Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-12-13

of our fellow citizens are earnestly recon
mended to the favorable attention of Con-
gress.
POSTAL AFFAIRS. ..'
The report of the Postmaster General
presents most satisfactory condition of the
postal service, and submits recomm lamentations
which deserve the consideration of Con.
gress. The revenues of the Department
for the year ending June 30, 1865, were
SD, 1885, 1886, and the expenditures $l5,-
352, ,079, showing an excess of the latter of
965, ,093. In anticipation Of this de6cien-
cy, however, special appropriation was
made BY Congress in the !act,apprpved July
2o, 1866 Including the standing appro.
priation of $700,0O0 for free mail matter,
as Legitimate portion of the revenues yet
remaining unexpeuded, the actual deficiency
for the past year is only 1886, ,093-a sum
within S51, III of the amount estimated 10
the annual report of 1864 The decrease
of revenue compared with the previous year
was one and oDe-6fth per cert, and the in-
crease of expenditures, owing principally
to the enlargement of the mail service in
the South, was twelve per cent. On the
30th of June list there were in operation
six thousand nine hundred and thirty mail
routes, with an aggregate length Of oOe
hundred and eighty thousand nine hundred
and twenty. one miles, an aggregate annual
transportation of seventy. .one million eight
hundred and thirty seven thousand nine
hundred and fourteen miles, and an aggre-
gate annual cost, including expenditures, Of
So, 40, ,184. The length of rail road routes
is thirty two thousand and ninety.two miles,
and the annual transportation thirty million
six hundred and nine thousand four hun
dred and sixty seven miles. The length of
steam boat routes is fourteen thousand three
hundred and forty six miles, and the annual
transportation three million four hundred
and eleven thousand nine hundred and
sixty-two miles The mail service is rapidly
increasing throughout the whole country,
and its steady extension in the Southern
States indicates their constantly improving
condition. The growing importance of the
foreign service also merits attention. The
Postofioe Department of Great Britain and
our own have agreed upon preliminary
basis for new Postal Convention, which it
is believed will prove eminenty beneficial
to the commercial interests of the United
States, iuasmuoh as it contemplates re.
ducton of the international letter postage
to one half the existing rates; reduction
of postage with all other countries to and
from, which correspondence is transmitted
in the British mail, or in closed mails
through the United Kingdom; the estab-
lishmeut of uniform and reasonable charges
for the sea and territorial transit Of cores
pondence in closed mails; and an allow.
ance to each Postofice Department of the
right to use all mail communications estab.
lished under the authority Of the other for
the dispatch of correspondence, either in
open or closed mails, on the same terms as
those applicable to the Inhabitants of the
country providing the means of transmits
sion.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
The report of the Secretary of the Inte
rior exhibits the condition of those branches
of the public service which are committed
to his supervision. During the last fiscal
year, four million six hundred and twenty.
nine thousand three hundred and twelve
acres of public land were disposed Of, one
million eight hundred and ninety two thous
,und- d-6vo-huusrOau1 u1d' ixteeu acres or which
we're eutcred under the Homestead Act
The policy originally adopted relative to the
public lands, has undergone essential modi-
fcatiops. Immediate revenue, and not the
rapid settlement, was the cardinal feature of
our land system. Long experience and
earnest discussion have resulted in the con-
victiou that the early development of our
agricultural resources, and the diffusion of
an energetic population 'Ver our vast terri
tory, are objects of far greater importance
to the natural growth and prosperity than
the proceeds of the sale of the land to the
highest bidder in open market. The preemp,
tion laws confer upon The pioneer who COM
plies with the terms they impose, the priv-
lege Of purchasing limited portion of sun.
offered lands" at the minimum price. The
homestead enaotmens relieve the settler
from the payment of purchase money, and
secures him a pertinent home, upon the
condition of residence for term of years.
This liberal policy invites emigration from
the old, and from themore crowded portions
of the new world. Its propitious results
are undoubted, and will be more signaly
manifested when tiup shall have given to
it wider developmut
RAIL ROAD LAND GRANTS.
Congress has mad liberal grants of pub
lie land to corporations, in aid of the con-
struction of rail roals and other internal
improvements. Should this policy hereaf-
ter prevail, more stringent provisions will be
required to secure faithful application of
the fund. The titlt to the lands should not
pass, by patent or Otherwise, but remain in
the Government anc subject to its control
until some portion q the road has been ac-
tually built. Porti'ns of them might then,
from time to time, lie conveyed to the cor
poration, but never n greater ratio to the
whole quantity embaced by the grant than