The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-12-16
WHOLE NO. 1178.

deemed practicable. If however. the condition
Of tue con ntFy should be such bv the beginning
ofthe next fiscal as to admit Of greater con-
centration oftroops, the appropriation asked Tor
will not be expended.
The appropriation estimated for river aud hafs
Dor Improvement and fertilization are submit.
ted separately. Whatever amount Congress
may deem proper TO appropriate for these purA
poses will be exp ended The recommendation
Of the General Of the Army that appropriations
be made for the forts at Boston, Port
land. New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans and
San Francisco If for no other, is concurred In.
l also ask You special attention to the recon.
m endalion Of the General commanding the mil
iiary division Of the Pacific for the sale Of the
Seal Islands Of St. Paul and St. George, Alaska
TER itory, and suggest that 1t either becomplted
with or that legislation be had for the proIees
ton Of the seal fisheries from which fevsuRa
should be derived.
The report Of the Secretary Of War contains
'nopsis of the reports of the heads Of bu.
reaus Of the commanders Of the military divfs.
ions and Of the districts of Virginia Mlsslssi.
ppi and Texas, and the report Of the 0eneralUR
the Army In full The recommendation there's
in contained have been well considered, and are
su omitted for your action. /, however, call
special attention TO the Recommendation of the
Chief Of Ordnance for the sale of arsenaisuud
lands, no longer of use to the Government -
also, TO the recommendation Of the Secretary d
War, that the act of the Sd of March, 1859, pro4
hibiting promotions and appointments 10 the
staff corps Of the army be repealed. The extent
Of country TO be garrisoned, and the number of
military posts TO be occupied, Is the same withA
reduced army az with large one The number
Of staff officers required is more dependent up.
on Tue latter than The former condition.
The report Of the Secretary OF the Navy, se-
compnnying this, shows the condition OF tbs
Navy When this administration came into Office,
aud the changes made since. Tf{l
Strenuous efforts have been made to place as
many vessels il comm ission as render them hk
Tor service, II required, as soon as possible, ana
to substitute the sail for steam while cruising,
thus materially reducing the EXPENSES of tho
navy and adding greatly to its efficiency Look
ing 10 our future, IrecOmmeud liberal, though
not eXuaFagant, policy toward this branch Of
the public service. ... -..- ..-s
The report Of the Postmaster Genera furnIshs
es clear and comprehensive exhibit of the post
al service and OF the financial condition OF thIs
part of the POstofiee Department The ordius
AIRY postal revenues for the year ending the S9th
of June, 1863, amounts 10 SIS. .344 $40 and the
expenditures to S23. $50 .I3l showing an exeeas
Of expenditures over receipts of s5,353. 62O--
The excess OF expenditures over receipts for the
previous year amounted to &C. 437 gg2; the ID,
crease Of revenues for 1869 over those of 1868
was S2,051 ,9G9, and the increase of expenditures
was e976, 536 the increased revenue in 1859 ex.
ceeded the increased revenue in 1868 by 1896.
336, and the increased expenditures in 1869 was
81 527, $40 less than the increased expenditure
IN 1867, showing by comparison, this gratifying
feature of Improvement, that while the increase
of expenditures over the increase of receipts In
1868 was s2,439, ,5S5 the increase Of reeeiph
over the increase OF expenditures in 1869, VS.
S1,OS4, ,371.
Your attention is respectfully called t5 the
recommendations made by the Postmaster Cen
eral for authority to change the rate of compel
sation 10 the main trunk railroad lines for tkeir
services In carrying the mails for having post
route maps executed, for reorganizng and In.
creasng the efficiency of the special agency SER
vice, for the Increase OF the mail service on the
Pacihe, and for establishing q mail service uu-
der the flag Of the Union on the Atlantic and
more especially do call your attention to his
Recommendation for the total abolition of The
franking privilege. This Is an abuse from
which no one receives commensurate adVan-
tage; II reduces the receipts for postal service
IRON twenty-five TO thirty per cent and largely
increases theservice TO be performed. ~
But the method by which postage should b.
paid upon public matter is set forth fully In the
report of the Postmaster General
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior
shows that the quantity of public lands disposed
of during the year ending June 80 1869, wa
1866, l52 acres. exceeding that of the previous
year by 1,O10, 400 acres. OF this amount 2. S9g,-
544 acres were sold for cash. and . 737, ,365 aercs
entered under the Homestead laws. The re-
mainder was granted 10 aid in the construction
Of the work Of internal improvement, appor-
TONED 10 the States as swamp land. and located
warrants and scrip. The cash receipts from an
sources were S. Az S86, exceeding those Of the
preceding year, S2 S4O, 14O. During the lagt
fiscal year 70 196 names we're added to the pen.
sion rolls and $40 dropped therefrom leaving
at its close, 1S7, 1858. The amount paid pensioE
ers, including the compensation Of disbursnR
agents, was SIS, ,422, 1888, an increase Of si41,1@
on that of the previous year. -.
The munlfcenee of Congress has been con.
spicuOusly maniies led in its legislat0nl for thn
soldiers and sailors who suffered In the Recant
struggle to maintain that unity of the GoVeFn-
ment which makes us one people. The addition
to the pension rolls OF each successive year sinee
the conclusion of hostilities result In Q great
degree from the repeated amendments of the act
of the 14th OF July, 1862, which extended its
provisions to cases not falling within It's origin.
al scope. The large outlay which is thus Oeea-
stoned is further Increased by the more liberal
allowances bestowed 8 ince that date upon those
who in the line Of duty were wholly or perna-
nentIy disabled. Public opinion has given an
emphatic sanction TO these measure of ofCongres5,
and il will be conceded that no part Of our pub
lie burden is more cheerfully borne than that
which is imposed by this branch Of the service,
1t necessitates for the next fiscal year, in addi-
tion to the amount justly chargable to the naval
pension fund an appropriation of $50, 900 0DD.'
During the year ending the 30th OF Septeu14
ber 1869. the Patent Office ssut 13 762 patents,
and It's receipts were $3.50, $50, being S2l3,926
more than the expenditures. | would re5peet-
fully call your attention 10 the recommendation
a. ha .ffpV IF tha mt npiIt Ia lha
duties of supervising the education OF treelmsh
with the other duties deYolying upon the Come
missioner of Education eTf sF,Yg
If it is the desire OF Congress to make the
census which must be taken during the year
1870 more complete and perfect than heretofOTpg
would suggest early action upon any plan thae
may be agreed upon. As Congress at the last
session appointed q committee to take into con-
sideration such measures as might be deemed
proper In reference 10 the census and report 2
plan, deslst from saying more. Irecommend
to your favorable consideration the claims OF tho
Agricultural Bureau for liberal app 9pFlatlons
In a country so diversified 10 climate and SOIL as
ours, and with population so largely dependent
upon agriculture, the benehtsj that can be con-
ferred by properly fostering this bureau are In
calculable desire respectfully to call the at
tention Of Congress to the inadequate salaries Of
number of the most important officers Of the
Government In this message ] win not emu
meute them, but will specify only the justices
Of the Supreme Court. No change has been
made in their salaries for fifteen years. Within
that time the labors OF the Court have largely
increased. and the expenses of living have at
least doubled. During the same time, Congress
has twice found 1t necessary to increase largely
the compensation OF its own members, aud tho
duties which IL owes to another department Qf
the Government deserves and will undoubtedly
receive its due consideration. -
There are many subjects not alluded to 10 this
message, which might with propriety, be intro-
| duced, but abstain, believing your patriotism
| and statesmauship will suggest the topics and
Legislation most conducive TO che interests Of the
/ ,d,.... ~ L 81 a FiffAn