The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-01-12

anu also requiring them, on the tefmlna-
alton OF their services, to deliver to their
successors all books, records and othef eff
fects of public nature in their custody.
Derived as our public revenue is chiefly
from duties on imports, its magnitude af-
fords gratifying evidence Of prosperity,
not only Of our Commerce, but of other
great interests upon which that Commerce
depends.
The principle that all moneys not REQUIRED
for the current expenses of the government
should remain in the hands of the people.
and the conspicuous fact that the annual
revenue from all sources exceeds by many
millions of dollars the amount needed for a
prudent and economical administration of
public affairs, cannot fail to suggest the pro-
priety of on early revision and reduction OF
the tariff duties on imports. 1t is now so
generally conceded that the purpose of reye-
nue. alone can justify the imposition of duties
on imports, that in readjusting the import
tables and scedules, which unquestionably
require an essential modification, any depart
ure from the principles of the present tariff
is not anticipated.
The army during the past year has been
frontiers, the state of the service permitting
but very few and small garris6ns in our per-
manent Notifications. The additional regi-
ments authorized at the last session Of Con-
gress have been recruited and organized, and
a large portion of the troops have already
been sent into the field. All the duties
which devolve upon the military establish
ment have been satisfactorily performed, and
the dangerous operations incident to the
character of the service required of our
troops, have furnished additional evidence oil
their courage, zeal and capacity, to meet er-
cry requisition which their. country may
make upon them.
For the details of the military operations
Of the troops, and additional provisions re-
quired for the military service, I refer to the
report Of the Secretary of War and the &C
companying documents. Experience, gath
cred from events which have transpired
since my last annual message, has served to
confirm the opinion then expressed, 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 commend
ed on former occasions, continvef except as
circumstances have given to them additional
force.
The recommendations heretofore made for
a reorganization of the army, are also re-
newed. The Elementary Education given
those officers who commehce their services
as cadets, qualities them, to a considerable
of the service; but to give the highest eff
IN rfr
especial study of many years, and it is not
tain in time of peace, a larger force of that
arm then can be employed in the duties APP
pertaining to the service of field and siege
artillery. The duties of staff, in all its va
rious branches, belong to the movements of
troops, and the efficiency of an army in the
field would materially depend OH the ability
with which these duties are discharged. 1t
is now, as in the case of the artillery, a spe-
cial service that requires an intimate know-
edge of the duties of an officer of the line;
and it is not doubted that to complete the
education Of an officer, for either the line or
staff, it is desirable that he shall have served
in both. With this view, it was recommend
ed on former occasions, that the duties of the
staff should be mainly performed by details
from the line; and in the conviction of the
advantages which would result from such
change, it is agaiii presented for the conside-
ration Of Congress.
The Report of the Secretary of the Navy,
herewith submitted exhibits in full the naval
operations of the past year, together with
the present condition of the service, and it
makes suggestions of further legislation to
which your attention is directed. The con-
struction of steam fffgates fot which appro-
priations were made by the last Congress,
has proceeded in the most satisfactory man
ner, with such expedition as to warrant the
relief that they will be ready for service the
coming spring. Important as is the addition
to our naval force, it still remains adequate
to the contingencies of the protection of the
extensive sea coast and vast commercial in
terests of the United States. In view of this
fact end the acknowledged wisdom of the
policy of gradual and systematic increase
OF the navy, an appropriation is recommend
ed for the construction of six steam sloops
of war. In regard to the steps taken in the
execution of the act of Congress to promote
the efficiency of the navy it is unnecessary
for me to say more than to express my en-
tire concurrence in the observations on that
subject presented by the Secretary in his re-
port.
1t will be perceived by the Report of
the Post Master General, that the gross
expenditures of the last fiscal year were
Sc, 908342, and the gross receipts ST.
342, 1876, making an excess of expendi-
lures over the receipts of $2,626, 500,
and that the cost of mail transportation,
during that year, was $674,952 greater
than the previous year. Much of the
heavy expenditure to which the treasury
is thus subjected is to be ascribed to the
large amount of printed matter conveyed
by the mails, either franked or liable to
no postage by law, or very low rates
OF postage compared with that charged
on letters, and the great cost of mail SER
vice on railroads and on ocean steamers.
The suggestions of the Post Master Gen
eral on the subject deserve the considera-
lion of Congress.
The report of the Secretary of the In
terror will engage your attention, as well
for the useful suggestions it contains, as
FOR the interest and Importance of the
subjects to which they refer. The ag-
gregate amount of public lands sold dur
ing the last fiscal year, located with mill
Eary scrip, or land warrants, taken up
under grants for roads, and selected as
swamp lands by States, is 24,557, 500
acres, of which the proportion sold is
l5,729,524 acres, yielding in receipts the
sum Of 81 ,485, 389. In the same period
l8, 728,854 acres have been surveyed but