The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1871-12-07

ton Is respectfully invited TO this subject.
InE-CUe ENcT.
The continued 1uc'uatiuns in the value OF
gold. ~ compared with 'a,ional currency.
las most damaging effect upon the increase
and development o. the country in keeping
UP the pric,s OF all articles necessary IN
everyday lie. /, ( siers a spirit Of grum-
bling at the National finances. Ii the ques.
tion can lie met 50 a. to get a fixed value to
our currency, that value constantly and uni
formly approaching par with specie, very
desirable ohjec. Will Be gained.
THE ARMY.
For the operations of the army during the
pact year, and for continuing sea coast and
other improvements, continued under the
supervision of the War Department, ! refer
you to: accompanying report Of the Secretary
Cf War. l call your attention to the Provis-
ion Of the act of Congress, approved March
3, 1869, which discontinues promotions in
the staff corps of the army. until provided
for by law. recommend that the number
Of officers in each grade Of the staff corps BE-
liked, and that wherever the number in any
one grade fails below the number 70 fixed,
that the vacancy NAV be filled by promotion
from the grade below. l also recommend
that wien the off e Of the ohiefo' A corps be-
comes vacant, The place must be re-iiled BY
selection from the corps in which the vacancy
exists.
THE NAVY.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy
show. sn Improvement in the number and
efficiency OF the naval force, Without mate
rial increase in the expense Of supporting it.
Praise is due to the policy which has been
adopted and universally used. Our material
will admit of using smaller vessels as cruisers
on the smaller stations. BY these means We
have been enabled to occupy at once larger
extent Of cruising ground, to visit more
frequently the ports where the presence Of
our flag ia desirable, ard generally to dis
charge officially the appropriate duties of the
navy in time OF peace without exceeding the
number of men or the expenditures author
lied by Law. During the past year this navy
has, in addition to It's regular service, sup
piled men and officers Tor the vessels Of the
coast survey, and has completed the surveys,
a authorized by Congress, of the ls,hmus OF
Darien and I-,hmus Il Tehauntepec, and
under this authority, has sent an expedition
completely furnished and equipped, TO ex-
plore the unknown ocean Of the North.
he suggestions Of the report "a TO the ne
cessiiy for increasing and improving the ma
teri.l Of The navy, and the plan recommend
ed for reducing the personnel OF the service
to peace standard by the gradual abolition
of certain grades Of Officers, the reduction Of
others and the employment of some in the
service Of the commerce marines are we'll
considered, and deserve the thoughtful Oper-
alton of Go gress. / al o recommend that
all promotions in the navy above captain
should re bv selection instead Of seniority.
This course will secure in the higher grades
greater efficiency, and hold out incentives to
young officers to improve them eives in the
know ledge Of their profession.
THE PRESENT COST OF MAINTAINING THE
NAVY,
its cost coparsd with that of the preceding
wear, and the estimstes for the ensuing year,
are contained in the accompanying report
Of the Secretary of the Navy.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
The enlarged receipts Of the P"stofice De
partmeDt, as sbown by the accompany ing re-
port OF the Postmaster General, exhibits a
gratifying increase in that branch OF the pub
lie service. 1t is the index Of the growth of
education and the prosperity o. the people,
two elements highly conducive TO the vigor
and stability of Republic. With vast terri
tory like ours, much Of it sparsely popula-
ted, but II requiring the services Of the
mail, it is not al present to be expected that
this Department can be made self-sustaiE-
ing, but gradual approach to this end, from
year to year, is confidently relied on, and the
DAY is not far distant when the Postofice De-
partment Of The Government will prove a
much greater blessing 10 the whole people
than it IL now.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
The Suggestions OF the Postmaster General
for improvements in the Department presi-
ded over by him, are earnestly recommended
to your special attention, especially the doc
uments favorable to consideration vi plan
for uniting the telegraph system ofthe United
States with the postal system. Ii is believed
that by such course the cost Of telegraph
ing would he much reduced, and the service
as well. il Mt better, rendered. 1t would
secure the further advantage, by extending
the telegraph through portions OF the country
where private enterprise will not construct il.
Commerce and trade, and above all, the
efforts to bring people, widely separated,
into q community Of interests, are always
benefited by rapid inter-communicstion.
Education, the ground work of Republican
institutions, is encouraged by increasing the
facilities to gather speedy news from all parts
of the country. The desire to reap the bene-
fits OF such improvements will stimulate edu.
cation. l refer you to the report of the
PostmasterG General for full details Of the
operations OLA year and for Comparative
statements of the result with former years.
-. g.. THE KUKLCx.
There has been imposed upon the Execu-
tive branch of the Government the execution
of the act OF Congress approved Fl rii 2Oih,
1871, and commonly known as the "kn-klux.
Law" in portion OF the Stale Of South Car
olina. The necessity of the course pursued
will be demonstrated by the report of the
Committee to investigate Southern Outrages.
Under the provisions Of the above act, I
issued a proclamation calling the attention OF
the people Of tie United States To the same,
and declaring my reluctance 10 exercise any
ofthe extraordinary powers thereby conferred
upon me, except in case Of imperative neces-
sity, but making known my purpose to en-
fosce ouch powers wherever it should become
necessary to do 20, for the purpose Of securing
to all citizens of the United States, the pesce-
full enjoyment OF the rights guaranteed to
them by the Constitution aEd the laws.
After the passage OF this Law, information
was received from time to time that co,.Ii,in-
ations of the character referred to in this law
existed and were powerful in many p.r- Of
the Southern States, particularly in certain
counties Of the Safe of South Carolina.
Careful investigation visa made, and 1t was
,ascertained that in nine counties of that
State such combinations were active and
powerful, embracing sufficient portion Of the
citizens to control the local authorities, and
having among other things the objec, OF de
priving Il e emancipated class of the sub-tan-
lial benefits Of freedom, and of preventing
the free, political action of those citizens
who did not sympathize with their own
views Among their operations, we're frequent
sc lurgings and cc,sional asrassinations, gene
rally perpetrated at night by disguised per-
sons, the victims in almost all cases being
citizens Of different political sentiment from
their own, or persons who had shown dis
position to claim equal rights with other
citizens Thousands OF il offensive and we'll.
disposed citizens were the sufferers BY this
lawleas violence. Whereupon. on the 18th
of October, 1871, proclamation was issued
in the terms Of the Law, calling upon the
memhers nj the comhin ations IN d,snerse