The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-12-16
TIE CURRENCY.

The continued comparative differ.
ence i'm the value of gold rs compared
with the national currency has a most
damaging effect upon the increase and
developments of the country. In Keen
ing up the prices of all articles neces-
sary i'm everyday life it fosters species
of gambling prei,iflicial alike to the
national morals and national finances.
II the question can be met As to how
to fix the value of our currency. that
value continually and I'm uniformity
approaching par wlth specie; very
FOR THE OPERATION OF THE ARMY
In the past year, and for the cost of
maintaining it, the estimates for the
ensuing year, anil for continuing the
seacoast and other improvements con-
Quoted under the supervision of the
War Department. | refer you to the
accompanying report of the Secretary
of War. call your attention to the
provisions of the Act Of Congress. ap-
proved March 3. 1860, which discon-
tinues promotions i'm the staff corps of
the army until provided for by the
law. / recommend that the number
Of officers i'm each grade of the staff
corps be fixed, and that whenever the
number in any one grade falls below
the number so fixed, that the vacancy
may be filed by promotion from the
grade below. | also recommend when
the office of Chief of the Corps be-
comes vacant, that the place may be
filed by selection from the corps in
which the vacancy exists.
NAVAL DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary of the
Nay,y chnxx5- Mt in,
number aud efficiency of thea naval
force. without material increase of th..
expense of supporting it. This il
due to the policy which has been
adopted, and is being extended as far
-as our material will permit, of using
smaller vessels as cruisers on the sew
eral stations of the United States. We
have been enabled to occupy at once
Il larger extent of cruising ground, to
visit more frequently the ports where
the presenGe of our flag is desirable.
and generally to discharge more eff
ciently the appropriate duties of the
navy i'll time of peace without exceed
ing the number of men or the expen-
ditures authorized by law. During
the past year the navy has, in addi-
tion to its regular service. supplied the
men and officers for the vessels of the
coast survey, and has completed the
surveys authorized by Congress of the
isthmuses of Darien and Tehuantepec.
and under like authority has sent out
an expedition, completely furnished
and equipped. to explore the unknown
ocean of the North. The suggestion
of the report as to the necessity for in
creasing and improving the material
of the Navy, and the plan recommend
ed for reducing the personel of the
service to q peace standard by the
gradual abolition of certain grades of
officers, the reduction of others, and
the employment of some in the SER
vice of the commercial marine. are all
for consideration, and deserve the
thoughtful attention of Congress. i
also recommend that all promotions
i'm the navy above the rank of Captain
shall be by selection instead of by Sc
niority. This course will secure in
the higher grades greater efficiency,
and hold out an incentive to young
officers to improve themselves in the
knowledge of their profession. The
present cost Of maintaining the navy,
its cost as compared with that of the
preceding year, and the estimates for
the ensuing year, are contained I'm the
accompanying report of the Secretary
of the Navy.
IiOSTAL AFFAIRS.
The enlarged receipts of the Post
Office. as is shown by the accompany
ing report of the Postmaster General.
exhibits gratifying increase in that
branch of the public service. 1t is an
index of the growth OF education and
of the prosperity of the people-two
element>highly conductive to the vigor
and stability of Il republic. With a
vast territory like ours. much of it
sparsely populated, but all requiring
the services of the mail, it is not at
present to be expected that this de-
partment can be made self sustaining,
but q gradual approach to this end,
from year to year, is confidently relied
on, and the day is not far distant when
the Post Office Department of the
Government will prove much great
er blessing to the whole people than it
is now The suggestions of the Post
master General for improvements in
the department presided over by him
are earnestly recommended to your
special. attention, especially docu-
ments favorable to the plan for unit
ing the telegraph system of the Unit
ed States with the postal system. 1t
is believed that by such course the
cost of telegraphing could be much re-
better rendered. 1t would secure a
further advantage. by extending the
telegraph through portions of the
country where private enterprise will
not construct it, to commerce, trade.
| and above all, the efforts to bring a
| people widely separated into COM
/ munity of interests, always benefited
by rapid intercommurication. Edu-
cation, the groundwork OF republican
institutions, is encouraged by increas-
ing the mail facilities, together with
speedy news from all parts of the
| country. The desire to reap the bene-
fits of such Improvements will stimu-
late education. | refer you to the re-
| port of the Postmaster General for
| full details Of the operations Of last
year and for comparative statements
| of results with former years.
THE KU-KLUX.
! There has been imposed upon the