The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-03
NM, Pr,sldent,s Message.

donhtfn, however, whether aas nnon any
Sun,,nn of 40 ~vexatious q ou.uo nrossnt Al
win be practicao!e iE TSs,ice RI the hold
all eVenls' a,ion's certificates OF Indebtedness,
ers o. az racommend that no more ieglsla.ion
l WOW an this subject, unless IL oe 10 colteo'
pc 10Y If omission OF commission 10 tne PIE,
or Iawe until sufficient time mas eiapseuto
nrove that 1t can be done, and sun nave ie eoH
pne to meet the current expenses Oh ihe d En-
ernment pay the Interest on tne puo, ohIish'
and tn provide for the sinking tuna esIaElnal
% hv law, The preservation OF our naIlona,
credit ia of the highest Importance. Se1 11 ~, ~
Smnnrtance to this comes q Solemn uuSy W
n-nvide a national currency OF nxeo, uusny
ne vsIne a, compared with gold. ana, as soUn
al practicable, having. due regaau nio,,oiindes
1ere.ts of the debtor class and the vlcissltuu Ia
. o .nSa and commerce, convertible into gold
at par. "
nbs -onort of the secretary of war SHOWS
,ba eYnanditures of the war department ioi
t t5e tiscaI wear ending June 80, 1871, 10 oe soo,.
roo eaI az. and TOR the hscal year enqipS ouno
eStS 1870 to be s35, 372, l57 20. showing q r.
dnction in favor of the last hscal year VI 81
Ssi ga the estimates for military aGpropr ao
,sons f5r the next fiscal year ending June 5o,
st1nas orc sss .80l .47s IS: The estimates oil t9e
a,st; Of %sncineers are submitted separately
~. Sortiacaiions, river. and haroor improve
IU and for public buildings and grounMas,
I'D the Washington a~cQueduct. I4s
s1.irs Of the freedmen's bureau nave nj oeen
transferred to the war department. anu Iesu.
iations have been put into execution ior su9
snaedy payment OF bounty, pay, &C., que col
ored soldiers properly coming under NAT ou-
rasn. All war accounts tor money ana prop,
ertv nrior to 1871, have been m anu
transmitted to the treasury tor nnai BELLE
.ment. NJ tho
army was 4,lOl white and 2494 coloreo Sol,
diers. The total deaths ior the year tupo.seu
were ss7 white and "a colored. The distrlour
ton of the Medical aud Surgical Hlstory Oh
the War Ia vet to be ordered BY, Congress.
There ex,s;s an absolute necessity Tor a meai-
caI corns- of the full number estaolisnea oy
the act of Congress Of July 70, iooo, tuv1e
being now lfty-oine vacancies, aau tae a ALL
Der OF successful candidates rarely e4ceeu'ns
eight or ten In any one year.
a RIVER AND HARsoR IMPROVEMENTS
Have been carried on with energy and econ
omy, though many are only partially COLL
pleted. The results have saved 10 commeIte
1rsater 6epth of channel and greater security
n navigation, while the saving OF time aods
miiiions to the wealth of the country, and In
creases the resources Of the government.
The bridge across the Mississippi Rtver at
Rock Island has been completed, and the
=proper site has been determined upon JOE ING
bridge. at La Crosse. The able and exhaust,
I've report made BY the commission appointed
to investigate the Satro Tunnel mas oeen
transmitted to Congress. -,
The observations and reports OF the signal
office have been continued. Stations nave
,heen maintained at each of the principal lake,
seaport and river cities. Ten additional sta
lions have been established IN the UnlCeo
States, and arrangements have oeen maze LOT
an exchange OF reports WIN Cauaoa, anu d
Blmitar exchange # observations 10 contem-
plated with ths West India Islands.
!. coNyERc1AL TRANSPORTATION.
The attention OF Congress will be called,
during It's present session, TO various enter
prlaes for the more certain and cheaper trans-
poriallon otthe constantly increasing surplus
OF Western and Southern products to tue Al.
iantic seaboard. The subject Is one that will
force itself upon the legislative branch OF the
government, sooner or later, and l suggest,
therefore. that immediate steps be taken to
gain all Information to insure eqnaols ana
lust legislation. One route TO connect the
MisaissIppi Valley with the Atlantic, at
Charleston, 8. G or 8 .vannah, Ga, BY water,
.bF the way Of the OHIO and Tennessee Rivers,
and canal and slack water navigation, To the
Savannah aud Oamulgee Rivers. has
been surveyed, and a report made by
an accomplished engineer, an officer OF
the army. A second and a third new
routes will bs proposed for the consideration
of Congress, namely, by an extension OF the
KsnaHhs and James River Canal to the Ohio,
and by an extension Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal. l an not disposedio recommend
government aid to these or other enterprises
until II is clearly shown that they are not
emily Of national Interest, but that when com
pleled they will BE- Of a value commensurate
with their cost. That production Increases
more rap idly than the means OF transportation
In our. country. has been demonstrated
by past experience; that the unpre.
oedented growth. In population and pro-
ducts Of The whole country Will require
additional faciliLies, and that cheaper ones
for the more bulky articles of commerce
to reach tide water and a market will be de-
handed In the near future, Is equally lemon
sraied. ! Won d therefore suggest thai either
q committee or commission be authorized
.to,constder:thi whole question, and TO r.port
"a. COnxress at some future day for lts better
guidance In lelislaLing on this important SUBJ
ject. The railroads OF the country have been
rapidly extended durlog the last few year TO
meet the growing demand of producers, and
reflect much credit upon the capitalists and
managers engaged In this construction. 10
addition to these, a project to facilitate COM
merce by the building oil q ship canal around
Niagara Falls on the United States side, which
hes been agltated for many years, Will no
doubt be called to your attention at this SEES
sion. Looking to the future growth Of the
country, and the increasing demands of COM
merce, It might be well, while on this subject,
not only to have examined and reported
upon the variou practicable routes Tor con-
neotlng the Mississippi with tide water In the
AtlsntlcS but the possibility Of an most con.
tln1oas land-locked navigation, from Maine 10
the Gulf Of Mexico. Such q route along our
coast would BIZ OF great value at all times, and
of inestimable value in Gaze OF q foreign war.
Nature has provided the greater part of this
route, and the obstacles to be overcome are
easily within the skill OF the engineer. !
have not alluded TO this subject with the view
Of having any further expenditure OF public
money at this time than may be necessary TO
procure and place all the necessary informa-
ton before Congress, In an authentic form, 10
enable 1t, hereafter, II deemed practicable and
worthy, 10 legislate on the subject without
delay.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The department Of the secretary of the
navy, herewith accompanying, explains fnlly
the condition OF that branch OF the public SER
vice, Its wants M deficiencies, the expenses
increased during the past ysar, and approprl-
atoms for the same. It also gives q complete
history Of the service of the navy for the past
year, In addition to its regular service. IL Is
evident, that unless early steps are taken TO
preserve our navy, that In q very few years
the United States will be the weakest nation
upon the ocean OF all the great powers. With
an energetic, progressive, business people,
like ours, penetrating and forming business
relations with every part OF the known world,
n narp stronn oDnt1uh IN command roonont lar