M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-12-23

tson and important recommendations TO
which invite the attention OF Congress.
In my last annual message | took occa.
sion to recommend the immediate coustTuc'
tion Of ten small steamers, Of light dTaught'
for the purpose Of increasing the efficiency
OF the Navy. Congress responded TO the
recommendation by authorizing the constuc-
tion of eight OF them. The progress which
has been made in executing this authority Is
stated in the report Of the Secretary OF the
| Navy. concur with him in the opinion
| that greater number OF this class oi Ves'
sells is necessary, for the purpose of protect
ing in a more efficient manner the persons
aud property of American citizens on the
high seas, and in foreign countries, as well
as in guarding more eTectually our OWE
coasts. accordingly recommend the pas
sage of an act for this purpose.
The suggestions con tained in The report OF
the Secretary Of the Interior, especially
those in regard to the disposition OF the pub.
lie domain. the pension and bounty land
system, the policy towards the Indians and
the amendment OF our pateLt laws, are wo'-
thy OF the serious consideration OF Congress
The Post Office Department occupies po'
stion very different from that of the other
Departments. For many years it was the
policy of the Government to render this a
self.sustaining Department; and II this can
not now be accomplished, in the present
condition Of the country, we ought to make
as near an approach to it as may be practlca'
bic.
The Postmaster General is placed in Q
most embarrassing position by The existing
laws. lie is obliged to carry these into ei-
feet. He has no other alternative. He finds
however, that this cannot be done without
heavy demands upon the Treasury over and
above what is received for postage; and these
have been progressively increasing from
' ear to year until they amounted for the last
fiscal year ending on the goth Of June, 1853
to more than four million and half of dol
lars; whilst il is estimated that for the pres
ent fiscal year they viii amount TO S6,29O,-
900. These sums are exclusive of the an
nual appropriation of S700 900 for "com-
pensation of the mail service performed Tor
the two Houses of Congress and the other
Departments and officers of the Govern
ment in the transportation of free matter.
The cause OF these large deficits is mainly
attributable to the increased expense Ol
transporting the mails, In 1852, the sum
paid for this service was but fraction above
four millions and quarter. Since that year
| il has annually increased until, in 1858, it
has reached more than eight millions and A
quarter; and for the service of 1859, it is es-
timated that it will amount TO more than ten
million dollars.
The receipts Of the Post Office Depart
ment can be made to approach or 10 equal its
expenditure, only by means of the leglsla'
tion of Congress. In applying any remedy,
care should be taken that the people shall
not be deprived of the advantages which
they are fairly entitled to enjoy from the
Post Office Department. The principal rem.
edies recommended TO the consideration Of
Congress by the Postmaster General, are TO
restore the former rate of postage upon SIN
gle letters to five cents; to substitute for the
ranking privilege the delivery to those now
entitled to enjoy it, Of post Office stamps for
their correspondence, and to direct the De.
partment, in making contracts for the trans.
portatiOn of the mail, TO COnfine itse Il TO the
payment Of the sum necessary for this single
purpose, without requiring il to be transport
ed in post coaches or Carriages OF any parlic-
ular description. Under the present system
the expense to the Government is greatly in
creased by requiring that the mail shall be
carried in such vehicles as will accommo-
date passengers. This will be done without
f-np, tho nanurtrnant un rpals
where travel will remunerate the contractors.
These recommendations deserve the grave
consideration Of Congress.
would again call your attention TO the
construction Of Pacific railroad, Time and
reflection have but served to confirm me in
the truth and justice Of the observations
which made on this subject in my last mes
sage, to which beg leave respectfully to re.
fer.
It is freely admitted that it would be mex
pedient for this Government to exercise the
power Of constructing the Pacific railroad by
its own Immediate agents. Such a policy
would increase the patronage Of the Eyecu.
tive 10 dangerous extent, and introduce a
system OF iobbing and corruption which no
vigilance on the part Of the Federal officials
could either prevent or detect. This can on.
ly be done By the keen eye and active and
careful supervision Of individual and pri-
vate interest. The construction of this road
ought, therefore, to be committed to compa
nies incorporated By the States, or other ag
encies, whose peCunary interests would be
directly involved. Congress might then as.
sist them in the work by grants Of land or Of
money, or both, under such conditions and
restrictions as would secure the transporta-
ton of troops and munitions of war free
from any charge, and that o! the United
States mail at fair and reasonable price.
The progress of events since the COM
of your last session, has shown
how soon difficulties disappear before firm
and determined resolution. At that time
such road was deemed by wise and patriot
ic men to be visionary project. The great
distance to be overcome, and the inerven-
ing mountains and deserts in the way, were
obstacles which, in the opinion of many,
could not be surmOunted. Now, alter the
lapse of but single year, these obstacles, it
has been discovered, are far less formidable
tiIan tirey were supposed To be, end mail
stages, with passengers, now pass and repass
regularly, twice in each week, by common
wagon road, between San Francisco and st.
Louis and Memphis, in less than twenty
five days. The service has been as regularly
performed as it was, in former years, be-
tween New York and tn is city.