Washington telegraph., 1854-12-27

field OF its operations, not merely in the present,
hut still more in the progressively increasing ex-
;oencies of the wealth and merce of the Uni
ted States cordially approve of the proposed
apprentice system for our national vessels, recon-
mended by the Secretary OF the Navy.
The occurrence during the last few months, of
marine disasters OF the most tragic nature involv-
inc great loss OF human life, has produced intense
emotions of sympathy and sorrow throughout the
country II NAV well be doubted whether all
| theee calamitous events are wholly attributable
to tbe necessary and inevitable dangers of the sea.
| The merchants, mariners, and shipbuilders of the
United States. are it is true, unsurpassed In far
reachino enterprise skill intelligence and courage,
! bv anv others in the world. But, with the in
creasing amount of our commercial tonnage in the
AGGREGATE. and the larger sized and improved
! eonipment of the ships now constructed, dehci-
encv in the supply of reliable seamen begins to be
| very seriously felt The Inconvenience may, per-
baps. be met in part by due regulation for the in
| PRODUCTION into our merchant ships OF lndented
apprentices; which, while it would afford useful
and eligible occupation to numerous young men,
would have tendency to raise the character of
seamen as a class And it is deserving of serious
reflection whether it may not be desirable to re-
wise the existing laws for the maintenance of dis
cipline at sea- upon which the security of life and
property on the ocean must to so great extent
III. Il
given by Congress to the proper construction and
arrangement of steam vessels and all passenger
ships still it is believed that the achievements of
science and mechanical skill in this direction have
not been exhausted No good reason exists for
the marked distinction which appears upon
statutes between the laws for protecting life and
property at sea. and those for protecting them
land In most OF the States, severe penalties
provided to punish conductors OF trains engineers;
and others employed in the transportation of per-
sons by railway or by steamboats, on rivers
Why should not the same principle be applied to
acts of insubordination, cowardice, or other mis-
conduct on the part OF masters and mariners, pro-
ducing injury death to passengers on the high
seas, beyond the jurisdiction of any of the States;
and where such delinquencies can be reached only
by the power of Congress! The whole subject is
earnestly commended to your consideration.
The report OF the Postmaster General, to which
you are referred for many interesting details in
relation to this important and rapidly extending
branch of the public service, shows that the ex-
penditure ofthe year ending June 80, 1854 includ-
ing S133,4 ,4S3 of balance due to foreign offices,
amounted to S6,710,907. The gross receipts
during the same period amounted to S6945,5S6,
exhibiting an expenditure over income of 81 1856,
32l anG diminution of deficiency, compared
with the last year, of 1851, ,756. The increase of
the revenue of the department for the year ending
June 80, 1854 over the proceeding year, $780,.
anticipated for the current year, in consequence
of the act OF Congress of June 23 1854 providing
! for increased compensation to all postmasters!-
From these statements it is apparent that the
Post Office Department, instead of deiraying its
expenses according to the design at the time of its
creation, is now, and under existing laws must
continue to be, to no small extent, charge upon
the general treasury. The cost of mail transpor-
tation, during the year ending June 80, 1854, ex-
ceeds the cost of the preceding year by S495,074.
| again call your attention to the subject OF mail
| transportation by ocean steamers, and commend
the suggestion of the Postmaster General to your
earnest attention.
During the last fiscal year. 7,070.935 acres of
the public lands have been surveyed, and $780,
! 070 acres brought into market. The number of
acres sold is 7,035, ,735, and the amount received
therefor S9,2S5,533 The aggregate amount OF
! lands sold located under military scrip and land
warrants selected as swamp lands by States, and
by locating under grants for roads, is upwards of
| 23,000,000 of acres The increase of lands sold,
over the previous year. about 1000 900 of acres
and the sales during the two first quarters of the
| current year present the extraordinary result of
| five and half millions sold, exceeding by nearly
four millions of acres the sales OF the correspond
ing quarters of the last year. thus increasing to
extent unparalleled during any like period in our
past history the amount of revenue provided from
this source for the Federal Treasury
The commendable policy of the government, in
relation to setting apart public domain for those
who have served their country in time of war, is
1 illustrated by the fact, that since 1870, no less
| than thirty millions of acres of land have been
applied to this object.
The suggestions which submitted in nv an
nual message of last year; in reference to grants
of land i'll aid of the construction of railways,
less full and explicit than the magnitude of the
subject and subsequent Developments would seem
to render proper and desirable. OF the soundness
of the principle then asserted with regard to the
limitation of the power of Congress, | entertain
no doubt; but in its application it is not enough
that the value of lands in particular locality
may be enhanced; that in fact, larger amonnt of
money may probably be received, in given time,
for alternate sections, than could have been real
lied for all the sections, without the impulse and
influence of the proposed Improvements, A pru-
dent proprietor looks beyond limited sections of
his domain beyond present results, to the ultimate
effect which particular line of policy is likely to
produce upon all his possessions and interests
The government, which is trustee in this matter,
for the people of the States is bound to take the
same wise and comprehensive view. Prior to
and during the last session OF Congress- upwards
of 80 100000 acres of land were withdrawn from
public sale with a view to applications for grants
cf this character pending before Congress. A
careful view of the whole subject led me- to direct
that all such orders be abrogated, and the lands
restored to market; and instructions were imme-
diately given to that effect. The application at
the last session contemplated the construction of
more than 5000 miles of road, ard grants to the
amount of nearly 2O,OOO,OOO acres of the public
domain. Even admitting the right on the part OF
Congress to be unquestionable, is it quite clear
that the proposed grants would be productive OF
good and not evill The different projects are
confined. for the present to eleven States of this
Union, and one Territory. The reasons assigned
for the grants show that it is proposed to put the
works speedily in process of construction.
When we reflect that since the commencement
of the construction ofraroads in the United States
stimulated as they have been by the large dlvi-
dends realized from the earlier works of the great
thoroughfares, and between the most important
points of commerce and population encouraged by
State legislation and pressed forward by the amaz-