Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-12-03

Use OF capital to operate them Millions ~
acres Of land have been opened to cul,iyation
requiring capita! to NOV: I'll" products Man,
uiictGreS have Ytul'iriei beyond all prccri.",
in the same p.rlu,i It nm" requiring c,n;t,i
weekly Tor The payment vi wages and for tb,
purchase of material; and probably the largn>,
of all comparative cDE'rac'ion arises from tha
organizing OF free labor in the south Now
every lat0ler ihcrc rec ives iil> wages, and f,r
want Of saving. banks the greater part Of such
wages i, carried III the pocket, or boarded I'm.
til r'qulrrd for us1.
These suggestions arc thrown on, for r,,r
cons dcra ion without any recommendation rl,,
they snail be adopted literally, bun hoping tina,
the best method may nc arrived at 10 >rc,,r.
such ali elasticity Of he currency as will keen
employed all The industries Of the country "a
prevent such an inf atom as will put eff milf.
nitcy resumption Of specie payments, an oh.
ct so dcvoutiy to be wished for Ivy all. and hr
none more earnestly than the class of pyo,i,
most directly Interested hose wno earn their
bread by th" sweat OF their brow
The deci>lun, Of Congress On this subject will
have the hearty support Ut the executive
In previous messages have called attention
to the dccliue iu American ship building. and
Recommended such legislation as would secure
10 Us our proportion Of the carrying trade.
Stimulated BY high rates aud abundance Of
freight, the progress for the last year in shin
building has been very >all actory. There has
been al Increase of about three per cent III the
amount transported III American vessels over
the amount OF las year. With the reduced
cost vi matcrli! which has taken pace it may
reasonably DC hoped thai this progress will he
maintained ami even Increased. However. as
ann
elgn ycs>rl> for the Transportation Of our sur
plus products to Il market, thus increasing the
balance If trade against US to lhiS amount. tie
subject is Que worthy Of your serious c,usidera
uUD.
'Chcap transpora!ion' is subject that has
attracted the attention Vi both producers and
cou>uucrs for The past lew years. and has CON
tribu;cd TO, il 1t has not been the direct Cause
OF. the recent panic and st!inEeucy. As Con-
-rcss, N its la; session, appointed a special
cnlutnitcc 10 iuy, stigatc This whole suhi:c,
during the vacation, a:d report at this session,
have nnthnI 10 rccou.Icnu utii their IL
port l. ready.
There is one work however, of Datlo0a.
character, in wHch he greater p,,rtion OF the
east an'i the west, the north aud the south are
equally inter Scd, ~ winch viii invite Your
attention The stat, Of New York has y canal.
connecting Lake Erie with tlic-water on the
Hudson river The state o. Illinois has S!.u
lar work connecting l. k" Michigan with nlv-
gable water 90 the Illinois river thu, king
water communication lul4nI between the east
ard the west and south. These graf ar;iticia!
water courses are the property 81! the states
through which they pass, ami Eay toll 10 those
states. " Du!d il not he wise Craftsmanship 20
pledge these states that if they will open these
canals Tor he passage Of large vessels the gen
cral government vii! look after and keep il
uavig9he condition the great public highways
with which they coGncc:? to wit: The over
sIaugh Un tn" hudson. The San, Claire fats,
and the Illinois and Mississippi rivers This
would be i natinna! work; one Of great value to
the producers Of the VS.: and u.h, in giving
them cheap Transportation for their proince 10
he -c.:-hoart and Il markc.: and 10 the con
sumcrs in the ra*r. in giving them cheaper
food particularly Ut those articles Of food which
DO nor iiud Il fr,illl mark t. aud the prices Of
winch, thcr fore, are not regulated by foreign
demands
The advantages # such Il work are toe obyi-
Gus for argument. submit the subject to you
therefore without further comment.
In attempting to regain our lost commerce
and carrying trade | lave heretofore called al
tenlion to the states south OF Us Offering field
where much might be accomplished. 10 fur
Their this Ut.j ct L suggest that small appro-
ptiation he made, accompanied with authority
for the Secretary Of the Naiy to iii out naval
vessel to ascend The Amazon river 70 the mouth
Of the Madeira, thence to explore that river
ani its tributaries, into Bolivia, and to repor;
to congress at its next session, or as Don rs
practicable the accessibility OF the cnuntry by
water its resources, AID the population 80
reached Such an exploration will cost but 1T
tie, il can do no harm, and may result III c>-
tab!lShlug Il trade 0! value to both nations
In further connection with the Treasury De-
partmcnt | would rccoWmeud revision and
Qualification Of the Tariff laws, and the opening
Of more uIiut. Tor cClnlng money, with auth9TI-
ty to coin for sucn nati0us as may apply.
WAR DEPARTMENT.
The affection of Congress is invited to the
recommendations contained in the report OF the
Secretary Of War h"rcwih accompanying.
The apparent great. cost of supporting thr
army is folly explained by this report, ADD
hope will receive Your attention.
While inviting your general attention to an
the recommendations made ny the Secretary oI
War, there are two which / would especially
invite you to consider First, the importance
Of preparing for war 10 time OF peac'. by pro-
vi,!ins proper armament Tor our SEA conSt De
fences. Proper armament Is Of vastly more
imp jrtance han Publications. TIE latter can
be supplied very speedily Tor temporary nMr-
poses when needed The former clnnJt. Inc
seclud is the nc .s,ity OF reopennE promotion
in the Staff Corps Of the Army. pasiIcu'aL'y l.
this necessity trIl in the Mcdc'l, Pay aud Ord'
nance departments. At TIN. time 1t Is ncccS
sary TO employ 'Conrraca Surgeons to supply
the necessary medical Attendance required BY
the army.
With the present force of the Pay Depart
mcut il is bow difficult to make the payments
to troops provided for BY law. Long delay, IN
payments are productive Of dcscrtion$ and 9th
sr Je:uor,lization and the law prohibits the
payment cr troops By other than regular army
paymasters. =, a.
There are nnw sixteen vacancies IN the " J.
nance DepartuI:ut thus easiug that branch
Of The scGyIc. without sufficient officers to CON
duet the business III the different ArscnaIS Oh i
large scale, II ever required
NAVY DEPARTMENT.