The Evansville daily journal., 1856-01-04

! ly conceded that The purpose OF revenue alone
can Justify the imposition OF duties on imports,
that in re- justing the impost tables nd sched-
ules. which es;iOnablv require essential
notifications, a departure from the principles
of the present tariff is not anticipated.
ARMY.
The army during the past year, has been
actively engaged in defending the Indian from
/ tier, the state of the service permitting but
few and small garrisons in our permanent for
tifcations. The additional regiments author
lied at the last session of Congress have BEEN
recruited and organized, and large portion of
the troops have already been sent to the field.
All the duties, which devolVe on the military
establishment have been satisfactorily per-
formed, and dangers ard provisions incident to
the character of the service required of our
troops have furnished additional evidence of
their courage ZEAL and capacity to meet any
lrequistion, which their country may make
upon them. For the details of the military
Operations, the distribution of the troops and
additional provisions required for the military
service, refer to the report ofthe Secretary of
i War and the accompanying documents.
Experience gathered from events which
have transpired since my last annual message
has but served to confirm the opinion then ex-
pressed of the propriety of making provision,
) by retired list for disabled officers, and for
increased compensation to the officers, retained
on the list for active duty. All the reasons
: which existed, when these measures were re-
commended on former occasions continue with
out modification except so far as circumstances
have given to them additional force.
The recommendations heretofore made for
{. partial reorganization of the army, are also
L renewed. The thorough elementary education
D given to those officers, who commence their
: service with the grade of cadet, qualities them
J, to considerable extent, to perform the duties
of every arm of the service; but to give the
highest efficiency of artillery requires the prac
e tice and special study of many years; anl it is
u not therefore, believed to be advisable to main
tain in time of peace. a larger force of that arm
y than can be usually employed in the duties ap-
r pertaining to the service of field and siege ar
e tillery. The duties of the staff in all its
If various branches, belonging to the movements
h of the troops, and the efficiency of an army in
Il the field would materially depend upon the
e ability with which those duties are discharged.
e 1t Is not, as in the case of the artillery, spe
ciality, but requires, also, an intimate knowl-
edge of the duties of an officer of the line, and
;, it is not doubted that, to complete the educa-
ton of an officer for either the line or the gen.
+ eral staff it is desirable that he shall have
y served in both. With this view, it was recon-
mended on former occasion that the duties OF
the staff should be mainly performed by de-
tails from the line; and, with conviction of the
u advantages which would result from such a
IS change it is again presented for the considera-
n ton of Congress-
e The report of the Secretary of the Navy,
II herewith submitted, exhibits in full the naval
oc@H al,
10 the present condition, of the service, and it
!. makes suggestions of further legislation, to
Il which your attention is invited.
4 The constitution of the six steam frigates,
4 for which appropriations we're made by the
! last Congress, has proceeded IN the most salts
: fectory manner and with such expedition as
: to warrant the belief that they will be ready
4 for service early the coming spring. Impor-
> tant as this addition to our naval force is, il
still remains inadequate to the contingent ex-
J. igencies of the protection of the extensive sea
! coasts and vast commercial interests of the
: United States. In view of this fact, and oi
X the acknowledged wisdom Of the policy of a
i gradual and systematic increase of the navy,
20 an appropriation is recommended for the con-
n struction of six steam sloeps- -ofwar.
4 In regard to the steps taken in execution oi
Is the act of Congress to promote the efficiency
,fi ofthe navy it is unnecessary for to say more
Y than to express entire concurrence in the OBJ
d servation on that subject presented by the
Secretary in his report.
st POST OFFICE
le 1t will be perceived, by the report of the
'e Postmaster General, that the gross expendi-
e ture of the department for the last fiscal year
le was nine million nine hundred and sixty-eight
d thousand three hundred and forty-two dollars;
y and the gross receipts seven mil lion three hun
y dred and forty-two Thousand one hundred and
ID thirty-six dollars, making an excess of expen-
ID diture over receipts oftwo million six hundred
and twenty-six thousand two hundred and six
le dollars; that the cost of mail transportation
Ii during that year was six hundred and seventy
n four thousand nine hundred and fifty-two dol
n lars greater than the previous year. Much of
ID the heavy expenditures to which the Treasury
1t is thus subjected is to be ascribed to the large
IS quantity of printed matter conveyed by the
= mails, either ranked or liable to no postage by
= law or to very low rates of postage compared
'r with that charged on letters: and to the great
< cost of mil service on railroads and by ocean
x steamers. The suggestions of the Postmaster
p General on the snbject deserve the considera-
l. ton of Congress. l.s $500 sas
INTERIOR
: Theireport of the Secretary of the Interior
. will engage your attention, as well for useful
= suggestions it contains, for the interest and
:. Importance of the subjects to which they refer
= The aggregate amount of public land sold
during the last fiscal year, located with mill
~ tary scrip or land warrants, taken up under
: grants for roads, and selected as swamp lands
by States, is twenty-four millions five hun
II dred and fifty-seyen thousand four hundred
e and nine acres; of which the portion sold was