The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-04-05


form, and economy should be carried into every
branch Of the public service, that the cxpendi-
lures ofthe Government may be reduced and the
people relieved from oppressive taxation.
sound currency should be restored and the public
faith in regard to the national debt sacredly OBJ
served The accomplishment Of these important
results, together with the restoration Of the Union
Of the States upon the principles Of the Consttu-
ton would inspire confidence at home and abroad
in the stability Of our institutions and bring TO
the nation prosperity, peace and good will.
THE DEPARTMENTS
The report Of the Scc'y of War al interim cxhi-
bits the operations of the army and the several
Bureaus Of the War Department The aggrc-
gate strength Of military force on the 30th Of
September last was j6,3lj. The total estimates
for military appropriation is SIS, 12i 10Y, in
GLIDING a deficiency in last years appropriation
Of 100000. The payments at the Treasury
on account Of the services of the War Depart.
ment, from January ! to October 90, 1867, n
period Of ten months, amounted to Sl09, S07 900.
The expenses Of the military establishment, as
well rs the number Of the army are now three
times as great as they have ever been in time of
peace, while the discretionary power is vested in
the Executive TO add millions 10 this expenditure
by an increase of the army to maximum strength
allowed by the law. The comprehensive report
Of the Secretary Of the Interior furnishes interest
ing information in reference 10 the important
branches Of the public service connected with
| his department. The menacing attitude Of some
| Of the warike bands of Indians inhabitng the
| district Of country between the Arkansas and
! Platte Rivers, and portions Of Dacota territory,
required the presence Of large military force
in that region. Instigated by real and imagna-
~ grievances, the Indians occasionally commit
ted acts Of barbarous violence upon emigrants
and our frontier settlements but general In
dian war has been providentially averted The
! Commissioners under act Of goth of July 1867.
were invested with full power to adjust existing
difficulties negotiate treaties with the disanec-
ted bands, and select for them reservations re-
mote from the travelled routes between the
Mississippi and the Pacific They entered with
out delay upon the execution of their trust but
have not yet made any official report of their
proceedings. Il is Of vital importance that our
distant Territories should be exempt from In.
dian outbreaks, and that the construction Of
the Pacific railroad, an object of National i'm
portancc, should not be interunted by hostile
tribes, These Objects as well MS the material
interests and the moral and intellectual improve
ment OF the Indians can he most eilcctually
secured by concentrating them upon portions Of
country set apart for their exclusive use and
located at points remote from our highways and
not encroaching on white settlements since the
! commencement Of the second session Of the seth
. Congress, five hundred and ten miles Of road
have been constructed on the main line and
branches Of the Pacific Railway. The line from
3 Omaha Is rapidly approaching the easterly base
OF the Rocky mountains, whilst the terminus Of
the last section OF constructed road in Calhornis
d accepted by the Government on the 9th day o
;. October last was but eleven miles distant from
;, the summit Of the Sierra Nevada The remark
: able energy cyinced by the Companies offers Ia,
. strongest assurance that the completion Of thu
?, road from Sacramento to Omaha will not be lon.
3. deferred During the last fiscal year sever
- million iorty-one thousand and fourteen acres O
u public land were disposed OF, and the cash re
" cepts IRON sales and fees exceeded bv one-hal
= million dollars the sum realized from those sour
> ces during the preceding year Ihc amour
~ paid TO pensioners, including expenses Of dis
a bursemcnts, was Sls,Gl9,9j0. aud 3G, -
ID names were added 10 thc rolls. lhe entire mum
= Der Of pensioners on the 30th Of June last, wa
y l4o,1ti ll,6Jj patents and designs were is
d sued during the year ending September 50
n So, and at that date the balance in the Treas
e. ury to the credit Of the patent fund was $3.50.
l. COZ
W The report of the Secletuy tlc Nav
r states that we have seven sma1mn- actyel
ig and judiciously employed under efficient an
able commanders, IN protecting thC pc SONS an
H. property Of American citizens, maintaining I'll
4AieAiAN oiA& lPNt4 vi INV 'NNfllltfNl anu Ellf
oil noting the commerce and business interests
be our countrymcn in every pant tine world. {
&c the two hundred aud thliy-eght vessels con
OF posing the present navy OF the United Stat
lie htty-six, carrying I'VE hundred and seven gun
L are in squadron service During the year Il
Y number Of vessels in commission has been n
re duced twelve, and there are thirteen less q
u squadron duty than there were AZ the date
Ia the last report 4 large number Of vessels wei
L 80 &
nd when the war terminated, and although Congre
Die had made the necessary appropriations for the
as completion, the department has either suspen
D. ei work upon them or limited il 10 the compl
a. ton of the steam vessels so as % meet the co
o. tracts for machinery made with private csta
'r lishmonts. The total expenditures of the NAY
Department far the fiscal year ending June 8
he 1867, were S3l ,03i,0ll. No appropriate
ur have been made OF required since the close
nd the war, for the construction aud repairs Of VI
all sells, for steam machinery. ordnance, proyis
'o- and clothing, fuel, hemp, etc, the balances u
Is, der these several heads having been more TN
of sufficient for current expenditures II shou
us also be stated TO the credit of the dcpartmet
las that besides as ing no appropriations for {
Ia above objects for the last two years. the Secret
he ~ Of the Navy on the 3Oth of September Ia.
ar in accordance with the act Of May /, 1929, l
y quested the Secretary of the Treasury to car
Gle TO the surplus fund the Of sixty millio
he Of dollars, being the amount received fro
"a the sale of vessels and other war proper
an and the remnants Of former appropriation
pm The report Of the Postmaster General sho,
he the business Of the Post Office Department a
ir the condition Of tho postal service in very ia,
ms rable light, and the attention Of Congress
ID. called to its practical recommendations The
an celpts OF the department for the year endi
os- June 30 1867, including all special appropr
m, tons for sea and land service and for free m
il matter were Sl9,07S, 693 the expenditures
be all purposes were 10, 235, 4s3, leaving an u
it'll expended balance in favor Of the department
wn : 1920, which can be applied towards the
be penses OF the current year The increase Of
n postal revenue, independent Of specific approx
n atoms, for the year 1867 over that Of 1866 "
Drt SSoO,Oi0. The increase Of the revenue from
ST. sale OF stamps and stamped envelopes was SIS
lst ava The increase Of expenditures for 1867 or
ars those OF the previous year was owing chiefly
IN. the extension Of the land and ocean mail seryi
20 During the past year new postal conyentic
he have been ratified and exchanged with the Unit
Of Kingdom Of Great Britain and Ireland, Belgiu
lat the Netherlands, Switzerland, the North Germ
his Union, Italy, and the Colonial Government
he Hong Kong, reducing very largely the rates
as ocean and land postagos to and from and viii
we those countries.
of The report of the Acting Comm
a sioner Of Agriculture concisely pr esents
ed condition, wants and progress Of an interest er
las nenty worthy the fostering care Of Congress "a
lre exhibits large measure of useful results ACHE,
he during the year to which it refers
n. OuR FoREGN RELATIONS.
III The re-establshment of peace and the resuu
he ton Of extended trade, travel and CONNER
lr, abroad, have served to increase the number al
he variety Of questions in the Department for