The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-12-12

ments and redemption Of the public debt
being included also in the loans made, may
be deducted both from the re-
ceipts and expenditures, leaving the actual
receipts for the year SS4S7,798, 324.97, and
the expenditures $474,744,7S9.l6. Other
information on the subject of the finances
will be given in the report of the Secretary
of the Treasury, to whose statements and
views invite your most candid and con-
siderate attention.
WAR AND NAVY REPORTS.
The reports of the Secretary of the Ma
Wy and War; are herewith transmitted.
These reports though lengthy, are scarcely
more than brief extracts of the very numo
rous and extensive transactions and opera
tons conducted through these departments,
nor could give a summary of them here
upon any principle which would admit of
its being much shorter than the reports
themselves.
l therefore content myself with laying
the reports before you and asking your at
tentiOn to them.
THE 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 re-
ceipts for the fiscal year 1861 amounted to
$S,349, 296.40, which embraced the revenue
from all States of the Union for three
quarters of the year. Notwithstanding
the cessation of revenue from the so-called
Confederate States during the last fiscal
year the increase Of the correspondence Of
the loyal States has been sufficient to pro-
duce revenue during the same year of
1929, 5000, being only $4,000 less
than was derived from all the States Of the
Union the previous year.
The expenditures show still more ia
vorable result. The amount expended in
1861 was $13,GO6,769.l1. For the last
year the amount has been reduced to ST.
125,364.13, showing A difference of about
S2,4S7 900 in the expenditures, as compar-
ed with the preceding year, or about 49,
10000, as compared with the fiscal year
Of 1860.
The deficiency in the department for the
previous year was S4,55I, 966.9S. For the
last fiscal year it was reduced to $2,112,-
SlA57. These favorable results are, in
fact owing to the cessation ofmail convey
ance in the discretionary States, and in
part to a casual review Of all expendi-
lures in that department, in the interest Of
economy.
APPRENTICESHIP CONVENTION.
The efficiency of the postal service it is
believed has also been much improved.
The Postmaster General has also opened a
correspondence, through the Department
of State, with Fore gn 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
ly important TO our adopted citizens and
to the commercial interests of the country,
has been favorably entertniued and agreed
to by all the Governments from whom re-
plies have been received. l ask the atten-
ton of Congress to the suggestion of the
Postmaster General in his report respect
ing the further legislation required in his
opinion for the benefit of the postal SER
vice.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
The Secretary of the Interior reports as
follows, in regard to public lands:
The public lands have ceased to be a
source of revenue. From the LIST of July,
1861, to the 3Oth Of September, 1862, the
entire cash receipts from the public lands
were $137,477 ga 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 for
cash cannot be expected to an extent suf-
ficient to meet the expenses of the general
land Office, and cost of surveying and
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 I understand, from the
fact that the periods of time, though appa-
rently, were not really coincident at the
beginning point. The Treasury report in
cludes considerable sum now which had
previously been reported from the Interior
sufficiently large to greatly overreach the
sum derived from the three months now
reported upon by the Interior, and not by
the Treasury Department.
THE INDIAN WAR.
The Indian tribes upon our frontiers have,
during the past year, manifested spirit
of INSTRUMENTATION, and, at several points,
engaged in open hostilities against the
white settlers in their vicinity. The tribes
occupying the Indian country south of
Kansas renowned their allegiance to the
United States, and entered into treaty
with the insurgents. Those who remain
ed loyal to the United States were driven
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