The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-12-07

"a
eral presents most satisfactory con.
dition Of the postal service, and sub
mits recommendatiohs which deserve
the consideration of Congress. The
revenues of the Department for the
year ending June 30, 1865, we're Sl4,-
1856, ,9s5, and the expenditures Sl5,-
l352,079, showing an excess of the
latter of S965,093. In anticipation
of this deficiency, however, a special
appropriation was made by Congress,
in the act approved July 2S, 1866
Including the standing appropriation
OF S700,000 for free mail matter, as
q Legitimate portion Of the revenues
yet remaining unexpented, the actual
deficiency for the past year is only
S265. .093-a SUN within S51, ,14l of
the amount estimated In the annual
report OF 1864. The decrease Of rev.
enue, compared with the previous
year, was one and one fifth per cent,
and the increase OF expenditures,
owing principally to the enlargement
of the mail service in the South, was
twelve per cent. On the Both Of
June last there were In operation six
thousand nine hundred and thirty
mail routes with an aggregate length
of one hundre andd eighty thousand
nine hundred and twenty-one miles,
an aggregate annual transportation
of seventy one million eight hundred
and thirty. seven thousand nine hun
dred and fourteen miles, and an ag
gregate annual cost, including all ex
penditures of 81, ,4l0, lS4. The length
of railroad routes is thirty two thous-
and and ninety two miles, aud the
annual transportation thirty million
, six hundred and nine thousand four
! hundred and sixty seven miles. The
| length of steamboat routes is four
, teen thousand three hundred and
forty six miles, and the annual trans
! portation three million four hundred
and eleven thousand nine hundred
and sixty two miles. The mail SER
! vice is rapidly increasing throughout
the whole country, and its steady ex-
tension in the Southern States. in
! dicates their constantly improving
, condition. The growing Importance
2 of the foreign service also merits at
! tention. The Postofiice Department
t Of Great Britain and our own have
e agreed upon a preliminary basis for
n new postal convention which 1t is
e believed will prove eminently bene.
fetal to the commercial interests OF
: the United States. inasmuch as ii
a contemplates reduction of the in
ternational letter postage to one halt
4 the existing rates; a reduction oi
;. postage with all other countries to
q and from which correspondence is
q transmitted IN the British mails or
q in closed mails through the United
). Kingdom; the establishment of uni.
n form and reasonable charges for the
q sea aud territorial transit of CORES
). pondence in closed mails; and an al
!. lowance to each Postoflice Depart.
ment of the right to use all mail com
: munications established 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 ol
@ the country providing the means oI
transmission.
The report of the Secretary of the
y Interior exhibits the condition o.
!, those branches of the public service
whiel. are e9@mmjsted I'M ". It. 70 this this. super
l. four million six hundred and twenty
nine thousand three hundred an,
twelve acres Of public land were dis
>, posed Of, one million eight hundre,
!, !, and ninety two thousand five hun
:, dred and sixteen acres of which wer
- entered under the homestead act -
= !, The policy originally adopted relativ
: to the public lands.has undergone es
=, sential notifications. Immediat
=, ~ revenue, and not their rapid settle
" ment, was the cardinal feature of ou
. land system. Long experience an
!. earnest discussion have resulted /
=, the conviction Il at the early deve
~ opment of our agricultural resource!
20 and the diffusion OF an energeti
population over our vast territory
= are objects ofiar greater importanc
:, to the national growth and prosperit
~ than the proceeds OF the sale of til
= land to the highest bidder in ole
~ market. The pre-emption laws cor
~ fer upon the pioneer who compile
% % with the terms they impose the pri,
- ledge Of purchasing limited porto
- Of "unotfered lands" at the min
= mum price. The homestead enact
- ments relieve the settler from til
10 payment of purchase money, and 3,
n cure him " permanent home, upo
- - the condition of residence for q teri
- = Of years. The liberal policy invite
:, emigration from the old, and frol
!. = the more crowded portions of tn
q new world. Its propitous result
- y are undoubted, end will be NOR
signally manifested when time sha
= have given it wider develop
ment,
Y. Congress has made liberal grant
q of public land to corporations, III al
q Of the constructions Of railroads an
i. other internal Improvements. Shoul
At this policy hereafter prevail, NOR
oi stringent pro visions will he require
III to secure faithful application of tn
y fund. The title to the lands coul,
G. not pass, by patent or otherwise, bu
E remain in the Government and sub
s. ject to its control until some por
80 H. n