The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-12-10

made for the forts nj Boston, Portland, New
York, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and San
Francisco. IL for no other, is concurred in.
| also ;t~ls your special atteTtion to the
recommendation OF the General commanding
the military divisions OF the Pacific, for the
sale of the seal islands OF ~. Paul, and 81.
George, Alaska territory and suggest that IL
either bc complied with or that legislation be
had for the protection OF the seal fisheries,
troIiI which IA revenue should bc derived.
Z The report of the Secretary OF War contains
a synopsis Of the reports Of the heads OF
bureaus, of the commanders OF military di.l-
sions, and of The districts of Virginia.
MiSslSSlppl aud Texas, AMI the report Of the
General OF the army in fuil- The recoinnen-
dattons therein have been well considered
ailai are submitted for your action. however.
cst!l special attention IL the neutrality-suspicious.
oil the chief of ordnance for The sale of arseilals
and lands no longer OF Use To the government;
Hl>o 10 the recommendation OF the Secretary
Of War that the act nf March 3. lssJ. prohibit
ing promotions and appointments in stall
corps OF the army be repealed. The extent OF
country To be garrisoned, and the number OF
military posts 20 he occupied is the same with
a reduced army as with q large one. The
number of staff officers required Is more
dependent upon tho latter than the former
condition.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary OF the Navy.
accompanying this, Shows the condition OF
the navy when this administration came
into Office and the changes made since.
Strenuous efforts have been made To place As
many vessels in commission, or render them
lit for service IL required, as possible, and Ia
substitute the sail for steam while cruising,
thus materially reducing the expenses OF the
navy and adding greatly TO its efficiency.
Looking to our future, recommend a liberal,
though not cxtravagant. policy toward this
branch of the public service.
THE PosT-OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Postmaster General fur
nislies a clear and comprehensive exhibit OF
tile operations or the postal service, and of the
financial condition of the pOst-oiiice depart
ment. The ordinary postal revenues for the
year ending June 30 1853, amount TO SIS, ,3H $40,
and the expenditures to 23,ss, ,l3l; showing
AN excess of expenditures over receipts, OF
so,S53,G2O. The excess OF expenditures over
receipts Tor the previous year amounted to
81 ~ ,sG- The increase OF revenue for 1863
over that of 1868 was g O5l S and the increase
of expenditures was sao7 ,5JS. The increased
revenue in 1863 exceeded the increased reve-
nue. in 1868 by sss,6.S}6, and the increased
Expenditure in 1863 s., 81 $40 less than the
Increased expenditures in ISIS, showing by
comparison this gratifying festure of
improvement that while the increase of
expenditures over the increase OF receipts in
is'9 was S3,tS,iil, the increase of receipts
over the increase of expenditures in 1859 was
81 ,tSI,Il-
Your attention is respectfully called to the
recommendations made by the Postmaster
General for authority 10 change the rate of
compensation to the main-trunk railroad
lines for their services in carrying the mails
for having pOst-rOute maps executed, for
reorganizing and increasing the efficiency of
the special agency service, for an increase OF
/ the mail service on the Pacific, and for estab-
fishing mail service under the flag of the
Union on the Atlantic and most especially do
| | call your attention to his recomme ndation
for the total abolition of the fTanking priVi-
| lege. This is an abuse from which no one
receives a commensurate advantage. II
reduces the receipts for postal service from
twenty-five TO thirty per cent. and largely
increases the labor TO be performed. The
method by which postage should be paid upon
Ipublic matter IS set forth fully in the report OF
the Postmaster General.
| PUBLIC LANDS.
| The report OF the Secretary of the Interior
shows that the quantity of public lands dis
posed of in the year ending June 20. 1862 was
900, i52 acres, exceeding that of the previous
year by l0l0,i09 acres OF this amount,
500 54i acres We're sold for cash and ,7y7 3O5
acres entered under the homestead law. The
remainder was granted TO aid in the conStrue-
ton of works of internal improvement.
appraised to the states as swamp lands and
located by warrants and scrip. The cash
receipts nom all sources were si.472, $50,
exceeding those of the preceding year by
S2,siO,liO.
/ During the last fiscal year % 1876 names were
added to the pension rolls, and i,S76 dropped
ltheIefrOm, leaving at its close Isl 963. The
amount paid to pensioners, including the
compensation of disbursing agents, was
SIS i22 SS4 increase OF sill lS2 on that of the
previous year. The munificence of Congress
has been cOnspicuously manifested in its
| legislation for the soldiers and sailors who
III the Itttnl lO
that unity of government which makes us one
people. The additions tn the pension rolls OF
each successive year since the conclusion OF
hostiliiies result in a great degree from the
! ls62, which extended its provisions to cases
not falling within its original scope. The
large outlay which is thus Oecasioned is fur
ther increased by the more liberal allowance
bestowed since that date upon those who. in
/ the line of duty, We're wholly or permanently
disabled. Public opinion has given an en-
MI n
/ and IL will he conceded that no part OF our
public burden is more eheerfully borne than
that which Is imposed by this branch of the
service II neccessitates for the next fiscal
yesir, III addition TO the amount justly charge
able to the naval pension fund, an appropTia-
tion Of ssi,"o'oOO.
During the year ending September 20, 1863,
| the patent office issued 1872 patents, and it,
receipts were SO>6, ,Ssi, being S2i,92 more than
the expenditures.
EDUCATION OF FREEDMEN.
| l would respectfully call your attention to
isIeriof ior uniting the duties o. super9isihs ir
the education Of freedmen with the other
duties devolVing upon the Commissioner oi
| Education.
| THE CENSUS.
/ Ifii is the desire OF Congress to make the
census which must he taken during the wear
I 1870 more complete and perfect than hereto
fore, would suggest early action upon any
| plan that Inay he agreed upon. As congress
ai the last StsslOn appointed q committee 10
take into consideration such measures as
might be deemed proper i'll reference to the
census, and report plan, i desist from saying
more.
AGRICULTURAL BUREAU.
| recommend to your favorable eonsidera-
tion the claims of the agricultural bureau for
a liberal appropriation. In a country Su
diversified in climate as ours, and with a
population so largely dependent upon agri-
culture, the benefits that can be conferred by
properly fostering this bureau are incalcuIa-
BILE.
INADEQUATE SALARIES.
| desire respectfully to call the attention of
Congress to the inadequate salaries of num-
government. In this message / will nor
enumerate them, but will specify only the
justices OF the Supreme Court. No chang
has been made in their salaries for fifteen
years Within that time the labors of the
Court have largely increased. and the cost of
time Congress has twice found it necessary 10
largely increase the compensation of its own
members, and the duty which il owes To
another department of the government
deserves, and will undoubtedly receive lis
due consideration.
CONCLUSION.
There are many subjects not aIluded to in
this message, which might with propriety be
Introduced, but 1 abstain, believing yOur
patriotism and craftsmanship will suggest
the topics and legislation most conducive TO
the interests OF the whole people On NV
part | promise a rigid adherence TO the laws
Washington, Dec. 6, 800.