Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-12-16


pudiation of tho public debt and ponsous
then am still moro opposed to such kind
of revenue reform. Revenue reform has not
been defined by any Of it's advocates, to my
knowledge, but seems to be accepted as some
thing which is to supply every mans wants,
without any cost or effort on histpart. A true
revenue reform cannot be made in day, but
must be the work of national legislation aud
of time. AS soon MS the revenue Gun be dis.
penscd with, all duty should bo removed from
coffee, tea, and other articles of universal use
not produced by ourselves. The necessities
of tho country compel us to collect revenue
from our imports. An amy of assessors and
zen, bat that CT G tariff for revenue is ueoossa.
ry. Such tariff, so far as it acts as on en-
couragcment to homo production, affords en-
ployment to labor at living wages, in contrast
to the paupcr labor of the old world, aud also
in the development Of home resources.
Under the Act of Congress- of tho 18th
day of July, 1870, the army has gradually
been reduced, SO that, OH the lst day of Jan
uary, 1871, the number of commissioned Off
GERS and men will not exceed the number con-
templatcd by that law
The War Department. building is au old
structure, not ilre:proof, entirely inadequate
in dimensions to prevent wants. Many thou
sands of dollars arc now paid annually for
rent of private buildings to accommodate the
various Bureaus Of the Department.. l re,
commend an appropriation for another War
Department. building suited to the present
and growing wants of the nation. The re-
port of the Secretary of War shows very
satisfactory reduction in the expenses of tho
army for the lust fiscal yeal for details you
are referred to his accompanying report Ex-
penses Of the navy for the whole of the last
year, that is, from December lst, 1869, the
date of the last report, are less than 19,000,-
900 dollars, or about 100000 dollars less
than they wero the previous year. The ex-
year, that is, since January 1st, show for the
i've months decrease of over 2,4O0, 900 dol
lars from those of tho corresponding months
of last year. The estimates for the current
year were 29,205, ,671.37 dollars, those for
next year arc 2O,6S3,31700 dollars, with
100000 dollars additional for necessary
permanent improvements. These estimates
are made closely, for tho mere maintenance
of the naval establishment, o. it no is, with
out much in the nature of permanent improve
ment. The appropriations made for the last
and current years were evidently intended by
Congress sufficient only to keep the navy on
its present footing. BY the repairing and re-
fitting of our old ships, this footing must
of course, gradually but surely destroy the
navy, and it is in itself far from economical,
as each year that it is pursued, the necessity
for repairs in ships and navy yards becomes
moro imperative AMI moro costly, und our
current expenses are annually increased for
the mere repair of ships, many of which must
soon become unsafe and useless hope du-
ring the present session of Congress to be
able to submit plan by which naval vessels
can be built and repairs mado with great saw
ing upon the present cost. 1t can hardly be
wise craftsmanship III government, which
represents country with over 5000 miles
of coast line on both oceans, exclusive of Alas
ka, and containing 40,000,O00 of progress
sive people, with relations Of every nature
with almost every foreign country, to rest
with such inadequate means of enforcing any
foreign policy, either Of protection or redress.
Separated by the ocean from the nations of the
Eastern Continent, our naves are our only
means Of direct protection to our citizens
abroad, and for the enforcement of any foreign
pulley. The accompanying report of the
Postmaster General shows most satisfactory
working of that department. with the adoption
Of recommendations contained therein, par
ticularly those relating to reform in the
franking privilege, and the adoption of the
correspondence cards, selfsustaning postal
system may speedily be looked for at no dis
tant day, and further reduction Of the rate
of postage be attained. recommend author
ization by Congress to tho Postmaster Gene
raj and Attorney General to issue all commits
sions to officials, appointed through their res
pcctive departments. At present these com
missions, whose appointments arc presidcn
tiai, are issued by State Department. The
law in all the departments of government, cx
cept those of the post Office and Of justice, au
thorizes each to issue its own commissions,
always favoring practical reforms. [ respect
fully call your attention to one abuse of long
standing which would like to see remcdcd
by this Congress. 1t is reform in the civil
service of the country. would have it go
beyond the nero fixing of the tenure of office
of clerks and employees who do not require
the advice and consent of tho Senate to
make their appointments complete. would
have it govern not the tenure, but the manner
Of making all appointments. There is no
duty, which so much embarrasscs the Ex-
ecutivc and heads Of departments, as that
of appointments, nor is there any such ardu-
Gus, and thankless labor imposed on Senators
and Representatives, as that of finding places
for constituents. The present system, does
not, secure the best men, and often fit mon
for the public places. The elevation and pu-
riication Of the civil service of the Govern.
ment, vii! be hailed with approval by tho
whole people of the United States. Reform