The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-12-14

and the larger size and improved cquipmen
of the ships now constructed, a deficienc,
in the supply ofreliable seamen begins t
be very seriously felt. The Inconvenience
may, perhaps, lie met, in part, by due regu
lat:on for the introduction, into our mer
chant ships, of apprentices; while it woulo
afford useful and eligible occupation t
numerous young men, and would have ;
tendency to raise the character of scameI
as class. And It is deserving Of serious re
flee tiOn, whether It may net Ike desirable tC
revise tie existing laws for the maintenance
OF discipline at sea, upon which the security
of life and property Oh the ocean must t.
so great an extent depend.
Although much attention has already
been given by Congress to the proper
construction and arrangement of steam
vessels and all passenger ships, still it
is believed that the achievements of sci
ence and mechanical skill in this direc-
ton have not been exhausted. No good
reason exists for the marked distinction
which appears upon our statutes be-
tween the laws for protecting life and
property at sea, and those for protect
ing them on land. In most Of the States
severe penalties are provided to punish
conductors of trains, engineers, and
others employed in the transportation of
persons by railway, or by steamboats,
on rivers. Why should not the same
principle be applied to acts of insubor-
dination, cowardice or other misconduct
on the part of masters and mariners,
producing injury or death to passengers
on the high seas, beyond the jurisdic-
ton 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 interest
ing details in relation to this important and
rapidly extending branch of the public SER
vice. shows that the expenditure OF the year
ending June 80, 1854, including one hum
dred and thirty-three thousand four hun
drcd and eiglty-thrcc dollars of balance due
to foreign Offices, mounted to eight million
seven hundred and ten thousand nine hun
drcd and seven dollars. The gross receipts
during the same period amounted to six
million nine hundred and 1ifty-tivc thousand
five hundred and eighty-siX dollars; exhibit.
ing an cXpediturc over income of one mil,
lion seven hundred and fifty-fivc thousand
three hundred and twenty-onc dollars, and
a diminutiOn of deficiency, ascOmparcd with
the last year of three hundred and sixty.
one thousand seven hundred and fifty-six
dollars
The increase Of revenue Of the depart
mcnt, for the year ending June 30, 1854,
over the preceding year, was nine hundred
and seventy thousand, three hundred and
nincty-nnc dollars. No proportionate in
crease, however, can be anticipated for the
current year, in consequence of the act of
Congress of June %, 1854, providing for
increased compensation to all postmastcrs
From these statements, it is apparent that
the Post Office Department, instead Of de-
frayng its expenses, according to the de
sign at the time of its creation, is now, and
under existing laws must continue to be, tC
no small extent, charge upon the general
treasury The cost of mail transportatons
during the year ending June 80, 1854, cx
ceetls the cost of the preceding year by
four hundred and nincty-tive thousand anc
seventy-four dollars. l again call your at
tcntion to the subject of mail transportation
by ocean steamers, and commend the sug
gcstions of the POSTMASTER General to YOU
early attention.
During the fiscal year, eleven million seven
ty thousand nine hundred and thirty-hve acre:
OF the public lands have been surveyed, an,
eight millions one hundred and ninety thousan,
and seventeen acres brought into market. Thu
number of acres sold is seven million thirty-iv,
thousand seven hundred and thirty-fivc, and tn
amount received therefor, nine million two
hundred and eighty-fve thousand five hundred
and thirty-thrcc dollars The aggregate
amount of lands sold, located under militar,
scrip and land warrants, selected as swami
lands by States; and by locating under grant
for roads, is upwards of twcnty-threc millions
of acres The increase of lands sold, over til,
previous year is about six millions of acres
and the sales during the first quarters of TIN
current year presents the extraordinary result
of five and a half millions sold. exceeding b,
nearly four millions of acres of the sales of tin
corresponding quarters of the last year. thus
increasing to an extcn4unparallcled during an,
like period in our past history, the amount U
revenue provided from this source for the Fed
eral Treasury.
The commendablc policy of the gov.
eminent, in setting apart public domain
for those who have served their country
in time of war, is illustrated by the fac
that since 1890 no less than thirty mil
lions of acres have been applied to thi
object.
The suggestions which l submitted il
my annual message Of last year, in ref
erence to grants Of land in aid of TIT
construction of railways, were less full