The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-12-11


ance of trade against Us to thi:
amount. The subject Is one worthy
Of your serious consideration.
Cheap transportation Is a subject
that has attracted the attention o.
both producers and consumers for the
past few years, and has contributed tC
il it has not been the direct cause o
the recent panic and stringency. 4:
Congress al its last session appointed
q special committee to investigate
tEis whole subject during the vacation
and report at this session, I have
nothing to recommend until their re-
port is ready. There isOne vOik, how
ever, Of a great national character in
which the greater portion Of the East
and the West, the North and South
are equally interested, TO which will
invite your attention. The State oi
New York has 8 canal connecting
Lake Erie with tide water. on the
Hudson River, and the State Of Hi
nois has s similar one onnectinp
Lake Michigan with navigable water
on the Illinois River, thus making
water communication between the
East aud th,, Vest and South. These
great artifieiaI water courses are the
property Of the States through which
they pass, and pay toll to those States.
/ Would it not be wise statesman
ship to pledge these States thati if they
will open these canals for the passage
of large vessels, the Government will
look after and keep them in a naviga-
BILE condition. The great public high
ways with which they connect, to wit
the oversiough on the Hudson, the st.
Clair Flats, and the Illinois and Mis-
sissippi rivers. This would be nation
al work, and one of great value to the
producers of the West and South, in
giving them cheap transportation for
their produce to the seabOard, and q
market to the consumers in the East,
in giving them cheaper delivery
of those articles of food which do
not fiud foreign market, and tie
prices ofswhieh, therefore, kre not reg
ulated by foreign demand, The ad-
vantages Of such a work are too OBJ
vinus for argument. / submit the
subject to you, therefore, Without fur
ther com ntnt. In attempting to re-
gain our lost commerce and carrying
trade, have heretofore called atten-
ton to the states south of US, Offering
a field where much might be accom-
| plished. To further this subject sug-
gest that a small appropriation be
made accompanied with the authOri-
| ty of the Secretary of the Navy to
| fit ont naval vessel to ascend the
Amazon river te the mouth of the
Madeira, thence to explore that river
and It's tributaries into BOlivia, and to
report to Congress, at its next session,
or as soon as practicable, the aceessi-
bility of the country by water, its re-
sources, and the population so reached.
Such an exPlorati0n viii cost but lit
tie; it can do nO harm, aud may re-
suit in establishing trade of value to
both nations.
In further connection with the
Treasury department, would recon-
mend a revision and codification of
the tariff laws, and the opening of
more mints for the coming of money,
with authority to coin for such ns-
tiOns as may apply.
WAR DEPARTMENT.
The attention of Congress is invited
to the recommendation in the report
of the Secretary of War, herewith ac-
eompaDying. The apparent great
cost of supporting the army is full
ly explained IN the report, and it will
receive your attention. While invit-
ing your attention to all the recon-
mendatiOns by the Seeretary of War,
there are two which i would especial-
ly invite you TO consider, first, the
importance of preparing for war in
time of peace, by providing for prop
d
fenses; proper armament is OF vastly
more importance than Notifications.
The latter can be supplied very speed
lily for temporary purposes when
needed; the second, is the necessity
of re-opening promotion in the staff
corps Of the army; particularly is this
necessity felt in the medical, ipay and
ordnance departments. At this time
it is necessary to employ contract sur
geons to supply the necessary medi-
cal attention required by the army.
With the present force of the pay de-
partment it is now difficult to make
the payments to the troops provided
for by law. Long delays IN payments
are productive of deseTtions and de-
moralizstion, and the law prohibits
the paymento Of troops by other than
regular army paymasters. ~sf.--..F p
There are now sixteen vacancies in
the Ordnance Department, thus leav-
ing that branch Of the service with
out sufficient Officers to conduct the
business OF the different arsenals ON a
large scale, IL ever required. 1857 II
During the past year our Navy has
been reduced by the sale of some ves-
sells no longer fit for naval purposes,
and by the condemnation Of others
not yet disposed of. This has howev-
er been more than compensated for
by the repair Of six 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 foftu-
nate time. They are about being
completed when they will possibly be
much needed, and the work upon
ployment to thousands of men, but no
doubt has been the means OF keeping
open other establishments for other
works at time of financial distress.
Since the commencement Of last
month, however, the distressing oc-
currenees which have taken place in
the waters of the Caribbean Sea, al
most on our very sea border, while
they Illustrate most foreibly the ne
pcessity always existing that 8 nation
situated as ours should maintain IN q
state Of efficiency q navy adequate to
its sponsibiHties, has at the same
time demanded that all the effective
force we really have shall be put into
immediate readiness for warlike SER
vice. This has been, and is being
done promptly and effectively, and /
am assured that all the available
ships, and every enlisted man of
the American navy will be ready for
whatever action is required Tor the
safety of our cities and the mainten-
anee of our honor. This Of course
will render the expenditure in short
time Of some of the appropriations
which were calculated to extend
through the fiscal year, but Congress
viii, I doubt net, understand and ap-
preeiate the emergency, and will pro-
vide adequately, not only for the
present preparation, but for the fu-
ture maintenance of our naval force.
The Secretary of the Navy has. dU-
ring the past year, been quietly put
IlDH some OF OUT mOSL elective LuO0-
itors in condition for service, and
thus the exigency finds US in a much
better condition for work than we
could possibly have been without his
action. .-. .
A completeex is preseAted in
the accompanying report of the Post
master General of the operations of
the POstOffiee Department during the
year. The ordinary postal revenues
for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1873, amounted to so, 996, 74L57, and
the expenditures Of all kinds to S29,-
OS4, 945. 81. The increase OF revenues
over 1872 was 8, ,0SI 1880, and the in
crease in expenditures g, ,465, 733.
Independent Of the payments made
from special appropriations for mail
steamship lines, tine amount drawn
from the general treasury to- meet
deficiencies was 9, ,285,47O. 58i N1H
The constant and rapid extension Of
our postal service, particularly upon
railways, and the Improved facilities
for the collection, distribution and
delivery OF mail which are constantly
Leing provided, account for the in
creased expenditures Of this popular
branch OF the public service. The
total number Of postOffiees in opera
ton on the 30th Of June, 1873, was &c. :