Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-12-07

might be necessary to guard against the
abuse Of 60 important a privilege. IhB
would enable prudent persons 70 set aside
q small annuity against q possible Day oil
want.
Privileges like these would render the
possession Of such securities to the
amount limited, most desirable 70 persons
Of small means. who might be albeit ssFe'
enough for the purpose. Tho great ad=I
vsntsgeo of citizens being creditors as well
as debtors, with relation to the public debt
is obvious. Men readily perceive that they
cannot be much oppressed BY . debt
which they owe two themselves, The
public debt on the first day Of July last,
although somewhat exceeding the esti-
mate of the Secretary of tina Treasury,
made TO Congress at the commencement of
the last session, fell short Of the estimate
of that officer, made in the preceding De-
csmber, as to its probable amount at the
beginning Of this year, by the sum Of
S3995 .079.33. This fact exhibits q satis-
factory condition and conduct of the op7
erations of the Treasury. So. -..osi!
NATIONAL BANKS. ..i. ~.
The National Banking system is prov
ing to be acceptable to cspitslists and to
the people. On the 18Th of November
five hundred and eighty-fOur National
Banks had been organized, a considerable
number of which we're conversions from
State Banks. Changes from the State sys-
tenn to the National system, are rapidly
taking place, and IL is hoped, that very
soon, there will be in the United States,
no bank of issue not unauthorized by Con-
nd honhr nOFn NIrNT1lafIn1 mnt
Secured by the Government. That the
Goyernment and the people will derive
general benefit from this change in the
banking system, can scarcely be question:
ed The National system will crsste g
reliable and permanent influence IN sup
port of the National credit, and protect
the people against losses IN the uses of paE
Der money. Whetnnr
b SCI B il edIglSi iA 1r fp vii f Con-
gress to determine. It seems quite Gear
that the treasury cannot be. satisfactorily
conducted unless the Government can ex-
ercise restraining power over the bank
note circulation Of the country. ~.
MILITARY AFFAIRS.
The Report of the Secretary of War,
and the accompanying documents, win
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 e bureaus of the War
Department, during the last year. It will
also specify the measures deemed essential
for the National defense, and to keep up
and supply the requisite military force.
NAVAL AFFAIRS. 4.rs.. -
The Report of the Secretary of the
Navy presents a comprehensive and salts
factory exhibit of the affairs of that De-
partment, and of the naval service. 1t is
a subject of congratulation and lRudable
pride TO our countrymen, that navy of
such vast proportions hiss been organized
in so brief period, and conducted with SO
much efficiency and success. The general
exhibit of the navy, including vessels under
construction on the lst of December, 1854,
shows total of GIL vessels, carrying
4,Gl0 guns, and 510,3 tons, being an
sctual increase during the year, over and
above all losses by shipWreck or in battle,
of 83 vessels, l67 guns, and AZ, All tons.
The total number of men at this time in
the naval service, including officers, is
about 81, 900. There have been captured
by the navy, during the year, 324 vessels;
and the whole number of naval captures,
since hostilities commenced, is 1900, of
which 2G7 arc steamers. The
gross proceeds arising from the sale
Of condemned prize property, thus far re-
ported, amounts to Sl4, ,396, ,25O 81. A
large amount of such proceeds is still un-
der adjudication and yet to be + Esg2Ftfs)ss gR9 3D.
psaftment, of every description, including
the cost of the immense squadrong that
have been called into existence from the
4th of March, 1867, to the lst of Novem-
Der, 1864, are $23S, ,64Z,262 30.
Your favorable consideration is invited
to tha various recommendations of the
Secretary Of the Navy especially in re-
gard to Navy Yard, and suitable es-
tablishment for the construction and re-
pair ofiron vessels and the machinery and
armament for our ships, to which reference
was made IN my last annual message.
Your attention is also invited TO the views
expressed in the report in relation to the
Legislation Of Congress at its last session
in respect to prizes on our inland waters,
I cordially concur in the recommendation
ofthe Secretary as to the propriety of Gre
sting the new rank of Vice Admiral in
our Naval service. | -
Your attention is invited to the report
of the Postmaster General for a detailed
account of the operations and financial
condition of the Post Office Department.
The postal revenues for the year ending
June 30th, 1864, amounted t6-$I2,4Ss,253
70, and the expenditures $I2644, ,78G 20.
The excess of expenditures over the receipts
being $206,65242. Tne views presented
by the Postmaster General or the subiec.
Of special grants By the Government in aid
of the establishment of Ocean Mail Stesn.
ships, and the policy he recommends for
the developement of increased commercial
intercourse with adjacent and neighboring
countries should receive the careful consid1
Grafton of Congress. @ -ta.
GROWTH OF THE NATION. .sr..5
It is Of noteworthy interest that the
steady expansion of population, improve
ment and governmental institutions over
the new and Unoccupied portions of our
country, have scarcely been impeded, much
less checked or destroyed by our grest civil
war, which at the first glance would seem
to have absorbed almost the entire energies
Of the nation. sa5s =at III .tt.
TERRITORIES .-...- I.
The organization and admission Of the
State of Nevada has been completed in
conformity with the law, and thus our ex-
csllent sys!en is firmly established in the
mountains which once seemed a barren and
uninhabitable waste between the Atlantic
States and those which have grown up on 7
the coast Of the Pacific Ocean. .s.ssI
The territories of the Unite3, States are
generally in condition of prosperity and
rapid growth. Idaho and Montana, by
reason Of their great distance, and the in
terruption of communication with them by
Indian hostilities, have been only psr-
TALLY organized, butit is understood that
these difficulties are about TO disannaar