, 1866-12-14


serves the attention Of Congress. The receipt.
q the year ending June goth, 1866, were. .$i4,.
ee0 se6, andthe expenditures SIS ,353. .079, show
linR an excess Of the latter Of S955 ,093. 10 au.
ueipation Of this deficiency, however, = special
appropriations Was made BY Congress 10 the Act
approved July 7sth, 1866. including the stand.
ing appropriation Of 500, 900 for free msil mat,
ters, which, as a legitim ,te D pbrliOn Of revenue
yet rem ,ins 1nexpended. Tue actual deficiency
for the past year is S265, ,oe3 sum within $5l :,
l4l Of the amount estimated In the annual re-
lPort Of 1866. The deerea Sc Of revenue com
Ip1red with the previous year, was che and one
fifth per cent, and the increase Of expenditures
pwiug principally e. the enlargement OF the
mail service in the Sonfh, WaAtwslve per cent.
On the 30th Of June last there - ia operation
$3.50 mail routes, with AN aggregate length OF
| le0,92l miles, with aggreg ,te annual trans.
pUrratIon VI 7,l53.T9s Mules, and an aggregate
annual Goa, INCLUDING all expenditures. Of 81, :
40llS4. The len 9Th of rallr1ad routes il 80 O92
mlies, and the Annu Il trAn>p irtItiIn 3, 900 ,967
miles. Toe l-ngtn OF steamboat routes is I43. .
46d miles aud the annual tr'u pOrtation BALL.
962 miles. The m al service Is rapid y increa-
siug throughout the whole country, aud its
steady extension in the SJuIhern States Indicates
their constantly improving condition. The gre t
i'm orttnce of the foreign service also merits
attention. Tue Post O.hce D.p trtme 1t of e Great
Britain and our own nave agreed upon prelm
mary basis tor Postal Convention when II is
believel, will prove emnent;y beneficial to the
Commercial interests of the Uuited States mas
much MS It cJulemplates reduction of the ia
ternal letter postage One-hdlf tAe existing rates,
II reduction of postage with all other Countries
to aud from which correspondence is transmitted
in the Butish mails. or IN mails throughout the
Unted Kingdom, the establishment of uniform
aud reasonable charge for these, territorial
transit If correspondence, inclOsed mails aud
an allowance to each post Otii:e department Of
the right to use all mail communication est Ib-
Ished unier authority Of the other 70 the dis
patch of correspondence either in open or closed
m all, on The same terms as those applicable to
tue inhabitants Of the c0unlry providing means
Of Inspiration.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
The report of the Secretary of the Interior eI.
b bits the condition of those branches of the
public service which are com nItted to his
p r,ision. During the last fiscal year 4.629,3l2
acres Of public lauI were disposed Of s9y ,5l6
acres of which were ehterel uuder the nome-
stead act The policy originally adopted rea
tive to the public ldnd,, has Undergone essen.
tal mod.6c ttIun. LnneiiaIe revenue, aud not
the rapid settlement was the cardinal feature Of
our land systeu. Long experience and ernest
discussions have resulted IN the c0rvic ion that
the development of our agricultural resurces
and the dilfu lion Of AN energetic population
over our vast territory, are uhj cts of tar great
ter ianp IruInce tn tde national grnwIh an pros
perIty Than the proceeds of The sale of the lard
to the highest biiIer in up~n market Tile pre-
emptlbu laws cJIfer upAn the IiI""~tr WAC can
pIrs with the terms they impose, the prIr'l'g-
of purcntsiug limited parton Of o frred ltniS
1t the mrnimu II ice. Tue homes etd entct.
meat releases the settler trum pty'n mt of pur-
cna.e mIuey aud secures hun permanent
b In, ulpuc c. tinn o r: ID nee for ter n Of
year. Tai, ub raj p 'Icy rv.tsS from the der
An from tne III re crow led portions of The new
wnr,I It's prnpit o results are uh lonbtel and
viii b. m r. s.sn lily nj f'ste wieI me
Iall nave lIveh u it der dere'opmeht
CJnG Gres, has grtnt5I l,ben g'tIts ot pa lHc
Lands to curpJrdtiun> ia Hd ot the construction
of railroads aud other internal improvements
Sluuld tnls policy here rtler prevai, IN IRE StrIn
gent PROVISIONS will be required 10 secure
faithful application of the bonds. The title To
the lands snould not pass by pitent or Other
wise, but remain in tue giver I'D ut an subject
to tts cOntrOi untll Some portion of tue 70 I'd
has beeu ectuhily built POr ions OF them
mi yht then from time to time be conveyed To
the corpurator, but never in greater ratio to
the whole utntity embraced by the grants than
the com Jieted parts bear to the entire length OF
the projected ilnprovemeot. ThIs restriction
ttkng conceived iu goo faith and executed
with reason Ibe energy. Ii is the >ettlei prhc
tice to Withdraw from the market the lands
falling within the operations OF such grants
and tnns to exclude the Inception aud subse
ouent subversiuu Of rights A breach OF the
conditions for which Congress may deem II
proper 10 impose upon such works iOrt-lure
Of claim to the hni 50 withirhwn but uhco
ypyed. and of title to the lands conveyed which
!. In a.
OF the Pacific RuIrOad have been prosecuted
with unextmpleI vIgor aHl Su cess. Should M
uuforseen cIdse of delay occur, It Is codhientlN
autirp tied tuAt this great taorou shidre, wall be
completed before the expiration Of the period
designated By Congress.
PENSIONS
During the last i'c,l ye,r the amount paid
to en,iIIerS, iucl1 Ing I'll expeds : OF iIs>
bursement, was Sl3. 3.4j9976, aud 90. III
names were aide 10 tn psuSlon rolls. rnr
entlr. nu nher of teIslon rs in June 80 b,
1866, was Isl These acts furnish a
nIslancholy aud strkinG pr of OF the sacr b.
ces uIld tp vinlicue the cIn'tItutIInh au'
thurity 9f the Federal Government, aud
maintlin inviuate the Integrity Of the Union.
they impose upon US cJrr spending oDllSA-
tions. It is estim tied thIt thIrtyIthres ml-
lion will be required to meet the exigencIeS
Of this branch Of the service during tn, next
fi.cal year.
THE INDIANS.
Treaties have been concluded with the In
dians who catered into armed opposition to
our Government at the outbreak Of the re>
belliOn, aud have uuc ndItlonalIy submitted
to our authority, aud IN mrniiestei desire Tor
the renewal OF friendly relations.
PATENTS.
During the year en ling Sept. 30 h, $500.
1856 patents tor useful lmprove4neut' and
deslgus were issued At tnit date the bat
ance IL the Treasury. tO the credit of the
patent fund, was Ss25, 297.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
As a subject upOu which depends an i'm
Inense amount of the probationary com
i nerce OF the c1ultry. recOmn 'nl u C'n-
| yress such legislation as may be necessaI