Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
VOLUME sS; no. 81.

years, and the sacrifices made BY the gallant
men OF our Army and Navy, have swelIed
the records OF the Pension Bureau to an
| unprecedented extent On the 10th day Of
June last, the total number of pensioners
was $3.50, requiring for their annual nav
exclusive OF expenses, the sum of IS. .623.
80 The number Of applications that have
been allowed since that date viii require a
large increase of this amount for the next
fiscal year The means for the payment Of
the stlpends due, under existing laws, toour
disabled soldiers and sailors, and to the fam
HES OF such as have perished in the service
OF the country, will no doubt be eeheerfully
and promptly granted. A grateful people
VIII not hesitate to sanction any measures
having tor their object the relief of soldiers
mutllated and families made fstherIess In
the efforts to preserve our national exist
/ ence.
The report Of the Postmaster General pre-
sents an encouraging exhibit of the opera-
tions of the Posfefice Department during
the year. The revenue of the past wear from
fthe loyal States alone exceeded the maxi
mum annual receipts from all the States pre-
vlous to the rebellion, ia the sum of Sc 03S-
09l; and the annual average increase of rev
enue during the last four years, compared
with the revenue of the four years immedi-
ately preceding the rebellion, was S3. 533.-
S35. The revenue of last fiscal year announ-
ted to $l4, $50, l58, and the expenditures to
$l3, ,694, 728, leaving a surplus of receipts
over expenditures Of 1861 ,43O. Progress
has been made In restoring the postal service
IN the Southern States. The views presen-
ted by the Postmaster General against the
policy Of granting subsidies to ocean mail
steamship lines upon established routes, and
in favor of continuing the present system,
which limits the compensation for ocean
service to the postage earnings, are recon-
mended to the careful considerations of Con-
gress.
1t appears from the report of the Secre-
tary of the Navy, that while at the com
meneement of the present year, there were
in commission $50 vessels of all classes and
descriptions, armed with 5000 guns and
manned by 81 900 men, the number of yes
sells at present in commission is III, with
$50 guns and Il, l28 men. BY this prompt
reduction of the naval forces the expenses
OF the Government have been largely di-
minished, and number of vessels, purchas-
ed for naval purpose from the merchant ma
rine have been returned to the peaceful pur-
suits Of commerce. Since the suppression
Of active hostilities our foreign sauadrons
have been re established and consist of yes
sells much more efficient than those employ
ed on similar service previous to the rebel
lion. The suggestion for the enlargement
of the navy yard, and especially for the es-
Enlistment of one in fresh water for iron
clad vessels, is deserving of consideration.
as is also the recommendation for different
location and more ample grounds for the Ma
val Academy.
In the report of the Secretary of War, a
general summary is given of the military
campaigns Of 1864 and 1865, ending.i in the
suppression of armed resistance to the ma
tional authority in the insurgent States.
The operations of the general administra-
tive Bureaus Of the War Department during
the past year are detailed, and an estimate
made OF the appropriations that will re-
qulred for military purposes In the fiscal
year commencing the 30th day of June, 1866.
The rational military force on the first of
May, 1865, numbered l 200, 5l6 men. tits
proposed to reduce the military establish
ment to peace footing comprehending fif
ty thousand troops of all arms, organized so
as to admit of an enlargement by filling up
the ranks to eighty-two thousand SIX hun
dred, if the circumstances of the country
should require an augmentation of the ar
my. The volunteer force has already been
reduced by the discharge from service of
over eight hundred thousand troops, and the
Department is proceeding rapidly in the
work of further reduction. The war esti-
mates are reduced from S5l6, $50, 13I to$33-
Sl4, 4l6, which amount, in the opinion of the
Department, is adequate for the peace estab-
mlshment. The measures of retrenehment
In each Bureau and branch Of the service
exhibit diligent economy worthy of com
mendation. Reference is also made in the
report to the necessity of providing for
uniform militia system, and to the propriety
OF making suitable provision for wounded
and disabled officers and soldiers.
The revenue system of the country is a
subject Of vital interest to its honor and rros-
perity, and should command the earnest con-
sideration Of Congress. The Secretary of
the Treasury viii lay before you a full and
detailed report of the receipts and disburse-
ments of the late fiscal year, of the first quar-
ter of the present fiscal year, of the probable
receipts and expenditures for the other three
quarters, and the estimates for the year fol-
lowing the 30th of June, 1865. [ might con-
tent myself with reference to that report,
In which you will find all the information
required for your deliberations and decision.
But the paramount importance of thesubject
SO presses itself on my own mind, that can
not but lay before you my views of the
measures which are required for the good
character, and | might almost say, for the
existence of this people. The life of re-
public hes certainly In the energy, virtue
and intelligence of its citizens but it is
equally true that good revenue system is
the life of an organized government meet
you at a time when the nation has yoluntari-
ly burdened itself with debt unprecedented
in our annals Vast as is its amount, it
fades away into nothing when compared
with the countless blessings that viii be con-
ferred upon our country and upon man by
the preservation Of the nation life. Now,
on the first occasion of the meeting of Con
gress since the return OF peace, 1t Is of the
utmost Importance to inaugurate Just poll
ey which shall at once be put IN motion,
and which shall commend itself to those
who come after us for its continuance. We
must aim at nothing less than the complete
effacement of the financial evils that neces-
sarily follow state of civil war. We must
endeavor to apply the earliest remedy to the
deranged state OF the currency, and not
shrink from devlsing policy which, with
out being oppressive to the people, shall i'm
begin to effect reduction of the
debt, and, it persisted in, discharge it fully
within definitely fixed number OF years.
1t is our first duty to prepare in earnest
for our recovery from the eyer-increasiHg
evils of irredeemable currency, without
sudden revulsion, and yet without untime-
ly procrastination. For that end, we must
each in our respective positions, prepare
the way | holdit the duty of the Execu-
five to insist uDon frugalitv in the expendi- /