Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-12-08

un0bHfrucNfus
etse san be justified 10 auy device to the transit Of
uavd end o'mnerce between States The position Of
many States is such that hthty allowed to take
adtaotsge OF II for purposes a local revenue, the
rec bet~ssn Slaves might be ijurousy burdened or
even virtually prohio ed II IL best white the country
il still young, aud while the tendency to dangerous
nopoes Of this Mind IL st feeble the power Of
Congress so a. to prevent selfish impedment 20 the
fee circulation Of men aud merchandise. A tax on
travel and merchandise In their Transit constitutes one
Of the forms Of monopoy and the evil s increased
II coupled with denial Of he choice OF route. when
the vast extent Of our country consdere It Is plain
that every obstacle TO the free circulation OF
between the states ought be sernly guarded against
By appropriate legislation, within the limits Of the Con-
The report Of the Secretary Of the Interior explains
the condition Of the public lands the transactions Of the
Patent Office and the Pension Bureau the agement
Of our Indian affairs the progress made In the construc
ton Of the Pacific railroad and furnishes information In
Inference to matters Of local interest in the Distinct Of
Columbia II also rretents evidence Of the successful
operation Of the Homestead Act under the provisions Of
which 100 633 Of the public lands entered
during the last fiscal yeamofe than fourth Of the
whole number u sold otherwise disposed Of dur
ing that etiod IL s estimated that the receipts derived
from this source are sufficient to cover the expenses in
oident to the survey aud disposal Of the lands entered
under this Act and that payments In cash TO the extent
Of from forty hfy per cent wi be made by settlers
who may thus at any time acquire title before the exp
alton Of the pe,iodM which il would otheruse vest
The Homestead policy established only after long
and earnest resistance experience proves its wisdom
The lands. in the hands Of industrious settlers whose
labor creates wealth and contributes the public
sources are worth more TO the United States than II
they had been reserved solitude for future purchas
ers
The lame ntAble events Of the last four years. and the
great sacrifices AIDE by the gallant men Of our Army
and Navy, have swecd the records Of the Pension Blu
read to unpret edented extent On the 3uh day Of
June last the total number Of pensioners was IS 49,
curing for their annual pay, exclusive u expenies the
have been allowed since that date will require Large in
crease OF this amount for the next fiscal year. The
means for the payment OF the s ends due under exist
ing laws disabled soldiers and sal ors AVID tho
families Of such as have persh,d In the service Oft
country, ~ 10 doubt be cheeTfully and promptly frant
ed. grateful people will not hesitate to sanction any
having for their object the relief o. soldiers
mutated ar families made fAtheress in the efforts TO
preserve our national existence.
The report q the Posma ster General presents an
courAgins exhibit Of the operations Of the Post Off
Department during the year The revenues OF The past
year frt the loyal States lone exceeded the maximum
annual receipts from all the States previous to the rebel
lion, in the sum Of SO 03S09l and III annual average
increase Of during the last four years. compared
with the fesenues OF the fur )ears Immediately pfeced
ing the rebellion, was S3633 S5 The revenues Of the
last fiscal year amounted TO Sl4 6SS 6s and the eEpen
duures to Sl3 69i72S leaving surplus Of receipts over
expenditures Of 1851 4S0 Progress has been made in
restoring the postal service in the Southern States The
views ed by the Postmaster General against III
policy Of granting subsidies mail steamship
lines upon established routes and in favor ofconnui
the present system. which limits TIE compensation for
an service to the postage earnings IteommeI d
TO The careful cen idef alton OF Coz gress
1t appears. fom the report Of the Secretary OF the Ma
Wy that WHILE at the commencement OF the ITescut
there were in commission $50 sells Of al cases an
desoripu u.s. ann d wi 5000 guns and manned by 5l
600 men the number ofssse at present in comm ssion
is III, with $50 GYMS and II 1913 By thi prompt
reduction Of the naval forces, the EXPENSES Of the q
eminent have been largely diminished, ,nd number Of
verse purchased for naval purposes from the merchant
marine, have been nturned to the peaceful pursuits OF
commerce. Since The suppression OF active hosti les
our foreign squsdous have been re-tsiAbished. and
consist Of iels much efficient than those
ployed similar service previous 10 the rebellion. The
suggestion for the enlargement Of the navy yards and
especially for the establishment Of IN fresh water for
IT. clad vessels deserving Of Consideration, as is al
$50 the recommendation for different location
ample grounds for the Naval Academy.
In the report OF the Secretary Of Wsr general sum
may given of the military campaigns Of 1864 and 65
ending in the suppression OF armtdres to the
tou al authority in the insurgent States The operations
uf the general administrative Bureaus If the Wa De-
partment during the past yeae det'td aud est-
mate made OF the appropriations that vii be requ red Tor
miar purposes in the fsc'l yev commencing the Both
day Of June, 1866 The natl nal military force the
LIST Of May, 1865 mum cred loo $40 men 1t is pro-
posed to reduce the military establishment 70 peace
footing comprehending dfy thousand troops Of aims
organised so TO admit Of enlargement by hng up
the ranks to eghy-two thousand six hundred II the cir
cumsar OF the country should require sugmenta
on Of the army The volunteer force has already been
edued by The discharge from service OF over eieht hul
dred houand ops and the Department l. proceeding
rapidly n the work OF further r'd cton The es
mats are reduced from S5l6 240 l3l to 1854 46l,
which amount, in the opinion OF the Department, ad
equate for peace establishment The measures Of
reni hment in each Bureau and branch OF the vice
exhibit diligent economy worthy OF nmendat m
Reference is also made In the report the necessity Of
providing for uniform militia system and to the pro-
prety Of king suitable provision for wout ded and dis
absd officers and soldiers.
The system OF the country is subject Of vi
tai interest to its honor and prosperity aud should COM
nd the earnest nsidei alton OF Congress The Sec
retary of the Treasury will lay before you fun and
JAILED report Of the receipts and disbursements Of the
last fiscal year. Of the first quarter of the present fiscal
year Of the probbe receipts and expenditures for he
other three quarters and The estimates for the year fol-
lowing the Both Of June, 1866 might con ent myself
With reference to that report in which find all the
information r'qured for your deliberations and decision
But the importance OF the subj presses
itself my mind that cannoi but lay before you
my views Of the measures which ATE required for the
good character and nigh also say for the existence
Of this people The life OF artpubc lies certainly in the
energy, virtue and intelligence Of its tzensi but il is
equally tue that good revenue fJsem ia toe life OF an
organized government. meet you at a time when lie
nation has voluntarily burdened itself with nebt imp
cedened in our annals Vast "A is is ar QUIT 1t AIDES
away into nothing when compared with The oounilt SIS
blessings that will be conferei upon our coun'ty and
upon man bt the PRESERVATION Of the nat ont life. Nov,
Oh the hst occasion Of the meeting OF Congress since the
of peace It is Of the un o,t Importance TO iDau
gurate just policy, which shall at be put in
ton, and which shall commend itself to those who
after foI its con tnuance. We must aim at thing
less than the complete eacement Of the financial evils
that ne, sssaIiy followed sta Il tiyil wat We musI
ende vor to apply the remedy e. the deranged state Of
the currency, and not th iuk from de,iing polio,
which, without being oppressive TO tho people shall i'm
med tey begin TO effect reduction Of toe debt and II
perss ed in discharge it full, within definitely fixed
number OF years.
1t is si duty prepare 10 for our recov
cry from the ever incIe sing evils OF an rsdeemaole
currency, without sudden REVISION and yet without
untmey proeIastination, For ih, end We mu't. each
in respect positions. prepare the way hold II
the duty u the Executive TO insist upon huga la he
ex endtures; and sparing economy is Itself great
national or the banks which hOrity
been given issue notes secured by bonds the United
States, may require the greatest moderation and
prudence and the Law be gidly enforced hen its
limits are exceeded We may, each of US, counsel our
active and prsinR counirymen be constantly on
their guard to iquiate debts In paper
rency and by conduct business nearly possible
on system Of cash payment or short Credits to hold
themselves prepared 10 return to The standard Of gold
aud silver. To aid fellowcitizens In the prudent
management OF their monetary affairs he duty devolv
on diminish by Law the amount OF paper money now
in circulation Five years ago the bank circulation
OF the coun ~ amounted TO not much more than
bundled mihiOns nov the circulate on bank and ma
t'ona exec, DIS seven hundred millions The simple
statement OF the fact recommends strongly than
any words Of mine coud do the necessity OF our re.
sraining this expansion The gradual Ieduoi1n Of the
currency is the only that the business
OF the county from disastrous eaAmies and this can
be almost imperospubly accomplished by gradually
funding the national circulation In securities that may
be ma de ENABLE at the pleasure Of he Government
4 Our debt is doubly seeurs-frs in the actual wealth
and still greater undeyeoped Of the country
and next in the character OF our institutions The
intelligent observers among political economists nave
MOI failed to remark, that the public debt OF country
safe in proportion as it's people free that the deot
u republic is the safest OF all Our history confirms
and establishes the theory and s firmly believe des-
tined TO pive II iii, more signal illustrntion The
cret OF this superiority springs merely from the