Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-12-17

s5ners in our hsnds to be supplied By their eads
home with comforts not enjoyed by the who cap
tursd them in battle. In contrast to this tmen
the most revolving inhumanity has characteciz the
conduct of the United States towards prisoners held by
them. One prominent fact, which admits denial nor
paliatioD, must suffice a test. The officers of
army, natives of southern aud semi-tropical climates
and unprepared for tt cold of northern winter, have
been conveyed for imprisonment during the rigore OF
the sent season, to the most northern and exposed
situation that could be selected by the enemy There
beyoDd the reach OF coHfeTts and otten OF news
from home and family exposed to the piercing cold of
tie northern lakes they held by who cannot be
ignorant Of even if they do not design the probable
result How maDy OF cur unfortunate fIiends and
comrades, who have passed Qpscatked through
battles, will perish on Johnsors Island, under the
cruel trial to which they subjected, but the
OnDiscient can foEetell That they will endure this
barbarOIs treatment with the stern torttude that
they have evnced in their countrys service,
cannot DOUBT But who can be found TO believe the
assertion that it refusal to execute the cartel and
not the maignity Of the oe which has caused the in-
Fiction Of sYch intolerabe cruelty our own loved
| and honored defenders?
TRANs-MIssIGsIPPI DEPARTMENT.
Regular and punctua communication With the Trans
Mississippi Is so obsructed to render difficult COM
piance with much of the saton vestipg authority
in the executive branch of the government 10 supply
cancies n Office; exercise discretion On certain pat
connected With the military ofganjzatons TO
troll the dstributn OF the funds collected from taxation
or remtted from the Treasury 10 carry on the opera
tons OF the Post Office Department,and other like duties
require under the constitution and existing laws, the
of the President and heads of departments The
necessities of the military service frequently forbid d.
lay, a0d legislation is required providing for the
exercise OF temporary authority, until regular action
be had az 'the seat OF government. would sug
ges especially in the Post Office Department, that
assistant be provided for the states beyond the Msss
sipp with authority in the head Of that department
vest n this assistant all such powers exercised by
the Postmaster Gen may be requisite for provisional
control of the funds of the department IN those States
and their application to the payment of mail contrac-
tors for superiueudence OF the local post Offices, end
the contracts for carrying the mali for tae temporary
employment of proper persons to fulfill the duties OF
posmasters and contractors Ia urgent cases. until ap
pOintments be made, 6nd for other like purposes
Without legislative provision the subject, there
is serious risk OF the destruction OF the mail service, by
of the delays and hardshps suffered by contrac
tors under the present SYSTEM which requires constant
reference to Richmond Of their accounts well as OF
the returns of the local postmasers before they can re-
Celve payment for services rendered Like provision Is
also necessary in the Treasury Department whle for
military affairs it would to be sufficient to
horiee the President and Secretary of War to delegate
to the commanding general much of the discretionary
powers vested in them by law, the exgencies of the
service spall require.
Tbs report of The Secretary of the Navy gives in de-
tail the operations Of that Department since January
last embracing information of the disposition and
pIoyment OF the vessels officers and men, and the con-
sruction of vessels at Richmond, Wilmington, Charles
ton Savannah. obile, Stma. aad the rivers Roam
oke, Neusa, Pedee, Chattahoochee and TOm5igbee
the accumulation of ship timber ana supplies a1d the
OF ordnance stores and equipments The
fOundries and wo kshops have been greatly improved
and their capacity to supply all demands for heavy
ordnance for coast and Larbor offences s only limited
by deficiency in the requisite skilled labor. The
want of such labor and of seriously affects the
operations Of the Department.
The Skill courage and activity of cruisers at
cannot be too highly commended They have inflicted
heavy Losses the enemy, without suffering single
disaster, and have seriously damaged the shipplFg III
terests of the United States by compelling their foreign
to seek the protection of neutral tags.
Your attention is Invited to the suggestions of the
report On the subjects of supplying seamen for the SER
vice, and of the provisions OF the law in relation TO the
volunteer navy
The Postmaster General reports the receipts |
Of that Department for the fiscal year ending the
ard the expenditures for the period 81
6G2,604 67.' The statement thus exhibits an ex-
cess Of receipts amounting to $675O48 Al, ln- |
stead of deficiency OF more than million of dollars,
was the case in the preceding fiscal year 1t is gra
flying to perceive that the Department has thus been
made sefsustaning in accordance with the express
Iuicement CT the Constitution that its expenses should
be paid cut Of its after the lst March,
1868.
rhe report gives full and satisfactory account of
the operations of thu Post Office Department for the
asst year, and explains the adopted for giving
rore certainty and regularity to the service IN the
States beyond the Mississippi and which reliance is
placed for obviatng the difficulties heretofore encoun
tered in that service.
The settlement of the accounts of the Department is
greatly delayed by of the inability of the First
Auditor perform ali the duties imposed him
oy law. The accounts of the Departments OF State, of
he Treasury of the Navy and of Justice, are all
oy bis whole time The necessity for Third Auditor
examine and settle the accounts OF Depart ut SO
extensive that Of the Post Office appears urgent and
lis recommendation On that subject meets my concur.
'ence
CokDuer OF ENEMY.
cannot ci sc this message without again adver.!ng
the savage erocity which still marks the conduct of
The enemy in tt prosecution of the After their
epuse from the detences before Charleston they first
sought revenge by an aborve attempt to destroy the
city with incendiary composition thrown b7 i'm
proved artillery, from distance of four miles Failing
this they charged their missiles but fortunately have
.Lus far succeeded only in killing two women in the
city. Their commanders, Butler, Nc Neil and lucchn,
whose horrible barbarites have made their names wide
y notorious and everywhere execrable still honor
ID and cherished by the authorities at Washington
The first named after having been Withdrawn from the
scenes of his cruetes against women and prisoners OF
war; reluctant to the demands of outraged
humanity in Europe, has just been put in COM
nand at Norfolk, where he pless women and children
ire again placed at his mercy.
Nor has less Unrelentng warfare been waged by
hese pretended friends OF human rights and libertiss
against the unfortunate negroes Wherever the enemy
been able to gain they have forced into the
nHa M fhoir OIL