The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1865-12-14
NUMBER Is.

! dav of June last, the total number Of pen,
sioners was 1886, requiring for their
annual pay. exclusive ofexpcnses, the sum
Of s9 ,o23, 445. The number Of applications
=. that have been allowed since that date will
require large increase Of this amount for
the next fiscal year The means for the
payment of the stipends due under exist
Ing laws, to our disabled soldiers and sail
Ors. and the families Of such as have per-
ished in the service of the country, will no
doubt be cheerfully and promptly granted.
4 grateful people Will not hesitate to
sanction any measures having for their OBJ
icct the relief of the soldier mutilated aud
families made fathcrlcss in their efforts to
preserve cur national existence.
The report Of the Postmaster General
presents an encouraging exhibit of the
operations of The Post Office Department
during the year Thc revenue os the past
year from the loyal States alone exceeded
the maximum annua, receipts FROM all the
States previous 10 the rebellion, In the sum
of s, OBS 81 and the annual average in
crease Of revenue during the last four years,
com ,arei y It'll the revenues cf the four
years Immediately preceding the rebel
lion was S3, 533. .St5 The revenues Of
the last fiscal year amounted to Sl4 .556,-
l5S, and the expenditures to sl3,G9i,72S,
leaving = surplus of receipts over expen-
ditures OF s86l,i31 Progress has been
made III restoring the postal service in the
Southern States. The views presented by
i the Postmaster General against the policy
Of granting subsidies to ocean aud steam
ship lines upon the established routes, and
in favor of continuing the present system
which limits the compensation for ocean
ervce to the postage earnings. are recon-
mended to the careful consideration of
Congress.
1t appears, from the report of the Sec
retary of the Navy, that while, at the
commencement of the present year, there
were in commission $50 vessels of all class
es and descriptions, armed with 5000
guns and manned by 81 900 men, the
number of vessels at present in commission
is III, with $50 guns and 1l,l2S men =
BY this prompt reduction of the naval for
ces the expenses of the Government have
been largely diminished, and a number Of
vessels purchased for naval purposes from
the merchant marine, have been returned
to the peaceful pursuits of commerce.
Since the suppression of active hostilities,
our foreign sQuadrOnS have been establish
ed, and consists of vessels much more
efficient than those employed on similar
service previous TO the rebellion. The
suggestion for the enlargement of the navy
! yards, and especially for the establishment
o:s..one in fresh wafer For iron-clad vessels, e
deserving OF consideration, as is also the
Recommendation for different location
and more ample grounds for the Naval
Academy.
In the report Of the Secretary Of War,
q general summary is given of the military
campaigns Of 1864 and 1865, ending IN
the suppression OF armed resistance to the
national authority in the insurs eat S tatcs.
The operations Of the genera! administra-
tive Bureaus of the War Department du>
ring the past year arc detailed. and an es-
innate made Of the appropriations that will
be required Cor military purposes 10 the
fiscal year commencing the 3Oth day of
Jane. 1865. The rational military force
oa the Is. OF jiay. 1851, numbered / ,009,>
jl6 men. 1t Is proposed TO reduce the
military establishment to 4 peace footing.
comprehending fifty thousand troops of
I'll arms, organized so rs to admit OF an
enlag-cmct b. filing III he ranks to eigh-
ty-two thousand six hundred, if the cir
cumstanccs ofthc country should require
an augmentation OF the army The vol
uatcer force has already been reduced BIZ
The discharge from service Of over eight
hundred thousand troops. and the Depart
ment Is proceeding rapidly in the work of
further reduction. The W, estimates arc
reduced from S5i6.249, l3l to s33, ,Sli,-
4il, which amount IN the opinion Of the
Department, is adequate for peace c,-
tablishment The measures of retrench
mcnt III each Bureau and branch of the
service exhibit dilsont economy worthy
Of commcndation Reference i also made
in the rcror, to the necessity Of providing
10. uDilorm militia system. and to the
propr y of making sui:a Die proyis.ol for
woua led and disabled officers aud sol
der.
The revenue system of The country /,
subject OF vital interest to Its honor and
prosperity, and should command the earn,
es, consideration Of Congress The Sccrc>
ta,y of the Treasury will LAY before you
fall anI detailed report OF the receipts and
di ,burscments of the last fiscal year. of The
first quarter of the present fiscal year,
of The probable rcccilt' and expenditures
for the other three quarters, and the est>
mate for the year following the Both of
June, 1866. might content mysclfwith
a reference to that report, in which you
will find all the information required for
your deliberations and decision. But the
paramount importance of the subject so
pressed itself on my mind, that | cannot
lay before you my views of the measures
which are required for the good character,
aud, | might almost say, fer the existence
of this people. The life of the republic
lies certainly in The energy, virtue and in-
telligcncc Of Its citizens; but it is equally
true that good revenue system is the LIE
of an organized government. ! meet YOU
at time when the nation has voluntarilv