The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-12-19

The accompanying O0canenas.
Never before in the history Of our nation
have the annual reports OF the Secretaries
been 10 important aud SO full Of interest as
they are this year. Confined usually to q
dull detail of the routine Of the bureaus.
they have attracted the attention Of small
clnsses OF the people only, such IS politi-
clans, contractors, students OF statistics. and
persons hasing business with the depart
ments. Merchants would look some " bat
eagerly into the Treasury report, soldiers
into that OF War, sailors into thai OF the
Navy. and postmasters and proprietors Of
stage routes into that OF the General Post
office. but the majority of the community
were satisfied with a mere newspaper abb
stract o. these documents. Not SO now
Every intelligent man desires 10 read for
himself the accounts which the cabinet OFF,
GERS give of their management. Long as
the reports ne eds must be. and encountered
with details. they are yet perused with an
absorbed and lively attention.
VIZ. Welles, who was the first in the field
with his report. as he has generally been
with his other preparations. furnishes an
elaborate history of all our naval operations
for The past year. 1t has been objected
that he might have shortened his paper by
glanciDg merely 81 the various perform
ances but we doubt whether that would
have met the wishes Of the public. What
it wanted was a complete official summary
Of the triumphs Of the navy, and that Mr..
Weles has given. Ii much Of the story
was known before, it was scattered, through
newspapers and records, but not accessible.
Here we have it all before us. and we are
sure that no one can read the almost un-
broken narrative Of naval achievements
without feeling . deeper pride in our war
like marine. II 10 on this arm of the ser
vice that We chiefly rely for our defence
from foreign enemies. and whatever proves
its efficiency and gallanrry is a matter Of
rejoicing. Those enemies themselves. " hen
they shall come to ponder the exhibit made
by Mr.. Welles. will have new reason for
hesitating IS to any course Of Intervention
in our affairs.
The Report Of the Postmaster General is
also gratifying. 10 that it shows how the
revenues Of the department have been in-
creased during this time OF war. A singu.
lar though not unexpected fact is revealed
10 the statement that the expenditures Of the
servios are greatly diminished by cutting
of the southern branches Of the Office, while
the receipts are nearly Is large ~ they we're
before those branches were detached. In
other words. it 10 proved that the reason
Why the Postoffice is not . more completely
self-sustsining institution is, that its opera
tons have been clogged by an enormous
southern dependency. The more CONNER
cial. enterprising. active and prosperous
North has been compelled to mviotain. at
its own expense largely. the postal facilities
of the South.
AR. Stsnton's report. consisely written
and we'll mothodized, is an admirable speci-
men Of official exposition. He tells Us
plainly the condition Of the army. its dis.
tribu'ion. its past services. the difficulties it
has encountered. and what il is expected 10
do. Mr.. Stanton does not conceal the re- |
verses VIC have met, but he insists upon
what has long been apparent to attentive
observers, that in spite Of our occasional
disasters . prOdigious advance has been
made. The enemy has failed in all his
aggressive movements: he has every where
fallen back, and the Union forces now in
tho Geld have better prospect of speedy
aud final success than they have ever had
before.
Mr.. Stanton favorsbly explains the ground
of the arbitrary arrests made by the govern
ment, and while he admits that some of
them may have been unauthorized. the
greater part we're necessary to the public
safety. As to the clsmor Of partizans. who
are about % much on the side Of JEFF Davis
q they are on that of the nation, that their
arrests were encroach ments on the rights OF
citissns, the Secretary dismisses it with q
we'll deserved rebuke. In spite of oil tho
efforts of the disaffected to interfere with
snlistments. he adds, as a noble testimony
70 the sincere and earnest patriotism OF the
people. that, in response 10 the call for six
hundred thousand new men. made in pc.
Rod of extreme dependency, more than
four hundred thousand are already in the
field facing the enemies Of their country.
In his discussion Of the d" contraband" or
negro question Mr.. Stanton is direct. forci-
BILE and fearless. Democrat though he be,
he does not allow his traditional or party
preiudices to blind his eyes to the necessi-
ties Of our situation. He see that, practi.
DAILY, the slaves are an element Of strength,
which may be turned on the side of the re-
bellion or ON the side Of the Union. As \
Unionist he thinks they ought to be con-
vsrted to loyal uses. Others think they
ought not, but whether these are Unionists
in more than name is q question. Certain
il is. however. that all men who sympathise
with the rebels are very indignant at the
thought OF getting negroes either to work
or fight in behalf Of the country. They
desire to see the blacks work and fight for
the rebels. Mr.. Stsnton's able argument
We commend to the careful consideration OF
every Just minded reader.-N. y Evesing
Poet.
cIAs an indication Of how the soldiers
feel in regard to the late elections. we give