Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-12-25

regulations us the Navy Department may de-
visr aS proposed in the report, cordially ap
prove and commend to your consideration; aud
also concur in the suggestion that this system
for the early training Of seanen may be most
uscfuIly cng'afted upon the service OF our mer
chant marine.
The othcr proposition of the report to which
I have relcrred-the reorganization of the Ma
val Academy-I recommend to your attention
As project worthy OF your encouragement and
support. The valuable services already rem
der by this institution, entite it to the contin~
uance of your fostering care.
Your attention is respectfully called to the
report of the Postmaster General for the de-
tailed operation of his department during the
last fiscal year, from which it will be seen that
the receipts from postages for that time were
less BY 51,431 ,696 than for the preceding IFS
cal year, being decrease of about % per cent
This diminuton is attributable to the reduc-
ton Of the rates Of postage made by the act
of March 8, 1851, which reduction took effect
at the commencement of the last fiscal year.
Although in its operation, during The last
year, the act referred to has not fnlflled the
predictions of its friends, by increasing the cor
respondence in the country, in proportion to
the reduction Of postage, | should nevertheless
question the policy of returning to higher
| rates. Experience warrants the expectation
that as the community becomes accustomed to
cheap postage, correspondence will lncrease.--
| 1t is believed that from this cause, and from the
rapid growth of the country 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 rate of postage.
| In former messages | have, among other
! things, respectfully recommended to the consid-
GRAFTON of Congress the prop~ety and necessity
offurther legislation for thc pro eciion and pun
| snment of foreign consuls residing in the Uni
| ted States; TO revive with certain notifications
the act Of 10th March, 1885, to restrain unlaw-
ful military expeditions against the inhabitants
| of conterminous States or territories; for the
preservation and protection from mulIajon or
theft Of the papers, records, and archives of tIc
nation; for authorizing The surplus revenue to
be applied TO the payment Of the public debt in
advance of the time when it will become due;
for the establishment Of the land offices for the
sale of the pnblic lands in California aOd the
Territory of Oregon; for the construction Of 4
road from the Mississippi valley to the Pacific
ocean; for the establishment Of a bureau OF az
riculture for the promotion Of that interest, per
haps the most important in the country: for the
prevention of frauds upon The Government in
applications for pensions and bounty lands; for
ihe esta ablishment of a uniform fee bill, pre-
scribiur specific compensation for every SER
vice reluired of clerks, district attorneys. and
marshals for authorizing an additional regiment
of mounted men, for the defence of our from
tiers against The Indians, and the fulfilling our
treaty stipulations with Mexico to defend her
citizens against the Indians "with equal dili-
gence and energy as our own for determining
The relative rank between the naval and civil
officers in our public ships and between the
officers of The Army and Navy in the various
grades of each; for recognizing the naval es~
tabshment by fixing the number of officers in
each grade, and providing for a retired list up
on reduced pay of those unfit for active duty;
for prescribing and regulating punishments in
the navy; for the appointment of commission
to revise the public statutes Oft the United States
by arranging them in order, supplying defcien-
cies, correcting incongruities, simplifying their
language, and reporting them to Congress for
it's final action; and for the establishment Of a
commission to adjudicate and settle private
claims against The United States. am not
aware, however, that any of these subjects have
been finally acted upon by Congress. With
out repeating the reasons for legislation on
these subjects which were assigned in former
messages, | respectfully recommend them
again 10 your IiVOIdUlC
think it due to the several Executive De-
partmens of this Government to bear testimony
to the efficiency and integrity with which they
are conducted. With all the careful superin-
tendence which it is possible for the Heads of
those Departments to exercise, still the due ad-
ministraton and guardianship of the public mo-
cy must very much depend on the vigilance, i'll
tclirence and the fidelity of the subordinate
II. ,I,,I, ocpoo;,lt,v
trusted with the settlement and adjustment of
claims and accounts. | am gratiffed to believe
that they have generally performed their duties
faithfully and we'll. They are appointed to guard
the approaches to the public Treasury, and they
occupy positions that expose them to all the
temptations and seductions which the cupidity
of specu ators and fraudulent claimants can
prompt them TO employ. 1t will be but wise
precaution to protect the Government against
that source of mischief and corruption, as far as
il can be done, by the enactment of all proper
legal penalties. The laws, in this respect, are
supposed to be defective, and Therefore deem
il my duty to call your attention to the subject,
and recommend that provision be made by law
for the punishment not only of those who shall
accept bribes, but also of those who shall either
promise, give, or Offer to give to any of those
officers or clerks bfhe or reward touching or
relating to any matter of their official action or
duty.
Il has been the uniform policy of this Gov
ernment, from lis foundation to the present
day, to abstain from all interference in the do
mestic affairs Of other nations. The consc-
quence has been that while the nations of Eu
rope have been engaged in desoIating wars,
our country has pursued its peaceful course to
uncxamped prosperity and happiness. The
wars in which we have been compelled to en-.
gage, in defence of the rights and honor of the
country, have been fortunately Of short dura.
ton During the terrific contest of nation
against nation, which succeeded the French