The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1866-12-12

me House OF representatives Mt its last
session, should receive final action a, an
early period, in order that there NAV be
suitable public station FOR his class Of
vessels as wcll rs navy yard Of area
sufficient f,r the wants ot the service,
on the Delaware River. The Naval
Pension list amounts to $ll,75o,OO0,
having been increased $3.50, 900
during the year The expenditures Of
/ the Department for The fiscal year ending
/ 30th June last were $i3,32I,5 52G, and
the estimates for the coming year
amount to $23,joS,43G. Attention is
invited TO the condition of our scamcn,
and the Importance oilrgisla,ive meas.
nrcs for their relief and Improvement.
The suggestion IN behalf OF this dcscrv.
ing class Of our cllow-clIizrns arc earn
estly recommended 10 the favorable
attention Of Congress.
The report, Of The Postmaster General
presents most satisfactory condition
Of the postal service, and submits recon.
mendations which deserve thccunsidcra.
ton Of Congress- The revenues OF the
Department for the year ending June
80, 1867, were $li,3SG,os9 and the
expenditures $l5,352, ,O79, showing an
excess Of the latter Of $9G2, ,093. In
anticipation of this deficiency, however,
y special appropriation WAS made by
Congress in The act'approvca July 2S,
1866. Including The standing arpro
priation Of 500, 600 for.(rcc mal matter.
rs Legitimate portion oft!sc revenues
yet remaining unnxpcnded, tho actual
deficiency for the past year is only
S2G5, 693-a sum within &5l III OF The
amount estimated in The annual report
of 1861, The decrease of revenue COM.
pared with the previous year was one
and onc.fllll per cent, AMI the increase
Of expenditure, owing principally to tn"
enlargement Of the mail service in the
South, was twelve per cent. On htc
30ih Of June last, there were in opera
ton six thousand nine hundred nnl
thirty mail routes, with nn aggregate
length Of one hundred and eighty ihons
and nine hundred and twcnty-onc miles
an aggregate annual transportation Of
seventy one million eight hundred ano
thirty-scvrn thousand ninc hundred and
fourteen. miles and an aggregate annual
cost, including all expenditures, of S..
40 The length ofrailroad routes
is llnrty.two thousand and ninety Two
miles. and the annual transportation
thirty million six hundred and nine
thousand four hundred onl sxly.scven
miles. The length OF steamboat routes
Is III, IL i
forty six mil,'s, ntI the animal ,ranspor
ation three million four hundred and
eleven thousand nine hundred and sixty.
two miles. The mail service is,yapidIy
increasing 'hioushou, the whole country
and its stcalv extension in tho South
crn States indicates their constantly i'm
proving condition. The growing impor.
tancr Of The forri&n service also ms ri,s
attention. The rosiollice Department
of Great Britain and our own have
agreed npon preliminary basis for n
new POSTAL Convcnllon, which IL -
believed will prov" cminGnilv beneficial
to the commercial Interests Cl the United
States. inasmuclr rs it cont''mpla,cs a
reduction Of the international letter post
age to onr-half The existing rates Il
reduction Of postage with al other coun
tries to and from which correspondence
is transmitted in the British mail, or in
closed mails throughout The United
Kingdom The establishment of uniform
and reasonable charges Tor the sea and
tcr'itorial transit of coftcshondcncrs in
closed mails and an allowance TO each
Post,llice Department Of the right to
Use all mail communications established
under The authority Of the other for the
dispatch OF correspondence either III
opcE or closed mails. on the same terms
rs those applicable TO The Inhabitants Of
tic country providing ,Ir means Of
transmission.
The report OF tho Secretary nf che
Interior exhibits The condition Of ihosc
branches of Tie public Srryco Which are
committed TO ms supervision. During
the last fiscal year, lonr million six hun.
dred and twcnty.ninr thousand three
hundrtd and twelve acres Of public land
were disposed of, one million eight hum
drcd and nincty.two Thousand five h,.n-
drcd and sixteen acres Of which were
eMetcd under the homestead acl. The
policy originally adopted rrlaiivc.to tie
public lanis. has u.rlrrg me csscniui
notifications. Imme,lLrc revenue, and
not thcir.rapnl settlement, was The Ear.
dinal E'ainrc ofour land system. Long
experience and earnest discussion lt.vc
resulted in the conviction HAT Tic carly
d"vrloprucnt Of our agricultural re-.
sources, and lhe diffusion OF an energetic
populauou over or vast territory, are
ob)ects Of far grcalrr Importance 90 tic
national growth and prosperity than Tire
proceeds OF the sale OF the land TO Tie
highest bidder in open market. The
preemr'Ioi laws confer upon the pionccr
who complies with he terms they in
pose tn" privilege Of purchasing . limited
portion ol ''unnRrel hrhfp III The mini
n'atnl price Tho homestead enac.mrn's
rchcys slic settler from Tie payment OF
purchase money, and sccnrc him per.
ln,nont home, upon tho condition OF
residence Tor a term Of years. This lil,
rnl ~