The New York herald., 1864-12-07

as debtors, with relation to the public debt.
is obvious Men readily perceive that they
cannot be much oppressed by debt which
they owe to themselves. The public debt
on the lst day Of July last, although somewhat,
exceeding the estimate of the Secretary OF the
Treasury made TO Congress at the commencement
Of last session. falls short of the estimate of that
officer made in the preceding December "a to
its prcbabie amount at the beginning % OF
this year by the sum Of $3,y95.07 S3.
This fact EXHIBITS satisfactory condition and
cond0ct Of the operations Of tho Treasury.
THE NATIONAL BANKING aYsrEx ~
ia proving TO be acceptable 10 capitalists and to the
people, On the 25th day OF November five hundred
and eighty -four national banks had been organized.
= considerable number of which were conversions
from State banks. Chnngcs from the State system
70 the national system are rapidly taking place,
and it is hoped that very there will be in the
United States no banks of issue not authorized by
Congress, and no bank note circulation not secured
by the government. That the government and the
people will derive general benefit from this change
in the banking system of the country
can hardly, be questioned. The national
system will create reliable and perma..
nent influence in support Of tho national
credit and protect the people against losses in the
use of paper money. Whether or not Any further
legislation is advisable for the suppression OF
State bank issues, it will be for Congress to de.
termine. 1t seems quite clear that the Treasury
cannot be satisfactorily conducted unegs the
government can exercise restraining power over
the bank nste circulation OF the country.
rHE MILITARY STU ALTON.
The report OF the Secretary Of War and the &C.
compaRylng documents will detail the campaigns
of the armies in the field since the date OF the last
annual Message, and also the operations Of the
several administrative bureaus OF the War Depart
ment during the last year. 1t will also specify the
measures deemed essential for the national de-
fence and to keep up and supply the requisite
military ferce.
The report of the Secretary Of the Navy presents
Z comprehensive and satisfactory exhibit OF the
affairs OF that department and Of the naval service.
pride to our countrymen that navy Of such vast
proportions has been organized In 50 brief period
and conducted with SO much efficiency and success.
The general exhibit Of the navy, including ves-
sells under construction on the lst OF December,
1864 shows total Of nix hundred and seventy one
vessels, carrying four thousand ak hundred and
len guns and five hnndred and ten thousand
three. hundred and ninety,six tons. being an
above all losses by shipwreck or In battle,
Of eighty y-three vessels one hundred and sixty
seven guns, and forty-tw0 thousand four hundred
and twenty-seven tons. The total number OF men
at this time in the naval service, including ON
GERS is about fifty -one thousand There have been
captured by the navy during the year three huns,
hundred and twenty.four vessels, and the
whole number Of naval captures since hostilities
commenced is one Thousand three hundred and
sevcnty-nine, Of which two hundred and sixty.
seven. are ateamers. The gross proceeds arising
pensrsd as sss 0 %
amount of such proceeds Is still under adjudica-
| tion, and yet to be reported. The fetal ex-
penditures Of the Navy Department Of every de-
rons that have been called into existence, from
the Ath Of March, 1861, TO the 1st Of November,
1864, are $236 ,647, ,262 36. Yenr favorable con-
sideration is invited TO the various recommenda-
tions OF the Secretary Of the Navy, especially in
regard to navy yard and suitable establishment
for the construction and repair of iron vessels and
the machinery and armature for our ahips TO which
Your attention is also invited 70 the views sx-
pressed in the report in relation to the Legislation
Of Congress at its last session In respect to prizes
In our inland waters: ! cordially concur in tho
priety Of creating the new rank Of vice admiral in
\ our naval service.s sat e, t,s sa ~"
- - : orr rosrAL uAEyAIRs. h.a.
Your attention n invited TO the report of the
Postmaster General for . detailed account of lhe
operations and financial condition Of the Post
Office Department. The postal revenues for tho
year ending June 80, 1884, amounted to Sl2,43s..
253 IS, and the expenditures to $12.644,7s6 20
the excess Of expenditures over receipts being
$206,662 ~. The views presented by the Post
master General on the subject Of special grants
by the government In aid Of the establish.
ment OF new lines Of ocean mail steamships,
and the policy he recommends for the develop
ment of increased commercial intercourse with
adjacent aud neighboring countries. should receive
the careful consideration of Congress. 4o
IkoREAsrsG rowsa or THE COUNTRY.
II is of noteworthy interest that the steady
expansion Of population, Improvement and gov
ernmental institutions over the new and unoccu-
pied portions Of our country have scarcely been
checked, much less impeded or destroyed, by our
great civil war; which, at first glance, would seem
to have absorbed almost the entire energies
of the nation. The organization and admission
of the State of Nevada has been completed,
in conformity with law, and thus our excellent
system is firmly established in the mountains which
once seemed barren and uninhabitable waste
AZ. a.. Lt.L
have grown up on the coast OF the Pacific Ocean.
The Territories of the Union are generally in a
condition of prosperity and rapid growth. Idaho
and Montana, by reason of their great distance and
the interruption Of communication with them by
Indian hostilities, have been only partially or
ganized; but II ls understood that these difficulties
are about to disappear, which will permit their
governments, like those Of the others TO 20 into
speedy and full operation. N .a
~ our INTERIOR AFFAIRS. ss4a..t ..s .
As intimately connected with and promotive Of,
this material growth OF the nation, I ask the at
tcnton OF Congress to the valuable information
public lands, Indian affairs, the Pacific rail
roads and mineral discoveries contained in
the report Of the Secretary Of the In.
terror, which y herewith transmitted;
patents, pensions and other topics OF public inte.
rest pertaining TO his department. The quantity
OF public land disposed Of during the FIVE quar-.
ters ending on the 30th of September last was
,22I .342 acres. Of which ,53s, GA acres were
entered under the Homestead law. The remainder
was located with military land warrants agricul.
tural scrip certified to States for railroads. and
sold for cash. The cash received from sales and
location fees was 81 ,0l9,446. The income from
sales during the fiscal year ending June 80, 1854,
was f6Ts,o07 ~ against $l36,077 95 received du-
ring the preceding year The aggregate number
OF acres surveyed during the year has been equal
to the quantity disposed Of and there is open to
settlement about l33 100000 acres Of surveyed
land. etfr nt.8 ee tEN#a# sa
TEE PACIFIC RArLRoAD AND rBLEaaAPH.
The great enterprise Of connecting the Atlantic
with the Pacific States by railways and telegraph
lines has been entered upon with vigor that gives
ASSURANCE OF success, notwithstanding the
cmbarrassments arising from the prevailing high
prices Of materials and labor. The route Of the
main line Of tho road has been definitely located
for one hundred miles westward from the initial