The true Democrat., 1854-12-20

] tionate increase, however, can be anticipated for the current year, in consequence of the act of Congress of June 23, 1854, providing for in- creased compensation to all postmasters. From these statements it is apparent that the Post Office Department, instead of defraying its ex- penses, 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 transportaton, during the year ending June 30, 1894, exceeded the cost of the preceding year by four hundred and ninety-fve thousand and Seventy-tour dollars. l again call your atten- ton to the subject of mail transportation by ocean steamers, and commend the sugoes- ton of the Postmaster General to your earnest attention.
 During the last fiscal year, seven million sev- enty thousand nine hundred and thirty i've acres of the public lands have been surveyed. and eight million one hundred and ninety thou sand and seventeen acres brought into market The number of acres sold is seven million thir- | ty-tive thousand seven hundred and thirty-fve. and the amount received therefor nine million two hundred and eighty-fve thousand five hun- dred and thirty three dollars 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, upwards of twenty three millions of acres. The increase of lands sold, over the pre- vious year, is about six millions 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 sale of the cor responding quarters of the last year, thus in- creaslng to an extent unparalleled during any like period in our past history the amount of revenue derived from this source for the Fed eral Treasury
 The commendable policy of the government Tn relation to setting apart public domain for those who have served their country in time of war, is illustrated by the fact, that since 179O no less than thirty millions of acres have been ap- piled to this object
 The suggestions which I submitted in my annual message of last year, in reference to grants of land in aid of the construction of rail- ways, were less full and explicit than the mag nitude of the subject and subsequent develop mentS would seem to render proper and desr- able. 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 enhanc- ed; that in fact, a larger amount of money may probably be received, in a given time for al- ternate sections, than could have been realized for all the sections, without the impulse and Influence of the proposed improvements. prudent proprietor looks beyond limited sections of his dOmain beyond present results, to the ultimate effect which a peculiar line of policy Is likely to produce upon all his posses sions ard interests. The government, whichis trustee in this matter, for the people of the States, Is bound to take the same wise and con- prehensive view. Prior to and during the last session of Congress, upwards of thirty millions of acres of land were withdrawn from public sale with view to othe application of grants for the characters pending before Congress. A care ful review of the whole subject led me to direct that all such orders be abrogated, and the lands restored to market and instructions were m- mediatcly given to that effect. The application at the last session contemplated the construc- ton of more than five thousand miles of road, and grants to the amount of nearly twenty millions of acres of the public domain.
 Even admitting the right on the part of Con- gress to be unqueStionable, is it quite clear that the proposed grants would be productive of good and not evil? The different projects are confined, for the present to eleven States of this Union, and one Territory. The reasons assign ed for the grants, show that 1t is proposed to put the works speedi y ill process of construc- tlOn.
 W hen we reflect, that since the commence ment of the construction of railways in the U. otates stimulated as they have been by the large dividends realized from the earlier works over the great thoroug htares, and between the most important poihts of commerce and popu- latloh, encouraged by State legislation. and pressed forward by the amnziMg energy of pri- vate enterprise, only seven thousand mics have | been completed III all the States in d quarter of century; when we see the crippled condi- ! uon Of many works commenced and prOsecut- ed upon what were deemed to be sound prin- i cipleS and sate-caculaton, when We contem- plate the enormous absorption of capital with drawn from the ordinary channels of business. the eXtravagant rates of Interest at this moment pald to continue operations, the bankruptcies not merely Ill money, but in character and the inevitable effect upon finances generalv-can It be doubted that the tendency is to run to ex- cess m this matter. Is 1t wise to augment this excess by encouraging hopes of sudden wealth expected to flow from magnificent schemes de- pendent upon the action of Congress-? Does tlie spirit which has produced such results need to be stimulated or checked? Is it not the bet ter rule to leave all these works to private en- terprse, regulated, and when cxpedient, aided by the cooperation of States? If constructed by private capital the stimulant and the check go together, and furnish salutary restraint against speculative schemes and cxtrava- Sance. But 1t is manifest that, with the most effective guards there is danger of going too fast and too far.
 We may well pause before a proposition contemplating simultaneous movement for the construction of railroads, which in extent will equal, exclusive of the great Pacific road and all its branches, nearly onethird of the entire length of such works, now completed in the United States, and which cannot cost, with equipments. less than one hundred and fifty millions ofdol lars. The dangers likely to result from com bnatons of interest of this character, can hardly be over estimated. But, independently of these considerations, where is the accurate knowledqe- the comprehensive intelligence, which shall discriminate between the relative claims of these twenty-eight proposed roads, in eleven States and one Territory. Where will you be- gin and where end? If to enable these com- panies to execute their proposed works, it is necessary that the aid of fthe general governments