Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-12-21

maintenance of discipline at sea, upon
which the secnri.y of life and property on
the ocean mus: TO SO great an extent de-
pend.
Although much attention has already
been given By Congress 10 the proper
construction and arrangement Of steam
vessels and all passenger ships, still i, is
believed that the achievements of science
and mechanical skill in this direction
have not been exhausted. no good rea-
son exists for the marked distinction,
which appears upon our statutes between
The laws for protecting life and property
OF sea. and those fer protecting them on
land, In most OF the States severe pen
allies are provided to punish conductors
of trains, engineers, and others employ
ed in the transportation Of persons BY
railway, or by steamboats, on rivers. Why
should not the same principle be applied
to acts of insubordination, cowardite, or
other misconduct on the part Of masters
and mariners, producing injury or 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 considerable
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 pub
lie service, shows that the expenditure
of the year ending June so, 1854, inclu-
ding one hundred and thirty three thou
sand four hundred and eighty-thyee dol
lars Of balance due TO foreign offices.
amounted to eight r!illion seyen hundred
and ten thousand nine hundred and sew.
en- dollars. The gross receipts during the
same period amounted TO six million nine
hundred end fifty five thousand five hun
dred aad eighty six dollars: exhibiting en-
expe ndi!ure over income of one million
seven hundred and fifty.fve thousand
three hundred and twenty one dollars,
and diminution of deficiency, as COM
pared with TIE last year of three hundred
and sixty ore ;hopsand seven hundred
and fifty-six dollars.
The increaso OF revenue Of tho depart
r1ent, for the year ending June 60, 1854.
over the proceeding year. was nine hun
dred and seventy thousand three hundred
anc ninety nine dollars. 10 proportion
ats increase, however, can be anticipated
for the current year, in consequence of
the &C; Of Congress OF June 3, 1854, pro-
vidng for increased co.npencation 10 all
posilDasiers. From those statements it
appears that the Po1t oE.ce Department,
instead OF dolfayiDg lis expenses, accor.
ding 10 tho design c, its creation, is now,
ana under existing laws mus, continue TO
bo, to no small extent, charge upon the
general treasury. The cost Of mail Trans
por;ations during the year ending juno so.
1854. exceeds the cost OF tie proceeding
year by four hundred and ninety five
thousand nnd seventy four dollars. |
again call your attention to the subject Of
mail transportation by ocean steamers, aud
commend the suggestions of the Postmas-
ter General to your carly attention.
During the fiscal year eleven million
seventy thousand nine hundred and thirty
Eve acres OF the public lands have been
surveyed, and eight .millions one hundred
and ninety thousand and seventeen acres
brought into market. The number OF
acres sold is seven million thirty five thou
sand seven hundred and thirty five, and
the amount received therefor nine mil
lion two hundred and eighty-five thou
sand five hundred and thirty-three dollars.
The aggregate amount Of lands sold, To-
Gated under military scrip and land wer-
rants, selected as swamp lands by States.
and by locating under grants for roads, is
upwards Of .wenty-three millions Of
acres. The increase of lands sold, over
the previous year is about six millions
Of acres: and the sales during the first
quarters of the current year present the
extraordinary result Of five and half
millions sold exceeding by nearly four
millions of acres OF the sales of the COR
responding quarters Of last year, thus in
creasing 10 an extent unparalleled during
any like period in our past history the a =
mount of revenue provided from this
source for the Federal Treasury.
The commendable policy of the govern
ment. in relation to setting apart public
domain for those who have served their
country in time Of war, is illustrated by
the fact. that since 1890. no less than
thirty millions of acres have been appli.
ed TO this object.
The suggestions. which I submitted in
my annual message of last year. in refer
enco TO grants of land in aid of the con-
struction of railways, were less full and
explicit than the magnitude OF the sub
ect and subsequent developments would
seem to render proper and desirable. OF
the sounduess of the principle then as
serted with regard to the Limitation OF
the power Of Congress, l entertain no
doubt. but in its application it is not e.
nough that the value Of lands in a partic-
ular locality may be enhanced; that, in
fact. larger sum. for alternate sections
than could have been realized for all the
sections. without the impulse and influ-
ence of the proposed improvements. A
proprietor looks beyond limited sections
of his domain. beyond present results. to
the ultimate effect which a particular
line Of policy is likely to produce upon
all his possessions and interests. The
government. which is its trustee in this
matter, for the people Of the States, is
| bound TO take the same wise and com.