The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-12-10
equitable to the community more sspe-
cially interested. .s

w rooom0o30 - y0Ue 0o0Q00toel00 tho
suggostiess 81 IL 6ecfetsry 81 tie Navy
10 rsJnsd = ~ policy ~ iaa1s5ae ,An1
training ssamse for the naval sasvfos.-
The naval Aoademy = fsndsring signal
service il pispafing nidshipmen for the
highly rsspons,bIs datics which il altar
life they viii Be required % perform, in
order that the country should not b de-
privsd u sduestsd oficsfe, for which legal
provisions hass been made at the naval
school. The vacancies .oaused BY the
seslsct or omission to make somiastions
from States In iosurrsctioo, hare been
filed by the Secretary Of the Navy. The
school is more full and complete now
than At any previous period, and 10 every
respect is entitled to the favorable con-
sideration Of Congress.
During the past fiscal year the fnan-
cial condition Of the post cfics depart
ment has been one Of increasing prosper
ity, and am grati6ed in being able to
stsis that the receipts Of postal currency
has nearly equalled the entire expeudl-
lures. the latter amounting to Oil ,3l4,
600 81, snd the former to 81 |, O63, 780 SO
leaving deficiency of about 81 5O,4i7 Ell
in 1868. The year Immediately pre-
ceding the rebellion The deficiency
amounted to s5,656, 7O5 40, the postal
receipts Of that year being 81 ,035, 722 10
less than those of 1863. The decrease
since 1860 in the amount of transports
tion has been only about Is per cent,
but the annual expenditures in account of
the same has been reduced 35 per cent
1t 10 manifest, therefore. that the post
office department may become self-sus-
tanning in few years, even with the res.
toration of the whole service. The in
ternal conference Of postal delegates from
the principal countries of Europe and
America, which was called At the sug-
gestion Of the Post Master General, met
at Paris on the llth of May last, and
concluded its deliberations on the 18th Of
June. The principles established By
that conference are best adapted to "a
cilitate the postal interests between NJ.
tons. and the basis of future conventions
will lnaugurate general system OF uni-
form and international charges at reduced
rates of postage, and cannot fail to pro-
duce beneficial results.
Irefer you to the report Of the Sec. of the
Interior, which is herewith laid before you
for the usual and varied information in re-
latlon TO the public lands, Indian affairs,
patents, pensions, and other matters of
pubic concern pertaining TO this depart
ment The quantity of land disposed Of
during the last and the FIRST uar,er of the
present fiscal year was 3,84l, SAG acres, of
which oil acres were sold for cash !;
l,45o 5l4 acres we're taken up under the
homestead laws. and the residue disposed
Of under laws granting lands for Military
bounties, for rail read and other purposes.
IL appears that the sale Of the public
lands is largely on the increase Il has
long been cherished opinion Of some of
our wisest Statesmen that the people of
the United States had more enduring
interest in the early settlement and sub
stantial cultivation OF the public lands
than in the amount of direct revenue to
tie derived from the sale OF them. This
opinion has had controlling influence 10
shaping legislation on the subject Of our
national domain.
| may cite as evidence of this the libe-
raj measures adopted in reference TO &C.
tual settlers; the grant to the States of
the overlooked lands within their limits,
in order 70 their being rendered fit for
cultivation; the grant to railroad compa.
MES of alternate sections Of land on the
contem plated lines of their roads when
completed, will largely multiply the
facilities for reaching our distant posses
sions. This policy has received it, most
signal and benefcent illustrations in re-
cent enactiuents Of the granting of home
steads to actual settlers. Since the 6rst
day Of July last the before mentioned
quantity, one million four hundred and
tity six thousand FIVE hundred and four
teen acres of land have been taken up
under its provisions. This fact ard the
amount of sales furnish gratifying evil
dence of increasing settlement, on public
lands. notwithstanding the great s,rug-
gle in which the energies Of the nation
u"fo OSSa cu-ekCd, ouu HAS ttuutTSu 80
large a withdrawal of our citizens from
their accustomed avocations.
cordially concur in the recomm ,nda-
tions of the Secretary of the Interior, sug
gesting . manifesIion of act in favor OF
those engaged in the military and naval
service of the United States. I doubt
not that Congress will cheer!ully adopt
such measures As will, without essentially
changing the general features Of this sYs
tenn, secure to the greatest practicable ex
tent, it's benefits TO those who have left
their homes in defence Of the country in
this crisis.
/ invite your attention to the views Of
the Secretary Of War as to the propriety
Of raising, BY appropriation Of the Legis- |
lature, revenue from the mineral lands
Of the United States.
The measures provided at your last
session for the removal Of certain Indian |
tribes have been carried into effect. Sun
dry treaties have been negotiated, which |
will in due Time be submitted f,r consti-
action Of the Senate. These con-
tain stipulations for extinguishing the
possession rights of he Indians to large
and valuable tracts of lands, and it lie prop |
ar fh AZ tho oH,otc of 49,