Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-12-09

prudent persons to set aside q small annuity
| against possible day Of want Privileges like
these would render the possession of such secu-
persons Of small means, who might be able 10
save enough for the purpose. The great advan.
tage Of citizens being creditors as well as debt
orr, with relattOuto the public debt, Is obvious
Men readily perceive that they cannot be much
oppressed by q debt which they owe them.
! selves. - .
| The public debt, on the first day of july last
although somewhat exceeding the estimates OF
the Secretary of the Treasury made to Congress
short of the estimate Of that officer made In the
preceding December, as to its probable amount
at the beginning OF this year, fy the sum of 81
v95, O70.33. This fact exhibits satisfactory con
dition and conduct OF the operat ions IF the
Treasury. III " ~
be acceptable to the capitalists and TO the peo-
pie. On the 18th of November Ave hundred and
eighty -four National Banks had been organiz-
| ed, considerable number of which were con-
versions from State Banks. Changes from the
State system to the National system are rapid
" taking place, and 1t Is hoped that very soon
there will be In the United States no bank of
issue not authorized by Congress, and no bank
note circulat on not secured by the government.
| Tint the government and the people will derive
general benefit from this change in the bank
! ing systems Of the country, can hardly be ques-
| toned. The National system will create n reli-
able and permanent influence in support of the
national credit, and protect the people against
| losses Al the use OF paper money. Whether OF
not any further legislation is advisable for the
Suppress IN of State Bank issues 1t will be for
| Congress to determine. 1t seems quite clear
that the Treasury cannot be satisfactorily con-
| rest aiming power over the bank note circula-
| ton OF the country.
accompanying documents will detail the cam
paiKns OF the armies in the field since the date
Of the last annual message. and also the opera.
The Wag Department durins the last year. 1t
win also specify the measures deemed essential
for the national defense, and to keep up and to
Supply the requisite military force.
The Report of the Secretary of the Navy pre-
SCENTS n comprehensive and satisfactory exhibit
| naval service. 1t is q subject of congratulation
and laudable pride to our country men, that q
lied in SO brief a periOd, and conducted with so
much efficiency ana success. The general
struction on tie first Of December. 1861, shows a
total OF G,l vessels carrying 4,6l0 guns and
5lO,3s6 tons, being an actual increase during the
year, over and above all losses, by shipwreck or
in battle, of 81 vessels, l7 guns, and A. ~ TONS
The total humber OF men at this time in the
naval service including officers is about 81 600
There have been captured BY the navy during
the year S2i vessels, and the whole number OF
naval captures since hostilities commenced is
800, OF which 207 are steamers. The gross pro-
ceeds arising from the sale of condemned prize
property thus far reported amounts to SA, 1885,
25O.5l. A large amount OF such proceeds is still
| under adjudication and yet 70 be reported. The
Total expenditures of the Navy Department, of
every description, including the costlof the i'm
mense squadrons that have been called into ex-
istence from the 4th Of March, 1861, to the LIST of
November, 1854, are S2SS 6i7 2622.35.
| Your favorable consideration Is invited to the
various recommendations of the Secretary OF
| the Navy, especially in regard to q navy yard
and suitable establishment for the construc-
| ry and arnlaturs for our ships, to which refer.
ence was mPde in my last annual message
Your attention y also invited to the views ex-
lion OF Congress ut the last session In respect to
prizes In our inland waters. ! cordially concur
in the recommendation Of the Secretary as to
i the nrOpriety of creating the rank of Vice
| Admiral in our naval service.
/ Your attention is invited to the report of the
/ Postmaster General for a detailed account of
the operations and financial condition of the
] Post Office Department.. The postal revenues
for the year ending June 3Oth. 1861, amounted to
20. The excess Of expenditures over receipts
being Sl06, ~. The views presente ed by the
Postmaster General o., the subject Of special
grants by the Government in aid Of the estab
tishment of new lines OF ocean mail steamships,
and the policy he recommends for the develop
ment of increased commercial intercourse with
1 adjacent and neighboring countries should re-
celve the careful consideration of Congress.
/ 1t is OF Noteworthy interest that the steady
expansion Of population, Improvement in Gov
1ernmcntal institutions over the new and unoc-
eup.ed Porti99Es e 9gr county have scarcely
by our great civil war. which at first glance
would seem to have absorbed almost the entire
energies II the nation
OF Neva.!a mas been compile ed in conformity
with TIE laws, and thus our excellent system IL
I irUllN cSiSDIlSIed III VIC uhouHtaiiS WhlCii
once seemed n barren and uninhabitable
| waste, between the Atlantic States and those
which have grown upon the coast of the Pacific
Ocean.
! The Territuries of the U"iteds.taies are gener-
Tally il u condition: 3. pfVrper!ty and rapid
great distance ana the interception cpn.i,Isl-
nication with them by Indian hostiIitl-s Al, :
been only partially organized, but it Is under
pear, whic!. viii permit their GoYernments,
like those of others, 70 .. my speed, and full
l ooeratl0n
AS intimately connected with and promotive
of this ina. eria growth of the uaton, ask the
atten'iGn OF Congress to the valuable NORMA
ton anq important recommendations relating
| 20 the bubble lands, Indian affairs, the Profile
I Ha1lroaG and mineral discoveries, contained III
Ihe helort OF tie aseretafy o. Inc o n.1 hc
report also embraces tho subjects OF pat
ents, pensions. and other topics OF public inter
| est pertaining to his Department.
/ The quantity of public land disposed of dur
ing the i've quarters ending on the ;oth OF Sep
tembel asst was 4,22l, si2 acres, OF which l,53s, !,
GA acres were entered under the Homestead
| law. Yhe remainder was located with military
wa arts and agricultural scrip certified to
Sta'eS for railroads and sold t.sr sl.s The cash
receipts from sales and location ices was 81 0I9,
I 10. The income from sales during the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1864 was s6 $685., against
1853, 6O7 795 receipts during the preceding year
The aggregate of acres surveyed during TN,
year has been equal to the quantity disposed OF,
and there is open to settlement about lS coo 0SJ
acres of surveyed land
I The great enterprise of connecting the Allan
| tic with the Pacific by railroad and TELEGRAPH.
lines has been entered upon with IL vigOr that
gives assurance of success. Notwithstanding
! the embarrassInentS arising from the prevail
ing high prices OF materials and labor. tue rou,''
OF the MAR line of the road has been detlnltei,
located for 100 miles westward from the initias
point at Omaua City, Nebraska, and a preliln-
| .iia has been made from Sacramento eastwarc
! to the great bend OF the Mucker River, in Ne
| vada.
| NumeI GUS discoveries of gold silver and cinn-
/ bar mines nave been added to the many hereto
fore kno"n. aud lhG soEnslI oesHE.ea hy IN.
| subordinate ranges, now teens with enterpris-
| ing labor, which is richly remunerative. 1t is
| believed that the products of the mines of pre-
cious metals in that region has, during the year,
reac cd, if not ex' eeded, SIU0,OOO 900 in value.
| 1t was recommended i'll my last annual mes
sage That our Indian system be remodeled. Con-
gress. al its last session, acting pt The recon-
! mendatlun, did prQyide lur reorganizing the
system III California, and ii is believed that un
| der the present organization the management
| of the Indians there viii be attended with rea-
| sonable success. Much yet remains to be done
| to provide for the proper government of the In
dams in other parts OF the country to render it
secure for the advancing settler, and to provide
| for the welfare OF the Indian. The Secretar.
| reiterates his recommendations, and to them
| the attention of Congress is invited.
The liberal provisions to tilc invalid soldiers,
| and sailors of the Republic and to the widows,
orphans, and dependent mothers OF those whit.
have fallen in battle or died of disease contract
I'd or of wounds received in the service Of the.
There have been admitted t5 the pension rolls
during the year ending the a0th day of June last
ar lnd and OF
of army invalid pensions e, 767 and of navy in
valid pensioners 7l2. OF widows orphans, ana
l mothers, q l9S have been placed in the army
| pension rolls and 23s on the navy rolls. The
present number of army pensioners of this
| the beginning of the year, the number of Reyo-
lutionary pensioners was ,4s0 only II Of them
were soldiers, OF whom have since died; the
remainder are those who, under the law, receive
pensions because of relationship to Revolution