The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-12-13

,lom of the Act "Thc lands, in tho hands Of
industrious settlers, whose labor creates wealth
and contributes to the public resources. are
worth moro to the United States than II they
bad been reserved as o solitude for future
purchasers"
The total number Of Pensioners on tho Sosh
day OF June last, was sj,9s1, who received
$s,O23,l45.
The Post Office Department hns been moro
than self sustaining. the receipts during to'
last year (sl4,55G, 1851 exceeding the e1psnd''
lures by ss52,4ao. -.
The Navy has been reduced from $50 vessels
armed with 5000 guns, aud manned by ol,ooo
men, to III vessels, $50 guns. and .l2o
men. The establishment, o. fresh water
Navy Yard, and the enlargement Of the others
;s recommended. Also the removal OF ths
Naval Academy
Tho national military force on tho LIST OF
Nav. 1856, numbered l,000,3lG men. lis
proposcl 10 reduce the military establishment
to peace footing, comprehcnling h;ty sho"s'
and troops Of all arms, organized SO rs 70 "a-
mi, OF an enlargement, By filling up the
% Ma n c;,h;y-,wo thousand six hundred. X
the circumstances Of the country should re-
ouirc an augmentation Of the army. Inc
volunteer force has already been REDUCED ~
; Tic discharge trom service Of over eisbt nun
! drc, thousand troops, md the department "
proceeding rapidly in the work ol i"rthSr re-
! duc,ion. The war estimates nrc reduced from
ISjlG,2i0,l l3l TO So ,SiI ,iGl. which amount IN
the opinion Of the department, is adequate ior
n n,ncc establishment. The measures ot re-
,renchmen, in each burcau and brHhch OF the
service, exhibit diliscnt economy "oF!hy o'
commcndation. Reference is also made III Tue
report to the necessity Of providing LOT
uniform militia system, and to the propric'y
of mnking suitable provision Tor wouhueu "nu
disabled officers and soldiers. :.
The revenue system OF the country IS as"o>
ice, Of vital interest is honor and prospet-
Ii,v, and should command the earnest eonsio-
! Grafton Of Coacr.ss. The Secretary OF tDs
Treasury will lay hcforc ycu full anu ue'
tailed rcpor, Of ;Ac receipts nnd d':o"rssl'en'.
Of the .as: Is:al year. oi III: hrst 4,l"rter o'
the rrcsta: Gs::! year, .: the pr9o"ols Ie'
ceipts ana expenditures for tho o'her 'ises
nnar,crs, and tie estimates :or tlE 3e'' wi
lowing the 30,h OF J"nc. lSG1. Will con'cn'
myself with reference 10 thas !epoE',
which you will Gni all The informa,iin rcquir-
ed for your delihc:ation md dce's'oh: ou'
the paramount Importance Of the su")eet 10
presses itself OIL my mind, that can mol ou'
las before you my views Of the measures "n'ea
nrc required for the good character, Hnd,
might almost say, for the existence OF the pco'
ple' The life Of n republic lies certainly in
the energy, virtue, nad intelligence Of It's CIT
| q, - Her UOOl TCv0s
nue. system, is the life of nm organized govern
mcnt. meet you AZ .. time when the nation
T has voluntarily Euricrcd itself with debt
!, uuprccc,!cn:ed in orr annn.s. Vas! rs is IL
! amount, il fades a"ay into nothing when
! compared with the countless blessings that
will be conferred u2oa cur country nnd upon
=. man hy the preservation Of the nations life
. Now on the ii,s. occasion of the meeting OF
D.. Congress since tic return Of peace, II IS o: tbs
utmost importance TO Ean%nratc just policyr
[ which shall q; oEcc Gc rut IN motion, and
I which ska, commend itself TO those who come
. II ter u.s. ;or its continuance. We must aim NJ
| nothing less than the complete cEaccment OF
o the financial evils tina! necessarily followed
g state @: civil var. We mas, cndcaror 10 mp.
= Siy the carlics; "c::cdy to :!Ic dc-angcd state
/ of The currency. ani no: shrink from derisinR
, policy, which, without being oppressive TO
Q the rrcp,c, Shall immediately begin 10 effect
. n reduction of Tic debt. and. II persisted In.
= discharge il rally wi;h;a . definitely G1cd
! number o: years.
II is our arst i::y 20 prepare in cararst TOR
, our recovery from rha evcr.ncrcasing evils OF
an irrcdecmablc ccrrcncy, without sudden
3 rcru!sion. md yet w,Lcu; untimc!y procrasti-
f nation. For that end, We must each, in our
respective positions, prepare the way. hold
, i, the duty cf the Executive 10 insist upon
frusaity in the expenditures; and spnrnG
!. economy is itselfn great national resource
OF the banks TO which authority Inns hoen
given 20 issue notes tecurc'l Ly bonds OF The
United States. wc may require the grcatest
moderation aai prudence, and the Inv must
be rigiI!y enforced when its limits nrc *.
ccclcd. We may. each one Of us, counsel our
active and cn!erprisiaS countrymcn 10 be
constantly on tncir guard, 20 liqnijate debts
contracted in paper currency, and, by con
duc,inS business rs yearly rs possible on
system Of Cash payment or short credits, 10
holl themselves prepared 10 return TO tho
standard o. co.l nad silver. TO aid orr fcl.
low.citizeas IN ,ae prudent management OF
their monetary affairs, the duty lcrolyca on
us TO diminish. by Law, the amount Of pnpcr
money now in circulation. Five years aSo
The DaDR.E0tc Circulation VI iHc CoUHtIs "hs
no, more than two hundred millions; now the
circulation, bnnk md national, exceeds seven
hundred millions. The simple abatement Of
the fact recommends more strongly than any
words Of mine could do, the necessity Of orr
restraining this expansion. The gradual re.
dnc,ion Of the currency is the only measure
,llnt can save the business Of the country from
disastrous calamitics; and this can be almost
imperceptity accomplished by gradually
funding the national circulation in securities
that may be made TedeemaLlc ut the pleasure
of the Government.
Our debt is doubtly sccure-Gr't in the no.
tual wealth and still greater nndcveioped re-
sources Of the country; mud next in The char
actcr of our institutions. The most intelligent
observers among political ccononist' have no!
failed to remark, TINT public deb, Of n conn.
try is sufc in proportion rs its people are free;
That the debt OF republic is the srtest Of all.
Our history confirms and establishes the the
orv, and is, firmly believe. destined 10 give
il n still more signal illustration. The secret
o: this superiority springs no: merely from the
fact that in rspablic the national obliGn,
tions are distributed more widely through
countless numbers in MI classe: OF focietyi IL
has il. root in the character Of our Laws. Hero