The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-12-04
abroad 10 tho stability Of our instltu.
lions, and bring 10 the nation nroapefi-


abroad In the stability Of fsour instltu.
lions, and bring 70 the nation proaperi-
~, peace, and good will. ~
The report oi the Secondary OF War
ad t,lteTtHl exhibits the operations OF the
arliiy and Of the several Bureaus OF the
WM Department. The aggregate
IetrenElh of our military force, on tho
80th " September last, was ", ,Slb. The
total eafimaten for military RpproprIa-
uonala t7i ~, 7oJ, Including deficiency
IN laAt year't appropriation OF l8,6Q0,s
600. The pAymenia at the Treasury on
account OF the eeryic0 OF the War De-
partment ffom January 1 10 October
%, lS67-a period Of ten lnonIhB-
amounted toS Sl0e, ,601, 200. Theexpensea
OF the military iestabllahmenL as well
ns the numbers OF The army, are now
three times as great as they have ever
been In time of peace; while the dlscre-
uonary power 10 inveated In the Exec
utive 20 ndd millions to this expundi-
ture by anincrease Of the army TO the
maximum strength allowed by the
Law. 40 M : M. -
The menacing attitude OF some ofthe
warlike bands ofIndlRns inhRbiting
The district OF country between the
ArkAnsas and Platte rivers, and por-
tons OF Dakota Territory, required the
presence Of a large military iorce In
that region. 1natigated by real or im-
agtnary grievances, the Indians occaa.
ionally committed aats Of barbaroua
violence upon emigrartB and our from.
tier settlements but o general Indian
war has been providentially ayertsd.
The Commissioners under the act OF
20th Of July, 1867, were Invested with
full power 70 adjust exislinR dittloul.
ties, negotiate treaties with the disatfeo-
ted bands, and select for them roserva-
tions remote from the travelled routea
between the Mississippi and the PAolhcs
They entered without delay upon the
execution ofltheir trust, but have not
yet made any official report Of their
proceedings. 1. Is OF vital Importance
that our distant Territories should be
exempt from Indian outbreaks, and
that the construction OF the Pacific
Railroad an object OF national import.
tiletrlbes. These objects, Rs we'll as the
material interests aud the moral and
intellectual improvement OF the In.
dians, can be most etiectually secured
by concentrating them upon portions
ofcountry set apart for their e1cluaiye
use, and located at points remote from
our highways and encroachlng white
settlements. uIil
Since the commencement OF the seo-
ond session Of the Thirty Ninth Com
gress, five hundred and ten miles Of
road have been constructed on the
main line and branches OF the PHclho
Railway. The line from Omaha Is ra.
pidly approaching the. eastern base OF
the Rocky Mountains, whilst the termi-
nus OF the last section Of constructed
road In California, accepted by the
Government on the 9th day OF October
last, was bat eleven miles distant from
the summit OF the Sierra Nevada. The
remarkable energy evinced by the com.
panies oilers the strongest assurance
that the completion Uf the road from
Sacramento 10 Omaha will not be long
deferred.
During the last fiscal year seven mil.
lion forty.One thousand one hundred
and fourteen acres Of public land were
disposed OF, and the cash receipts from
sales and fees exceeded by ope.half mil.
lion dollars the SUN realized from those
sources during the preceding year. The
amount paid TO pensioners, including
expenses Of disbursements, was Sls,-
6l9,956, and thirty.Hix thousand four
hundred and eighty.two nRmes were
added 10 the rolls. The entire number
OF pensioners on the SOth OF June last
WAS one hundred and tifly.hve thou
sand iour hundred and sepenty.four.
Eleven thousand six hundredund ffty-
hve patents and designs were issued
during the year ending September 30,
1867, and ut that date the balance 10 the
Trelsuryto the credit OF the Patent
fund was S2s6607.
The report OF the Secretary OF the Ma.
Wy states thatwe have seven Squadrons
actively and judlciously employed, un-
der efficient aud able commanders, In
protecting the persons and property OF
American citizens, maintaining the dig
nifty and power oi the Government, and
promoting the commerce and business
interests OF our countrymen In every
part OF the world. Ofthe two hundreds
and lhirty.eight vessels composing tho
present navy Of the United States, hfly-
six, carrying i've hundred and seven
guns, are in squadron service. During
the year the number OF vessels In COM
mission has been reduced twelve, and
there are thirteen less on squadron du-
" than there were at the date OF the last
report. A large number Of vessels
were commenced and In the course Of
construction when the war terminated,
and although Congress had made the
necessary appropriations fortheir com.
pletion, the Department has either aus-
pended work upon them or limited the
slow completion ot the steam vessels,
so as TO meet tbe contracts for machine.
ry made with private establishments.
The total expenditures OF the Navy De.
paftment for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1867, were $3l l,0S4,0ll. So4p.
propriations have been made or re.
quired aimee the close OF the war for the
construction aud repair OF vessels, TOR
steam machinery, ordnance, provisions
and clothing, fuel, hemp, &C., the bal.
ances under these several heads LAviuR
been more than sufficient for current
expenditures. II should also be stated
to the credit Of the Department that,
besides asking no appropriations for the
above objects Tor tue last Two years, the
Secretary OF the Navy, on the 80lh OF
September last, in accordance With the
act OF May l, 1920, requested the Secre,
tary OF the Treasury 10 carry 10 the sur.
plus fund the SUN ofslxty.av millions
OF dollars, being the amount received
from the sales OF vessels and other war
PAVpeEkyt duu tub EtLuuhuta OF lOfknef
appropriations.
rhe report OF the Postmaster General
shows the business Of the Post otioe
Department aud the condition OF the
postal service In very favorable light,
aud the attention OF Congress 10 called
to Its practical recommendations. The
receipts ol the Department for the year
ending JuneSO, 1857, including all spe.
clal appropriations for sea aud land ser.
vice aud for free mall matter, were Slo,.
97S,69S. The expenditures for all pur.
poses were Slv,22S5, ,4s3, leaving an un.
expended balance in favor OF the De.
partment OF S7IS,2l0, which can DO
applied towards the expenses OF the
Department for the current year. The
increase OF postal revenue, independent
OF specific appropriations, for the year
1857, over that OF 1866, was 1850 040, The
Increase OF revenue from tue Aale OF
stamps and stamped envelopes wAa
S7S3,4O4 The increase OF expenditures
Tor 1867 over those Of tho previous year
was owing chiefly TO the extension Of
the land and ocean mall service. Dur.
lug the past year new postal couVOn.
tiOns have been ratified and exchanged
with the United Kingdom OF Great Brl.
tain aud Ireland, Belgium, the Neither.