The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-12-10


pr bile securities nigh, he held by any bona
Tdc purchaser, exeInp. from taxation and
from seizure tor debt, under such Testric.
lions and Limitations as might be recesss-
rv to guard against abuse O. SO imporsant
a privilege. This would enable praa4nt
persons to set il aside as security against a
possible day Of want. Privileges ike
these would render the possession oi such
securities 70 the amount limited most lesi-
rahle - every person Of s,nal! means Who
might tie able To save enough for the psr-
pose. Tie great advantage of citizens bs-
ing creditors we'll ~ debtors with rcia.
tios, to the public deDf, is obvious. Men
readily per eeiye tina. ibev cannot De much
oppressed t,y deht wbitn they owe TO
themselves. The public debt the lst day Of
July last, although 4Gmewnat exceeding
the estima.e CT the secretary o: the Treas
Nr3 made 10 Congress al The commence
nent ct The last session falls short of the
estimate OF that officer made IN tie preced-
ing December, as to It's probable amount
at the commencement nj the war by the
SUM CT 1895 e7s s.; This fact exhibits n
satisfactory cUnGatlcn ana conduct OF the
operations of tce Treasury.
The national banking sys. .em has proved
70 he acceptable to the people. On the 18th
OF November 5S4 national banks had Eeeyi
organized, a considerab bic number Of which
were conversions froii state banks. Chan.
ges from the State system to the National:
system are rapidly taking place, aud it is
I'd Ire hoped that very soon there viii be i'll
the United States no banks OF issue not au.
thorized ny Congress-. and DO hank note
circulation not secured by the Government.
That the Government and the people viii
derive general benefit from this change IN
the banking system of the country can
hardly be que STONED. The National sys-
tenn will create permanent and rei.aoie
influence In support OF tho National credit
and pro,e &. the people agaii1s. losses in the
use Of money. Whether or not any fur
tier Legislation is desirable for the sup
preston Of State bank issues it will be for
Congress to determine. 1t seems cu!se
clear that the treasury caI not be satis.ac-
tvrily conducted unless the Government
car exercise a restraining power over the
bank note circulation OF The country.
The report Of tire Secretary OF War and
tho accompanying 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 adj
mipis,rative bureaus Of the War Depart
.neilt during the last year. 1t will also
specify the measures deemed eSseU.ia! for
the national defense, and to keep up.and
supply the requisite military force. The
repori OF the Secretary of the Navy pre-
SCENTS comprehensive statement exhibit
naval service. II is a subject of congratu-
lation aud .sudable pride 10 our country
men, that navy Of such vast proportions
has been organized in SO brief u period and
conducted with so much efficiency anc sue
cess. TIE general exhibit OF the navy, In
Guiding vessels under construction, on the
lst Of Dec. 1864, shows total of G7l vessels
carrying 4,6lo guns anu $40 500 tons, being
an actual increase during the year, over
and above ali losses by sh:Pwreck or in
battle, OF So vessels, l67 guns and 4a.427
tons. The total number of men a. this
time in the naval service, including officers,
is about 81, COO. There have been captured
by the navy during the year 3oi vessels,
aud the whole number OF naval captures
since hcs,ilities commenced is l,ac0, OF
which PCT are s.eame ra. The gross pro
ceeds arising from the sale Of cordemned
prize property, thus far reported, amount
to Sii, 1886 $50 0l. A large amoun; Of such
proceeds IS still unier aojuc cation and
vet &c BE reported. The totakex pendit..es
of the navy department.. of every descrip
tion, including the cost Of The smuense
sQuadrons tha: have beer called in.o exist
ence. from the Attn OF March. lSGl, to tie
lst Of November, 1864, are S2SS. .6i7, ,26o So.
Your favorable consideration IS invited to
the various recommendations OF the Sec
retary o. the Navy, in regard to navy
ward and suitable establishments for the
construction and repairs of iron vessels
and the machinery and armati,re for our
ships, to which reference was made in my
last annual message. Your attention is al
so invited 70 the views expressed in there
port in relation to the Legislation Of Con-
gress ~ its last session, in regard TO prizes
on our inland waters. ! cordially concur
in the recommendation OF the Secretary as
TO the propriety OF creating the new rank
OF Vice Admiral in our naval service.
Your attention is invited 70 the report o;
the Postmaster General for detailed NC
count of tho operations and financial con-
dition Of the Pos. Office Department. The
postal revenues for the year ending June
80, 1864, accounted to Sl2. 2.43S. 253 IS, and
the expenditures 10 $l2, ,7S6 20. The
excess Of expenditures over receipts being
S3O6, ,C52 ~. The views presented by the
Postmaster General on the subject OF spe.
cial grants by the government in aid OF the
establishment OF new lines Of Ocean Mail
Steamships, and the policy here recom-
mendesi for the development of increased
commercial Intercourse with adjacent and
neighbor.ng countries should receive the
careful consideration of Congress.
1t il of noteworthy interest that the stea.
dy expansion of population and progress
OF improvement over the new and unocc1-
pied portions of our country cannot be
checked, much less impexled or DESTROYED
X
would seem to have absorbed almost the
entire energies OF the nation. The nrgani-
cation and admission Of the State OF Nevada
has been completed in conformity with
law. and thus our excellent system is firm :
ly esia blished in the mountains which once
seemed barren and uninhabitahle world
between the Atlantic States ana those
which have grown up on TIE coast Of tie
Pacific ocean. The territories Of the Uni.
ted States, are generally in a cond;ticnel
prosperity and rapid growth. Idaho end
Montsna, by reason Of their great distance
and the interruption Of communication
with them by Indian hostilities, have been
only partially organized, but it is under.
stood that these difficulties are about to
disappear, which will permit their govern
ments. like those Of others. 10 20 into spec
dy and full operation.
AS intimately connected with and pro-
motive of the material growth of this ma
ton, ask the atlention of Congress to the
valuable information and important re-
Communications relating to the public
lands, Indian affairs, the Pacific railroad,
and mineral discoveries, Contained in the
report of the Secretary Of the Interior,
which is herewith transmitted, and which
report also embraces the subject of patents,