The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-12-10

Tency is one Of the greatest political evils.
undermines the virtues necessary for the sup
port OF the social system and encourages pro
pensites destructive OF tE happiness. It war
against Industry, frugality. and economy, an,
1t fosters the evil spirits of extravaganza ant
speculation. 1t has been asserted by one o
our profound and most gifted states men tina
of all the contrivancas for cheating tn
laboring classes of mankind none has beer
more cffectual than that which delud es then
| with paper money" This Is the most effec
tual Of inventions to fertlize the rich man.
| fields by the sweat of the poor mans brow
Ordinary tyranny, oppression. excessive taxa
| ton, these bear lightly on the happiness o
the mass Of the community compared with
fraudulent currency and the robberies com
mitted by deprecated paper. Our own his
tory has recorded for our instruction enough
and more than enough, of the dem oralizine
tendency, the injustice and the intolerablt
oppression on the virtuous and weI-disposeG
of degraded paper currency authorized by
law, or in any way coun tenanced by Govern
ment. 1t is one of the most successful device:
! in times of peace or war. of expansions or re-
Wilson's, to accomplish the transfer of all the
precious metals from the great mass of the
people in to the hands of the few, where they
are boarded in secret places. or deposited IN.
der bolts and bars, while the people are left tc
endure all the inconvenience, sacrifice, and
decentralization resulting from the use Of de
preciated and worthless paper.
The Secretary of the Interior In his
report gives valuable information in re.
ference to the interests confded to the
supervision Of his department, and re.
views the operations of the Land Office
Pension Office. Patent Office, and the Indian
Bureau. During the fiscal year ending June
80 1865, six million, six hundred and fiftv-fve
thousand, seven hundred acres Of pnblic land
were disposed of. The entire cash receipts OF
the General Land Office for the same period
were one million. six hundred and thirty two
thOnSnn6
lars, being erea ter by 1881. $50 than the amount
realized from the same sources during the pre-
vious ye1r The entries under the homestead
law Q. 32s. 923 acres, nearly one fonrth OF
which was taken under The act of June 81,
1866, which applies only TO the States of Ala.
hama, mississippi. Louisiana, Arkansas. and
Florida. On the Both OF June. 1858, one hun
dred and sixty nine thousand six hundred and
forty. three names were borne on the pension
rolls. and during the wear ending on that day
the total amount paid for pensions, including
the expenses of disbursement, was S24, 01O, $50,
being s.. 391. 025 greater than that expended for
like purposes during the preceding year. Du-
ring the year ending tho Goth of September last
the expenses of the Patent Office exceeded the
receipts by one hundred and seventy one dol
lars, and. including Reissues and designs,
fourteen thousand one hundred and iftythree
pm tents were issued.
Treaties with varnns Indian tribes have
been concluded, and will be submitted 10 the
Senate for its constitutional action. cor
daily sanction the stipulation which provides
for reserving lands for the various tribes
where they NAV he encouraged 10 abandon
their nomadic habits and engage in agrcuitu-
raj and industrial pursuits. This policy, in
augurated many years since, has met with
signal success whenever it has been pursued
in good faith and with becoming liberality
by the United States. The necessity for
extending. rs far rs practicable our
relations with aboriginal populations is
greater now than ut any preceding pc.
Rod. Whilst we furnish subsistence and
instruction to the Indians, and guarantee
the undisturbed on iovment of their treaty
rights, we sbould hahitnallY insist upon the
faithful observance of their agreement to re-
main within their respective reservations
This is is the only mode by which collisions
with other tribes and with the whites can he
avoided and the safety of our frontier settle
mpnts secured.
The companies constructing the railway
from Omaha to Sacramento have been most
energetically engaged prosecuting the work.
and it is believed that the line viii
he completed before the expiration of the
next fiscal year. The six per cent. bonds
issued 10 these companies amounted on
the 18th instant to 81, 337 900, and additional
work had been performed TO the extent OF
81, 2C0, 900. The Secretary of the Interior In
August last invited my attention to the re-
port of n Government director of the Union
Pacific Railroad Company who had been
specially instructed to examine the location,
construction, ana equipment or their ROAD 1
submitted for the opinion OF the Attorney
General certain questions in regard 10 the au-
thority of the Executive which arose upon
this report and those which had from time 10
time been presented by the commissioners APP
pointed to inspect each successive section of
the work After carefully considering the
law of the case he affirmed the right Of
the Executive to order, II necessary, 4 tho
rough revision of the entire road. Commits
sioners Were thereupon appointed 10 examine
Il ~, -
mitted Il statement of their investigations, of
which the report of the Secretary of the In
terror furnishes specific information.
The report of the Secretary OF War contains
information of interest and Importance re-
spectng the several bureaus of the War De-
partment and the operations of the army.
The strength OF our military force on the
seth OF September last was forty eight thou
sand men. and it is computed that by the
list of June next this number will be
decreased 10 $1,000. 1t is the opinion of the
Secretary of War that within the next year
a considerable diminution of the infantry
force may be made without detriment TO the
interests of the country and in view or the
great expense attending the military peace
es establishment, and the absolute necessity OF
retrenchment wherever it can be applied, it is
hoped that Congress will sanction the reduc'
ton which his report recommends. Whlle In
1850 $1,000 men cost the nation Sl6, i72,Ooo, the
sum of S6j, $50, 900 is estimated rs necessary for
year ending June 80, 1870. The estimates
of the War Department for the last two
fiscal years We're: For 1867, S33, i,i6l, and
for 1865, S25, 20j,000 The actual expenditures
during the periods We're, respectively, 800, 224,-
4l5 and Sl23, 246, Gas. The estimate submitted
in December last for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1869, S77,l24,7c7. The expendi-
lures for the first quarter ending the 3Oth OF
September last were S27,2l9, IL, and the Sc
cretary Of the Treasury gives $50, 100000 as the
hn
ring the remaining three quarters II there
should be no reduction OF the army, making
its aggregate cost for the year conslderaoly
in excess of ninety-three millions. Inc az
ference between the estimates and expendl-
lures for the three fiscal years which nave
been named is thus shown to be SI75, j,3lS
for this single branch of the public service
The report OF the Secretary of the Navy eX-
hibits the operations Of the Department and
of the Navy during the year. A considerable
reduction of the force has been effected. inere
are forty-two vessels, carrying four hundred
and eleven guns, in the six squadrons Whlcn
are established in different parts OF the world
Three of these vessels are returning TO the
United States, and four are used as
storeshiDs, leaving the actual cruising
force thirty five vessels, carrying three hun
dred and fiftysiX guns. The total number OF
vessels in the navy is two hundred ana SIX
mounting seventeen hundred and forty-three
guns. Eighty-one vessels of every description
are in use, armed with six hundred and ninety
six guns. The number Of enlisted men in the
service, including apprentices, has been re-
duced 10 eight thousand i've hundred. An
increase of navy-yard facilities Is recon-
mended rs n measure which will, i'll the
event of war, be promotive of economy
and security. A more thorough and sys-
tematic survey Of the North Paclnc
ocean is advised, in view OF our recent acq ulsl-
tions, our expanding commerce, and the IN
creasing intercourse between Pacific States
and Asia. The naval pension fund, which
consists of moiety Of the avails OF prizes
captured during the war, amounts to fourteen
million dollars Exception is taken 10 the act
of sd of July last which reduces the interest
of the fund loaned 10 the Government by the
Secretary as trustee to three per cent, IN
stead of six per cent, which was originally
stir atad ,y,hap IA N yeStment made.