Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-12-15

months decrease OF over 81, 400
900 from those OF the correspond
ing months of last year. The es-
Inmates for the current year were
S2S, ,205, ,678.37; those for the next
year are s20,6S3,3l700, with S9,-
$4,000 additional for temporary
and permanent improvements.
These estimates are made close for
the maintenance of the naval es-
tablishment as it is, without much
in the matter of permanent i'm
proYement.
The appropriations made for the
last and current years, were evi.
IDENTITY intended by Congress to be,
and are sufficient only to keep the
navy on It's present footing, and
for the repairing and retitting Of
our old ships This policy must,
Of course, gradually but surely de-
stroy the navy, and is, itself far
from economical, as each year that
it is pursued the necessity for
more repairs in ships and navy
yards becomes more imperative
and more costly, and our current
expenses are increased for the mere
repair of ships, many of which
must soon be unseaworthy and
useless.
| hope during the present session
of Congress to be able to submit
to it a plan by which naval vessels
can be built and repairs made with
n great saving upon the present
cost. 1t can hardly be wise states
manship in Government which
represents country with over five
thousand miles Of coast line, on
both oceans, exclusive of Alaska,
and containing 40,000,000 OF pro
gressiyc people, with relations Of
every nature with almest every for
eign country, to rest with such in
adequate means of enforcing any
foreign policy, either Of protection
orredress. Separated by the ocean
from the nations Of the eastern con
tinent, our Navy is our only means
Of direct protection to our citiz ems
abroad, or for the enforcement of
any foreign policy.
PosToFFIoE DEPARTMENT.
The accom- panying report Of the
Postmaster General shows Il most
satisfactory working of the De
partment. With the adoption of
the recommendations contained
therein, particularly those relating
to n reform in the franking priv
ilege and adoption of correspon-
dencc cards, a self-sustoining postal
system may speedily be looked for.
md at no distant day, II further
reduction Of the rate Of postage
will be attained
| recommend an authorization
by Congress to the Postmaster
General and Attorney General to
issue all commissions to officials
through their respective
departments. At present these
commissions, where appointments
are made, are issued by the State
Department. The law in all the
Departments Of the Government,
except those Of the PostofIlco and
Of Justice, authorizes each to issue
Its own commissions.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM,
Always favoring practical ro
forms, / respectfully call your at
tention to one abuse Of long stand
ing which would like to see rem
nedied by this Congress, 1t is a
reform in the civil service of the
'ountry. l would have it 60 be.
lond the mere tenure of Office Of
Jerks and employees who do not re-
iiiirc the advice and consent Of the
senate to make their appointments
complete. 1t would have to gov
'rn, not the tenure, but the manner
)fmoklng all appointments
There is no duty which so much |
,mbarrasses the Executive and
heads of Departments as that Of
appointments, nor is there any
such arduous and thankIess labor
imposed on Senators and Repre-,
as that Of finding places
or constituents. The present
iystem does not even flt men for
,ubIic places The elevation and
publication of tho civil service of
ho Government will be hailed with
hy the whole people Of
he United States.
INDIAN AFFAIRS,
Reform In the management Of
indian affairs has received the spec.
al attention Of the Administration
rom its Inauguration to the present
lay. The experiment Of making
{ missionary work, was tried
With few agencies given TO the
Of Friends, and has
cen found to work most Odvan.
lgeously. All agencies and super
Tendencies not so disposed of
zero given to officers Of the army
The net Of Congress reducing the /
rmv renders army officers incligi !
lie for civil positions. Indian
gents helno civil offices, deter. ,
iined to give all tho agencies to {
neh religious denominations as had ,
eretofore established missions
mong the Indians, and perhaps to /
ONE other denominations which {
,ouid undartaka the work on tho