Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-12-15

whole of this unhappy contest have been dis
charged with fidelity and eminent success. The
extensive blockade has been constantly increasing
in efficiency.
If the Navy has expanded, yet on so long
line il has so far been impossible to entirely sup
press illicit trade. From the returns received al
/, the Navy Department, it appears that more thar
one thousand vessels have been captured since
the blockade was instituted, and that the value
Of prizes already sent in for adjucaton amounts
to over thirteen millions of dollars.
The naval force of the United States consists
at this time Of 5SS vessels completed and in the
course of completion and of these rs are iron
clad, or arnored steamers. The events oil the
war give an increased interest and importance tc
the navy, which will probably extend beyond the
war itself.
The armored vessels completed and in service
or which are under contract and approaching
completion are believed to exceed in number
those of any other Power but while these may
be relied upon for harbor defence and coast
service, others Of greater strength and capacity
will be necessary Tor cruising purposes and to
maintain our rightful position on the ocean,
The change that has taken place in naval war
fare since the introduction Of steam as a motive
power for ships Of war demand, either cores
pondng change ip some OF our existing navy
yards, or the establishment Of new ones for the
construction and necessary repairs of modern ma.
val vessels. No lnoonsiderable embarrassment,
delay and public injury have been experienced
from the want oil such Government establish
ments.
The necessity Of such navy yard, so furnished,
at some suitable place upon the Atlantic sea.
board, mas, on repeated occasions, been brought
to the attention of Congress by the Navy Depart
menl, and is again presented in the report of
the Secretary which accompanies this communca.
ton.
think it my duty to invite your special atten-
ton to this subject and also 10 that OF establishing
yard and depot for uautiea purposes upon one oil
the Western rivers. A naval force has been crea-
TED on those interlsr waters, and under many dis
advantages, within little more than two years, ex
ceedng in numbers the whole naval force OF the
country at the commencement OF the present ad-
minstraiion.
Satisfactory and important as have been the
performances OF the heroic men Of the navy at this
interesting period, they are scarcely more won
derinl than the success Of our mechanics and ar
tisans 10 the production of war vessels which has
]
Our country has advantages superior to any
other nation in our resources of iron and timber
with inexEaustlblr quantities u fuel in the mme-
date vicinity OF BOTH and all available and in close
proximity to navgable waters. Without the ad-
vantage Of public works, the resources Of the ma
| ton have been developed and its power displayed
10 the construction OF a navy OF such magnitude,
which has, at The very period Of its creation, ren.
dered signal service to the Union.
The increase Of the number Of seamen in the
public service from seven thousand five hundred
men 10 the spring Of 1861 to about thirty -four
thousand at the present time, has been accom-
plished without special legislation or extraordina-
~ bountits 70 promote that increase.
1t has been found, however, that the operation
oil, the draft With the high bolntes paid for army
recruits is beginning to affect seriously the naval
service, aud will It not corrected, be likely TO lm-
pair rs efficiency by detaching seamen from their
proper vocation and Inducing them TO enter the
army. therefore respectfully suggest that Con-
gress might aid botn the Army and Naval services
Oyadehnlte provision on this subject, which would,
a. the same umo, be equitable to the communities
NOR especially interested.
| commend TO your consideration the sugges
tons Of the Secretary OF the Navy in regard to
the policy OF fostering and training seamen and
also the education OF officers and engineers for
the naval service.
The Naval Academy is rendering signal service
in preparing midshpmen for the highly RESPONSE
bic duties which in after life they will be required
TO perform. In order Aat the country should
not be deprived of the prop quota of educated
officers, Tor which legal provision has been made
at the Naval School, the vacancies caused by the
neglect or omission to make nominations from the
States in instruction have been filled by the Sec.
retary OF the Navy. The school is now more ful
aud complete than at any former PERIOD and in
every respect entitled TO the favorable considera
/ ton OF Congress.
During the last fiscal year the financial cond-
ton Of the Post flee Department has been one
Of ofincreasng prosperity, and | am grati6ed in be-
ing able to state that the actual postal revenues
have nearly equalled the expenditure, the latter
amounting to Sll,3l4 4,2O6,S4 and the former tc
ll,l6a7S9,j9, leaving adefciency of but $3.50,
4l725.
In 1860, the year Immediately preceding the
rebellion, the deficiency amounted TO S5,656,705
40, The postal receipts OF that year being S26i5,
! 722 10 less than those Of 1868. TIE decrease
since 1860 in the annual amount OF trans portat lion
has been only about 25 per cent, but the annual
expenditure on account Of the same, has been re-
duoed 50 per cent,
I Ii is manifest, therefore, that the Post Office
Department may become sefsustanng in few
years, even with the restoration OF the whole SER
vice.
The international Conference Of postal delegates
from the principal coun ries of Europe and Amer
I lad III ~.
master General, met at Paris on the eleventh Of,
/ May last and concluded Its deliberations on the
eighth Of June.
/ The principles established by the conference as
best adapted 10 facilitate post intercourse between
nations, and as the basis Of future postal conven-
ions, inauguiate general system OF uniform IN
ternatonal charges at reduced rates of postage
ana cannot lail 10 produce beneficial results.
/ refer you TO the report Of the Secretary Of
the Interior, which is herewith laid before you,
or useful ard varied information in relation to
the public .nds, Indian AFFAIRS Patents, Pensions,
aud other matters of public concern pertaining
to his Dep rlment.
Tennessee and Arkansas have been subsan-
tioly cleared OF insurgents and influential citizens
iu each Owners OF slaves and advocates of slav.
cry at the beginning Of the rebellion, now declare
openly for emancipation in their respective States.
OF those States uot included 10 the emaucipa-
ton proclamation, Maryland and Missouri, neither
of which three years ago would tolerate any re-
strainI upon the extension OF slavery into new
territories, only dispute nos as to the best mods
oil removing il within their own limits.
The quantity of land disposed Of during the
last and nrst quarter Of the present fiscal year,
was 3, ,j49 acres, Of which l6l, acres were
sold for cash.
One million four hundred and fhy.sir thousand
five lndred aud iou teen acres we're taken up un-
der the homestead law, and the residue disposed