The national Republican., 1862-08-26

for the inorease Of the army, In the event Of
emergencies not nov anticipated. The very
large increase Of forces recently called into
the Asld By the Prssidsas Of the UnitsA 8tatse
the provisions Of the consoript Law, 90 a. u
embrace persons between the ages OF thirty.
I'VE and forty.hve yean. ne vigor and en-.
cheney Of our present ibroee. their condition,
and the ckill and ability which Distinguish their
leaders, inspire the belief that no further en-.
rolment viii be necessary. but a Wise foresight
requires that u necessity should be suddenly
developed during tho recess Of Congress, re-
quirlng increased foroos for our defence, means
should exist for calling such forces into the
isgis'stive department Of the Govsrnmont. "
lathe election and appointment OF ofscsrs
for tho provisional army u was 70 be antiotpa.
tad that mistakes would be made, and incom.
pstent ofioers. Of an srades introduced Into the
service. In the absence OF experience, and
with no reliable guide for selection. executive
appointmsnts - well 10 elections have been
sometimes unfortunate. The good Of the ser.
Woe, the intsgssts Of our country, require that
commissons CONN % q o. os;ssrs % Who % are incompetent @
for the duties required BY the position, and
army Of such c6csrs BY some mode more
prompt and less wounding TO their sensibility
than judgment Of court martial.
Within . recent period We have Effected the
object 30 long desired, OF an arrangement for
the exchange Of prisoners, whish ID now being
executed BY deivery ut the poirts agreed upon,
and which viii, II is hoped. speedily restore our
places 10 the ranks II the army, from which.
BY the fortune Of war, they have for 4 time
been separated. The details Of this arrange
msnt viii be communicated 70 you 10 . special
report when farther progress has been made 10
or other particulars concerning the opera
tions Of the War Department you will 10 in-
formed BY the Secretary in his report and the
accompanying documents. ..+
Th. r.p0r. e tn. sscss;s.y y Of II: Navy en-
present condition Of this branch Of the public
service, both afoat and ashore; the oonstruo-
tion and equipment Of armed yessels at homo
and abroad, the manufacture Of ordnance and
shops and the development Of our resources Of
coal and Of iron. Some legislation seems es.
sential for securing crews for vessels. The
di6oultes now experienced on this point are
fully stated in the 6sorstary's report, and 10.
The report Of the Postmaster General dis
olOses the embarrassments which resulted In
the postal service from the occupation by the
| enemy OF the Mississippi river and portions Of
the territory Of the different States. The mess
| ares taken by the Department for relieving
these embarrassment, ~ far NJ practicable,
| are detailed in the report. II 10 subject oi
c0ngrStulxtion that. during the ten months
which ended on the 3lst Of March last, tho OK
penses Of tho Department were largely dc
creased, whilst fts revenue WAS augmented
as compared with . corresponding period
ending on the 30th June, 1850, when the
postal service for these States was con-
Quoted under the authority delegated TO the
| United States. 6u6lcient time has not yeI
| elspsed to determine whether the measures
heretofore devised by Congress will acoomr''at
the end Of bringing the expenditures Of the de
psrtment within the limit Of It's own revenues
by the nrst OF March next, as required by the
| constitution.
I am happy to inform you that, in spite bott
| Of Establishments and threats, used 10 protusior
/ by the agents Of the Government Of the United
States, the Indian nations within the Confeder
acy have remained nrm in their loyalty ant
Etsadfast In the observance OF their treaty on
gagements with this government. Nor hHi
their fidelity been shaken by the faot that, ow
ing TO the vacancies in some OF the ofices q
agents and uperintendents, delay has occurred
In the payments OF the snnuitiss and allow
ancss TO which they are entitled. ! would ad
Wise some provision authorizing payments 10 b,
made by other oflicers, In the absence Of thos,
especially charged BY Law with this duty.
We have never oeAsing cause to be gratefu
for tho favor with which God has protected on
infant oonfedsraoy. And II becomes Us rev
Of His bountoousnesa that wisdom which 4
nsedful for the performance Of the high trust
with which We are charged.
RICHMOND. August Is, 1857.