Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-12-23
$500 PER ANNUM, In ADVANCE.

in population and business, the receipts
of the department must ultimately exceed
its expenses, and that the country may
safely rely upon the continuance of the
present cheap rates Of postage.
In former messages have, among 9TH
er things, respectfully recommended to
Congress the propriety and necessity of
further Legislation for the detection and
punishment Of foreign conspirators resid-
ing in the United States, to revive, with
certain notifications, the law of the 10th
March. 1888, TO restrain unlawful mill.
tary expeditions against Inhabitants of
contiguous States or Territories, for the
prevention and protection from mutila-
,ion or theft Of the papers, records, and
archieves OF the nation.
The revenue to be applied to the pay
ment Of the puhlic debt in advance of the
time when i. will become due, for lh e
establishment of land Offices for the sale
of public lands of California anc the ter
rirory of Oregon. for the construction of
a road from the Mississippi Valley to
the Pacific ocean, for the establishment
of bureau of agriculture, for the promo
ton of that interest, perhaps the most
important in the country, for the preven-
tion of fraud upon the governments in
applications for pensions and bounty
lands, for the establishment of uniform
fee bill prescribing a specific compensa-
ton for every service required ot Clerks,
District Attorneys, and Marshals, for
authorizing an additional regiment OF
mounted men for the defence of our from
tiers against the Indians. and FOR fulfilling
eur treaty stipulalions with Mexico. to
defend her citizens against the Indians
with equal diligence and energy as if
our own; for determining the relative
rank between Naval aud civil officers in
our public ships. and between the officers
Of the army and the Navy in various
grades Of each, for recognizing the nav
al establishment, and fixing The number
of officers in each grade, and providing
for retired list upon reduced pay for
those unfit for active duty, for prescrib-
ing and regulating punishmen,s in the
navy, and the appointment Of commis-
sion To revise the public statutes of the
United States, BY arranging them in or.
e. de,, supplying deficiencies, correcting
incongruities, simplifying their language,
and reporting then. to Congress for its
final action, and for the establishment, of
commission to adjudicaie upon private
claims against the United States. l am
not aware, however. that any of these
suggestions have been finally acted upon
bv Congress. Without repeating The
reasons for Legislation on these subjects
which have been assigned in former
messages, Il respectfully recommend them
again to your favorable consideration.
think 1t due the several Executive
Departments OF the Governments to bear
testimony TO the efficiency and integrity
with which they have been conducted.
With all the careful superintendent
which il is possible for the heads of
these departments TO exercise, still the
due administration and guardianship Of
The public money must depend very
much on the vigilance. intelligence and
integrity of The subordinate officers and
clerks, and especially in those entrusted
with The adjustment and settlement and
the claims and accounts. am gra,ified
To believe they have generally perform-
ed their duties well and fai,hfully.-
They are appointed to guard the. ap-
proaches to the public Treasury. and
they occupy positions that expose them
tn al, the temptations and seduc,ions
which the cupidity Of spectators and
fraudulent, claimants can tempt 10 em>
ploy.
twill be wise precauiion to protect
the governments against that source of
mischievous corruption, as far as il can
be done by the enactment OF all proper
legal penalties. The laws in this res
pee. are supposed 10 be defective, aud
therefore deem i, my duty to call your
attention to the subject. and to re-
commend that provision be made by law
for the punishment not only Of those
who shall accept bribes; bur also of those
who shall either promise. give, or offer
. TO give 10 any ofihose officers or clerks
any oribe, or reward touching or relat-
ing 10 any matter of,heir official actions
or duty. so
|. has been the uniform policy Of this
Government from the foundation TO the
present dav to abstain from all interter-
ence in the domestic affairs Of other na-
tions. The consequences has been that
while lhe nations Of Europe have been
engaged in desola,ing wars, our country
has pursued its peaceful course to unex-
ampled prosperity and happiness. The
wars in which we have been compelled
TO engage in defence Of The rights and
honor OF the country. have been FORUM
ately of short duration. During the ter.
rife contest of nation against nation.
which succeeded the French revolution,
we were enabled by the firmness of
President Washington TO maintain our
neutrality. While other nations were
drawn INTO this wide sweeping whirlpool,
we sa. quiet and uEmoved upon our own
shores. While tie flower Of their nu-
merous armies was wasted by disease or
perished by hundreds of thousands uDon