The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-12-04

var III tlFae-Of peace 0y ProYlalng
nFopers armament for our sea coast
defenses. Proper armament is of vast
u lnofe Importance than fortifcatiOns.
The latter can be supplied very speed
liz fer temporary purposes when
needed, the former cannot. The Soc
ondis the necessity of re-opening pro-
motion in the staff corps of the army.
Particularly is this necessity felt in
the Medical, Pay, and Ordnance De-
partments at this time it is necessa-
ry to employ contract surgeons to
supply the necessary medical atten-
ton required by the army. With the
present force of the Pay Department
tits ROW difficult TO make the pay
meng OF troops provided for by Jaws
Long delays in payment are produc-
tive of desertions and decentralization,
and the law prohibits thepayment of
troops by other than regular army
paymasters. There are now sixteen
vacancies in the Ordnance Depart
ment, this leaving that branch of the
service without sufficient officers to
conduct the business OF the different
afsehals on large scale if ever re-
quired. .3IA3[TS .a74HFGga "a -
Daring the past year our navy has been re-
Qucea DE lElezS&lS Oh 44SonG VESSELS NO 1O1BCE 1T
for naval purposes :andibyi tile condemnation of
Others not ret disposed of. This, however, has
been more than compensated for by the repair
of six of the old wooden ships and by the build
ing of eight new sIoops of wal, authorized by
the last Congress. The building Of these latter
hssoceHFfedsb o Sdeuhly fortuBate times They
are about bein 8 c0mplsfed, when 6heys1EilI pos.
sibly be much needed. and the work upon them
has not only given direct employment to thou
sands of men. but has no-doubt been the means
Of keeping open establishments for other works
at a time of great h1ancial distress. Since the
commencement of last month, however, the dis
tressiHg oEclrnehees which have taken place in
the waters Of the caribbean Sea. almost on our
very seaboard, while they illustrate most forci-
bly, the necessity always existing that nation
situated onrs. should maintain in q state of
efficiency 3 navy adequate TO its responsihili-
ties, has at the same time demanded that all the
effective force we really have shall be put in i'm
mediate readiness for warlike service. This
has been and is being done prompts y and effect
lively, and 1 am assured that all the available
ships and every authorized man of the Ameri-
can navy will be ready for whatever action is
required for the safstyoI our cities or the msin-
tenance OF our honor. This, of course, VIII
render the expenditure for short time of some
of the appropriations which were calculated to-
extend through the fiscal year. But Congress
will, doubtnot. under stand and appreciate the
emergency, and will provide adequately not on
ly for the present preparation but for the future
maintenance of our naval force. The Secretary
Of the Navy has dnring the past year been quiz
city putting someof our ,most extensive monl-,
tors in condition for service, and thus the ext
gency finds us in a much better condition for
work than we could possibly have been without
his action.
= ,,1ats - q - a.. s
panying report of the Postmaster General, of
the operations, of the Postoflce Department
during the year The ordinary postal revenues
for the fiscal year ending June S0th. 1875. amount
ed to &a9 8o6, TAI 57 and the expenditures OF all
kinds to $40 0S4 90. the increase of revenues
over 1872 ST. Ost ,S15 20, and the increase in
expenditures $245, ,5T3 SO, Independent of the
payments made from special appropriations for
mail steamship lines. The amount drawn from
the general treasury TO meet deficiencies was
SIS, ,265 475. The constant and rapid extension of
our postal service, particularly upon railways
and the improved facilities for the collection,
transmission, distribution, and delivery of mails
which are constantly being provided, account
for the increased expenditures of this popular
branch of the public service. The total number
of postofices in operation on the 30th of June,
isTS was 80 PA a net increase of ,3sl over the
number reported the preceding year. The num-
her of presidential officers was $685. an increase
of 1853 during the year. The total length OF rail
road mail routes. at the close of the year, was
63 437 miles an increase Of $3.50. miles over the
year 1872. Fifty nine failWay postofdce lines
were IN operation on the 30th of June, 1873. ex-
tending over IA s66 miles of railroad routes, and
performing aggregate service of "a 925 miles
daily. The number of letters exchanged with
fareign countries was 81 4s9, ,1S5, an increase Of
800 0S5 over the previous year, and the postage
thereon amounted to 81 Os1 ,31O.s6, and the total
weight of correspondence exchanged in the
mails with European countries exceeded 9ls
tons, an increase of 90 tons over the previous
year. The total cost of the United States ocean
mail steamship serYicc, Including S7S5, 600 paid
from special appropriations to subsidized lines
Of mail steamerss was 81 ,047 .27Os34 New or ad-
ditional portal CONVENTIONS have been concluded
with Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Can
ada New Foundlaud, and Japan, reducing pos
tage rates on correspondence exchanged with
those .eoun triess and further Efforts have been
made to conclude q satisfactory postal conven-
tion with France, but without success. Invite
the favorable consideration of Congress to the
suggestions and recommendations of the POST
master General for the extension Of the free de-
livery system n all cities having population
of not less than ten thousand; for the prepay
ment Of postage on newspapers and other print
ed matter of the second class; for a 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 commissions on actual receipts
of the office, Instead of the present mode Of fix
Ing the salary in advance, upon special returns; !;
and especially do I urge the important recon-
mendation of the Postmaster General for the
establishment of United States postal saving
repositories. Your attention is also again call
II Of hI,oo Of
telegraphs, and the arguments adduced in sup
port thereof, in the hope that yon may take such
action in connection herewith as in your judg-
meut will most contribute to the best interests
of the c0untry. s8
The Department of Justice affairs in Utah
require your early and special attention. 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 District
Courts. and those Courts hold that the Territo-
rial Marshal faithfully should perform that du
ty, because he is elected by the Legislative as
sembly. and not appointed, as provided for in
act organizing the Territory All proceedihgs
at law are practically abolished by these decis-
ions. and there have been but few or no jury tri-
ais in the District Courts of that Territory since
the last session of Congress. Property is left
without prrtection by the courts, and crimes go
unpunished. Ia prevent anarchy there, it is
absolutely necessary that Congress provide the
courts with some mode Of obtaining jurors, and
recommend Legislation to that end, and also
that the Probate Courts of that Territory which
now assume to issue writs Of injunction and ha-
beas corpus and 20 try criminal cases, and in
questions as to land titles, be denied all iuris-
eiction notpossessed ordinarily by eonrts of that
description.
have become Impressed with the belief that
the act approved March I'd, 1851, entitled AN
act TO establish 9 an form system OF bankruptcy
throughout the United States.'' Is productive of
more evil than good. At this time many consid-
CREATIONS might be urged for its total repeal but
II this is not considered advisable. l think it
VIII not be seriously questioned that those por-
tions OF said act providing for what is called
involuntary bankruptcy operate to increase the
financial embarrassment of the country. Care
ful and prudent men very often become lnvolv-