Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-12-08

ence and mechanical skill IN this direc :
ton have not been exhausted. No
good reason exists for the marked dis
tinction, which appears upon our stat
utes between the laws for protecting
life and property at sea, and these for
protecting them on land In most Of
the States severe penalties are provi-
ded to punish conductors 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 appli-
ed to acts Of insubordination, coward
ice. 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 de.
linquencies can be reached only BY
the power Of Congress? The whole
subject isearnestly commended to your
consideration,
The report Of the Postmaster Gene
raj, 10 which you are referred for
many interesting details in relation to
this important and rapidly extending
branch Of the public service. shows
that the expenditure Of the year end
ing. June 80, 1854. including one hun
dred and thirty-three thousand four
hundred and eight-three dollars OF bal
ance due TO foreign Offices. amounted
10 eight million seven hundred and
ten thousand nine hundred and seven
dollars. The gross receipts during
the same period Amounted to six mill
lion nine hundred aud iifty-fve thou
sand Eve hundred and eighiy.six dol.
lars: exhibiting an expenditure over
income Of one million seven hundred
and ffty-fve thousand three hundred
and twenty .one dollars. and diminu-
ten Of deficiency, as compared with
the last year Of three hundred and
sixty-one thousand seven hundred and
ffty-six dollars. The increase OF rev.
enue of the department, for the year
ending June 80, 1854, oyer the pre-.
ceding year, was nine hundred and
seventy thousand three hundred and
ninety.nine dollars. No proportion
ate increase. however can be anticipa.
ted for the current year, In conse'
quence Of the net Of Congress OF
June IS, 1854. providing for increas'
ed compensation TO all postmasters. =
From these statesments IL is apparent
that the Post Office Department, in.
stead OF defraying its expenses, nc
eording to the design at the time o
It's creation. is now, and under existing
laws must continue 10 be. TO no small
extent. q charge upon the genera
treasury. The cost Of mail transpor
tations during the year ending JUNE
80, 1854, exceeds The cost Of the pre-.
ceding year by four hundred and
ninety-fiye thousand and seyenty-foul
dollars. again call your attention Il
the subject OF mail transportation by
ocean steamers, and commend the
suggestions Of the Postmaster Gene
raj to your early attention.
During the last fiscal year eleven
million seventy thousand nine humid
red and thirty five acres of the public
lands have been surveyed. and eight
million one hundred and ninety thou
sand and seventeen acres brought into
market. The number ofacres sold is
seven million thirty five thousand sew
en- hundred and thirty five. aud the
amount received therefor nine million
two hundred and eighty.iiye thousand
FIVE hundred 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 locating under grants
for roads, is upwards Of twenty-three
millions of acres. The increase oI
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 exttaordi-
nary result Of five and half millions
sold, exceeding bynearly four millions
of acres the sales ofthe corresponding
quarters Of the last year, thus increas-
ing TO an extent unparalleled during
any like period in our past history the
amount Of revenue provided from
this sourse for the Federal Tresury.
The commendable policy Of the
government, in relation TO setting
apart public domain for those who
have served their.country in the time
Of war. is illustrated by the fact, that
since 1890 NJ less than thirty millions
of acres have been applied to this OBJ
ject.
The suggestion. which submitted
in MI annual message Of last year. il
reference to grants of land in aid o
the construction Of railways, were
less full and explicit than the magni.
tude of the subject and the subse
quent developments would seem t
render proper and desirable. OF tn,
soundness Of the principle then asser
ted with regard TO the limitation OF I'll,
power of Congress, entertain nc
doubt; but in its application it is not
enough that the value OF lands in
particular locality may be enhanced
that. in fact, larger amount Of mo
ney may probably be received in a
given time, for alternate sections
than could have been realized for al
the sections, without the impulse an,
influence Of the proposed improve
ments. A prudent proprietor look
beyond limited sections Of his domain
beyond present results, to the ultimat
effect which a particular line of polio,
is likely to produce upon all his pos
sessions and interests. The govern
ment, which is trustee i'm this matter