The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-12-14

States, are, it is tue, unsurpassed in far
reaching enterprise, skill, intelligence, a nd
courage, by any others in the world
But, With the increasing amount of our
commercial tonnage in the aggregate,
and the larger size and improved equip
ment of the ships now constructed, def
cheney in the supply of reliable scanen
begins to be very seriously felt. The in
convenience may, perhaps, lie met, in
part. by due regulation for the introduc-
ton, into our merchant ships, Of indcntcd
apprentices; which, while it would afford
useful and eligible occupation TO numer-
Gus young men, would have a tendency
to raise the character ofseanen as class.
And it is deserving of serious reflection,
whether it nay not be desirable to revise
the existing laws for tue maintenance Of
discipline at sea, upon which the security
of life and property on the ocean must
to 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 pas
scnger ships, still! it is believed that the
resources of science and mechanical skill
in this direction have not been exhausted
No good reason exists for the marked dis
tinction, which appears upon our statutes
between the laws for protecting life and
property at sea and those for protecting
them on land. In most of the States Sc
we're penalties are provided to punish con-
ductors 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 insubordinatioD, cow
ardice, 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 Con-
gress? The whole subject is earnestly
commended to your consideration.
The report of the Postmaster General,
to which you are referred for many in
tcresting details in relation to this i'm
rortant and rapidly extending branch Of
tbs public service, shows that tie czpcn-
diture Of the year ending June 80, 1854
including ona hnndre@ c..l c~:i th:t" @ ..Li:Ec>
Thousand four hundred and eishty-three
dollars Of balance due to foreign Offices,
amounted to eight million seven hundred
and ten thousand nine hundred and seven
dollars. The gross receipts during the
same period amounted to six million nine
hundred and ffty-fve thousand FIVE hun
dred and cighty-six dollars; exhibiting
an expenditure over income Of one mil
lion seven hundred and fGty-fye thous-
and three hundred and twenty-one dol
lars, and diminution Of deficiency, as
compared with the last year, of three hun
dred and sixty-one thousand seven hun
dred and ffty-six dollars. The increase
Of the revenue Of the Department, for the
year ending June 80, 1854, over the pre-
ccding year, was nine hundred and seven
ty thousand three hundred and ninety
nine dollars. No proportionate increase
however, can be anticipated for the cur
rent year, in consequence of the act Of
Congress Of June %, 1854, providing for
increased compensation to all pos:masters
From these statements it is apparent that
the Post Office Department, instead Of
dcFraying its expenses, according to the
design at the time Of its creation, is now
and under existing laws must continue 10
be, to no small extent, charge upon the
general Treasury. The cost of mail
nsportatioD, during the year ending
June 30, 1854, exceeds the cost of the
preceding year By four hundred and
niuety-fve thousand and seyenty-four
dollars. [ again call your attention to
the subject Of mail transportation by O.
cean steamers, and commend the sugges-
tIons Of the Postmaster General to your
early attention.
During the last fiscal year eleven mil
lion seventy thousand nine hundred and
thirty-fve acres of the public lands have
been surveyed, and eight million one hun
dred and ninety thousand and seventeen
acres brought into market. The number
OF acres sold is seven million thirty FIVE
thousand seven hundred and thirty five,
and the amount received therefor nine
million two hundred and eighty five tbous-
and fire hundred and thirty dollars
The aggregate amount of lands sold, To-
Gated under military scrip and land war
rants, selected as swamp lands by States,
and by locating under grants for roads,is
upwards of twenty-ibree millions of acres
The increase Of lands sold, over the pre-
Vlous year, is about six millions of acres
end the sales during the two first quar-
ters of the current year present the cx-
traordlnary result of five and half mil
lions sold, exceeding by nearly four mil
lions OF acres the sales Of the correspond
ing quarters of the last year,
The commendable policy Of the Gov
ernment, in relation to setting apart pub
lie 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 applied
to this object.
The suggestions, which submitted in
my annual message of last year, in refer