The Shreveport weekly news., 1861-05-13

lS,UuV ncUs ana AO,vOp are nov WI
route for Virginia. proposed to Or
ganise and hold in readiness for in
slant action. in view Of the present
exi9encics Of the country, an army
of 100, 900 men. If further force be
needed the wisdom and patriotism Of
the Congress will be confidently APP
poaled to for authority to call into
tho field additional numbers Of our
noble spirited volunteers. who are
constantly rendering their services
FAR i'll excess of our wants.
The operations Of the Navy De-
partlncnt have been necessarily reg
tricted by the fact that sufficient time
has not vet elapsed for the purchase
or construction Of more than limit
cd numbers Of vessels adapted to the
public service. Two vessels have
been purchased and manned, the
Sumter and McIeea, and are n,w be-
in. prepared for sea. at New CLEANS.
with all pess;blc dispatch. Contracts
have also been made at that city,
with two different establishments.
Cor the casting Of ordnance--cannon,
shot and shell--with the Wow TO en-
courage the manufacture Of these az
,icles. SO Indispensable for our de
fence, at as many points within our
territory as possible. call your at
tcntion 10 the recommendation Of
the Secretary for the establishment of
n magazine and laboratory for the
preparation of ordnance stores and
the necessary appropriation required
for that purpose.
Hitherto such stores have been pre-
pared Mt the navy yards, and no APP
propriation was made at your last ses
sion for this object.
The Secretary also calls attention
to the fact that no provision has been
made for the payment Of invalid peu-
sions to our citizens. Many of these
persons are advanced i'll lite--they
have no means of suppo,t-and by
the accession Of these States have
been deprived Of their claim against
the government of the United States,
recommend the appropriation of
the sum necessary to pay these pen
sioners as well as those of the army
-
900 per annum.
The Postmaster General las al
ready succeeded in organizing his
Department to such an extent as to
be in readiness to assume the airec-
ton Of our postal affairs on the oc-
lurrencc of the contingency con'ein-
plated by the act Of 18th March, 1861.
\
grcss,
The various books and circulars
have been prepared, and measures ia
ken to secure supplies Of blanks. pos
iasc stamps. stamped cntcl"pes, 'nai!
bags, locks. KEYS g..
He presents a detailed classiiica-
ton and arrangement, OF the clerical
force and asks for its Increase.
An Auditor OF ,h" Treasury toy
this department is necessary, and n
plan is submitted Cor the organization
of his bureau.
The great numher and magnitude
of the account Of this department re-.
uuire an incrca-" Of the clerical force
in the accounting branch of the treas
l
mcnt are collected and distributed il
moIcs peculiar to itself. and require
IL special bureau to secure q proper
accountability in the administration
of its finances.
call your attention TO the addi-
'ional legislation required for this de-
partmcnt-to the recommendation tor
changes in the law fixing the rates OF
postage on newspapers and .t4s."h
packages Of certain kinds. and spcci-
ally to ii. recommendation Of the
Secretary. in which concnr. tha, You
provide NJ once for the assumption by
Lin of the control Of our entire postal
service.
Il, tho military organization Of the
States, provision is mad" for Hriga-
G.cr and Major Generals. but in the
a.myo the Confederate States the
highest grade i. that Of Brigadicr
General; hence it will no doubt some
t;.nes occur that where troops Of the
Contcderacy Do duty with the militia,
The General selected Tor the command
and possessed o! the views and pur-
poses of this Government, will be
superseded by an officer of the mill
tia, not having the same advantages
To avoid contingencies in the least
objectionable manner, l recommend
that additional rank be given 10 the
General of the Confederate army, and
concurring in the policy Of having
but one grade of Generals in the ar
my of,he Confedcracy, ! recommend
that the law of its organization be
amended so that the grade be that of
General.
To secure thorough military edu-
cation it is deemed essential that otii-
GERS should enter upon the study OF
their profession at an early period OF
life and have elementary instructions