Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-07

Dy u8i ana 1AaCt tAotlCe NO4tA
men special privileges to none" The Govefh-
ment il 81 bordinate 70 the psoples but, a The Il
ayent and representative OF the peoplesit musf be
held superior to- monopolfes, whIch, IN ffem-
selv s, ought never to be granted, and which,
where they exist, must be subordinate and yie.d
to the Government.
The Constitution coniers on Congress the right
to regulate comHerce among the several States.
It is of tn first necessity. for the maintenancs
of the Union, that that commerce should be free 4
and unobstructed. No State can be justified in
mercs between States. Tbs position Of many
States 10 such that, If they were allowed 10 take
advantage of 1t for purposes of local revenues tue
commerce between States might bs iIiut lusy
burdensd or even virtually prohibited. 1t Is best,
while the country Is still young, and while the
tendency to dangerous monepoiies OF this kind is
still feeble, TO uss the power OF CongresI as to
prevent any selfish impediment to the fee circu-
lation of men aud merchandise. tax on travel
and merchandise, in their transit, constitutes one
of the worst forms of monopoly, and the evil is
increased if coup ed with denial Of the choice Of
route. When the vast extent OF cur cou1try Is
considered, IL is plain thst every obstacle TO the
free circulation OF c )mmercs between the states
ought to be sternly guarded against By ePpFopr1'
ate legisation. within the limits Of the COnstitu-
ton. ~ s-slssras tgr3 nga u Ugag
explains the conditions of the public lands, the
transactions of the Patent Office and the Pension
Bureau the management OF our Indian anairs,
the progress made in the construction of the
Pacific railroad, and furnishes information in
reference to matters OF local interest in tile
District of Columbia. Il also presents evidence
of the successful operation ofthe HomeEtead Act,
under the provisions of which 100, 533 acres of
lands were entered during the last 6scai xeAr--
IA ore than one-fourth of the whole number Of
acres sold or otherwise disp sed of during that
period. 1t Is estimated that the receipts derived
from this souree- are sufficient to cover. thelex-
psnfes incident to the survey and disposal Of the
lands entered under this Act, and that payments
10 oalh TO the extent of from forty to fifty per.
cent. will be made by settlers, who may thus at
any time acquire title before the expiration of the
period at which it you'd otherwise vest. The
homestead policy was established only after long
and earnest res stance; experience proves its
wisdom. The lands, in tia hands of Industrious
settlers, whose labor creates wealth and contri-
butes to the public rssourseSs R-Hworsh uso-e tn
the Unitod States thBa ~ - . Il served
a solitude for future purchasers lte stGsie !
The lameptsbls events of the last four years,
and the sacrifices made by the gal ant men of
army and navy, have sweled the records f the
Pension Bureau to an u preeedented extent. On
the Both day of June last, the total number of
pay exclusive Of expenses, the Gum of 81, O23 AS.
The number Of applications that haze baenz al
lowed SINGS that date will require q large increase
of this amount for the next fiscal year. The
means Tor the payment of the siipends due, ua-
der existing laws. to our disabled soldiers and
sailors, and to the families Of ouch have perish
ed in this service of their country, will no DOUBT
be cheertuly and promptly granted. A grateful
people will not hesitate to Ection any meas ures
having for their object the relief of soldiers mui-
late1 and families made fatherisss in their efforts
Z ne re aort of the Postmaster General presents
an encouraging exhibit of the operations of the
PostofIise Department. during the year. Tbs rev.
of the past year from the loyal states alone
exceeded the maximnm annual receipts from all
the Stat previous to the rebellion, in the of
So, 03s col; aud the annual average increase of
revenue during the last four years, compared W tn
the revenues Of the four years Immediately pre-
ceding tho rebellion, was S3.533,845. The rtve-
of the last fiscal yesr amounted t" Sl4, &c.,,
l. 8, and tbs expenditures to SIS, 694, 92s leaving
a aurrlua TDendi turaa of 1851 40
Progress has been made in restoring the postal
service in tine Southern States. IRE views pre-
scented by the Postmaster General against the pJli
cy of granting subsidies to ocean mail steamship
lines upon establ shed routes and in favor Of con-
tinuinR the present system, which limits the COM
penIati2n ior ocean service 70 Postage, sar1ings,
It appesrs from the report Of the Secretary of
the Navy, that while, at the commencement of
the present year, there were in commission $50
vessels Of all classes and de criptiona armed with
8 ,0O0 guns and manned by $1,000 men, the num-
Der of vessels at present in commission Is III,
with $50 guns end 1928 men. BY this prompt
reduction of the naval force, the expens of the
Government have been largely diminished, and
number of vessels, purch ased for naval pu poses
from the merchant marine, have been returned to
the peaceful pursuits Of commerce. Since the
Suppression of active hostities orei On sqnae-
Fons have been re-estabished, and consist of ves-
sells much more efficient than those employed
| similar service previous to the rebellion. The.
| suggestions for the enlargement OF the navy
yards. and especially for the establishment
of one in fresh water for iron-oad vefsels is de-
serving Of consideration, as is also the recon-
mendasion for different location and more ample
grounds for the Naval Academy.
In the report of the Secretary of War, general
summary is given of the m ltary ca npaigns of
1864 and 1865, ending In tbs suppression OF armed
resistance to the national suthority in the insur
| gent States. The operations of the geh0Fal ad-
| ministra i've Bureaus of the War Department
during the past year arr detailed, and estimate
made Of the appropriations that will be required
| for military purposes 10 The fiscal year commence
/ ing the S0th day of June, 1866. The national
military foFcs on the LIST of May, 1865, Numbered
| 1,0O05I6 men IL il proposed 10 reduce the mill.
/ tary establishment to peace footing. compre-
bending fifty thousand troops of all arms organ
| lied to admit OF an enlargement by filling
| up the ranks to eighty-two thousand six hun
| dred, If the eircum 'tances Of tine country should
require such an augmentation o. the ARM. = The
| volunteer force has already been reduced by the
discharge from service Of over eight h1ndreI
| thousand troops, and the Depart msnt is proceed
| ing rapidly in the work Of furth=r reduction
The estimatss reduced from S5l6, 240, l3l
| to So, Sl4 ,46l, which amouut,in the opinion Of
the Department, is adequate fer peace establish
ment. The measures Of retrenchment In each
| Bureau and branch of the service exhibit GILL;
| gent economy worthy of commentator, Refer
ence is also made in the report to the necaAsity of
| providing for uniform miitia system, and TO
| the propriety of making suitable provision for
i wounded aud disabled officers and soidiers-
The revenue System of the country Is subject
of vital interest itp honor and prosperity and
| should command the earnest CO sideratton OF
| Congress. The Secretary of the Treasury viii
lay before yoE full and detailed report Of the
receipts and disbursements of the fiscal year. Of
the first Quarter OF the present fiscal year, OF the
| probable receipts and expenditures for tbs other
three quarters and The estimates for the year fot
| lowing the 3Oth OF June, 1866. might content
| myself with reference 10 that report, in which
you will find all the information required for
| your deliberations and decision. But this para
mount Importance of the subject so presses itself
/ on my mind, that cannot but lay before You
my views of the measures which ars required for
the good character, and, might almost say, Tor
the existence of this people The lis Of repub-
lie lies certainly in the energy, virtue, and intel
gence of its citizens but II is equally true that
\ good revenue system il the life of an organized
government. meet You at time " han the ma
| ton has voluntarily burdened itself with debt
uupreceden ted in our annals. Vast as IL its
pared with the countless blels sings that will he
i conferred upon our country aud upon man by the
| preservation of the nations life. Now, the
| first occasion of the nesting of Congress since
! the return OF peace, it is Of the utmost impor-
lance TO inaugurate just policy, which shall at
| once be put In motion, aud Which shell commend
itself to those who come after for its continu-
ance.
We must aim at nothing less than the complete
! efacement of the financial evils that necessarily
followed q state of civil war. We must endeavor
TO Apply the earliest rene ~ 70 the deranged state
of the currency, and OF shrink from deVising q
/ policy which, without being oppressive to the
people, shall Immediately begin TO effsct reduc-
ton of the public debt, and, IL persisted in, dis
| charge it within definitely fixed number Of
/ years. za-ss..az.s.ssaa.la-
1t is our first duty to prepare in earnest for our
recovery from TT ever ocreasing evils Of IRE
! deemable currency, without sudden revulsion,
| and yet without untimely procrastination For
that end, We must, each N eur respective posi-
tons, prepare the way. hold it the duty Of the
Executive to insist upon frugality in the expen-
! ditures; and spartng economy is itself great
| national resource OF the banks to which au-
thori'y has been given to Issue notes secured by
bonds of the United States, we may reQuire
the greatest moderation and prudence, and the
law mn-t % Figidly enforced when it's Iimits ere
| excesdsd. We pay, each one of rs, counsel our
active and enterprising tcountrymen to be
| stantlY on their guard, 10 hquidate debts con-
/ trscted in paper currency, and by cond acting
business as nearly as possible on sys EN- of cash
payments or short credits, to hold themselves pre-
pared to return to the standard of gold and sill.
YER To aid cur fellow-Citizens IN the prudent
management of their monetary affairs, the duty
| devolves on us to diminish by law the amount of
/ paper money now in circulation. Five years ago
the bank note circulation OF the country amount
/ ed to not much more than two hundred miliors
i now the circulation, bank and national exceeds
| seven hundred millions. The simple statement
/ of the fact recommends more strongly than any
words of mine could do. the necessity Of our re-
straining this exPsnki1n. Fhe gradual reduc-
tion of the currency is the only measure that can
| save tn business of the country from disastrous
| calamities and thiscan be almost imperceptibly
| accomplished by grsdually finding educational
/ circulation in securities that may be made re-
/ deemable at the pleasure of the Government.
Our debt is dOubIy secuTe-hrst in the actual
/ wealth and still greater undevslopfd sources
Of the country and next in the character Of our
i institutions. The most intelIfgent Observers
among political economists have not failed to re-
mark, that the public debt of country is safe in
proportion its psopIe are frss; .fift the debt
| Of q republic is the safest of ali. Oh. tory
| confirms and establishes the theory, aud is, 1
| firmly believe, destined to give it still more
| signal illustration. The secret Of this superi
GRITTY springs not merely from he fact that in a
republic the national obligations are distr buted
more widely through countless numbers in all
of society; it has its root in the character
| of our laws. Here all men contribute to the pub