Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1854-12-09

ing June 80, 1864, over the preceding year.
was nine hundred and seventy thousand
three hundred and ninety-nine dollars.
No proportionate increase, however, can
De anticipated f.r the current year, in con-
sequence Of the act Of Congress Of June 23d,
1854, providing for increased compensation
to oil postnsste,s. From these statements
it is apparent that the Post Office Depart.
ment, instead Of defraying its expenses, &C
cording to the design at the time Of it's crea-
ton, is now, and under existing laws must
continue to be, to no small extent charge
upon the general treasury. The cost Of
mail transportation, during the year ending
June 80, 1854, exceeds the cost Of the pre-
ceding year by four hundred and ninety-fve
thousand and seventy four dollars. again
call your attention TO the subject of mail
transportation by ocean steamers, and com.
mend the suggestions of the Postmaster
General to your attention.
During the last fiscal year eleven million
seventy thousand nine hundred and thirty
five acres of the public lands have been sur
veyed, and eight million one hundred and
ninety thousand and seventeen acres bro't
into market. The number Of acres sold is
seven million thirty five thousand seven
hundred and tl,irty-ive, and the amount re-
ceived therefor nine million two hundred
and eighty five thousand five hundred and
tbirty-three dollars. The aggregate amount
of lands sold, located under military scrip
and land warrants, selected as swamp lands
by States, and by locating under grants for
roads, is upwards oftwenty-three millions Of
acres. The increase of lands sold, over the
previous year, is about six millions of acres;
and the sales during the two first quarters
of the current year present the extraordna-
~ result Of five and half millions sold, ex-
ceeding by nearly four millions Of acres the
sale of the corresponding quarters Of the
last year, thus increasing to an extent un-
Paralleled during any like period in our past
history the amount of revenue provided from
this source for the Federal Treasury.
The commendable policy Of the govern
ment, in relation to setting apart public do
main for those who have served their coun-
try in the time Of war, 10 illustrated by the
f. ct that since 1890 no less than thirty mil
lions Of acres have been applied to this OBJ
ject.
The suggestions, which submitted in
my annual message of last year, in refer
ence to grants of land in aid of the con-
struction of railways, were less fall and ex-
plicit than the magnitude of the subject and
subsequent developments would seem to
render proper and desirable OF the sound
ness of the principle then asserted with re-
gard t. the limitation Of the power OF Con-
gress, / entertain no doubt; but in its appli-
cation it is not enough that the value OF
lands in particular locality may be enhanc-
ed that, III fact, larger amount OF money
may probably be received in given time,
for alternate sections, than could have been
realized for all the sections. without the i'm
pulse and influence OF the proposed improve
ments. A prudent proprietor looks beyond
limited sections Of his domain, beyond pres
ent results, to the ultimate effect which a
particular policy is likely to produce upon
al! bis posses sions and interests. The
Government, which is trustee, in this mat
ter, for the people of the States, is bound to
take the same wise and comprehensive
view. Prior to, and during the last session
of Congress, upwards of thirty millions OF
acres OF land were withdrawn from public
sale, with view to applications for grants
of this character pending before Congress.
A careful review of the whole subject led
me to direct that all such orders be abroga-
ted, ard the land restored to market; and
instructions were Immediately given to that
effect The applications at the last session
contemplate the construction of more than
FIVE thousand miles Of road, and grants to
the amount of nearly twenty millions Of
acres of public domain. Even admitting
the right on the part of Congress TO be un-
questionable, is il quite clear that the pro-
posed grants would be productive Of good
and no evil! The different projects are
confined for the present, to eleven States
of the Union, and one Territory. The rea-
sons assigned for the grants, show that it is
proposed to put the works speedily in pro-
cess of construction.
When we reflect that since the COM
mencement of the construction of railways
in the United States, stimulated as they
have been BY the large dividends realized
from the earlier works over the great thor
oughfares, and between the most important
points of commerce and population, encour.
aged by State legislation, and pressed for
ward by the amazing energy Of private en-
terorise, only seventeen thousand miles
have been completed in all the States in
quarter of century; when we see the Grip
Piled condition of many works commenced
and prosecuted upon what was deemed to
be sound principles and safe calculations;
when we contemplate the enormous alb
sorption of capital withdrawn from the or
binary channels of business, the extrava-
giant rates Of interest at this moment paid
to continue operations, the bankruptcies
not merely in money but in character, and
the inevitable effect upon finance general
"; can it be doubted that the tendency is to
run to excess in this matter!
Is it wise to augment this excess by en-