Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1858-12-10

ent hschl yeaf-this being the remaining hah ct
the loan Of $so,ooo0oo moi YET negotiated
The rapid increase Of The rnbiic debt and me
necessity which exists Tor sinodihcation OF the
tariff 90 meet even the ordinary expenses Of the
Gosprnment, ought 20 aamonish M ALL 10 our re.
spsctivc spheres q duty, 70 ahc practice Of figd
economy. The ohiscts OF expenditure should be
limited IN number &c far as this may be practice.
Bile. and the appropriations necessary 20 carry
them into efIsct oneht 70 be disburssd unser the
sifictezt accountability. Enliehtesed economy
docs not consist IN the refusal 10 aPprepfiee mo
Bey for eensftntiobai purposes, essential to the
defense, progress and prosperity o. the kepubhci
bun IN taking care thar none Of this money shall
| be wasted BY mismanegement In its application
20 the objects designated by law. :. ~
| Compsrisons between the annual expenditure
at The present time and what II was ten or twenty
| years ago, are altogether fallscious. The rapid
increase Of our country In extent and population,
Jfenders acorresponding Increase In expenditure,
|, 20 some extent Unavoidable. This ~ constantly
crsatiag new objects OF expenditure, and aas-
mentins the amount required for the old:
The true questions, then, are, have these OBJ
ljects been unnscessarily mutipiiedf Or, has the
amount expended upon any or sli OF them, been
larger than comports with due economyl In ac-
oordauco with these principles. the heads Of the
different executive departments OF the Govern
ment have been instructed 70 reduce their esti-
mates for the next fiscal year 70 the lowest stan
dsrd consistent with the efficiency OF the service,
and this duty they have performed In spirit Of
lust economy. The estimates Of the Treasury,
War, Navy, and Interior Departments. have each
been In some degree reduced, and unless sudden
and unforeseen emergency should arise, 10 Is not
anticipated that a deficiency will exist either
uithin the present or the next fiscal year. The
Post Office Department is placed In a peculiar
position, different from the other departments,
and 10 this shall hereafter refer.
invite Congress to institute rigid scrutiny to
ascertain whether the expenses In all the depart
ments cannot be still further reduced; and
promise them ell the aid in mypower In pursuing
the investigation fF5 'n j rsJ +
Itransmit herewith tho reports made 70 me by
the Secretaries Of War, Of the Navy, Of the lnte
rior, and OF the Pestmaster-Ge General. They each
contain much valuable information and import
ant recommendations, to which invite the at
tention Of Congress. i|.i....f--
In my last annual Message took occasion to
recommend the immediate construction Of ten
small steamers Of hight draugbt for the purpose
OF increasing the efficiency OF the Navy. Con-
gress responded TO the reeommendatiCn by au-
thorizing the construction 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, Iconcur with him in the opinion
that greater number Of this class OF vessels is
| necessary for the purpose of protecting In more
efficient manner the persons and property OF
American citizens on The high seas, and in for
egn countries, as well as In guarding more efect
uaily our own coasts / accordingly recommend
the passage of an act for this purpose.
The suggestions contained In the Report OF the
gard to the disposition of the public domain, the
pension and bounty land system, the policy to-
ward the Indians, and the amendment OF our pat
ent laws. are worthy Of the serious consideration
of Congress. y s. -.
The Post Ofice Department occupies position
very differentfrom that Of the other Departments.
For many years 1t was the policy OF the Govern
ment to render this aself.sustaining Department;
and II this cannot now be accomplished in the
present condition Of the country, we ought to
make as near approach TO IL as may be prsctica-
BILE. "a -s Hs ~
The Postmaster General is placed in a most
embarrassing condition by the existing laws.
He is obliged to carry these into effect. He has
no other alternative. He finds, however, that
this cannot be done without heavy demands
upon the Treasury over and above what is re-
ceived for postage and these have been pro-
gressively increasing from year to year, until
they amounted for the last fiscal year, ending
on the Both June 1858, to more than "a ,500-
600; while it is estimated that for the present
fiscal year they will amount to $6,290,O00.-
These sums are exclusive Of the annual appro-
priation of $700,Q00 for /" compensation for the
mail service performed for the two Houses Of
Congress and the other Departments and officers
of the Government in the transportation of free
matter" -ag. ls1
The causes of these large deficits is mainly
attributable to the increased expense of trans
porting the mails In 1852, the sum paid for
this service was but fraction shove "a $50 GOO.
Since that year IL has annually Increased until
in 1858, IL has reached more than $S,25000o !
and for the service Of 1859, it rs estimated that
it will amount To- more than 10000 900. sli
The receipts of the Post Office Department.
can be made to approach or to equal its expen-
diture only by means of the legislation of Con-
gress In applying any remedy, care should be
taken that the people should not be deprived Of
the advantages which they are fairly entitled to
enjoy from the Post Office Department. The
principal remedies recommended TO the consid-
GRAFTON of Congress by the Postmaster General
are to restore the former rate Of postage upon
single letters to I've 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 Depart
ment, in making contracts for the transportation
Of the mail, to confine itself to the payment of
the sum necessary for this single purpose, with
out requiring it 70 be transported in Post-coach-
es or carriages Of any particular description
Under the present system, the expense 10 the
Government is greatly increased, by requiring
that the mail shall be carried in such vehicles
as will accommodate passengers. This will be
done, without any pay from the Depar iment,
over all roads where the travel will iemunerate
the contractors.
These Recommendations deserve the grave
consideration Of Congress. :. -,s',ssss
| / would again call your attention to the con-
| struction Of a Pacific Railroad. Time and re-
| Election have but, served TO confirm me in the
truth aud justice Of the observations which /
made on This subject in my lsst annual Message
20 which beg leave zesPsetfully TO refer.
IL 10 freely admittsd that ID ~onld be inezpe-
dient for this Goyernmcnt 10 exercise the power
| Of construcsiDg ths Pacific Railroad by ito own
immediate sgents Such policy would in
Icrease the patronage Of the Executive TO q dan
! gerous extent, and introduce system Of job
| bing and corruption which no vigilance on tho
part Of Federal officials could either prevent or
detect. This can only be done by the keen eye,
and sctive and earefaI supervision, OF individual
| and priyats interest. The construction Of this
road ought, therefore, TO bs committed 10 CON-
panies Incorporated by the 6saies,ar other agen.
cies whose pecuniasy interests would be direct,
/ ly involved Congress might then assist them
/ il the grants Of land or Of money, OF both,
der such conditions and restrictions as would
secure the transportation Of troops and muni.
lions Of war free from any charge, and that Of
the United States mail at q fair and reasonable
price. q Lssa.5 -. y - .. -
: The progress Of events since the commence
ment ol your lasi session has shown how soon
difficulties disappear before firm and deter
4 nlined resolution At that time such a road was
deemed by wise and patriotic men 70 be Wis
ionafy project The great distance 70 be over
come. the Intervening moantains aud deserts in
the way, were Obstacles which, in the opinion
Iof many, could not be snrmounted. Now. aitel
tbe lapse Of buta single year. these obstacles
4 il has been discovered, are far less formidable
than they were supposed te be; and mail stages
With passengers nov pass aud re. pass regularly
tHic8 in each Week. BY n o0mnon wagon road