The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1865-12-20

CoAme0(omcuk f
Thiry.ninth Congress. "a
lConessasd,l q attss
The report sf the Secretary sf the Iste-'
vier sxplsins the condition Of the psblic
lands, the Transactions Of the Pateut Office
asd the Pensioa Bureau, the management
stssr Indian aEairs. :he progress made 10
,hs cssstructiox si the Pacific railrsad,
and furnishes intormatisn in references 10
matters Of lscs ixterest in the District Of
.Csluubia. II siss presents evidence Of the
ssccessful operation Of the Homestead Act,
sndsr the provisions Of which I leo .555
acres Of the public lands were entered du-
ring the fiscal year-aore than ne-iourth
Of the whsle number Of acres sold or 9th.
srwise disposed sfsdsring that period. IL
10 estimated thar the receipts derived frem
this sevrce are Sufficient 70 cover the er-
penses iacidsnt 10 the survey aad disposal
sf the Isadsen,ered under this Act, and
that payments incssh 90 the extent Of from
fsr,y 10 City per eest. whl be aade by set
,lsrs, vhs may thus stasy time acquire IL
Gle before the expiration Of the period a.
which IL would stherwiss vest. The home
ssesd policy was established only after lsng
aud earnest resistance; /; experience proves
ia wisdom. The lands. IN the hands Of
,ndas,rious settlers, whose labsr creates
wealth snd contributes 70 the public re
ssarces, are worth mere 10 the United
States than II they had bren reserved for
future purchasers.
The lamen,abie events Of the last fsur
years, and the sacrifices made by the gal
liant men of eur Army and Navy. have
sweiIed the regard OF the Pension Bureas
70 an unprecedented extent. Oa The 5Oih
day Of June last. the total number OF pen.
-sisse,- ~. IS. ese, seqairing iss tbsiran-
aual pa,, exclusive ef expenses. the sum
sfss. .023. .445. The Number .i applications
that have been sliswed since that d4ts will
require large acresse uf this snsant .sr
che nest fiscal year. The means for the
payment 81 IN sMpends das, under existing
isss. 20 our disabled snid,ers and sailsrs,
and 20 ihr families sf such as have perish.
ed in the ssrvies OF the eoantry. will no
dssbt be cheerfully and promptly granted.
A sraisfsi people will not hesitate 70 sane.
tisn any measures having for their object
the relief Of soldiers mutilated and families
nsIe fstheriess IN the efforts 70 preserve
eur national existence.
The rrpert Of the Postmaster General
presents an encouraging exhibit Of the sp.
erations Of lhe Post VIisce Department de-.
ring the year. The revenues Of the past
wear from the loval States alone exceeded
che maximum snnual receipts irsm all lhe
States pressus 10 the rebellion, u the sun
d s6. 6.O58 ,09i; aud the annual aseragc IN.
sresss ol revenue durIsg the last iaur years.
compared with the revenues Of the four
years immediately preceding the rebellion,
vas s3,5S5,si5. The rssensrs sf the last
fiscal year ansunted 60 si4, ,556. .i5s, and
she expenditures 20 sl3. .e04 .T2S, leaving a
surplus Of receipts over expenditures ai
es6i $50. Progress has bcrn made in re.
storing The postal service IN the Southern
States. The views presenled by the Post.
master General agsinst the policy ot grant.
ipg ssbsidies 10 ocean mail stea amship liass
spsn established routes. aud in favor u
ssntinulng The present system, which I'm.
iu the compensation for ocean service TO
the postage eatninss, are rreemmemd aided 10
the careful consideration Of Congress.
IL tspprars, Iron ,he report 81 The Seerc.
,sry OF the Navy, That while, at The CON.
nsncemeut oi the prcscnt year, thsre were
10 con ~ission $40 vessels Of eli classes and
descriptions. armed with 5000 guns and
manned by $1,000 msn. the number Of YES.
sells NJ prrsent in esmmissisn Is liz, with
sso guns and a,i2s men. By this prsmp,
reduction sl the naval Iorees the expenses
q the Government have bssn largely di-
ninlshed, asd a number of vessels, pur.
chased Coz naval purposes from the msr.
chant marine. have been rctsrnsd 10 the
peaceful pursuits Of commerce. Since the
ssppresisn OF active hos,ili,ies our foreign
quadssns have bsen re.exfablished. and