Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1853-12-19

| respectfully ask your attention te
sundry suggestions of Improvement in
the settlement Of accounts, especially as
regards the larger sums of outstanding
accounts due the Government, and Of
other reforms in the administrative ac-
ton Of his department, which are indi-
Gated by the Secretary as also the pro-
gress made IN the construction of Ma
rine Hospitals, Custom Houses, and Of
a new mint in California, aad Assay Of
fees in the city of New York, hereto
fore provided for by Congress, and also
to the eminently successful progress of
the Coast Survey and of the Light House
Board.
Among the objects needing your at
tention will be important recommenda-
tons from the Secretaries Of War ana
Navy. | am fully satisfied that the Ma
Wy of the United States is not in con.
dition of strenst til and efficiency commen-
surate with the magnitude Of our com.
mercial and other interests. ] commend
to your especial attention the sugges-
items on this subject made by the Secre-
tary of the Navy. Respectfully submit,
that the Army, which under the present
state must always be regarded with the
highest interest, as nucleus around
which the Volunteer force Of the nation
gather In the hour of danger, requires
augmentation and modification to adap,
It to the present extended limits anc
frontier relations Of the country, and the
condition of the Indian tribes in the in
terror of the Continent, the necessity OF
which will appear in the communica.
tions of the Secretary of War and of the
Interior.
In the administration of the Post OF.
flee Department for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1853, the gross expendi
lures were 1882, 1856 and the gross re-
ceipts, during the same period were $5,
942, 734, showing that the current reve
nue. failed to meet the current expendi
lures Of the Department by the sum o.
$2,042,032 The censes which, under
the present Postal system, have led in
evitably te this result, are fully explain.
ed in the report OF the Postmaster Gen.
eral. One great cause being the enor
nous Rates the Department has beef
compelled to pay for mail service, rem
dered by Railroad Companies. The ex
hibit in the report Of the P. NJ. Genera
of the income and expenditures by mai
steamers will be found peculiarly inter
esting and of character to demand tn,
imaediate sction of Congress.
Numerous and fragrant frauds upo'
the Pension Bureau have been brough
to light within the past yes.r, and in SOM
instances meritea punishment has beef
inflicted, but, unfortunately in others
guilty parties have escaped-not througl
the want of sufficient evidence 10 war
rant conviction, but in consequence o
the provision of limitation in the exist
ing laws. From the nature of thes
claims the refnotcness Of the tribunals t
pass upon them, and the mode in whic.
the proof is of necessity, further temp
tations to crime have been greatly slim
ulated by the obvious difficulties Of de
lection. The defects in the law ,lpo
this subject are SO apparent and SO fata
to the ends Of justice, that your earl
action relating to it is NEST desirable.
During the last fiscal year 9Sl ,944 a
ores of the public lands have been sur
veyed, and lO,003,89 acres brought in
to market. Within the same period til
sales of public purchase and private out
lay amounted to 1888 400 acres loca
ted under military bounty land warrants
IS, JAP $50 acres +; located under othe
certificates 9,437 acres; ceded to tn
States as swamp lands, 1868, 25l q
lcres-selected for Railroad and othe
objects under acts Of Congress, 1927,
$50 acres. Total amount of land dispo
sed of within the fiscal year, %, 346 go
which is an increase in the quantit
sold aud located under land warrants an
grants Of IL .23l 1913 acres over the ifs
cal year Immediately preceding.
The quantity of land sold during til
second and third quarters of 1852, wa
334, 45l acres. The amount receive
therefor was 1923 .6S7. The quantit,
sold the second and third quarters of tn
year 1858, was 1909, 9l9 acres, and tn
amount received therefor So, 226, S76.-
The whole Of land warrants issued unde
existing laws, prior to the 30th Of Sep
TENDER last, was 266, O42, of which Their
was outstanding at that date 66,947.-
The amount of land required to satisf
these outstanding warrants is 476, 100 a
eres. Warrants have been issued to tn
Both of Sept. last, under the act of tn
18th of Feb, l047, calling fer 1850,
$50 acres. Under acts Of Sept. 18th
1850, and March 28th, 1852, calling 70
12,5O5,360 acres, making total of IS,
484, $40 acres. It is believed that expe
rience has modified the wisdom and Jus
tics of the present system with regar
to the public domain, in the most essen
tial particulars.
You will perceive from the report q
the Secretary Of the Interior, that opin
lens which have often been espresso
in relation 10 the operation Of the Ian
system as not being a source of revenu
to the Federal Treasury, were errone
Gus. The net profits from the sale of tn
public lands to June Both, 1853, amount
ed to the sum of $40, 289, 4S5. rec
ommend the extension of the land sys
item over the territories of Utah and Ne,
Mexico, with such notifications as thei
peculiarities may require.