Burlington tri-weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1852-1855, 1854-12-12

,,,,s 10 50 great an extent depend. Althong
.neh attention has already been given BY Con
sress to the proper construction and arrangement
q e,eam vessels and ajl passenger ships, still
!. believed that the achievements Of science an
.eehanieai skill In this direction have not bee
.,hausted No good reason exists for the mark
4 distinction which appears upon our statute
he;ween the laws FOR protecting life and propert,
= "a. ana those for protecting them on the land
+. moet Of The States severe penalties IRE provi
IA 10 punish conductors Of trains, engineers, an
osh,rs employed il The transportation Of person
Nv railway, or by STEAMBOATS, on rivers. WHY
should not the same principle be applied 10 act
Il differentiation. cowardice, or other miscon
a.ei on .he part Of masters and mariners, produ
e;ee injury or death 10 Passengers on the higl
80 beyond the jurisdiction Of any Of the States
nd where such dellnquencies can be reached
oslv 81 the power Of Congress? The Who'll,
.nbiect Is earnestly commended 10 your conside.
ration.
vnn are referred fol many interesting details in
relation 70 this important and rapidly extending
hrsnch OF the public service, shows that the ex-
pendture Of the year ending June 30, 1854, in
Guiding one hundred and thirsy-three thousand
four hundred and eighty three dollars of balance
due 10 foreign Offices, amounted to eight million
seven hundred and ten thousand nine hundred and
seven dollars. The gross receipts during the
same period amounted 10 six million nine hundred
and fif,y.hve thousand FIVE hundred and eighty
six dollars; exhibiting an expenditure over IN
come Of one million seven hundred and 6fiy-6ve
thousand three hundred and twenty lone dollars.
and diminution Of deficiency, as compared with
the last year, Of three hundred and sixty. one
thou.and seven hundred and City six dollars
The increase of the revenue Of the department,
for the wear ending June 30, 1854, over the pre-
cedins year, was nine hundred and seventy thon-
sand three hundred and ninety nine dollars. No
proportionate increase, however can be anficipa-
led for the current year, in consequence Of the
oct Of Congress of June %, 1854, providing for
increased compensation 10 all poslmasiers. From
these statements il is apparen. that the Pos: Or
Gee Department, instead Of defraying its expen-
,es. according TO the design at the time of ts Gre
alton, is now, and under existing laws, must COLI
tinue 10 be, to no small extent, charge upon the
general treasury. The cost of mail ;ransporta.
lions during the year ending June 30, 1854, ex-
eeeds the cost of the preceding year by four hun
bred and ninety-6ve thousand and .eventy-fsur
dollars. again call your attention to the sub
eet Of mail transportation by ocean steamers,
and commend the suggestions of the Postmaster
General to your early attention.
seventy thousand .ine hundred and thirty-fve
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
thousand seven hundred and thirty-f and the
amount received therefor nine million two hum
bred and eighty-fse thousand 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 loea-
Ting under grants for roads, is upwards OF twenty
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 two quar-
.es Of the current vear present the extraordinary
result Of five and half millions sold, exceeding
by nearly four millions Of acres the sales Of the
corresponding quarters of the last year, thus in
ereasing 10 an extent unparalleled during anv
like period in our past history the amount Of rev.
e,ue 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, j.
illustrated by the fact, that since 1870 no less
than thirty millions of acres have been applied
10 this object.
The suggestions which submitted in my
annual message OF last year, in reference to
grants Of land made of the construction of
railways, were less full and explicit than the
marn tude If the subj ct and subsequent de-
,eopmsnts would seem to render proper and
desirable. OF the soundness Of the principle
then asserted with regard to the limitation If
the power Of Congress, entertain no doubt !;
but in its application it is no: enough that the
value Of lands in a particular locality may be
enhacced-that, in fact, larger amount Of
money may probably be received in a given
time, for alternate sections, than could have
been realized for all the sections, without the
impulse and influence Of the proposed i'm
provements. A prudent proprietor looks be-
yOnd limited sections of his domain, bey ond
present result TO the ultimate eifac; 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 this
wise and comprehensive view. Prior to and
during the last session of Congress-, upwards
Of thirty millions Of acres Of land were with
drawn from public sales with view to APP
plications for grants Of this character pend
ing before Congress. A careful revi of the
subject led me to direct that all such orders
be abrogated, and the lands restored to market
and Instructions were Immediately given to
that effect. The applications at the last ses
sion contemplated the construction OF more
than Eve 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 Congress to be un.
Questionable. is it quite clear that the proposed
grants would be productive Of good and MOI
ofevll? The different projects are confined
for the present, to eleven States OF the Unioi
and one territory. The reasons assigned fol