Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-12-04
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emplOyfucuI 10 lHOusalluS Ol men, UlL
has been the means of keeping open es-
tablishments for other works ut time
of great financial distress. Since the
commencement of last month, however,
the distressing occurrences which have
taken place in the waters of the Carri-
bean Sea, almost on our very seabOard,
while they illustrate most forcibly the
necessity always existing that a nation
situated as ours should maintain in
state of Efficiency a navy sadcquate to
its respon sibiiities, has at the same time
demanded that all the effective force We
really have shall be put in immediate
readiness for warlike service. This has
been and is being done promptly and eff
fectively. and am assured that all the
available ships and every authorized
man OF the American navy will be ready
for whatever action is required for the
safety of our cities or the maintenance
of our honor. This, of course, will ren-
der the expenditure for short time of
some of the appropriations which were
calculated to extend through the fiscal
year, but Congress will, | doubt not,
understand and appreciate the emergen-
cy and will provide adequately not only
for the present preparation, but for the
future maintenance of our naval force.
The Secretary of the Navy has during
the past year been quietly putting some
of our most extensive monitors in con-
dition for service and thus the eXigency
finds us in much better condition for
work than we could possibly have been
without his action.
THE POSToFFICE DEPARTMENT.
A complete exhibit is presented in the
accompanying report of the Postmaster
General, of the operations of the Post
office Department during the year. The
ordinary postal revenues for the fiscal
year ending June 30th, 1873, amounted
to $22, ,996, ,74l A, and the expenditure of
all kinds to $29,OS4 ,945.G7. This increase
of revenues over 1S72was 81 ,0Sl ,3l5. %
and the increase in expenditures $246,-
573,3G, Independent of the payments
mede from special appropriations for
mail steamship lines. The amount
drawn from the general treasury to
meet deficiencies was So, 265,475. The
constant and rapid extension of our
postal service, particularly upon rail-
ways, and the improved facilities for the
collection, transmission, distribution,
and delivery of mails which are con-
stantly being provided, account for the
increased expenditures of this popular
branch of the public service. The total
number of postoffices in operation on
the 30th of June, 1873, was 32,244, a net
increase of ! ,3Sl over the number re-
ported the preceding year. The num-
Der of presidential officers was 1,36S, an
increase of 163 during the year. The
total length of railroad mail routes, at
the close of the year, was s., ,437 miles,
an increase of 5,546 miles over the year
1872. Fifty-nine railway postoffice lines
were in operation on the Both of June,
1873, extending over 14,S6G miles of
railroad routes, and performing IN ag-
gregate service of "a, 935 miles daily.
The number of letters exchanged with
foreign countries was q ,469, 1S5, an in
crease of 3,060,Os5 over the previous
year, and the postage thereon amounted
to 81, ,021 ,310.S6, and the total weight of
correspondence exchanged in the mails
with European countries exceeded 912
tons, an increase of % tons over the
previous year. The total cost of the
United States ocean mail steamship SER
vice, including $735, 700 paid from spec
ial appropriation to subsidized lines of
mail steamers, was $1,047, ,271.34. New
or additional postal conventions have
been concluded with Sweden, Norway,
Belgium, Germany, Canada, New
Foundland, and Japan, reducing post
age on correspondence exchanged with
those countries, and Iurther efforts have
been made to conclude satisfactory
postal convention with France. but
without success. invite the favorable
consideration of Congress to the sugges-
tions and recommendations of the Post
master General for an extension of the
free delivery system in all cities having
a population of not less than ten thous-
and; for the prepayment of postage on
newspapers and other printed matter of
the second class; Tor uniform postage
and limit of weight on miscellaneous
matter; for adjusting the compensation
of all pOstmasters not appointed by the
President, by the old method of COM
missions on actual receipts of the office,
instead of the present mode of fixing
the salary in advance, upon special re-
turns; and especially do l urge favora-
Bile action by Congress on the important
recommendation the Postmaster Cen
eral for the establishment of United
State postal saving repositories. Your
attention is also again called to a cOnsid-
GRAFTON of the question of pOsta tele-
graphs, and the arguments adduced in
support thereof, in the hope that you
may take such action in connection
Herewith as in your judgment will
most contribute to the best interests of
the country.
| AFFAIRS IN UTAH.
| The Department of Justice affairs in
Utah require yoiIr early and special at
tention. The Supreme Court of the
United States, in the case of Clinton VS..
Englebreicht, decided that the United
States Marshal of that Territory could
not lawfully summon jurors for the Dis
tricG Courts, and those Courts hold that
the Territorial Marshal faithfully should
perform that duty, because he is elected
| by the legislative assembly, and not ap-
pointed, rs provided for in the act Or
ganizing the Territory. All proceedings
at law are practically abolished by these
decisions, and there have been but few
or no jury trials in the district courts of
that Territory since the last SESSION of
Congress. Property is left without pro-
lection by the courts, and crimes go un-
punished. To prevent anarchy there,
it is absolutely necessary that Congress
provide the Courts with some mode of
obtainipg jurors, and recommend leg
islation to that end, and also that the
Probate Courts of the Territory, which
now assume to issue writs of injunction
and habeas corpus and to try criminal
cases, and in Questions as to land titles,
be denied all jurisdiction not possessed
ordinarily by courts of that description.
THE BANKRUPTCY ACT.
1 have become impressed with the be-
lief that the act approved March ID ,
1867, entitled can act to establish uni
form system of bankruptcy throughout
the United States" is productive of
more evil than good. At this time many
considerations might be urged for its
total repeal, but il this is not consider
ed advisable, think it will not be Sc
riOusly questioned that those portions OF
said act providing for what is called in
voluntary bankruptcy operate to in
crease the financial embarrassment of
the country. Careful and prudent men |
very often become involved in debt in |
the transaction of their business, and |
though they may possess ample proper
ty, if it could be made available for that |
purpose, to meet all their liabilities, yet
on account of the extraordinary search |
ty of money they may be unable to
meet all their pecuniary obligations rs
they become due, in consequence of
which they are liable to be Frustrated in
in their business by proceedings in
bankruptcy, at the instance of unrelcnt-
ing creditors. People are now so easily
alarmed as TO monetary matters that the
mere filling of Il petition in bankruptcy
by an unfriendly creditor will necessari-
ly embarrass and often times accomplish