The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-12-13

for III vessels, recommended by the
Secretary of the Navy.
The occurrence during the last few
MONTHS of marine disaster of the most
tragic nature involving great loss of hu-
man life las produced intense motives
of sympathy and sorrow throughout the
country. 1t may well be doubtful
wether all these calamitous events are
wholly attributable to the necessary and
inevitable dangers of the sea. The mer-
chants, mariners and ship-builders ofthe
United States are, it its true, uLsarpas-
sed in far-reaching enterprise, skill, in
/ telligence aud courage by any others in
the world, but with the increasing am
cunt of our commercial tonnage iu the
aggregate aud the larger size and i'm
proved equipments of the ships now con-
structed, a deficiency ia the su. ply of
reliable seaman begius to be very seri-
ously felt. The Inconvenience may per-
haps be met in part by due regulation
for the introduction into our merchant
ships of iudented apprentices. 1t would
afford useful and eligible occupation to
numerous young men would have a
tendency to raise the character of sea-
men as a class audit is deserving of seri.
Gus reflections whether it may not be
desirable to revise the existing laws for
the maintenance of disciPliEe at-sea,
upon which the security of life and pro-
perty on the ocean must to so great ex-
tent 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 ofscience
and mechanical skill in this direction
have not been exhausted. No good
reason exists fer the marked distinction
which appears upon our statute between
the laws for protecting fife and proper
ty at sea and those for protecting them
on land. In most of the States severe
penalties are provided to punish conduc-
tors of trains, engineers aud others en-
ployed in the transportation of persons
by railway or by steamboats, on rivers,
why should not the same principle be
applied to acts of insurbordination, cow
ardice or other misconduct on the part
Of masters and mariners, producing in
jury or death to passengers on the high
seas, beyond the jurisdiction of any
State and where such delinquehcies can
not be reached only by the power of
Congress. The whole subject is earnest
~ commended to your consideration.
The report of the Post Master Gen
eral 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 of the year, ending June 30th,
1854, including 33,483 of balance due
to foreign Offices amounted to SO, 6I0,907.
The gross receipts during the same
period amounted to $685. $50, exhibit
ing an expenditure of over Sl,759,321
and a d~iminution of deficiency as com
pared With last year. of $500, 756. The
income of the revenue to the department
for the year ending June 30th 1854 over
ths-WDeding year was $970,392 MOI
p-roporaUAte increase however, can be
anticipated for the current year in con-
sequence of the act of Congress of June
23d, 1854, providing for increase COM
pcnsations
During the last fiscal year seven mil
l~ions.seTenty thousand, nineLhHndred4
and thiriy-fve acres of the public lands
have been surveyed and eight millions,
one hundred and ninety thousand and
seventeen arces brought into market.
The number of acres sold is seven mil
Hons, thirty five thousand, sevenhundred
and thirty-fye, and the amount received
therefore nine million, two hundred and
eighty eusandfEe hundred and thirty
three dollars, the aggregate amount of
land sold located under miiits3A~
and land warrants selected as swamp
lands by States aud by locating under
grants for roads, is upward of twenty
three MILES of acres. The increase
Of laIaM swvious year is
5, and the sales
Co., r4aarters of the cur
year from the extraordinary result
Of five aud a Ealf million sold, exceeding
nearly four millions of acres. The sales
Of the corresponding quarters of the last
year, thus increasing to an extent IN
PARALLEL during any like period in our
past history, the amount of revenue
provided frem this source to the federal
treasury.
The ~commendable policy Of the
government, in relation to setting apart
public domain for those who served
their country in time of war, is illustra-
ed by the fact, that since 1880, no less
han so, 600, 600 acres have been applied
this object.
The suggestion which I submitted in
ny annual message of last year, in ref
to grants of land in aid of the
obstruction of railroads, were less full
md explicit than the magnitude of the
and subsequent developments,
would seem to render proper aud de-
OF the soundness of the prin-
there asserted, with regard to
he limitation of the power of Congress
entertain no doubt; but in its appii-
alton, it is not enough that the value !
f lands in a particular locality may :
lot be enhanced; that in fact a larger :
mount of money may probably be re-
in a given time for alternate sec
ions, than could have been realized for
IL the sections, without the impulse and
of the proposed improvements.
A prudent proprietor looks beyond 3
mited sections of his domain, beyond
resent resu is to the ultimate effects L
hich a particular line of policy is likely b
} produce upon all his possessions and ::
The government, which is the
-ustee it the matter for the people in y
lie States, is bound to take the same F
Use and comprehensive views. Prior 4
, and during the last session of Con- z
upwards OF thirty millions acres of G
md were Withdrawn from public sale G
it'll a view to applications for grants G
: this character pending before Con- 3 3
A careful review of the whole p
lbject led me to direct that all such or @n
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