, 1872-12-03
French Postal Department, subject to the ap~
prova1 Of the Minister Of Finance, little remains
to be- accomplished by treaty for some time to

come.
With respect to 4 reduction Of rate, and i'm
proved facilities for postal intercourse, your ia
vorable consideration is respectfully in
Postmaster General for an increase Of service
from monthly to sen-monthly trips on the mail
steamship route to Brazil; for 3 sub
sidy in aid Of the establishment of m
American line Of mail steamers between San
Francisco, New Zealand, and Australia for the
establishment OF Post Office savings banks, and
for the increase Of the salaries Of the heads Of
Bureaus.
TIE FRANKISG PRIVILEGE.
I have heretofore commended the abolition Of
the franking privilege, and know no reason now
for changing my views On that subject. It not
having been favorably regarded by Congress
however, l now suggest modification Of that
privilege to correct its garing and costly abuses
POSTAL TE1EGRApuY
would recommend, also, the appointment Of
q Committee or Commission to take into con-
sideration the best method, equitable to private
corporations who have invested their time and
capital in the establishment of telegraph lines,
OF acquiring the title to all the telegraph lines
now in operation, and of connecting this service
with the postal service Of the nation. It is not
proper consideration during the limits Of q short
session Of Congress, but it may be initiated, so
that any further action may be fair to the Coy
eminent and to private parties concerned.
AMERICAN MAIL STEAMSHIP SUBSIDIES.
There are but three lines Of ocean steamers.
namely, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company,
between San francisco, China and Japan, with
provision made for semi-monthly service after
Oct. l. 1878; the United States and Brazil line,
monthly; and the California, New Zealand, aud
Australian line, monthly, plying between the
operated under our fag l earnestly recon-
mend that such liberal contracts for carrying the
mails be authorized with these Gres as will in
sure their continuance, it the expediency Of
extending the aid Of the Government to
lines of steamers, which hitherto have not
received it, should be deemed worthy Of
the consideration OF Congress. Political and
commercial objects make it advisable to bestoW
such aid On line under our flag between Pana-
ma and the western South American ports. By
this means, much trade, now diverted to other
countries, might be brought to Us, to the mutual
advantage OF this country and those lying in
that quarter OF the continent Of America
AMERICAN COMMERCE.
The report Of the Secretary Of the Treasury
viii show an alarming falling off in our carrying
trade for the last ten or twelve years. and eyen
for the past year. lido not believe that the pub
lie treasure can be better expended in the inter-
est OF the whole people than in trying to recover
this trade. An expenditure Of $4,000, 900 por
19 ann1m for the next i've years, if it
ing-trnde Of the world, would be proftably e1-
pended. The price OF labor in Europe has so
much enhanced within the last few years, that
the cost Of building and operating ocean steam
than in Europe, that believe the time has
arrived for Congress to take this subject into
serious confederation
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
Detailed statements Of tho disbursements
through the Department Of Justice will be fur
nished BY the report OF the Attorney General, and
though these have been somewhat increased by
the recent acts Of Congress to enforce the rights
OF citizens OF the United States to vote in
the several States Of the Union, and to enforce
the Constitution OF the United States, and the
amendments thereto, cannot question the me-
cesaity and sa1utary effect Of these enactments.
KU-KLU1,
Reckless and lawless men, I regret to say,
heve associated themselves together in soma
localities, to deprive other citizens of the right
guaranteed them by the Constitution Of the
United States, and to that end have committed
deeds Of violence, but the prevention and pun
ishment Of many Of these persons have tended
do not doubt that q great majority of the
people in all parts Of the country favor the
full enj oyment, by all classes Of per-
SONS, Of these. rights to which they
the laws, and to inrcko the aid and influence Of
all good citizens. to prevent organizations
whose objects are by unlawful means to inter-
fere with those rights. I look with confidence
to the time, not far distant, when the obvious
advantages Of good order and peace will induce
By the acts referred to, and when it will be uE-
to carry on prosecutions or iraict
puniRhments to protect citizens for the law
less doings Of such combinations.
Applications have been made to me to pardon
persons convicted Of 8 violation Of said acts,
upon the ground that clemency in such cases
would tend to tranquilize the public mind, and
to test the virtue Of that policy I an
disposed. as far as my sense Of JUSTICE
consideration, but any action thereon is not to
construed as indicating any change in my deter
mination to enforce with vigor such act, 30 long
as the conspiracies and combinations therein
named disturb the peace Of the country. It's
more than myself, that necessity has ever e1-
listed to execute the enforcement act. No ona
can desire more than that the necessity Of ap-
plying it may never again be demanded
DEPARTMENT OF TIE INTERIOR.
The Secretary Of the Interior reports sattsfac-
tory improvement and progress in each Of the
several bureaus under the control Of the Interior
Department. They are all in excellent condj
ton. The work, which in some Of them II
some years has been in arrears, has been brougt
down to recent date and in all the curret
business has been promptly despatched
INDIANS.
The policy which was adopted at the bega-
ing Of the Administration, with regard to aa
LuAuAS5euleut O1 Inc 1nQiaD8, las DEeu A5 StCce6-
fu1 as it's most ardent friends antci-
pated. within SO short time. It las
reduced the expense Of their management, 5e-
creased their forages upon the white settle
ments, tended to give the largest opportunit: to
the extension OF the great railways through :he
public domain, and the pushing OF settlemots
into the more remote districts Of the country,
and at the same time improve the condition Of
the Indians. The policy will be maintained with
out any change excepting such as further expGi-
ence may: chow to be necessary to render it moe
efficient.
Tho subject OF converting the so-called In
dian Territory, south OF Kansas into home tor
the Indian, and erecting thereon Territorial
form Of Government is of great Importance as
3 complement Of the existing Indian policy.
The question Of removal to the Territory has:
within the past year been presented to many Of
the tribes resident upon other less desirable
portions OF the public domain, and has gen.
sraly been received by them with favor. Asa
preliminary step to the organization o:
such 3 Territory, it will be necessar:
% confne the Indians now resident therein to
farms Of proper size, which sould be secured to
hem in fee, the residue to be used for the set
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