Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1867-12-11

partmeut The aggregate strength OF our
military force. on the Both OF September last
was 56.3l5. The total estimate for military
appropriations is Sf7.l24. 1O1, including Il |
deficiency in last year appropriation OF
sl3. COG. .0nO. The payments at the Ireasu-
~ on account of the service of the War De-
nartment from January to October 29,
IS67-a period of ten months-amounted TO
SI09. .SO7 900. The expenses of the military
establishment. as well as the numbers OF
the armv. are now three times as great as
thev have ever been in time OF peace while
the discretionary power Is vested III the TX
ecutive to add millions to this expenditure
by an increase of the army to the maximum
strength allowed by the law
The menacing attitude OF some OF the war
ike bands of Indians inhabltlng the district
of country between the Arkansas and Platte
rivers, and portions of Dacotah Territory,
required the presence of large military force
in that region. Instigated by real or imag-
in?ry grievances, the Indians occasionally
committed acts of barbarous violence upon
emigrants and our frontier settlements but
a general Indian war has been provldentally
averted The Commissioners under the act
Of Goth July, 1867, were invested with full
power to adjust existing difficulties, negotl--
ate treaties with the disaffected bands, and
travelled routes between the Mississippi
and the Pacific They entered without de
lay upon the execution of their trust, but
have not yet made any official report of their
proceedings 1t is Of vital Importance that
our distant Territories should be exempt
| from Indian outbreaks, and that the con
| struction of the Pacific Railroad, an object
| of national Importance, should not be inter
rupted by hostile tribes. These objects. as
we'll as the material interests and the moral
and intellectual improvement OF the Ind :
ans, can be most effectnaly secured by con
cenfrating them upon portions OF country set
| apart for their exclusive use. and located at
| points remote from our highways and Gu
croaching white settlements.
! Since the commencement OF the second
| session of the Thirty-ninth Congress, five
hundred and ten miles of road have ben
| constructed on the main line and branches
! of the Pacific Railway. The line from Oma-
! ha is rapidly approaching the eastern base
of the Rocky Mountains, whilst the terni
mas of the last section of constructed road
in California accepted by the Government
| on the 24th day of October last, was but e.
| leven miles distant from the summit of the
Sierra Nevada The remarkable energy e.
vinced by the Companies offers the stronl
! est assurance that the completion Of the road
! from Sac amento to Omaha will not be long
| deferred.
During the last fiscal year seven million
! forty-o one thousand Que hundred and four
teen acres of public land were disposed of,
and the cash receipts from sales and fees eX-
| ceeded one half million dollars the sum re-
allied from those sources during the preced-
| ing year. The amount paid to pensioners,
| including expenses of disbursements, was
| SIS, ,6I9, go, and thirty-six thousand four
hundred and eighty two names were added
to the rolls. The entire numberot pension
ers on the Both of June last was 155, 474
IL ,655 patents and designs were issued du-
ring the year ending Sept. 80, 1867, and at
that date the balance in the Treasury TO the
credit of the Patent fund was $2S6, ,607.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy states
! that we have seven squadrons actively and in l.
ciOusly employed, under efficient and able com
manders, in protecting the persons and property
of American citizens maintaining the dignity and
power of the GOvernme Mt and prom oting the com
merce and business interests of our cOnntrymen
! in every part of the world Of the two hundred
] and thirty eight vessels composing the present
navy of the United States, ffty-six carrying FIVE
hundred and seven guns, are III Squadron service.
During the year he number ofvessels in conmIs-
sion has been reduced twelve. and there -
lesion squadron duty than there were at the date
1 OF the last report large number of vessels
were CONNIE need and in the course of construc-
tion when the terminated, and although Con-
gress had made the necessary appropriations for
their completion, the Department has either sus-
pended work upon them or limited the slow COM
pletion OF the steam vessels, so as to meet the
contracts for machinery made with private estab-
lshments. The total expenditures of the Navy
Department for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1861, were S3I 0340l1. No appropriations have
been made required since the close of tie war
for the ruction and repair Of for steam
machinery, ordnance, provisions and clothing,
fuel hemp, &c the balances under these several
heads having been more than sufficient for current
al he ed IN t6a
credit of the Deps rtment that. besides asking no
appropriations for the above objects for the last
two years. the Secretary of the Navy. on the 30th
of Septem Der last in accordance with the act of
May |. 1920, requested the Secretary of the Treas
ury to carry the surplus fu nd the of sixty
FIVE millions of dollars, being the amount received
from the sales of vessels and other war property,
and the remnants of former appropriations.
The report of the Postmaster General shows the
business of the Postoice Departmen mt and the con-
dition of the postal service in very favorable
light and the attention OF Congress is called to
its practical recommendations. The receipts of
the Department for the year ending June 30, 1867,
including all special appropriations for and
land service and for free mail matter, were Sl9,-
| 1858. The expenditures for all parposes were
Sl9, ,235,463, leaving an unexpended balance in
favor of the Department of o743,2i0 which can
be applied towards the expenses OF the Depait-
ment Tor the current year. The increase of postal
revenue, Independent of specific appropropria-
tiOns, for the year 1867, over that OF 1866, was
$780, ,040- The increase of revenue from the sale
of stamps and stamped envelopes was S7o3.404.
The increase of expenditures for 1867 over those
of the previous year owing chiefly TO the ex-
tension of the land and ocean mail service. Du-
ring the past year new postal conventions have
been ratified and exchanged with the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Belgium
the Netherlands, Switzerland, the North German
Union Italy. and the Colonial Government at
Hong Kong, reducing very largely the rates of
ocean and land postages to and from and within
these countries.
The report of the Acting Commissioner of Ag-
ricuiture concisely presents the condition, wants