Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-12-12
reduction in favor of the last fiscal year of

a reduction in favor of the last fiscal year of
| $427, 83462.
| The attention of Congress will be called
during Its present session TO various enter
| prlses for the more certain and cheaper trans
oortatlon of the constantly increasing surplus
of the Western and Southern products to the
Atlantic seaboard. The subject is one that
will force itself upon the legislative branch
of the Government sooner or later, and sug-
| gest, therefore, that immediate steps be taken
to gain all available information to insure
! equitable and just legislation. The route to
connect the Mississippi Valley with the Allan
| tic, at Charleston, S. c., and Savannah, Ca,
| by water, by the way of the Ohio and Tennes-
see rivers and canals, and slack water naviga-
ton to the Savannah and Ocmulgee rivers,
has been surveyed and report made by an ac-
complished engineer of the army. Second
and third new routes will be proposed for the
| consideration of Congress, namely, by ex-
tension of the Kanawba and James river canal
| to the Ohio, and by extension of the Chesa-
| peake and Ohio canal l am not prepared to
recommend Government aid to these or other
enterprises, until it is clearly shown that they
are not only of national interest, but that
when completed they will be of a value COM
mensurate with their cost. That production
increases more rapidly than the means of
| transportation IN our country, has been de-
monstrated by past experience. That the un-
precedented growth in population and pro-,
| ducts of the whole country will require ad-
| ditional facilities and cheaper means for the
more bulky articles of commerce to reach the
| tide water and market will be demanded in
the near future is equally demonstrable. 1
| would therefore suggest either committee
or commissioner be authorized to consider this
whole question, and to report to Congress at
some future day for its better guidance in
leglslating on the important subject. The
| railroads of the country have been rapidly ex-
tended during the last few years to meet the
| growing demands of producers, and reflect
| much credit upon the capitalists and mana
| gers engaged in their construction. In addition
| to these, project to facilitate commerce by
the building of a ship canal around Niagara
Falls on the United States side, which
| has been agitated for many years, will no
doubt be called to your attention this session.
Looking to the great future of the country and
| the increasing demands of commerce, it might
be well, while on this subject, not only to
have examined and reported upon, the various
| practicable routes for connecting the Missis-
| sippi with tide water, but the feasibility of an
| almost continuous land locked navigation from
Maine to the Gulf of Mexico. Such route
along our coast would be of great value at all
times, and of inestimable value in case of
| 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 expend-
| ture of public money, at this time, than may
|
necessary information before Congress IN an
authentic form to enable it hereafter, If deem.
ed practicable and worthy, to legislate on the
subject without delay.
| 1t is evident unless steps are taken to
| preserve our navy, that in 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
q navy strong enough to command the re-
! spect of our flag abroad is necessary for the
! full protection of their rights. [ recommend
| careful consl 1eration by Congress of the
recommendations made by the Secretary of
| the Navy.
The accompanying report of the Post
master General furnishes full and satisfac-
| tory exhibit of the operations of the Post
Office Department during the year. Our
| postal communication with all parts of the
civilized world have been placed upon most
| advantageous footing by the improved postal
conventions and arrangements recently con-
Guided with the leading commercial countries
of Europe and America, and the gratifying
| statement is made that, with the conclusion
OF a satisfactory convention with France, the
! details of which have been definitely agreed
| TO by the head of the French Postal Depart
ment, subject to the approval of the Minister
Of Finance, little remains to be accomplished
| by treaty for some time to come, in respect
to reduction of rate, or improved facilities for
| postal intercourse.
| have heretofore commended the abolition
of the fraDking privilege, and see no reason
now for changing my views on that subject.
1t not having been favorablv regarded by
Congress- however, I now suggest a modi-
fcation of that privilege to correct it's glaring
and costly abuses.
l would recommend also the appointment
of committee commission to take into
| ,1o-O4 hO1 I'LL -
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. 1t is not
probable that this subject could receive the
proper consideration during the limits of
short session of Congress, but it may be
initiated, so that further action may be fair
to the Government and to private parties
concerned.
The report of the Secretary of the Treasury
will show an alarming falling off in our carry
ing trade for the last ten or twelve years,
and even for the past year. l do not believe
| that public treasure can be better, expended
| in the interest of the whole people than in
| trying to recover this trade. An expenditure
of five million dollars per annum for the next
| five years, if it would restore to us our pro-
| portion of the carrying trade of the world,
would be proftably expended. The price of
labor in Europe has SO much enhanced within
the last few years, that the cost of building
and operating ocean steamers in the
| United States is not SO much greater than
in Europe, that believe the time has arrived
for Congress to take this subject into serious
| co nsideration.
| Detailed statements of the disbursements
| through the Department of Justice will be
| furnished by 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
force the provisions of the Fourteenth Amend
ment to the Constitution of the United States
| and the amendment thereto, 1 cannot ques-
ton the necessity and salutary effect of these
enactments. Reckless and lawless men, /
regret to say, have associated themselves
together in some localities to deprive ct.er
citizens of the right guaranteed them by the
Constitution of the United States, and to that
end they have committed deeds of violence,
but the prevention and punishment of many
of these persons have tended greatly to the
repression of such disorders. do not doubt
that great majority of the people of all