The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-12-09

Oreat DilIaln Will see the justice OF abandon
ing the narrow and inconsistent claim to which
her Canadian provinces have urged her adhe-
renee.
Our depressed commerce Is a subject to
which called your special attention at the
last session and suggested that we will in the
future have to look more tO the countries
south of US and to China and Japan for its re-
vival Our representatives to all these Gov
ernments have exerted their influence to en-
courage trade between the United States and
the countries to which they are accredited;
but the fact exists that the carrying is done
almost entirely in foreign bottoms, and while
this state OF t4fairs exists, we cannot control
our due share Of the commerce of the world.
That between the Pacific States and China and
Japan is about all the carrying trade now con-
Quoted In American vessels, l would recon-
mend liberal policy towards this line of
American steamers, one that will insure its |
success and even increased influences. The
cost Of building iron vessels, the only ones I
that can compete with foreign ships, is so I
much greater in the United States than In for |
eign countries that without some assistance !
from the government they cannot be success
fully built here. There will be several pro- |
positions laid before Congress in the course OF |
the present session, looking to q remedy for 1
this evil. Even if it should be at some cost |
to the national treaty, hope such encourage
ment viii be given as will secure American |
shpplng on the high seas and American ship |
building at home.
Ihe condition of the archives at the Depart
ment OF State, calls for the early action Of
Congress. The building now rented by that
department is a frail structure, at inconveni-
ent dlstanceSrom the Executive Mansion and
iroin the other departments. tits lily adapted
70 the purpose for which it is used, has not
capacity to accommo date the archives, and is
not nre proof. It's remote situation, its slender
construction, and the absence of a supply of
wafer IN the neighborhood, leave but little
nope OF safety for either the building or its
contents, IN case of the accident of O fire. Its
destruction would involve the loss of the rolls
containing the original acts and resolutions of
congress OF the history records of the Revolu-
ton and Of the confederation, of the whole
series OF diplomatic and consular archives
since the adoption of the Constitution, and of
the many other valuable records and papers
left with that department when it was the
principal depository of the Government ar
chIves. recommend an appropriation for
the construction of building for the Depart-
ment of State
recommend to your reconsideration the
propriety of tranferring to the Department of
the Interior, to which they seem more appro-
priately to belong, all powers and duties in re-
lation to the Territories, with which the
Department of State is now charged by law or
usage; and from the Interior Department to
the War Department the Pension Bureau as
far as it regulates the payment of soldiers PEN
SONS. l would further recommend that the
the payment of naval pensions be transferred
to one of the Bureau of the Navy Department.
| The estimates for the expenses of the govern
ment for the fiscal year ,S45 OIL less than
for the current one, but exceeded the approDria-
tions for the present ear for the me items s.
s72l27 So. In this estimate, however, is included
$22, ,S48,2fS 81 Tor public works heretofore begun
under Congressional permissions, and of which only
80 much is asked asiiongress may choose tn give
The appropriations for the same work for the pres
ent fiscal year was sll ,96a SIS Us.
| The average value Of gold as compared With the
National currency for the whole Of he year 1869
was about lS4. and for eleven months of 1870, the
the same relative value has been about lis. The
approach Lto specie basis is very gratifying, but
the fact cannot be denied that the instability OF
the value of our currency is pr judicial to our pros
pery and tends to keep up prices to the detriment
OF trade. The evils OF depre' lated and fuetuatinR
urrency arr 90 great that now v hen the premium
on gold has fallen so much, in would EN- that the
time has arrived when, by wise and p udent egisla-
tion. Congress should look to a policy which
would place our currency at par with gold at no
distant day.
The tax collected from the people has been re-
| duced more than eight million dollars per anDum
| By stea luess In our present course, there is no
reason why, IN few short years, the national tax
Satherer may not disappear from the door Of th'
| eiIlzen almost entirely. With the revenue htan,J
dispensed by Posfunasters in every community, b
lax upon liquors OF all sorts and tobacco in all it.
| forms and by wise adjustment Of the tariff
which will put duty only on those articles which
| we could dispense with, known as luxuIies, and
on those mich we use more OF than we produce
| rev, nue. enough may be raised aftera few years Of
peace and consequent reduction OF Indebtedness
70 fulfill all our obligations A further reduction
Of expenses IN addition 10 reduction Of interest
account may De relied on to make this PRACTICABLE
/ Revenue Reform, if It means this has NY earnest
support If II implies cOllee ion of all the rev.
| euue for the support Of the government, for thu
Il uanW 0F W1Wnr aTWanN ~
debt, pensions. &c. by directly taxing the people
then am against Revenue Reform, and conn lent
| ~ believe the people are with me. Ii it means 3
| failure TO provide the ne essary means TO defray
all expenses of the GoveTnment,' and thereby re-
pudiate the public debt and Pensions then i an
still more opposed to such kind Of Revenue eforu.
Revenue Reform has lot been dehued BY any Of its
advocates, to my knoWledge but seems 10 be n -
cepted as something whichis to supply every mani
wants. without any cost for effort on his part. All
| true Revenue Reforms cannot be ade In a day
hut must be the work Of national legislation ano
| Of time.
As soon as the revenue can be dispensed With al
duty should De re owed from coffee, tea and o. hel
articles Of universal use not produced by ourselves
The necessities OF the country compel us TO cole
| revenue trom our imports. An army OF assessors
and collectors Is not pleasant sight to our iizens
but that or tariff for revenue Is nt cessary buch
tariff, far as 1t acts In en- Ouragenent to hom,
/ products, affords employment to labor at living
wages III contrast to the pauDer labor Of the old
world, and also in the development of hoIe re-
l sources.
The army has been greately reduced, so that on
the first OF January 1871, the number of cOmnis-
stoned officers and men IN all will not exceed tn
/ number ntemplated by ihe law The DeparI-
ment building Is an old structure not fre-proOf
and entlrely inadequate in dimensions to our pre-
ent wants. Many thousands OF dollars are now
paid annually for rent OF private buildings TO &C
co modate various beIeaus of the Department. I
/ re mend an appropriation Tor a new ar De-
partment building, suited to the present growing
events OF the nation. The report OF the etarS
Of War shows very satisfactory reduction in the
expenses OF the army for the last fiscal year Foi
de ails, you are reteIred to his accompanying IT.
port
Inc expenses of the Navy for the whole of the
last year. Dec /, 1862 to the date Of the las report
are less thau $l9OVOGO0, or about 81 OUO' 90 less
than they were the previous year. The expense
since the commencement OF this fiscal year, Juiv
show for The five months decrease Of 81, ,3OOt o..
from those of the corresponding months of last
year The estimates Tor the current year was s2O-
2u5,678 03 those for next year are S2U $685. with
s922, 100 additional for necessary permanent i'm
proyements- These es inaies are made closely ft
the aipi einance OF The naval establishment AZ il
now is. without rluch in the nature of permanent
improvement. The appropriations made Tor the |
last and the current year, evidently intend
60 by Congress. ana are suth lent only, to keep |
the navy on It's pa esent footing by the repair u
and rehtting of our old ships. This policy, must
OF course, gradually but surely destroy the navy
and It IS IN ltse far from economical as each yesI
tha 1t Is pursued the nee esy TOR epaee IN shlLs
and In navy yards becomes peratiVe and moi, |
COSTLY ana our current expenses are annually IL
| creased for the mere rep-ir OF ships, many o. |
which must soon Decome unsafe and usele.E. ] i
hope during the present session OF Congress to be
able to submit TO 1t plan by viii naval yes sell
can be built and repairs mace with great saving
upon the present cost. 1t can hardly be wise
statesmanrhip IN government which represent /
4 country with over 5000 miles of coast lire nl /
boath oet ans, exclusive Of Alaska and Containing
40, 200 OF progressive people, with relations o.
every nsiule vii almost every foreign country 10
rest with such inade quate measure OF entOr Ing
any foreign policy, either of protection or redress
Separated by the ocean fTOln the nations of the /
Eastern continent, cur navy is our only means Ul L
direct p otecIion 10 our citizens abb oad OF for the
enio cement Of any foreign policy.
The accompanying report Of the Postmaster
General shows most satisfactory working of tht
Department. With the adoption OF the recon. i
mendatiOns contained therein, partieu arly those
relating to reform in the franking privilege and
the adoption OF correspondence cards, self sus-
tanning postal system may speedily be looked ior
and ct no distant day further reduction of tn
rates Of postage attained.
recommend the authorization BY Congress to
the Post Master General and Attorney General 10
issue all com missions appointed through their res
peetlEe departments. present these co is-
sions, where the appointments are Presidential,
all the departments OF the government * ept
those Of the Post Office and Of Justice, authorizes
each to issue its own con missions
Always favoriDg practical reforms respectfully
call your attention to one abuse OF long Standing
which you'd ike to see remedied BY this Con.
gress, 1t is reform in the civil service of fhe
country. would haYett 60 bryond the ere fix.
ing OF Lne tenure Of Office ofclerKs and employees
who do not require the advice and consent Of the
Senate to make their appointments complete I |
would have IN govern not the tenure, but the man
ner ofmakng all the appointments 4 he's Is noduiy
which so much embrasSes the Executive and he eads
of Departments, a. that Of appointments; nor Is /
there any such arduous and Jhankless labor i'm
pos on Senators and Representatives as that + |
hnding places for constituents The present sys.
TEN does not secure the best, and often not even fit
men, for public pia e.. The elevation and purif-
cation ofthe civil servi the government viii he
hailed with approval by the whole people of the
United States.