinery.
deem il OF much Importance 10 just economy and
correct understanding OF naval expenditures that there
should be an entire separation of the appropriations for
the support OF the naval service proper from those for
permanent improvements at navy yards and stations and
from ocean seannai service and other special objects
assigned TO the supervision of this department.
. The report of the Postmaster General, herewith COM
municated presents interesting oil the progress
operations, and condition of his department
AT the close OF the last fiscal year, the length of mail
routes within the United States 1876 $50 miles; the
annual transportation thereon 1922 1852 miles and the
annual cost OF such transportation. 81, 42l ,754
The length OF the foreign mail routes is estimated at
1890 miles and the annual transportation thereon at
6l5,206 miles The annual of this service s 81 472
1877; OF which 44s 1887 paid BY the Post Office Depart
menl and slo23,25o is paid through the Navy Depart
meDt.
The annual transportation tuhn the United States (ex
GLIDING the service in California and Oregon. which is
now for the rs time reported and embraced in the tabu
lar statements OF the Department. exceeds that of the pre-
cedng year 6,l62,s55 miles, at increased cost Of
! $5i7,ll
The whole number OF pos, Offices in The United States
on the 3oth day of June last. 1896 There were
69S post oihces established, and 236 DISCONTINUED du
ring the year.
The gross OF the department for the fiscal
year, Including the appropriations for the ranked
OF Congress- OF the departments and officers OF govern
ment and excluding the foreign hostages collected for
and payable 10 the British post office, united TO So
727,s66 rs.
he expenditures for the same period Excluding $40,
599 az, paid under award Of the Auditor rursu
ance OF resolution OF the last Congress, for mail
VICE the Ohio and Mississippi rivers In and 1885,
and the amount paid TO the Brush post Office for foreign
hostages collected for ard payable 10 that Office
ed 10 So o24 500 7sleavng balance OF revenue over
the proper expenditures OF the year OF S7o3,299 90.
h me lserps ,oa dpng hs year Excluding
British post etce) amounted 10 SO .357i7 81, being
increase OF Se97el0 TO- Is65-lo0 per cent, the
like receipts for the preceding year.
The reduction of postage under the OF March last
did not take effect until the OF the present
fiscal year The for the first quarter under the
operation OF the reduced rates, will be settled before
January next and reliable estimate of The receipts for
the present year can yet be made |, believed how
ever, tina, they will fall far short OF those OF the last
year. The surplus of the revenues hand is,
however, large that further appropriation from the
treasury IN and OF the OF the department,
CURED tor the current fiscal year but additional ap
preparation for The year ending June 80, 1853, will prob
ably be found necessary when the receipts OF the first
Two quarters OF the fiscal year fully rtained
In his last annual repor; the Postmaster General rec.
commended reduction of postage TO rates which he
deemed as low as could be prudeny adopted unless Con-
gress was prepared appropriate from the treasury for
he support OF the department, than equya-
lent 10 the mail services performed by for the govern
men, The recommendations oil the Postmaster General
~ respect TO letter postage, except in letters from and 10
California and Oregon were substantially adopted by the
| last Consr He recommends adherence TO the
present letter aes and advises further reduction
until justified by the revenue of the department
| lie alec recommends that the rates OF postage on
printed matter be revised render them sim
pie, and more uniform their operation upon all classes
of printed matter ] submit the recommendations of the
report toyour favorable consideration.
The public statutes OF the United States have been
accumuating for than sixty years. and
with private acts scattered through numerous vol
umes, and, from the cost OF the whole, have become
almost inaccessible 10 the great OF the community
They also exhibit much OF the ncongrulty and mperfec
ton OF ba.iy legislation. As il seems 10 be generally
conceded that there is common law" OF the United
States to supply the defects OF their legislation IL
important that that legislation should be perfect pos
sIbe, defining every power intended TO be conferred
every crime intended be made Punishable and pre-
scrbing the punishment 10 be inflicted In addition 10
some particular cases spoken OF at length. the
whole criminal code IA now lamentaby defective Some
offences inperecty described and others are entirely
omitted so that fragrant crimes may be committed with
mpuniy. The scale OF punishment, is in all cases
graduated according to the degree and OF the Of
Hence and Is often rendered unequal by the differ
ent modes oil imprisonment or penItenlary confinement
4 in the different States
duced into appropriation bills, and it is often difficult to
whether he