The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-12-06

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annual cost, including all expenditures
of sS,4l0,lS4. The length Of railroad
routes is thirty Two Thousand and nine.
ty-two miles, and the annual transpor.
tatioh thirty million six hundred and
nine thousand four hundred and sixty.
seven miles The length of steamboat
routes is fourteen thousand three hun4
Edred and forty-six miles, and the annd.
al transportation three million four
hundred and eleven thousand nine
hundred and sixty.two miles. The
mail service is rapidly increasing
throughout the whole country, and its
steady extension in the Southern States
indicates their steadily improving con.
dltlon. The growing Importance Of
theforeign service also merits atten-
ton. The Post. Olfice Department Of
Great Britain and our own have agreed
upon a preliminary basis for a new
Postal Convention, which tits believed.
will prove eminently beneficial to the
commercial interests OF the United
States, inasmuch as it contemplates a
reduction Of the international letter
postage to one.half the existing rates ;
a reduction of postage with all other
countries to and from which correspon-
dence is transmitted in tho British
mail. or in closed mails through the
United Kingdom; the establish ment
OF uniform and reasonable charges for
the sea and territorial transit of cores
pondence in closed mails; and an al
lowance to each Post office Department
OF the right to use all mai comm Mica.
tons established under the authority
of the other for the dispatch Of CORES.
pondence, either in open or closed
mails, on the same terms as those an-
plicable to the inhabitants Of the coun.
Try providing the means Of transmits
| sion.
The report Of the Secretary Of the
Interior exhibits the condition OF those
branches Of the public service which
are committed 20 his supervision. Du-
ring tho last fiscal year, a, ,629,312 acres
OF public land were disposed of, l 1892.
al6 acres Of which were entered under
the Homestead Act The policy orig.
inaily adopted relative to the public
lands has undergone essential n.odifi.
cations. Immediate revenue and not
their rapid settlement, was the cardin.
al feature Of our land system. Long
experience and earnest discussion have
resulted in the conviction that the ear.
~ development Of our agricultural re
sources, and the diffusion of an ener
getic population over our vast terrific
ry, are objects Of tar greater import
anee to the national growth and pros
perity than the proceeds of the sale o.
the land to tho highest bidder in open
market. The pre- emption laws confer
upon tho pioneer who complies with
the terms they impose. the privilege Of
purchasing a limited portion of "unof
Tered lands" at the minimum price,
The homestead enactments relieve the
settler from the payment Of purchase
money and secure for him permanent
home, upon the condition Of residence
Tor q term of years. This liberal poll
cy invites emigration from the Old, and
from the moro crowded portions of the
New World. lis propitious results are
undoubted, and will DO more signaIly
manifested when time shall have given
it a wider deyelopement.
Congress has ynads liberal grants
of public land to corporations, in aid
OF the construction Of railroads and
other 10 tornal improvements. Should
this policy hereafter prevail more strin.
gent provisions will be required TO SO.
cure u faithful application of the fund
The title to tho lands should not pass
by patent, or otherwise, but remain in
the Government and subject to it's con
troll 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 greater ratio to tho whole quanti-
ty embraced by the grant than the
completed parts bear to the entire
length of the projected improvement
This restriction would not operate TO
the prejudice of any undertaking con-
ceived in good faith and executed with
reasonable energy, as it is the settled
practice to withdraw from the market
the lands falling within tho operation
Of sach grants, and thus exclude the
inception of "a subsequent adverse right.
A breach Of tho conditions which Con.
gress may deem proper to impose
should work q forfeiture of claim to
the lands so withdraw but un convey
ed. and OF title to tho lands conveyed
which remain unsold.
Operations on the several lines OF
tho Pacific Railroad have been prose
cuted with unexampled vigor and sue
cess Shoald no unforeseen causes Of
delay occur, it is confidently anticipa-
ted that this great thoroughfare will be
completed before the expiration Of the
period designated by Congress.
During the fiscal year the amount
paid to pensioners, including the ex-
penscs Of disbursement, was thirteen
million tour hundred and fifty nine
thousand nine hundred and ninety-six
dollars; and fifty thousand one hundred
and seventy-seven names we're added
to the pension rolls. Tho entire num-
ber Of pensioners, June 80, 1866, was
one hundred and twenty.six thousand
seven hundred and twenty-five. This
fact furnishes melancholy and striking
proof Of the sacrifices made to vindi-
cate the constitutional authority OF the
Federal Government; and to maintain
inviolate The intepritY of the Union.