The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-12-06
A modification of the internal rev.

3 the numbers of articles now subjee
f TO tax would be followed by result
/ equally advantageous to the citizen
, and the Government. 1t would rem
der the execution of the law less ex
pensive and more certain Remov,
J obstruction to industry; lessen tn
temptations to evade the law dimin
ish the violations and frauds perpe
trated upon its provisione; maks it,
Operation les inquisatorial, and great
ly reduce in numbers the army'o taA
gathers created by the system, wht
take from the mouth of honest labor
the bread it has earned.
Retrenchment, reform and ecoBo
my should be carried into ever,
! branch Of tue public service, that tn,
expenditures of the Government NAV
be reduced, and the people relived
from oppressive taxation. A sound
currency should be restored, and the
public faith in regard to the national
debt sacredly observed.
The accomplishment of these i'm.
portant results, together with a res
toration of the union of the States
upon the principles of the Constitu
tion, would inspire confidence at home
andlabrOad..inIthe stability of our insti
tutions, and bring to the nation pros
perity, peace and good will.
DArrrrC p.rrpo.D
Since the commencement of the
second session of the 39th Congress,
i've hundred and ten miles Of road have been
constructed on the main line and branches
II the Pacific Railway, The line from Omaha
s rapidly approaching the eastern base OF
The Rocky Mou ntains. while the terminus oI
the last section Of constructed road in Cali.
fornia accepted by Government +, on the oath
Of October last, WAS but eleven miles dista n,
from the summit of the Sierra Nevada. The
remarkable energy evinoed bv the COM
pletion of the road from Sacramento to Oma.
ha will be not long deferred.
PrBLIC LAHDs.
During the last fiscal yea. 7,04l.ll4 acres
of public land were disposed OF, and the ca sh
rece pts from sales and fees exceeded ty
one half million dollars the sum realized from
these sources during the prece ding year.
PENSIONS.
The amount paid to pensioners, includ ing
the expenses o disburse menIS, was SIS 81 8, :
956; and 81, ,4S2 names we're added TO the roll.
rhe entire number of pensioners on the 30tb
of June last was l55 ,474.
TIE NAVY, l -.i-
The report of the Secretary OF the Navy
states tnat We have seven sQuadrons actively
and iudiciously employed uncer eff lent and
Ill ,Aar
and property of Americ an citizens maintain
ing the dignity and power of the Govern
ment, and promoting the commercial and
business interests Of our cOrntrymen in
every part Of the world. OF two hundred
and thirty'efght vessels composing tho pres.
ent Navy OF the United states, 5S carrying
h07 guns are In squadron service. During
the year the number ~ vessels in commis-
sion has been reduced twelve, and there are
thirteen less on squadron duty there we're at
the date Of the last report. A large number
of vessels were commenced and in course of
construc tlOu when the war term mated and
although Congress- has made the necessary
apr ropristions for their completion the De-
partment has either suspended work upon
Them or limited the slow completion OF steam
vessels so AS to meet the contracts for ma
chinery made with private establishments.
he total expenditures of the Navy Depart
ment for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1861,
been made or required since the close OF the
war for the construction andrepair Of vessels,
and 10: Steam machinery, ordnsn ce, pfovis-
ions and clething fuel, hemp, &c.. balance
under these several heads, having been more
than su ficient for current expenditures. Il
sh ould also be stated TO the credit of the De-
partment, that besides asking no appropria
tiOns for the above objects for the past two
years. The Secretary of the Navy, on the
3bth Of september last, in accordance with
the act OF May lst, 1870 requested the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury TO carry to the surplus
fund the sum of s65, 900 900, icing the amount
received from sales OF vessels aud other war
and the remnants OF former appre-
priatlon5.
POsToFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report OF the Postmaster General
shows the business ct the POstoffioe Depart
ment and the condition Of the postal service
in very favorable light, and the attention
Of Congress is called to its practical recon
The receipts for the year ending June 30,
1867, including all special appropriations for
sea and land service, and for free mai mat
Ter, were $l9,97s,6 The expenditures for
al purposes. were SIS, ,235 4s3, leaving an un-
expended balance IN tavor of the department
Of s743 $40. which can be applied tow ards
he expenses of the departme Mt for the cur
rent year. The increase of the postal reve.
nue., Independent of specific appropriations,
'or the Year 1867, over that ofls66, was $3.50.
40. The increase of revenue from the sale !
Df stamps envelopes was $753, ,<04. The In
,rease of expenditures In 1867 over those of
he previous year was owing chiefly to tho
extension of land and ocean service. Dur
ng the past year new postal conventions
rave been ratified and exchanged with the |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
Belgium, the Netherlands, switzerland,
Worth German Union. Italy and the Colonial
y Kong ga ryi
argely the ratio of ocean and land postages |
o and from and within those countries
AGRIcULTunAL DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Acting Commissic nsr Of
Agriculture coroisely presents the condition, |
works and progress Of an interest eminen,ly |
worthy the fostering care Of Congress. and |
exhibits a large measure of useful results |
achieved during the year. to which 1t refers.
YoREIGS lrrAras.
The reestablishmepto OF peace at home and |
he resumption Of extended trade, travel 1
md commerce abroad, have served to in
,rease the number and variety of questions
n the Department for Foreign Affairs. None |
VI those questions, however, have disturbed
ic Of Mexico having been relieved from ior-
,ign Intervention. IL earnestly engaged in
forts to reestablish her constitutional sys-
EN- OF government. A good understanding
to exist between our Government
md the republics of Hayti and San Domingo,
md our cordial relation with the Central and
south American State remains unchanged |.
The tender made In conformity with the res
'lution of Congress Of the good onlcss Of our
with view 10 an amicable ad-
dstment of peace between Brazil and her al.
les on one side, and Paraguay on the other,
nd between Chill and her allies on one side,
nd Spain on the other, though kindly re.
eivsd, mas in neither case been fully &C.
epted by the belligerents-
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
No arrangement has. as yet, been reached
or the settlement OF our claims for British
epredations on CONNER 70 of the United
tates. have felt 1t nv duty TO decline the
roposition OF arbitration, made by Her
lsjesly's Government, because il has hith. 1
rto been accompanied by reservations And
mutations incompatible with the rights, In
erests, and honor of our country. 1t is not ,
D be apprenended that Great Britain will per
ist in her refusal to satisfy these Just and
easonable claims. which involve the sacred
rinciple OF non-intervention-s principle |
encforth not more important TO the United
tates than to all other comm sroiai notions.
THE WEST INDIES.
The West India stands were settled and
olonizsd by European States simultaneous =
!; with the settlement and colonization of
he American continent. Most OF tn /. colonies
lanted here became Independent nations in
no close OF the last and the beginning oflhe
resent century. Our own country embraces {
which at one period were colo.
les Of Great Britain. Trance, Spain, Holland
weden. and Russia. The people in the
Fest Indies. with the ex xception OF those OF (;
he Islands of Hayti, have neither attained
or ssPir ed to independence, nor have they s
ecome prepared for selfdefense. Although | il
assessing considerable commercial value,
hey have been held by the several Europe.
n states, which colonized, or, at some time 9
onQuered them, chiefly for purposes of mil =
.ary and naval strategy. In carrying out
European policy and designs in regard TO b