The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1871-12-14

-acant, the place may be filed by
election from the corps in which
be vacancy exists.
The report of the Secretary OF the
Navy shows an improvement in the
lumber and efficiency of the naval
orce without material increase in
he expense of supporting it. This
s due To the policy which has been
adopted and is being extended, as
last as our material will admit, OF
using smaller vessels as cruisers on
the several stations. By these means
we have been enabled to occupy at
once a larger extent of cruising
ground, to visit more frequently the
posts where the presence Of our flag
is desirable, and generally to dis
efficiently Inappropriate du-
ties of the navy in time Of peace,
without exceeding the numberOtmen
orthe expendituresauthorizedb by law.
During the past year the Navy has,
in addition to its regular service,
supplied the men and officers for the
vessels of the Coast Survey, and has
completed the surveys authorized
by Congress ofths Isthmuses of Dari-
en- and TehuantePee, and, under
authority, has sent outan expedition,
completely furnished and equipped,
to explore the unknown ocean Of the
North.
The suggestions of the report as
to the necessity for increasing and
improving the material of the navy,
and the plan recommended for re-
ducing the perHonDel of the service
to a peace standard, by the gradual
abolition Of certain grades of officers,
the reduction Of 9th ers, and the en-
ployment of some in the service Of
the commercial marine, are we'll
considered, and deserve the thought
ful attention of Congress. I also
recommend that all promotions in
the navy above captain be by seIee-
ton instead of by seniority. This
course will secure in the higher
grades greater efficiency, and hold
out an incentive to young officers to
improve themselves in the knowl-
edge OF their profession. The present
cost of maintaining the navy, It's
! cost compared with that Of the pre-
ceding year, and the estimates for
the ensuing year, are contained in
the accompanying report Of the Sec
retary Of the Navy.
The enlarged receipts Of the Post
Office Department, as shown by the
accompanying report of the Post
I master General, exhibit a gratify-
ling increase in that branch of the
public service. 1t is the index Of
/ the growth of education and of the
prosperity of the people, two Gle
ments highly conducive to the vigOr
and stability of republics with vast
territory like ours, much oft sparse
|Iy populated, but all requiring the
service of the mail. It is not at
present to be expected that the De-
partment can be made selfsustain-
ing, but a grSdual approach to this
end from year 10 year is confidently
relied on, and the day is not far
distant when the Pos t-ofiee Depart
ment Of the Government will prove
much greater blessing TO the
whole people than it is now. The
suggestions Of the Postmaster Gem
eral for improvements in the Depart
ment presided over by him are ear
nestly recommended to your special
attention, especially to the docu-
ments giving favorable considera-
ton of the plan for uniting the tel
egraph system of the United States
with the postal system. It'll believed
that by such a course the cost Of
telegraphing could be much reduced,
and the service as well, if not better,
rendered. 1t would secure the fur
ther advantage of extending the
telegraph through portions Of the
country where private enterprise
will not construct it. Commerce,
trade, and above all the efforts to
bring a people widely separated into
a community of interests, are always
benefited by rapid intercOmmuni-
cation. Education, the groundwork
of republican institutions, is encOur-
aged by increasing the facilities for
speedy news from all parts of the
country. The desire to reap the
benefit of such improvements viii
stimulate education. I refer you
to the report of the Postmaster GEN
eral for full details of the operations
of last year, and for comparative
statements of results with former
years.
KU-KLUx TROUBLES IN SOUTH CARO-
LIMA.
There has been imposed upon the
Executive branch Of the Govern
ment the execution of the act of
Congress. apprved April 20, 1871,
and commonly known as the Ku-
Klux law, in a portion Of the State
of South Carolina. The necessity
of the course pursued will be dem
onstrated by the report Of the COM
mittee to investigate Southern out
RACES. Under the provisions Of the
above act, issued a proclamation
calling attention of the people Of the
>! United States to the same, and
declaring my reluctance to exercise
any Of the extraordinary powers
thereby conferred upon me, except
iii case of imnerative necessity, but