The true Democrat., 1856-01-15

In regard to the steps taken in execution O the act of Congress to promote the efficiency o the navy, It Is unnecessary for me to say more
 than to express entire concurrence in the ob
 servations on that subject presented by the se- cretary in his report
 PosT-oFFIcE.
 It will be perceived, by the report of the
 postmaster-general, that the gross expenditure of the department for the last fiscal year wa. nine million nine hundred and sixtv-eight tbou sand there hundred and forty two dollars and the gross receipts seven million three hundred and forty two thousand one hundred and tbirtv- six dollars, mixing an excess of exnenditure over receipts of two million six hundred and twenty-slx thousand two hundred and six dol lars; and that the cost of mail transportation durlng that year, vas six hundred and seventy four thousand nine hundred and filtv-two dol lars greater than the Trevous year. Much of the heavy expenditures, to which the treasury is thus subjected, is to be ascrbed to the large 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 with that charged on letters; and to the great cost of mail service on railroads and by ocean steamers The suggestions of the posmaster- general on the subject deserve the considertion of Congress-
 INTERIOR.
 The report of the Secretary of the Interior will engage your attention as well for the use ful suggestions 1t contains as for the interest and importance of the SUI iects to which they refer
 The aggregate amount of public land sold during the last fiscal year, located with military scrip or land warrants, taken up under grants for roads, and selected as swamp lands by States IS 24551 ,4O9 acres, of which the portion sold was l5, 729,024 acres, yielding in receipts the sum ot $11, ,485, ,39O. In the same period of tune, SIPS, 854 acres have been surveyed, but. Tn consideration of the quantity already subject to entry, no additional tracts have been brouoht into market.
 The peculiar relation of the general govern ment to the District of Columbia renders it pro. per to commend to your care, not only its ma terlal, but also its moral interests, including edu- cation, more especially in those parts of the district outside of the cities of Washington and Georgetown
 The commissioners appointed to revise and codify the laws of the District have made such progress lnthe performance of their task as to insure its completion in the time prescribed by the act of Congress-
 Information has recently been received, that the peace of the settlements in the territories of Oregon and Washington is disturbed by hos tllltles on the part of the Indians, with indica- tons of extensive combinations of a hostile character among the tribes in that quarter the more serious in their possible effect by reason of the undetermined foreign interests existing in those territories, to which your attention has already been especially invited Efficient mea- sures have been taken which, 1t is believed. will restore quiet, and afford protection to our citizens.
 In the territory of Kansas there have been acts prejudlcal to good order but as yet none nave occurred under circumstances to justify the interpostion of the federal executiye.- That could only be in case of obstruction to fe- deral law, or Of organized resistance to territo- rial law, assuming the character of insurrec- ton, which, if 1t should occur. it would be my duty promptly to overcome and suppress l cherish the hope, however, that the occurrence ot any such untoward event will be prevented by the sound sense of the people of the terri tory, who, by Its organic law, possessing tLe right to determine their own domestic insttu- tlonS, are entitled, while deporting themselves peacefully, to the free exercise of that rirht. and must be protected in the enjoyment of it, without interference on the part of the citizens of any of the States
 The southern boundary line of this territory has never been surveyed and established The apidly-extending settlements in that region and the fact that the main route between Inde- pendence, i'll the State of Missouri, and New Mexico is contiguous to the line, suggest the probability that embarrassing questions of iu- riG1iptinD may cOuSoruootI, ;'o, +Lo., and other considerations, 1 commend sse sub- ject to your early attention.
 CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY OF THE GOVERNMENT
 have thus passed in review the general state of the Union, including such practicular con- ccrns of the federal government whether of domestic or foreign relation, as 1t appeared to be desirable and useful to bring to the special notice of Congress. Unlike the great States of Europe and Asia, and many of those of Ame- rica, these United States are wasting their strength neither in foreign war nor domestic strife. Whatever of discontent or public dis satisfaction exists, is attributable to the imper- fectlons of human nature or is incident to all governments however perfect, which human wisdom can devise. Such subjects of political agitation as occupy the public mind, consist, to a great extent of exaggeration of inevitable evils, or over zeal ill social improvement, or mere imagination of grievance, having but re- mote connexion with any of the constitutional functions or duties of the federal government To whatever extent these questions exhibit a tendency menacing to the stability of the con- Stituton, or the integrity of the Union, and no farther, they demand the consideration of the executive, and require to be presented by him to Corgres
 Before the Thirteen Colonies became con- federation of independent States, they were associated only by community of trans. Atlantic origin, by geographical position, and by tue mutual tie ot common dependence on Great Britain. When the tie was sundered, they se- verally assumed the powers and rights of abso- lute self-government. The municipal and so- cial institutions of each it's laws of property and of personal relation, even its political or ganization, were such only as each one chose i to establish, wholly without interference from any other. In the language of the Declaration of Independence each State had "full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent States may of right do." The several colonies differed in climate, in so in mutual productions, in reli- zion, in systems of education in legislation and in the forms of political administration; and they continued to differ in these respects when they voluntarily allied themselves as States to carry on the war of the revolution.
 The object of that war was to disenthral the United Colonies from foreign rule, which had proved to be oppressive, and to separate them permanently from the mother country; the po- litical result was the foundation of federal republic of the free white men of the colonies, constituted, as they were, in distinct, and re- clprocally independent, State governments As for the subject races, whether Indian or African, the wise and brave statesmen of that day, being engaged in no extravagant scheme of social change left them as they were, and thus preserved themselves and their posterity from the anarchy and the overcoming civil wars, which have prevailed in other revolu- tonized European colonies of America When the confederated States found it con- venient to modify the conditions of their asso- citations, by giving to the general government direct access, in some respects, to the people oi