Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-12-11

(exciuding tho fofeie 81 posIaa ss eellecied for
and payable 10 HE Bflii64 post oiice1
amounted 10 463lf117 ~, being IN in
crease u $g97. 81 ~, OF 70 IS lQQ Pef cent.
oser IND like recsiipts for the proceeding year.
The reduction Of post age under The act Of
March jase, did nof lake effect until ahe com:
mencement Of the present fifcaI syepr. The
accounts tor the tirsl quarter, midsf The ope-
ratiuil Of the reduced rites will bOt be settled
before January next; and no reliable esti-
mate of the receipts Tor the present year
can yet be made. Il is believed, how
ever, that they will fall far short Of those OF
the last year. The surplus Of the revenues
nov on hand il, however, so large that no
further appropriation from the treasury, in
aid Of the revenues Of the Department, is re-
quired for the current fiscal year; but an adj
ditional appropriation for the year ending
June 80. 1853, will probably te found nec-
essary when the receipts Of the FIRST Two
quarters Of the fiscal year are fully ascer-
tanned.
General recommended reduction of postage
10 rates which he deemed ms low as could be
,prudently adopted, unless Congress was pre-
pared 10 appropriate from the treasury for
the support of the Department. a sum more
than equivalent TO The mail services per-
formed by it for the Government. The re-
Communications of The Postmaster General,
10 respect to letter postage, except on letters
from and to California and Oregon, were
substantially adopted by tile last Congress.
He now recommends adherence to the pres
ent letter rates, and advises against further
reduction until justified by the revenue Of the
Department. a. az
He also recommends that the rates Of pos.
tage on printed matter he SO revised as 10
render them more simple. and more uni
form in their operation upon all Classes Of
printed mailer. j submit the rccommenda-
lions of the report TO your favorable consid-
Grafton. 81
p REVISION OF THE STATUTES.
The public statutes of the United States
have now been accumtilating Tor more .han
sixty years, and inrerspersed with private
acts, are scattered tlircugI, numerous vol
umes, and, from the cost of the whole, have
become almost inaccessible 10 the great mass
of the community. They also exhibit much
of the incongruity and mpellection of hasty
legislation. As it seems 10 be generally
conceded that there is no Common law" of
The United States TO supply the defects of
their Legislation, il is most important that
that legislation should be as perfect as pos
sible, defining every power intended 10 be
conferred, every crime InIended TO be made
punishable. aud prescribing The punishment
to be inflicted. In addition 10 some partic,l-
lar cases spoken of more at length, The whole
Grim mai code is now iamentably defective.
Some offences are imperlec,ly described, and
others are entirely omitted; SO that fragrant
crimes may be committed with impuniy.-
The scale Of punishment is not in all cases
graduated according to the degree and ma
uire of the offence, and is often rendered
more unequal by the different modes Of i'm
prisonmeni, or penilenliary confinement in
the different States. tta Fl
Many laws of a permanent character have
been introduced into appropriation bills, and
il is often difficult to determine whether the
particular clause expires with the Temporary
aci of Which, II is parr, or continues in
force. 1t has also frequently happened that
enaclments and PROVISIONS OF law have been
introduced into bills, with the tIIle or gen.
eraI suhject'of which they have lutte or 20
connection or relation. In this mode of Ie-
glslalioD SO many enacrmenrs bave been
heaped upon each other, and often with but
little consideration, that, in many instances,
it is difficult TO search out and determine
what is The law.
The Government of the United States is
empi,atcally government of written laws.
Tue statutes should, therefore, as far as prac-
iicable, not only be made accessible TO all,
but be expressed in language SO plain and
simple as to he understood by all, and al
ranged in such nlerhod as to give perspic-
MY to every subject. Many OF the States
have revised their public acts with great and
manifest benefit; aud recommend that
provision be made by law for The appointment
of commission to revise the public statutes
of The United States, arranging them IN or
der, supplying denciencies: correcting incon-
grulies, simplifying their language, and re-
porting them to Congress for its action. q
EXTENSION OF THE CAPITOL. - s.s,
An act of Congress approved 30rh Septen.
Der, 1850, contained provision for the ex.
tension of the Capitol, according to such plan
as might he approved by the President, and
appropriated one hundred thousand dollars
TO he expended under his direction, by such
architect as he should appoint to execute the
same. On examining the various plans
WHICH had been submitted by differenr
architects, in pursuance of an advertisement
by committee of the Senate, no one was
ionnd to be entirely satisfactory, and il was
therefore deemed advisable to combine and
adopt the advantages of several. t--,.r IS
The great object 10 he accomplished was
to make such an addition as would afford
ample and convenient halls for the delbera-
tons of the TWO Houses, with accommoda-
Tons tor spectators, and suitable apartments
for The committees and officers Of the two
branches of The Legislature. 1t was also
deSIrab Bile moi 10 mar The h.rmonv o,,I I,o,,,
ty OF the present structure, which,, as a
specimen Of architecture, is SO universally
admired. Keeping these objects in view, /
concluded to make the addition by wings.
detached from the present building, vet con-
nected with il by corridors. This mode of
enlargement will leave the present Capitol
uniEjured, and afford great advantages for
ventilation aud the admission OF light, and
will enable the work TO progress without in-
,errupting the delherailons of Congress-
TO carry this plan into effect have appoint
ed an experienced and competent, architect.
The corner stone was Ia id on the 4rh day OF
July last, With suitable ceremonies. since
which time the work has advanced with
commemorate rapidity, and The founda lions
Of both wings are now nearly complete.
7sss. - DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA l-l a.,ss-
again recommend to your favora BILE re-
gard the interests OF the District Of CoIum.
bia, and Geem il only necessary 10 remind
you, that although its inhabitants have no
voice in the choice of representatives in coz
aress, they nre not the less entitled TO iusr
and liberal consideration in your legislation
My opinions on This subject were more full
ly EXPRESSED IN my last annual communica-
ton.