Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-12-07
FXFCUr1YF DoCumRNrs.
Reports Of Post Kaster General-of Secretary
Of the Laterioy-ef Secretary Of Var.
BY TELEGRAPH.


mails are to be carried between New Orleans
and Washington in three and half days. The
expenses of the department over and above its
resources have regularly increased ever since
the reduction of postage: it wonld however be
erroneous to suppose that this charge upon the
treasury is to progress in ratio proportionable
to what it has been for the last few years; our
postal system is now extended over the whole
country, from one ocean to the other; there can
be but little further expense resulting from over
land connection with California, except one other
route, commonly called the northern route none
other is now thought of as likely to to become
necessary. The Post Master General proposes,
In lieu of the ranking privilege, allowed
by law to members of Congress, that the Secre-
tary of the Senate or such other officer as NAV
be designated for the purpose, to furnish the
members with postage stamps, to be used on all
letters, public documents, &C., transmitted by
them in the mails and keep an account of the
stamps furnished each member, to be paid for
out OF the contingent fund of the House; all let
tiers, etc, to members of Congress to be prepaid
at mailing offices; a uniform rate o. postage of
1Ve cents, for all distances, is proposed. On the
both of June last, there were in operation g.
296 mail routes; the length of which is estimat-
ed at 20O,6O3 miles and cost $7,795, Ais being
an addition of Is ,00I mile to the length of route
and 1,l73,S72 to the cost in year. The total
estimates for the current year are $40, Gle, 949.
Total expenditures Of department in the fiscal
year, ending June Both, $12, T22, 400. The es-
Innate OF receipts and expenditures for 1859,
exhibits deficiency of 50, 692, 127. The Post
master General says by the time the contract
for the California line via Panama and Tehaun-
tepec expires, Sept. LIST, 1859, it Is probable
that the route by Lake Nicaragua will have
been re-opened and in successful operation.-
This presents the question whether one, two or
three of these routes shall hereafter be employ
ed for mail purposes. The Tehauntepec route
is the shortest and most readily protected, but
1t will be comparatively too new, and the line of
staging too long, while it is destined, no doubt,
to become transit of the first importance, and
Will deserve the highest patronage and encour-
agemement, still 1t cannot supercede the neces-
sity of one OF more routes through Central
America. 1t is of the highest importance that
the route by Nicaragua should be re-opened
and its undisturbed use for the transportation
OF mails, passengers, troops and munitions of
war secured by the solemn guarantee of pub
lie treaty. Without this, in view of the unsta-
BILE condition of the local governments of Cen
trail America, the safety and security of trans
portation can hardly be relied on as calculated
to furnish the requisite facilities of communities
ton between Europe and the Southern and
Southwestern States. The projected lines be-
tween Norfolk and England, and between New
Orleans and Bordeaux, are among the most i'm
portant to be established. The Postmaster
General regards as highly important, that the
line to Vera Cruz should be continued
The Secretary of the Interior submits whether
II would not be a wise policy to pass general
law TeSerying all aqucrfious silver and cinnabar
mines from sale, for the use and occupancy of
the people of the United States, under such reg
ulations as Congress may prescribe, and leaving
those lands containing copper, iron, lead and
coal subject to the ordinary laws of settlement
and sale.
For their development he recommends legis-
lation with regard to public lands, in which to
TOI1f 1oo1 Ii, \
the present occupants to obtain titles to their
homes by the establishment Of land offices and
the extension of the presumption laws to that
territory.
The Secretary of War, in speaking of the war
with the Indians on the Pacific, says that per-
manent peace has been established by treaties
entered into with them.
The war in Texas may be looked upon as just
begun, and the probabilities are that it will be
one of ferceness and may be of considerable du-
ration.
The operations of the Utah army have been
important and fraught with momentous results.
The people of that territory, however, still
evince spirit of instruction and strong force
needs still to be kept there. The disbursements
amount to nearly 100000 in the Quarter
Masters Department.
The Secretary calls attention to the necessity
of providing for the payment of claims against
the government by the different States for the
services of volunteers.
The Secretary says he attempted as far as
possible, to meet the wishes of Congress in re-
ducing the expenses. The estimates of the next
fiscal year are less than the appropriations of
last by S9,16O,488. They amount in the aggre-
gate to Sl8, 10000, and he hopes the expendi-
lures may be still further reduced, unless there
shall be a further and larger demand for expen-
dltures in SURPRISING Indian hostilites There
will be no necessity for deficiency bill.
A WRITER in "Blqck,ooOds Magazine." who
seems to be at home on Physiological subjects,
considers the prevailing idea of toughening in
fants to enable them to withstand cold, disas-
trOus and destructive humbug. Although it
may be true that young Pnimalu have higher
temperature than older ones, yet it is believed
to be fact that the younger the ANIMAL the
feebler its power of resisting cold. The pro-
cess of "tOughcning" may be carried SO far by
cold water baths and eyDoSnre IN cnJd mir nc