, 1862-12-18

here, upon any principle which would admit Of its
being much shorter than the reports themselves.
therefore content myself with laying the reports
before you, and asking your attention to them.
II gives me pleasure to report decided improve
ment in the financial condition Of the Post Office
Department, as compared with the several preced-
ing years. The receipts iOt the fiscal year 1861
amounted to Ss,34O,296 40, which embraced the
revenue from all the States Of the Union for three
quarters Of that year. Notwithstanding the ces-
satiOn of revenue from the socalled Confederate
States during the last fiscal year, the increase Of
correspondence Of the loyal States has been suii-
cient to produce a revenue during the same year
of $9,22O,S2O 30 being only 100000 less than
was derived from all the Statos Of the Union the
previous year. The expenditures show o still more
favorable result. The aniotnt expended IN 1861
was S13,606, IS9 IL; for the last year the amount
has been reduced to Sll,l25,364 IL, showing q
difference Of about 50 4s7 900 in the expenditures,
as compared with the preceding year, and abont
50, 3,75O,00Oas compared with the fiscal year 1860.
The deficiency in the department for the preSions
year was ,55l 1896 99i for Il last fiscal year it
was reduced to $2,ll29l4 81. The results are,
in fact, owing to the cessation Of mail conveyance
in the insurrectionary States, and in part to a
casual review Of oil expenditures in that DEPART
ment in interest and economy. The efficiency OF
the postal service, it is believed, has also been
much improved. The Postmaster General also
opened q correspondence, through the Department
Of State, with foreign governments, proposing q
contention of postal representatives for the pur-
pose Of simplifying the rates Of foreign postage,
and to expedite the foreign mails. This PROPOSE
ton equally important to our adopted citizens and
to the commercial interests Of our country, has
been favoraby entertained and agreed to by all the
governments from whom replies have been received.
ask the attention Of Congress to the suggestion
Of the Postmaster. General, in his report respect
ing the further legislation required in bis opinion,
for the benefit Of the postal service. .v5i
The Secretary Of the Interior reports as follows
in regard to the public lands The public lands
have ceased to be q source Of public revenue.
From the 1st Of July, 1861, to the 30th Of Sep
tembcr, 1862, the entire cash receipts from the
sales of public lands were Sl37,477 26; sum
much less than the expenses Of our land system
during the same period. The Homestead Law,
which will take effect on the LIST Of January next,
offers such Inducements to settlers that sales TO such
cannot be expected to an extent sufficient to meet
the expenses of general land Offices aud cost Of
surveying and bringing the land into market. The
discrepancy between the sums here stated as aFis-
ing from the sales Of public lands, and the sums
derived from the same source as reported from the
Treasury Department, arises as understand, from
the fact that the periods Of time though apparently
so, were not really coineident at the beginning
point. The Treasury report includes cOnsidera-
ble sum now which had previously been reported
from the Interior Department, sufficiently largeto
greatly overreach the sum derived from the three
months now reported upon by the Interior and not
BY the Treasury Department. o7 llois'g ll'91
The Indian tribes upon our frontiers during the
past year manifested u spirit Of insHbordination,
and at several points engaged ip open hostilities
against the white settlers In their vicinity. The
tribes occupying the Indian country south Of Kan
sas revoked their allegiance to the United States,
and entered into q treaty with the insurgents.
They who remained loyal to the United States
were driven from the country. The chief OF the
Cherokees has visited this city for the purpose Of
restoring the former relations Of the tribe with the
United States; he alleges that they were CON
strained by superior forces to enter into treaties
with the Insurgents, aud that the United States
neglected to furnish the protection which their
treaty stipulatiOns required. af
In the month Of August last, the Sioux Indians,
in Minnesota, attacked the settlers in their vicinity
with extreme erocity, killing indiscrmnately men,
women and children. These attacks were wholly
unexpected, and therefore no defense had been
prepared 1t is estimated that not less than eight
hundred persons were killed by the Indians, and
large amount Of property was destroyed. How
this outbreak was induced is not definitely known,
and suspicious which may be unjust need not be
stated. Information was received BY the Indian
Bureau from different sources, about the time hos
tilities commenced, that simultaneous attack was
to be made on the white settlements by all the
tribes between the Missouri river and the Rocky
Mountains. Minnesota has suffered severely. The
people Of that State manifest strong anxiety for
the removal Of the tribes beyond the limits Of the
State, as guarantee against more koetilites. The
Commissioner Of f'Indian Affairs will furnish full
details, and submit for your special consideration
whether our Indian system shall not be FemOdeled
Many wise and good men have been impressed with
the belief that this can be probably done.
submit statement Of the proceedings Of the
Commissioners, which shows the progress that has
been made in the enterprise Of constructing the
Pacific Railroad, and suggests The earliest compile
ton Of the road, and also the favorable action Of
Congress on the project now pending before them,
for enarging the capacities Of the great canals in
New York and Illinois, Is being Of vital and M
pidly increasing importance to the whole nation,
especially to the vast internal region hereinafter to
be mentionelat greater length. / propose having
prepared and laid before you at nearly day, some
interesting and valuable statistical Information
upon these subjects. The military and commercial
importance OF enlarging the Illinois and Michigan
canal, and improving the Illinois river Is presented
in the report Of Col. Webster To the Secretary Of
War and now transmitted to Congress. b
respectfully ask your attention to carrying
out the provisions OF the Act Of the 10Th Of
May last l have caused the department Of
agriculture Of the United States 70 be organized.
Tho Commission informs me that within the
period Of few months, this department has es.
tablished an extensive system Of correspondence
and exchange both at home and abroad, which
promises to effect highly beneficial results in the
development Of correct knowledge Of recent
improvement in agriculture, IN the Introducing
Of new products, and in the collection Of agri-
cultural statistics Of the different States. ! am
also informed that Il will soon bO prepared to
distribute largely, seeds cereals plants and cut.
tinOa and hns alFsadv .,lhlishh,d and hbcFnlly