Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-12-11

provided for by law. Long delays in paymentssro
productive of assertions and Decentralization, and
the law prohibits the payment of troops by Other
than regular army paymasters There are now
sixteen vacancies in the Ordnance Department
thus leaving that branch OF the service without
sufficient officers TO conduct the business of the
different arsenals on large scale, II ever re-
CURED.
NAVY DFpAhTMENT.
J. During the past year navy has been reduced
by the sale OF some vessels no longer fit for naval
purposes and by the condemnation OF others not vel
disposed Of. This however, has been more than
compensated for by the repair Of Fix OF the Old
wooden ships, and by the building OF eight new
sloops of war authorized by the last Congress
The building of these latter has occurred at a
doubly fortunate time. They are about being
completed, when they will possibly be much need.
ed, and the work upon them has not only given
employment TO thousands of men, but no doubt
has been the means of Keeping open establish.
mepts of other works at time OF great financial
distress. Since the commencement OF last month
however, the distressing occurrences which have
taken place in the waters of the Caribbean Sea-
along our very seaboard, while they Illus
trate most forcibly the necessity always existing
that nation situated az ours should main
tain in state of efficiency navy ade-
quate TO its responsibilities has al the same time
demanded that all the effective force we really
have shall be put in immediate readiness for war
like service. This has been ana is being done
promptly and efficiently, and am assured that all
the available ships, and every authorized man OF
the American navy will be ready for whatever ac-
ton is required for the safety of our
cities or the maintenance Of our honor
This, Of course, will cause the expend
ture in short time of some of the appropriations
which calculated to extend through the fiscal
year; but Congress viii, doubt not, understand
and appreciate the emergency, and viii provide
adequately, not only for the present preparation
but for the future maintenance of our naval force
The Secretary of the Navy mas during the past
year been quietly putting some of our most extern
five monitors in condition for service and thus the
exigency finds US in much better condition for
war than we could possibly have been without his
action.
PosT-oFFIcE DEPARTMENT
A complete exhibit is presented in the accom-
panying report of the Postmas ter General of the
operations OF the Post-ottce Department during the
year.
The ordinary postal revenues for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1873, amounted TO So, 1896 74l 81
and the expenditures of all kinds to 4290s4 945.67
The increase of revenues over 1872 i,USl 3l5-
20 and the increase in expenditures, -, 426 1895
Independent of the payments made from special
appropriations for mail steamship lines the amount
drawn from the gs s. "a. GTT IRE, 10 meet
rapid extension of our postal service particularly
upon railways, and the improved facilities for the
collection transmission, distribution and delivery
OF the mails which are constantly being provided,
account for the increased expenditures of this
popular branch of the public service, The total
number of Post offices IN operation on the 30th of
June, 1873, 80, 2i4 net increase Of 1881 over
the number reported the preceding year. The
number of Presidential offices 1863, .
increase of 1863 during the year.
The total length of railroad mail routes at the
close of the year was %, i51 miles. increase of
5,546 miles over the year 1872 Fifty-nine railway
post-otfce lines were in operation on the Both of
June, 1873 extending 14,SGG miles of railroad
routes, and performing an aggregate service Of
"a 925 miles daily.
The number of letters exchanged with foreign
countries was 27,459,1S5 an increase Of 3,0966S5
over the previous year and the postage thereon
amounted to 81 ,02l Boss, and the total weight
of correspondence exchanged in mails with Eu
ropean countries exceeded 912 tons an increase of
90 tons over the previous year. The total cost of
the United States ocean mail steamship service, in
to subsidized lines of mail steamers, was S1.041-
21.35. New or additional postal Conventions
have been concluded with Sweden, Norway, Bel
GUM, Germany, Canada, Newfoundland and
Japan, reducing postage rates on pOndence
exchanged with those countries and further efforts
have been made to conclude satisfactory postal
convention with France, but without success.
| invite the favorable consideration of Congress
to the suggestions and recommendations of the
acknowledgment, for an extension OF the free
delivery system in all cities having population of
not less than 10000 for the prepayment of postage
on newspapers and other printed matter of the sec
ond class; for a uniform postage and limit of
weight on miscellaneous matter; for adjusting the
compensation of all Postmasters appointed by
the President by the old method of commissions
on the actual receipts of the office, instead of the
present mode of fixing the salary in advance upon
special returns and especially do urge favorable
action by Congress on the important recommends
ton of the Postmaster General for the establish
ment of United States postal savings repositories
Your attention is also again called to consider
alton of the question of postal teegraphs and the
arguments III support lncFeOl, III me nope
that you may take such action in connection there
with as in your judgment will most contribute to
the best interests of the country.
UTAH.
Affairs in Utah require your early and special at
tention The supreme Court of the United States,
in the of Clinton Englebrecht, decided
that the United States Marshal of that Territory
could not lawfully summon jurors for the District
Courts, and those courts held that the Territorial
Marshal illegally performed that duty because he
is elected by the Legislative Assembly, and
ne led in he
organizing the Territory, All proceedings
at law 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 with
out protection by the courts, and crimes 90 I'M
punished. To prevent anarchy there 1t il absolute
ly necessary that Congress should provide the
courts with some mode of obtaining jurors, and /
recommend legislation to that end; and also,
that the Probate Courts of the Territory as
sumo 10 issue writs of injunction and habeas cor
pus and to try criminal cases, and in questions as
to land titles be denied all jurisdiction not possess
ed ordinarily by courts of that description.
BANKRUPTCY.
I have become impressed with the belief that the
act approved March . 1861, entitled An Act to Es-
tablish Uniform System of Bankruptcy through,
out the United States - is productive Of more evil
than good. At this time many considerations
might be urged for it, total repeal but if this i
not considered advisable think il will not be Sc
riously questioned Jhat those portions of said act
providing for what is called involuntary bank.
ruptcyn operate to increase the fin,
ancial embarrassment OF careful ana
prudent men, who very often become involved In
debt in the transaction of their business, and
though they may possess ample property, if 1t
gould be made available for that purpose, TO meet
all their liabilities, yet on account Of the eXtraor-
binary scarcity of money they may he unable to
meet all their peCunary obligations as they be-
come due, INF consequence of which they are liable
to be Frustrated in their business BY proceedings
in bankruptcy at the instance of unreent-
ing creditors. People are now easily
alarmed as TO monetary matters that the mere NJ
In, in 1rlf1 hyyQ mfr
creditor will necessarily embarrass and otentime-
accomplish the financial ruin of responsible busi-
man. Those who otherwise might make law
ful and just arrangements 70 relieve themselves
from difficulties produced by the present strin'
gency in money prevented by their
constant exposure 10 attack and disap-