The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-12-11

deemable al the option OF the holder, canno
be pressed to payment by the government
On examining the expenditures of the las
five years, il will be seen that the average
deducting payments on account of the pub
lic debt and ten millions paid BY treaty t.
Mtx'co, had been but about forty. eight mil
lien dollars. 1t is believed that, under ar
economical administration of the govern
ment, The average expenditure for the ensu
ing five years will not exceed that sum, un
less extraordinary occasion for it's increast
should occur. The acts granting bount,
lands will soon have been executed, Will,
the extension -four frontier settlements viii
cause continued demand for lunds and aug
mentcd receipts, probably, from that source
These considerations will justify reduction
Ot the revenue frym customs, 81 as not to ex
ceed iorty-eight or fifty million dollars,
think the. exigency for such REDUCTION i.
imperative, and again urge it upon the con
sideration of Congress.
The s+nount Of reduction, as we'll as the
manner of eftcting it, are questions of grea
ard general interest; it being essential to
industrial enterprise and tie public prosper
ity. as well MS the dictate of obvious Justice
that the burden of taxation be made to rest
as equally as possible upon all classes. and
all sections and interests Of the country.
have heretofore recommended to your
consideration the revision of the revenue
laws, prepared under the direction of the
Secretary of the Treasary, and also te9isla
iion upon some special questions affecting
the business Of that department, more espe.
tially the enactment of law to punish the
abstraction of official books and papers and
pIl other public property to be turned over
by the out going officer to his successor; oil
a law requiring diSbursing officers to depos.
it all public moneys in the vaults of the
treasury, or in other legal repositories,
where the same are conveniently accessi.
bic; and Law TO extend existing penal pro.
visions 10 all persons who may become pos
sessed of public money by deposit or other.
wise, and who shall refuse or neglect, on
due demand, to pay the same into the treas.
ury. invite your attention anew to each
of these objects.
The army during the past year has been
so constantly employed against hostile In.
tians iii various quarters, that it can scarce.
ly be said, with propricty Of language, to
ties have been satisfactorily performed, and
we have reason to expect, as a lesult OF the
years operations, greater security to the
frontier inhabitants than has been hitherto
enjoyed. Extensive combinations among
the hostile Indians of the Territories Of
Washington ard Oregon at one time threat
encd the devastation Of the newly. formed
settlements OF that remote portion of the
country. From recent information, we are
permitted to hope that the energetic and sue.
ccssful operations conducted 'hcre will pre-
vent such combinations in future, and secure
to those Territories an opportunity to make
steady progress in the deve lopment of their
agricultural ard mineral resources.
Legislation has been recommended by
me on previous occasions to cure defects in
the existing organization, and to increase
the efficiency of the army, and further OBJ
servation has but served to confirm me in The
views then express ed, and to enforce on nv
mind the conviction that such measures are
not only proper but necessary.
| have, in addition, to invite the attention
OF Congress to change of policy in the dis
tribntion Of troops. and to the necessity OF
providing more rapid increase Of the mill
tary armament. For details of these and
other subjects relating to the army, | refer
20 the report Of the Secretary of War.
The condition of the navy is not merely
satisfactory, but exhibits the most grntify-
ing evidences of increasing vigor. As it is
paratively small, 1t is more important
that it should be as complete as possible in
all the elements OF strength; that it should
be efficient in the character ofits officers, in
the zeal aud discipline of its men, in the re.
liability of its ordnance, and in the capacity
of its ships. In all these various qualities
the navy has made great progress within the
last few years. The execution of the law
OF Congress, February %, 1855, "to pro
mote the efficiency of the navy" has been
attended by the most advantageous results
The law for promoting discipline among the
men Is i"nnd convenient and salutary. The
system Of granting an honorable discharge
to faithful senmen on the expiration of the
period Of their enlistment, and permitting
them to re enlist after leave of absence OF
few months, without cessation of pay, is
highly beneficial in its influence. The ap
prentice system recently adopted is evident.
" destined to incorporate into the service
large nun Der Of our counirymen hitherto so
difficult to procure. Several hundred Of our
American boys are now on three years
cruise in our national vessels, and will return
we'll trained seamen In the ordnance de.
partment there is decided and gratifying
indication ofproGress crcdtable to it and to
the country, The suggestions of the Secre.
tary of the Navy, in regard to further i'm.
provement in that branch of the service,
commend to your favorable action.
The new itigates ordered by Congress are
now atloat, and two OF them in active SER
vice. They are superior models OF naval
architecture, and with their formidable Sat.
terry add largely to public strength and secu.
riiy.
concur in the, views expressed by the
Secretary of the Department., in favor of
still further increase Of our naval force.
The report Of the Secretary Of the Interior
presents facts and views in relation to inter.
nai atrlirS over which the supervision of his
department extends, Of much interest aid
Importance.
The aggregate sales o the public lands,
during the last fiscal year, amount to nine
million two hundreda and twenty seven thods.
and eight hundred and seventy eight acres;
for which has been received the sum of eight
millions eight hundred and twenty.one thous
and four hundred and fourteen dollars. Dur. |
ing the same period there have been located, |
with military scrip and land warrants, and
for other purposes, thirty million one hun.
dfed thousand two hundred aud thirty acres,
hpc 1. a