Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-12-06

coordinate to the people but. the agent and repre-
sentative of the people, il must be held superior TO
mOnopoiies which in themselves, ought never to be
granted, and which, where they exist must De SUI
coordinate and yield to the Government.
The Constitution cOnfers on Congress the right To
regulate commerce among the several States. IL Is
OF the first necessity, for the maintenance of the
Union, that that commerce should be free and.un-
obstructed. No State can be justified in any device
to tax the transit of travel and commerce between
States The position Of many States is such that if
they were allowed TO take advantage of it for pur-
poses OF local revenue, the commerce between States
might be injurousy burdened. or even virtually
prohibited. Ii is best, while the country is still
young, and while the tendency TO dangerous mo-
nopoes OF this kind Is still feeble 10 use the power
of Congress so As TO prevent any selfish impairment
10 the Tree circulation Of men and merchandise. \
tax on trave! and merchandise in their transit con.
sttutes one OF the worst forms of monopoly and
the evil Is increased If coupled with denial of the
choice OF route. When the vast extent of our cOun.
try Is considered II is plain that every obstacle 10
the free circulation of commerce between the
States ought to be steTnly guarded against by APP.
prOpriate legislation, within the limits of the Constr
tuition.
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 man.
agement OF our Indian affairs the progress made in
the construction of the Pacific railroad and furnishes
information in reference TO matters of local interest
in the District of Columbia. 1t also presents evil
dence of the successful operation Of the Home-taad
Act under the provisions of which 100 $50 acres OF
the public lands were entered during the last fiscal
year-more than one-fourth of the whole number OF
acres sold or otherwise disposed Of during that Pc
rod 1t is estimated that tie receipts derived from
this source are sufficient 10 cover the expenses Incl
dent TO the survey and disposal OF the lands entered
under this act and that payments in cash to the eX
tent of from forty 10 fifty per cent Will he made by
Satt w a
fore the expiration of the period at which 1t would
otherwise vest The homestead policy was estab-
lshed only after long and earnest resistance eXpe-
rence proves its wisdom. The lands, in the hands
of industrious settlers whose labor creates wealth and
contributes TO the public resources are worth more
to the United States than if they had been reserved
as a solitude for future purchasers.
The lamentabie events OF the last four years, and
the sacrifices made by the gallant men OF our army
and navy, have swelled the records OF the Pension
Bureau to an unprecedented extent. On the 3Otll
day of June last the total number of pensioners was
50 $50, requiring for their annual pay, exclusive OF
eXnenses the sum of SS023 AS. The number OF
applications that have been allowed since that date
Will require large increase OF this amount Tor The
next fiscal year. The means for the payment of the
stipends due, under existing laws, TO our disabled
soldiers and sailors, and to the families of such as
have persisted in the service of the country, will no
doubt be cheerfuy and promptly granted. CRATE
full people will not hesitate TO sanction any measures
having for their object the relief OF soldiers mutt
lated and families made tathcrleSs in the efforts to
preserve our national existence.
The report ofthe Postmaster General presents an
encouraging exhibit Of the operations of the Post
office Department during the year. The revenues of
the past year from the loyal States alone exceeded
the maximum annual receipts from all the states
previous TO the rebellion in the sum OF So OBS O9l
and the annual average increase OF revenue during
the last four years, compared with the revenues Of
the four years Immediately preceding the rebellion,
was 50 533 S45 The revenues of the last fiscal year
amounted to sl4,556 l5S and the expenditures to
Sl3 GA 1913 leaving surplus ofrecepts over eNpen-
ditures of SSGl 43O Progress has been made in re-
storing the postal service in the Southern States
The views presented 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 Inn
its the compensation for service to the postage
earnings are recommended to the careful cOnsldera
ton of Congress
1t appears from the report of the Secretary of the
Navy, that while, ut the commencement of the pre-
sent year. there were in commission $50 vessels OF all
cusses and descriptions, armed with 5000 guns ana
manned by 81 600 men, the numberpf vessels al pre-
sent in commission is III, with $50 guns and H. Us
men, By this prompt reduction OF the naval forces
the expenses of the government have been largely
diminished, and u number of vessels, pure hased Tor
naval purposes from the merchant marine, have
been returned to the peaceful pursuits OF commerce.
Since the suppression OF active hoStles orr foreign
suuadrOns have been rc-cstablished and consist OF
vessels much more efficient than those employed ON
similar service previous to the rebellion. The sugges
ton for the enlargement Of the navy-yards, and
especially for the establishment of one in flesh wa
ter for irOn-cad vessels is deserving of consdera
ton rs is also the recommendation for a different
location and more ample grounds for the Naval
Academy.
In the report of the Secretary of War; general
summary is given of the military campaigns Of lS6i
and 1860 ending in the suppression OF armed ress-
lance to the national authority in the insurgent
States The operations of the general admnStra-
tive Bureaus OF the War Department during the past
year are detailed, and an estimate made OF the APP
preparations that will be required for military pur.
poses in the fiscal year commencing the 3Oth day OF
June 1866. The national military force on the LIST
Of May, 1865, numbered l,OOO,5l6 men. 1t Is pro-
posed TO reduce the military establishment 10 peace
footing comprchcndng fifty thousand troops of all
arms, organized rs to admit Of an enlargement
by filling up the ranks to eighty-two thousand six
hundred if the circumstances of the country should
require an augmentation OF the army The volnn-
eer force has already been reduced by the discharge
from service of over eight hundred thousand troops
and the Department is proceeding rapidly III the
work of further reduction. The war estimate are
reduced from S5l6 $40, l3l TO S33,Sl4 iGl, which
amount. in the opinion Of the Department, Is AIDE
quate for Il peace establishment The measures Of
retrenchment in each Bureau and branch OF the SER
Il
dalton. Reference is also made IN the report 10 the
necessity OF providing for uniform militia system,
and to the prupriety Of making suitable provision Tor
wounded and disabled officers and soldiers.
The revenue system of the country Is subject OF
vital interest to It's honor and prosperity, ana should
command the earnest consideration OF Congress
The Secretary of the Treasury will lay before you
full and detailed report OF the receipts and dsbdTse-
ments of the last fiscal year of the first quarter OF the
present fiscal year. OF the probable receipts ana eXpen
dtures OF the other three quarters, ana the estimates
for the wear following the 3Uth OF June 1850. might
ruuteut myself with reference 10 that report, IN
which YOU will lind all the information required for
your deliberations and decision. But the paramount
inheritance of the subject 80 presses itself on my
mind that | cannot but lay before you my views Of
the measures which required Tor the good chaIa
ter and might almost say, for the existence o this
ueople The life of republic lies certainly IN Inc
energy virtue and intelligence OF It's citizens Dat
is eonally true that good revenue system l. tile lie
nf an orianized government. | meet you at time
when the nation has voluntarily burdened lt-eli WIN
a debt unprecedented in our annals. NaSt as Is lis
amount il fades away into nothing when conpileu
with the countless blessings that Will be cOnieiren
unon our country and upon man by the preservation
nj nations life Now, on the first occasion oil the
meeting OF Congress since the return OF peace IL -
OF the utmost Importance 10 inaugnrate Just pol,
CIV, Which shall at once be put III notion ana winch
shall commend itself to those who come AFTER Us ioI
the complete eiiacement OF the financial eyls that
necessarily followed state OF civil war. We must
endeavor apply the earliest remedy to the deraneel
state of the currency, and not shrink from devi'ng
a policy which, without being oppressive To the PEG.
pie shall Immediately begin to effect a reduction OF
the debt and, if persisted IN, barge 1t fully With
in definitely fixed number OF years.
Il is our first duty to prepare in earnest for our re-
coyery from the everncreasng evils OF an IredeeEia-
bic currency. without a sudden Revision. and yet
without untimely procr4stnation. For that end. We
must each in our respective positions prepare the
way. hold it the duty Of the Executive u insist
upou frugality in the expenditures; and spIlng
econOmy is itself a great national resource. III tile
banks to which authority has been given to issue
notes secured by bonds Of the United States We may
reoure the greatest moderation and prudence, and
the law must he rigidly enforced when its limits are
exceeded. We may, each one Of Us, counsel our
active and enterprisng cOuntrymen to be constantly
on their guard, to liqudate debts contracted in
paper currency, and, by conducting business a.
nearly a. possible on a system OF cash payments or
short credits IN hold themselves prepared 10 return
the standard of gold and silver. To aid our fellow
citizens in the prudent management OF their none
tary affairs the duty devOlves 10 diminish, BY
law the amount Of paper money now in circ ulation.
Five wears ago the bank-note circulation of the
country amounted to not much more than two
hundred millions; now the circulation, bank and
national exceeds seven hundred millions. Tie simple
statement OF the fact recommends more strongly
than any words of mine could do, the necessity of
our restraining this expansion. The gradual rcduc-
gF il tIn .ult-