The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-12-07

T sAD pau susgenteu Dy the secretary OF IN
treasury, which Is to reduce the duties on certai
articles, and to add TO the free List many article
now taxed and especially such as enter into ma NJ
Iactures and are not largely or at ALL produced il
sae country, u commended to your candid am
careful consideration.
You will find in the report of the sccretarv of n,
Treasury, also, abundant proof of the entire aie
quacy OF the present fiscal system to meet all th,
requirements of the public service and that Will,
properly administered operates to the adyantag,
ol tne community III ordinary business relations
respectfully ask your attention to sundry sus
gestions of improvements in the settlement of ac
counts, especially as regards the large sums of out
standing arrears due to the government. aud o
other reforms in the administrative action of hi,
department, which are indicated BIZ the Secretary
as also 70 the progress made in the construction
marine hospitals, custom-houses and of new min,
IN California and assay Office in the city of New
fork heretofore provided for by Congress: and also
20 the ernineutly successful progress of the Coast
survey, and of the Lighthouse Board
Among the objects meriting your attention will
be important recommendation from the Secreta
rles OF War and Navy. am fully satisfied that the
Navy OF the United States is not in condition OF
strength and efficiency commensurate with the
magnitude of our commercial and other interests;
ana commend to your especial attention the sug
gestions on this subject made by the Secretary Of
tne Navy. / respectfully submit that the army,
"ntch, under our system, must always be regard
eo win the highest interest, as nucleus around
winch the volunteer forces OF the nation gather in
tne nour OF danger requires augmentation, or mod
hcatIon. TO adapt it to the present extended limits
ana frontier relations ofthe country and the condi
on OF the Indian tribes in the interior of the CONT
neht the necessity OF which will appear ia the COM
mnnications of the Secretaries of War and the In
terror =,
In the administration of the Post Office Depart
tnent tor the fiscal year ending June 30 1853, the
gross expenditure was seven million nine hundred
and eighty two thousand seven hundred and fifty
SIX dollars and the gross receipts, during the same
period, nve million nine hundred and forty-two
thousand seven hundred and thirtyfour dollars:
showing that the current revenue failed to meet the
current expenses of the department by the sum of
two million fsrtytwo thousand and thirty-two dol.
iars The causes which, under the present postal
system and laws, led inevitably to this result are
fully explained by the report of the Postmaster
General; one great cause being the enormous rates
the department has been compelled to pay tor mail
service rendered by railroad companies
The exhibit IN the report of the Postmaster Gene
raj OF the income and expenditures by mail steam
ers will be found peculiarly interesting, and Of
character to demand the immediate action of Con-
gresst
Numerous and fragrant frauds upon the Pension
Bureau have been brought to light within the last
year, and, IN some instances, merited punishment
inflicted but unfortunately in Others guilty par
ties have escaped, not through the want of sufficient
evidence to warrant conviction, but in conse-
quence OF the provisions of limitation in til. exist
ing laws.
From the nature of these claims, the remoteness
Of tie tribunals to pass upon them and the mode
IN which the proofs ofnecesstY furnished ternp
tatons to crime have been greatly stimulated by the
obvious difficulties of detection. The defects in
the law upon this subject are so apparent. and so
fatal to the enda of justice that your early action
relating to 1t Is most desirable.
During the last fiscal year. nine million eight hun
dred and nineteen thousand four hundred and
eleven acres OF the public lands have been survey.
ed, and ten million three hundred and sixty-tl,ree
thousand eight hundred and ninety one acres
brought into market Within the same period the
sales by pubic purchase and private entry amount
ed to one million eighty-three thousand four hun.
dred and ninety-hve acres located under military
bounty land warrants SIX million one hundred and
foTty-two thousond three hundred and sixty acres:
located under other certificates, nine thousand four
hundred and twenty seven acres; ceded to the
States as swamp lands, sixteenknillion six hundred
and elghty-four tho0sand two hundred and fifty.
three acres; selected for railroad ard other objects
under acts of Congress, one million four hundred
and twenty seven thousand four hundred and fffy
seven acres. Total amount of lands dispesed OF
within tie hscal year, twenty five million three hun
dred and forty-six thousand nine hundred and
nlneyt two acres; which is an increase in quantity
sold, and located under land warrants and grants
of twelve million two hundred and thrtyone thous
and eight hundred and eighteen acres over the is
cal year immediately preceding. The quantity OF
land sold during the second and third quarters OF
1882, was three hundred and thirtyfour thousand
four hundred and ffty-one acres The amount re
ceiyed threfor, was six hundred AMI twenty-tll
thousand six hundred and eighty-seven dollars
The quantity sold the second and third quarters OF
theyear 1853 was one million six hundred and nine
thousand nine hundred and nineteen acres; and the
amount received therefor, two million two hundred
and twenty-six thousand eight hundred and seven
ty six doliars
The whole number of land warrants issued un
der existing laws rior to the Both of September
last, was two hundred and sixty-six thousand and
fortytwo; of which there were outstanding at that
date, sixtysiA thousand nine hundred and forty
seven. The quantity of land required to satisfy
these outstanding warrants, is four million seven
hundred and seventy eight thousand one hundred
and twenty acres.
Warrants have been issued to 30th of September
last under the act OF 11th February, 1877 calling
for twelve million eight hundred and seventy
thousand two hundred and eighty acres under acts
of September %, 1850 and March o. 1852, calling
for twelve million Eve hundred and FIVE thousand
three hundred and sixty acres; making total Of
twenty Eve million three hundred and eighty -fou,
thousand six hundred and forty acres.
1t lie believed that experience has verified the wis
down and justice Of the present system, with re
gard to the public domain, in most essential part
culars.
You willperceive, from the report of the Secre
tary OF the interior, that opinions which ha We otter
been expressed in relation to the operation of The
land system, as not being source Of revenue to tic
federal treasury, were erroneous, The net profits
from the sale of the public lands TO June 3O 1853
amounted to the sum Of dfy three million two hun
ared and eighty nine thousand four hundred and
sixty five dollars.
recommend the extension of the land system
over the Territories OF Utah and New Mexico, with
such modihcations as their pecuiiarities may re
quire. g
Regarding our public domain az chiefly valuable
to provide homes for the Industrious ana enterpris
ing, am not prepared to recommend any essential
change In the land systern, except by notifications
in favor of the actual settler, and an extension d
the preempEion principle IN certain cases. for rea
sons, and on grounds, which will be fully devel
oped ln the reports to be laid before you.
Congress, representing the proprietors of the
territorial domain. and charged especially with
power to dispose of territory belonging to the United
states, has. for long SCourse of years beginning
with the administration OF Nr. Jefferson exercised
the power TO construct roads within the territories
and there are 80 many and obvious distinctions be
tween this exercise of power and that OF max
ing roads within the States, that the former mas
never been considered subject 10 such objections
as apply to the latter, and such may now be con
sdered the settled construction of the power OF the
federal government upon the subject
Numerous applications have been, ard no doubt
will continue to be- made for grants of land in aid
OF the construction OF railways Ii is not believed
to be within the intent and meaning of the constu
ton, that the power to dispose ofthc public domain
should be used otherwise than might be expected
FROM prudent proprietor, and, therefore, that
grants OF land TO aid In the construction of reads
shouidbe restricted to cases. where would be for
the interest of q proprietor, under like circum
stances, thus to contribute 10 the construction o
these works. For the practical operation of such
grants thus far, II advancing the interests of the
States III which the works are located, and at the