The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-12-14

| 1NAA s4H N4ANuA1A AANNt - N&NNN1A
of postage with alI othOr countries to
and from which correspondence is
transmitted in the British mail, or
iuciOsed mails through the United
Kingdom tho establishment OF mi,
firm and reasonable charges Tor the
sea aud territorial transit Of cores
poRdonce in closed mails; aud an allow
aBee " each Postotice department OF
tho right to n all nail communities.
tiunS established uH1or the authority
OF the other Tor the Dispatch vi cor.
rospOndence, either III Open or closed
mails, on the same terms as t.use ap-
pllcable 10 the Inhabitants Ol the
country providing The means Ot trans
mlssi0n.
THE INTERIOR.
The report Of the Secretary Of the
Interior exhibits the condition 0f
those branches Of tho public service
that are committed Il his supervision
During the fiscal year, four mAiliOns
six hundred and twenty nine thou.
sand three hundred and twelve Scres
Of public land were disposed Of, one
milliod eight hundred aud ninety.twO
thousand i've hundred and sixteen
acres OF which were entered under
the homestead act. The policy orig
inAlly adopted relative 10 the public
lands has undergone essential mndih-
cations. Immediate revenue, and not
their rapid settlement, wAa the cardi.
nal feature Of our land system Long
experiences and earnest discu 4SsiUn
have resulted in the conviction that
the early Development Of orr agri-
cultural resources, and the DIFF lsiDn
Of az energetic population over u
vast territory, ara objects of ia,
greater Importance TO the national
growth and prosperity rban the pro-
cecds Of the salo OF the land u the
open market. The pre- cmption laws
eOuicr upon the pioneer who complies
with tho terms they impose the pri'
viiege Vt purchasing u hunted portion
Of " unUf red lands' ut the minimum
price. The homestead ehae.ments re-
lIeve the settler from the payment Of
purchase money, and seCure him a
permanent home, upon the condition
of residence for u term vi years This
liberal policy in ;ites emigration from
the old, aud from the more crowded
portions of the new world. Its pro.
pitiou, results arc undOnbt-d and will
be more signalIy manifested when
time shall have given it wider devel-
0pment,
Congress has made liberal grants Of
public land "a corporations in aid OF
the construction Of railroads aud 9TH
or internal improvements. Should
this policy hereafter prevail,
stringent provisions will be required
Ia secure q I%aitlful application OF rhe
fund The title to tho lands should
not pass, By patent or otherwise, but
remain IN the Government, aud sub
i,ct to its control, until some portion
nf the road has been actually built.
Portions Of Them might then, from
tirIc { time, be convey ed b the Cor
pora,iOn, Ia. never IN Il greater ratio
to the whole quantity embraced hy
The grant than the completed parts
bear to the entire length Of the pro-
jected Improvement. This rcstri ton
would not operate 81 the p~rejnilcG
ct any undertaking conceived IN good
faith aud executed with roasonE 10
energy, a. it Is the settled pTaetVes
Ia withdraw from market the lanHI
falling within the operation Of such
grants aad thus 10 ieluIe the incep-
ton Of a subsequent adverse rigk'.
A breach Of the conditions which
Congress may deem proper Ia impp>e
should work Il forfeiture of claim II
the lands ~ Withdrawn but uncon
veyed, aEl Of title 10 the land, con.
veyed which remain un~o.d.
TdE NAVY.
i is stated in the report Of Srcre-
tary Of The Navy that the naval force
st this li.nu Consists vi two hundred
and soventy-eight %yesseIN, armed S.tb
tSo thousand, three hundred aud hity.
one guns,
Or these. one hundred and fifteen
vessels, carrying u thousand and
tweniy-nine guus, nre 10 commission,
distributed chiefly among seven quad
rons The NUMBER CT mrn in the SER
vice is thirteen thousand six hundred.
Great activity aud vigilance have teen
displayed by all the rquadronS, aud
their movements have been judieIOus-
ly and efficiently arranged in such
mlnner as wOnid bet promote Amer.
lean m and protect the rights
aud iRterrsts OF our county, men
abr,AI. Tho vessrls unemployed AIRS
undergoing repairn, or arc laid up un-
Ill their services may DO required
Most of The iroh-clad isel is at League
Island, in the vicinity Of Philadelphia,
a plscs hich, until decisive action
should be taken by Congress, vas Sc
lected by the SECRETARY VI the Navy
~ the most eli ible location for that
cla.s of vessels. IL il important that
suitable public station shnuld DO
d