The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-12-12

GENTLY arranged in such manner as would
promote american commerce, and protect
the right aud interests of our couutrymen
abIo Dad. :'."
The vessels unemployed are undergoing
repairs or are laid up until their services
may be- required MOST of the iron clad
feet is at League Island, in the vicinity ol
Philadelphia, place Nhich, until decisive
action should be taken by Uongress, was Sc
lected by. The Secretary Of the Navy as the
most eligible location for that class of yes
sells. II is important that suitable prblir
station should be provi led for the iron clad
fleet. II is intended that these vussels shall
be in proper condition for any emergency,
and it is desirable that the bill accepting
League Island for naval purposes, which
passed the House of Representatives at its
last session, should receive final action at
an early period, in order that there may lie
a suitable public station for this class Of YES
sells, as well as a navy yard Of area sufficient
for the wants Of the service, on the Della
vsnre river '
The Naval Pension fund amounts to Sll.-
$50, 900 during the year. The expenditures
Of the Department for the fiscal year end
ing 30th June last were $43 824. 52G, ard
the estimates for the coming year amounts
to $23 56S, ,436. Attention j. invited to the
condition of our seameD. and the mpor.
tance OF legislative measures for their re.
lief and improvement. The suggestions in
behalf of the deserving class Of our fellow
! citizens are earnestly recon mendpd to the
favorable attention Of Congress
| The report of the Postmaster Gener-
al presents most satisfactory condition
of the postal service. and submits re-
commentators which deserve the con-
! sideration of Congress. The revenues
of the Department for the year ending
June 30, 1866, were $l4,3SG,9SG, and the
expenditures S15,332, ,0T9 showing an
excess of the latter Of S9G5.003. In an
ticipation of This deficiency, however,
special appropriation was made by
Congress in the act approved July 2S,
1866. Including the standing appfupri-
alton of S700,0O0 for free mail matter.
as legitimate portion of the revenues
yet remaining uneXpe: ded, tie actual
deficiency for the past year is only $780,
093-a sum within $51.l4l Of the amount
estimated in the annual report of 1864.
The decrease of revenue compared with
the previous wear was one and one-tiith
per cent, and the increase of expendi-
lures, owing principally to the enlarge
mtnt of the mail service in the South,
was Twelve per cent. On the 30th of
June last there were in operation G93O
mail routes, with an aggregate length
of lS0G2l miles, an aggregate annual
transportation of 7l,s37.9l4 miles, and
an aggregate annual cost, including all
expenditures, OF SS,410.lS4. The length
of railroad routes is 32O92 miles and
the annual transportation 306O9, ACT
miles. The length OF steamboat routes
is l4.34G miles, and ths .iaunuai trans
portation 3,4ll.0G2 miles. The mail
service is rapidly increasing Il rougllout
the whole country, and its steady cx-
tension in the Southern States indicates
their constantly improving condition.
The growing importance of the foreign
service also merits attention. The Post
Office Department of Great Britain and
our own lave agreed uron 4 prelimi-
nary basis for a new Postal Convention
which i, is believed willprovc eminent
ly beneficial to The commercial interests
of the United States, inasmuch as it
contcmplatcs IL reduction of the inter-
national letter postage to 0ncshalf The
existing rates; n reduction Of postage
with all ether countries to and from
which corresl oGdcncc is transmitted in
the British mail, or in closed mails
III, on2h the United Kingdom; the es-
Enlistment Of uniform and reasonable
charges for tie sea and territorial tram
sit Of olrcsp0ndencc in closed mails
and an allowance to each Post Office
Department of the right to use all mail
communications established under the
authority Of the other for the dispatch
Of correspondence, either in Open or
closed mails. on thG same terms as
those applicable to the inhabitants of
the country providing the means Of
transmission,
The report of the Secretary Of the
Interior exhibits the condition of those
branches of the public service which
are committed to his supervision
During tic last fiscal year, 4,G29.312
acres of public laud were dispose, of,
l,S92.5l6 acres of which were entered
under the homestead act. The policy
originally adopted relative to the pub
lie lands has undergone essential modi-
fications. Immediate revenue, and not
their rapid settlement, was the cardinal
feature of our land system. Long ex-
periencc and earnest discussion have
resulted in the conviction that The carly
development of our agricultural re-
sources, and the diffusion of an ener-
getic population over our vast terrific
ry, are objects of Tar greatcrimportance
to the national growth and prosperity
than the proceeds of tho sale of the
land to the highest bidder in open mar
ket. The pFe-emption laws confer up
on the pioneer who complies with the
terms they impose, the privilege of
purchasing limited portion of "unof-
tercd lands" at the minimum price,
The homestead enactinents relieve tic
settler from the payment Of purchase
money, and secure him permanent
home, upon the condition OF residence
for term Of years. This liberal policy
| invites emigration from the old, and
from the more crowded portions of
the new world. Its propitious results
are undoulIcd ahd will be more sig
nally manifested when time shall have
giqen to it n wider development.
! Congress has made liberal grants Of
! public land to corporations in aid ofthe
construction of railroads and other in
ternal Improvements. Should this pol
ICY hereafter prevail, more stringent
provisions will be required to secure
faithful application of the fund. The
title TO the lands should not pass, by
patent or otherwise, but remain in the
Government and subject to its control
until some portion OF the road has been
actually built. Portions of them might
then, from time TO time, be conveyed to
the corporation, but never in a greater
ratio 10 the Whole quantity embraced
by the grant than the completed parts
bear TO the entire length Of the proiee-
ted improvement. This restriction
world not operate to the prejudice of
any undertaking conceived in good
faith and executed with reasonable en-
ergy, as it is the settled practice TO
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