Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-12-13

:
324.97, and the expenditures 49,
S44,sSS.l6. Other information on
| the subject of the finances will be given
| in the report of the Secretary of the
| Treasury, to whose statement and views
| I invite your most candid and conside.
rate attention.
WAR AND NAVY REPORTS.
The reports of the Secretary OF the Navy
and War, are herewith transmitted -
These report, though lengthy, are scarcely
more than brief abstracts of the very nu-
merous and extensive transactions and op.
erations conducted through these depart
ments, nor could l give q summary of
them here upon any principle which
would admit of its being much shorter
than the reports themselves.
| therefore content myself by laying the
reports before you, and asking your at
tention to them.
TIE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
1t gives me pleasure to report decided
Improvement in the financial condition of
the Post Office Department as compared
with the several preceding years. The
receipts for tire fiscal year 1861 amounted
to $S,349 ,29640, which embraced the
revenue from all States of the Union for
three.quarters of that year. Notwith-
standing the cessation of revenue from the
so-called confederate states during the last
fiscal year, the increase of the correspon-
dence Of the loyal states has been suffici-
ent to produce revenue during the same
year of 5000, $40 90. being only $4,000
less than was derived from all the States
of the Union the previous.
The expenditures show still more ia
vorable result. The amount expended in
1861 was $l3,606.7 S9 II. For the last
year the amount has been reduced to
81 ,125, 1854 10, showing a difference OF
about $2,487,000 in the expenditures, as
compared with the preceding year, OF
about $3,750,00O, as compared with the
fiscal year of 1860.
The deficiency in the department for
the previous year was $4,551 1856 90. For
the last fiscal year 1t was reduced tC
50, 112, Sl4 81. These favorable results
are, in part, owing to the cessation OF
mail conveyance TO the insurrectionary
States, and In part to a careful review OF
all expenditures in thai department, in
the interest of economy.
The efficiency of the postal service, II is
believed, has also been much improved.
POSTAL CONVENTION.
The Postmaster General has opened 6
correspondence, through the department
of State, with Foreign Governments, pro
posing convention of postal representa-
tives, for the purpose of simplifying the
rates of foreign postage, and to expedite
the foreign mails. This proposition, equal
| 10 fn oIpvtoi o.ti1apo 4
to the commercial interests of this coun,
try, has been favorably entertained anG
agreed to by all the Governments from
whom replies have been received, | ask
the attention of Congress to the sugges-
ton Of the Postmaster General in his re-
port respecting the further legislation re-
CURED, in his opinion, for the benefit O
the postal service.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
The Secretary of the Interior reports al
| follows in regard TO Public Lands:
The public lands have ceased to be source o
I revenue. From the LIST of July, 1861 to the 3Ott
of September, 1862 the entire cash receipts from
the sales of public lands $137 AT ga sun
much less than the expenses of land system
during the same period.
The homestead law, which will take effect on the
LIST of January next, offers such inducements tc
settlers that sales for cash cannot be expected t.
extent sufficient to meet the expenses of the
General Land Office and the cost of surveying ant
bringing the land into market.
The discrepancy between the sums here
stated as arising from the sales of public
lands and the sums derived from the same
source as reported from the Treasury De
partment, arises, as | understand, from the
fact that the periods of time, though appa
rently, were not really coincident at The
beginning point. The Treasury repor
includes considerable sum now which
had previously been reported from The
Interior, sufficiently large to greatly over
reach the sum derived from the three
months now reported upon by tie Int
.ior, and not by the Treasury Department
THE INDIAN DISTURBANCES.
The Indian tribes upon our frontier!
have, during the past year, manifested
spirit OF INSTRUMENTATION, and, at severa
points, engaged in open hostilities against
the white settlers in their vicinity. The
tribes occupying the Indian country south
of Kansas renounced their allegiance tC
the United States, and entered into treaty
with the Insurgents. Those who remain
ed loyal to the United States were driver
from the country. The chief of the Cher
okees has visited this city for the purpose
Of restoring the former relations of The
tribe with the United States. He alleges
that they were constrained by superior
force to enter into treaties with the lnsur
gents, aud that the United States neglected
to furnish the protection which treaty
stipulation required.
THE MINNESOTA MASSACRES.
In the month Of August last, the Sioux
Indians in Minnesota attacked the settler:
in their vicinity with extreme ferocity
killing Unfortunately men, women and
children. This attack was wholly unex
pected, and therefore no defense had beer
provided. 1t is estimated that no less
than 500 persons were killed by the Indi
ans, and q large amount of property was
destroyed. How this outbreak was in.
duced is not definitely known; and suspi-
cions, which may be unjust, need not be
stated.
Information was received by the Indian
Bureau from different sources, about the
time hOstilities were commenced, that a
simultaneous attack was to be made upon
the white settlements by all the tribes be-
tween the Mississippi River and the Rocky
Mountains.
The State of Minnesota has suffered
great injury from the Indian war. 4
large portion OF her territory has been
depopulated, and severe loss has been
sustained by the destruction OF property.
The people of that State manifest much
anxiety for the removal of the tribes be-
yond the limits of the State, as guarantee
against future hostilities.
|