The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-12-11

The Recommendation OF tue 0ecxosaEy W
make promotion hereafter dependent. in
lone degree, upon capacity and merit IN.
,tead Of seniority Of commissicn. This, with
he establishment Of the apprentice system
md the enlistment Of American boys from
fourteen until twenty one years Of age viii
vastly increase the efficiency Of the service.
We look forward with hope to the time when
he crews Of ships Of war will be as superior
IN intelligence and department to the present
crews. as the officers of the present time are
to those of the old regime.
POSTMASTER GENERALS REPoRT.--We are
glad to see that though the Postmaster
General estimates the deficit for the cur
rent year in the revenues of his department
viii be hard upon three millions, he does NOT
again recommend bill for the increase OF
hostages. The fate of Mr.. Odds bill OF last
wear is not forgotten. Revolutions do not
travel backwards. The deficiency must be.
supplied from other sources.
The P. M. General is in favor of abolishing
the contracts with the ocean mail lines he
suggests the introduction of special super
visor, in all the post offices, of letters con-
tanning money, and the deposit and transmits
sion Of such letters apart from the mail.
+ The estimated expenses of the p. o. De-
partment for the present year, ten millions
of dollars, are within three millions of the
annual expenses of the whole government
during the administration of j. @. Adams
A striking proof of the wonderful progress
of the country.
The RED MEN-The Commissioner of
Indian Affairs concludes his report by de-.
claring, that having faithfully employed
all the means within our reach to improve
the Indian race and preserve it from extinc-
ton, we can. with a good conscience and
strong faith, leave the issue in the hands OF
our Common Father"
We dent know to what the 'sstrong faith
refers. If to the preservation of the Indian
race, we have not much confidence in it, and
certainly no desire for it. Those who have
read the accounts of recent Indian afro
cities in the West or of Indian atrocities
from the time the first white man met the
first Indian on this continent, cannot have
much faith in Indian Improvement, nor much
solicitude for their preservation. We feel
quite as anxious to see the breed of pan.
theirs, wolves and bears in the western viii.
derness kept up, as the more savage and
cruel red men.
We find the following reference to the re.
port in the N. Y. Herald:
The operations during the last year. in this depart
ment have been heavy: The Inois1: in Nebraska
ment nearly fifteen millions of acres of land The
Indians, however have caught some of the white
usual for the land in Kansas They only agreed to
give up these lands under pledge that they should
have a reserve for permanent home.
There is trouble with the Indians on the Arkansas
and Platte rivers and it appears that while the agent
II seeking them to prepare amendments to treaties,
they are quietly shooting down emigrsnts and rob
bling traders. The Commissioner thinks something
should DO done for these misguided people, but naive.
acknowledges that he cannot say what the 'some.
thias" should be- but sugge'ts kindness and peaceful
r.sfye e Che lss and
Seminoles and he also sensbly that no
removals Of Indian tribes shall take pace-that ID
shall be secured to them and their heirs forever
The report, although gthy will be found very
teresting as gives complete exhibit of the state
of Indian affairs at the present time.
MoEETARY-The Journal of Commerce of
Monday stated that Exchange on England
was too low to allow the expectation of spe-
cie-the ruling rate being lO9 Thursday it
was down to l08 IA 1Os 3d. but some very
good signatures had been sold at 1Os. New
ertheless, the steamer from Boston, Friday
took out saoo,ooo in gold, from New York
alone.
The Express of Thursday says:
Numerous renewals are making by the importers
to their city customers. and several failures are
spoken of as having occurred. We learn that sey.
era parcels OF real estate have been offered for
sale at largely reduced prices from last years vau-
| alton, and that good bonds and mortgages can be
purchased at considerable reduction below par
The real estate interest have not yet felt the iniu
ence OF the hard times to the extent of other inter
ests, but tits apprehended this will be made more
| apparent In the coming winter and spring.
The financial suffering In Philadelphia, we un
derstand has been In larger proportion during the
month of November than In New York notwith
standing that there has been no Bank expansion in
that city. The suffering alluded to 10 owing to the
large trade done with the West last spring, from
which lew collections can be made.
The Commercial correspondent of the
Washington Union attributes much of the
evil now suffered in the financial world to
paper money, and adds:
1t is to be hoped that SO important an element in
generating and aggravating commercial distress
may soon be done away with in the universal adop
ton OF the sub treasury principle of the federal
government. The treasurer of Mississippi has al.
ready taken step 10 this direction by issuing cir.
cuiar requiring the taxes of the State TO be maid
over IN the constitutional currency only. The coin.
age at the mint since the discoveries In California
are reported at $25l 29l gold. half of which If
drawn into circulation by general determination
to take nothing else as money, would have Given
currency greater than exists not liable 10 scredit
and iraugnt with no disastrous revulsions.
CENTRAL RAILRoAD.-The Board of Di.
rectors have put under contract, at reasona.
bic rates, the remaining section of eleven
miles, from Haipes' up to Coyington, the
point where the State road commences. The
contractors are to be paid in the mortgaped
bonds of the company at s5 per cent.
IMPORTANT DEcIsloN-It has hean do
cided by the q. s. Circuit Court at Baltimore
that railway company is liable to nav dam
ages for not Transporting live stock bv the
earliest freight train to market, if meant;,ns