Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-12-07

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ed as useless and generally neglected by parties in
! tercstcI
The penalties are 50 various in the existing law
that II Is recommended that, by proper amendment,
they nav be simpliied. The ranking privilege Is
proposed for assessors and collectors.
Section 10 act June 80, 1854 = believed to require
the very careful attention OF Congress- This section
relates 10 collection of taxes in n,urrectonaTy DIS
trcts and attention is called to the mischief which
will arise from the fact that for nearly three years
| all instruments of writing an IN" south ON W#S u
hang Immense monetary interests, are lnvailchBor
want OF stampsmas enjoined IN schedule oi tAe
revenue act uIMhSs Congress, IN some appropriate
manner, relieves the matter section 10y oil Inc ACT
of 3Oth June 1854 would seem 10 indicate purpose
NJ one time of in some way collecting the duties on
successions in the insUuectiOnaIy districts through
/ the direct tax commissioners. However that may
be- there is now certainly no necessity Tor the mo-
! ton and the Commissioner recommends us repeal.
| He also recommends important notifications oil the
| law regulating stamps But for inconvenience III
hny peopled districts, he would suggest the subst-
tuition of stamped paper Tor adhesive stamps. lie
thinks the public have become sufficiently familiar
with the novelty 10 be held more severely accounta-
bic for infractIon OF the law, and suggests more
stringent remedies.
Important analysi are given and recommendations
offered respecting the operation of the revenue and
direct tax laws in the Southern States.
An increase in the clerical force. and in their COM
peusat.Un is earnestly recommended.
Report of the Secretary of War.
This is pamphlet of IS pages rplete with inter
estng facts, striking geuerdllZatons' and rather
| uorid commentaries. The Secretary begins with i
review OF the military and political situation at the
beginning of the last session OF Congress, with elab-
crate details OF the dispositions OF our forces, their
organization and commanders.
On the st of May, 1854 the total force in service
was go 40 men. OF this the available proportion
was 662 $40 men. On the lst ul March, 1850, this
grand aggregate within aboaJ 900 OF the same
! number but the available force Was less 10y about
60 900 men, BY the 1t OF May, however, the 5.and
| aggregate was l $50 5lG men.
The war appropriations OF the last session amount
cd 10 solo 20 l3l 10. The estimates Tor the current
fiscal year are tor $50 Sl4 46 S}-based on stand
ng force OF 90 UOO men, organized a basis Tor 81
/ 900.
Eight volumes of reports of battles have been sent
to the Government Printing Office Many more are
u come for which the requisite dafi ale MOI YET 1t
| hand.
The disbursement of in the field field Ia, as hsSn 6a
| cent including all losses and expenses OF white
troops O57 1913 cases have been treated in hospital
during the war; Of whom the mortality was eight per
/ cent over seven hundred transports on the ocean
have been constantly employed BY the Qudrteunas-
! ter's Department, with a loss of but three.
The burial records of the QuIltrml~tel'S Depart
mcut do not include those who lcli IN battle ana
| we're buried Immediately on the field They show
| the mtumrnJ in cemeteries If Ito lis retsun', OF
/ whom - 81 were loyal and l2jl3 distinguishes
! were White, eO3i5 CUl1red. Between the 2OiE 81
/ tprii and the SIl Of November, 1860, the Quarter
masters Department sold property 10 the amount ot
! Sl3 3J1Gi5 The Military Academy a West Point
| Is commended, and an additional number oil cadet
recommended. in the Bureau Military Justice
Is 5Jl records OF general courts martial have been
| iied
revision of the law establishing the Freejmen's
Bureau is earnestly recommended, Dut no period Is
suggested for the termination OF that institution.
Report of the Secretary Of the Navy.
The report q the Hon. Gideon Wclles, Secretary
of the Navy, gives Il comprehensive statement Of
the operations oil the Navy, ITS present conditions
aud future necessities concise report OF the upc-
rations OF the North Atlantic, South Atlantic and
West Gulf SQuadronS is presented, together with the
details OF the reduction of the naval force at the
close Uf the war. The number OF vessels and crews
Oh foreign service will not be greatly increased over
those OF former years while the nupbcr OF guns viii
he less: vet il : believed that the superiority Of
steam over sails for naval war vessels, and the i'm
movements of ordnance, will give our force abroad
ScItlV AUGMENTED efficiency and power. There alc
nov the European, Brazil, East India and Pacific
Suldrons in all thrtytwO vessels. To these vii be
added the West India uadron, with nine vt'seis.-
We had in 1860 five SquIdrOns on foreign stations,
numbering 81 vessels. carrying il5 guns. Vt the
present time we have ON the several stations abroad
b vessels mounting 3l7 guns and carrying 80 how
tiers. Since the 4th OF March. 1861, AIS vessels
have been purchased Of which 3l3 were steamers at
cost of SIS 1856 SlS} and of these there have been
sold $40 vessels Tor winch the Government has lc-
ceiycd S562l SjG.2I.
The Secretary recommends the enlargement of the
Navy Yards at Boston and New York to complete
the yard at Mare Island, on the Pacific, rebuild those
of Nor.obSl Pensacola, and sell the present 9c-
stricted ghounds at Philadelphia, after establishing
a ward of sufficient capacity ut League Island or
some other proper location on the Delaware. Tie
states that lac omits any recommendation IN regard
to the yard at Nttery because there are serious OBJ
iectionS To II as q naval station, account q! Il.
proximity to the ocean which renders public prop
erty there insecure.
Midshipmcn, it is recommended, should be ap-
nonted one half IRON enlisted apprentices OF the
navy, and the remainder from Congressional dis
tricts The establishment of naval academy on
the Chesapeake i urged, is possessing superior adj
yantlges TO any other place that can be selected.
The laws OF December n, 1861, and OF jay 10
1852 directing that the hours OF Labor aud the rae
OF wages OF the employees in the navy yard. shall
conform, Us nearly IS consistent with the pubb
interest with those Of private establishments N the
immediate vicinity OF the respective Yards In he de-
termiued by the COmnanGants OF Tie navy yards,
subject to tie approval and revision al the Secretary
of line Navy" the Secretary recommends should br
repealed 1t is also urged that the military and naval
asylums be separate and that whatever funds may
remain in the treasury from fines or other causes
syaciied in the fifth section OF the act of March 81,
asvlum' be sci apart, not for one asylum, but FOR
the two branches Of the service He also recommend;
that all fines Oretnrcs, Nc. derived from naval "i'
fcers or seamcu may nure to the benefit OF the men
of the navy. irrespective OF the asylum Indicated IN
the act Ui last March, which Is more appropriately
adapted to the army.
Tie subject oil the increase Of salaries in the navy
is presented for the favorable consideration OF Con
grcsS
The total expenses Og this department from the i,h
l H. In atpI,r
a period of four years and four months and covering
not only the ordinary expenses OF the navy. hut such
As have arisen in the purchase, construction and
equipment OF vessels and in the maintenancs OF The
| large naval force required during the war, We're
| s3lI 10 9606S-an average annual expenditure Of
81 500 9gO93 It is gratifying TO note that the ey
penses Of this department since the commencement
OF the war have been but nine and three per
! cent OF the expenditures OF the government during
| the same time.
Report of Comptroller Clarke.
The report of Hon. Freeman H. Clarke Comp.rol-
/ Ter of the currency gives a clear statement Of the
| condition of the finances, and recommends mnor-
tant changes in our financial system. The Comp
trOller urges return Ia specie basis, and suggests
! a. the most available method of attaining H. the
funding and consequent retirement OF Il portion o.
the inactive circulation shown to he now held in ra.
| serve. By gold valuation of our imports and cN-
ports. il i estimated That a balance has accrued
against this country during the four wears prey Gus
To the Goth of June last OF S3DS OOOO0O As a rene.
dy for this. the Comptroller recommends AN increase
OF the rate OF duties u- in proportion the price o,
gold ana foreign exchange may recede TO ne follow
/ Ell 10y & graduated reduction OF such Increase say
ten per cent, at the expiration of each SIX mouti,
until brought down 10 the original rate. In the
meantime, by steady reduct on Of the volume Of
redeemable currency and consequent reduction o
prices. We would he able once more to place our
manufactured and agricultural production, on a
footing that would enable them TO enter into Sic
ccssrul competition, with those of other nations a.. t.
| markets OF the world.
Is the first step 10 be taken towards a reduction
of the Government issue, used Us currency the ,ou.
version OF all the interest bearing legal tender NO.,
/ ~ nN..-tMnuI. .LN uer cnmt Lnnls i. u1----L