Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-12-08

naIuiy pe questioned. The national system
will create reliable and permanent influ-
ence in SUPP ort of its national credit, and
protect the people against losses in the usc
OF paper money. Whether or not spy
further legislation is admissible for the sup
preston OF State Bank issues, will be for
Congress to determine.
1t seems quite clear that the treasury can
not be so satisfactorily conducted unless the
government can exercise a restraining pow
er over the bank note circulation of the
country. -
The report Of the Secretary of War and
the accompanying documents will detail the
campaigns of the armies iu.the field since
the date Of the last annual message. and
also the operations OF the several Admins
trative Bureaus of the War Department
during the last year. 1t will also specify
the measures deemed essential for the ma
tlonal defence. and to keep up and supply
the requisite military force.
The report of tho Secretary Of the Navy
presents q compre hensive and satisfactory
exhibit OF the affairs of that department,
and OF the naval service. 1t is subject OF
congratulation and laudable pride to our
countrymen, that Navy of such vast PRO-
portions has been organized in SO brief
period and conducted with so much efici-
encyiand success. The general exhibit of
the navy. including vessels under construc-
tlon, on tho lst Of December. 1864, shows a
total OF OIL vessels, carrying 4,6lU guns and
5lO'59btons, being an actual increase during
the year, over and above all losses by ship
wreck or in battle of So vessels, l67 guns
and 4242 tons. ..
The total nulnber of men at this time in
the naval servi,e, including officers, is about
$1,000. There have been captured by the
navy, during the. year, 324 vessels, and the
whole number of naval captures since hos
tllltles commenced is one thousand three
hundred, OF which 267 are steamers. The
gross proceeds arising from the sale of con-
demDed prize property thus far reported
amount to $l4, 1896, $50 81. A large amount
OF such proceeds is still under adjudication
and yet to be reported.
The total, expenditures of the Navy De-
partment of every description. including the
cost OF the immense squadrons that have
been called into existence from the 4th of
harch, 1861, to the lst OF November, 1864,
are $23S. .647, 262 35.
Your favorable consideration i. invited to
the various recommendations of the Secretary
OF the Navy. especially in regard to navy
yard and a suitable establishment for the
construction and repair of iron vessels and
tho machinery and armature OF our ships to
which reference was made 10 my last annu-
al message. Your attention is also invited
to the views expressed in the report, in re-
gard to the legislation Of Congress. at its
last session, In respect to prizes on our in
land waters | cordially concur in the re
comnendation of the Secretary as to the
propriety of creating the rank of Vice -Ad-
miral in the naval service.
Your attention is invited to the report of
the Postmaster General for detailed &C.
count of the operations and financial condi-
tion OF the Postoffice Department.
The Postal Revenues for the year ending
June 30th 1864, amounted to $l2, 43S, ,25. 3
Is, and the expenditures to $l2, ,644,776 20.
The excess OF expenditures over receipts be
ing 3206 652 A.
The views presented by the Postmaster
General ON che subject Of special grants by
the Government in aid of the establishment
ct new lines OF ocean mail steamships, and
the policy he recommends tor the develop
ment OF increased commercial intercourse
with adjacent and neghboring countries,
should receive the carefal consideration of
Congress. 1t is Of noteworthy interest that
the steady expansion of 20 pulation, ,impro owe.
ment and governmental institutions, over tho
new and unoccupied portions of our country,
have scarcely been checked, much less i'm
peded or destroyed, by our great civil war,
which at first glance would seem to have alb
s,rbed almost the entire energies Of the ma
ton. 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 noun.
talns, winch once seemed barren and in
ho.pitable waste between the Atlantic States
and those which have grown up on the
coast ol the Pacific Ocean. The territories
OF the united States are generally in CON
dition OF prosperity and rapid growth. Ida
no and Montana, by reason of their great
distance, and the interruption of communi-
cation with them, by the Indian hostilities,
have been only partially organized, but it is
understood that these difficulties are about
to disappear, which will permit their gov
ernments, like those of others, to 20 into
speedy and fall operation. As intimately
connected with aud promotive OF this
material growth of the nation, ask the
attention of Congress to the valuable inform
alton and important recommendations .rela-
ting to the public lands, Iudian affairs, the
Pacific railroad and mineral discoveries,
contained in the report of the Secretary of
the Interior, which is herewith transmitted
and which repot also embraces the subject
OF patents, pensions aud other topics Of
public interest pertaining to his department..
The quantity Of public land disposed ofduring
the live quarters ending on the 30th of
September last, was 422l, ,342 acres, of
which l,57S, GA acres We're entered under
the Homestead law. The remainder was
located with military land warrants, agricul-
tursl scIi certified to States for railroads,
and sold tor cash. n, '',.'' -
The cash received FROM sales aud location
fees ASST ,0l9 446. The income from sal es
during the fiscal year ending june 3Oth, 1864,
was S61 300, 72l. against $l3. .607, ,795 receiv-
ed during the preceding year. The sggrs,
gate Of acres surveyed during the year has
been equal to the quantity disposed OF, and
there !, open to settlement about / 33 900, 600
acres Of surveyed land. The great enterprise
Of connecting the Atlantic with the Pacific
States by railways and telegrat b lines had
been entered upon with vigor that gives
assurance Of success, notwithstandias the 4
EN- mharrassments arising from the preysil-
ing high prices Of materialand labor. The
route of the main line or road has been
definitely located for one hundred miles
from the initial point of Qmab ba