Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-12-17

ing for the beginning of the fiscal year for
which the appropriation is made; for additional
appropriations for the collection OF torpedo
material; for increased appropriations Tor
the manufacture of arms; for relieving the
various States from Indebtedness for arms
charged TO them DUNG the rebellion; for drop
ping officers from the rolls OF the army without
trial for the ofense of drawing pay more than
once for the same period; for the encouragement
Of the plan to pay soldiers by checks. and for
the establishment OF prOtessorshlp OF
rhetoric and English literature at West
Point The reasons for the recommends
lions are obvious, and are set forth sufficiently in
the report attached. l also recommend that the
status of the staff corps of the army be fixed
where this has not already been done, SO that
promotions may be made and vacancies filled as
they occur in each grade when reduced below the
number TO be fixed by law. The necessity for
such legislation Is specially felt now IN the Pay
Department.
The efficiency of the navy has been largely in
creased during the last year, under the Impulse
OF he foreign complications which threatened
rs al the common cement OF the last session of
Congress. Most of our efficient wooden ships
were put in condition for immediate service, and
the repairs OF our irOn-clad feet were pushed
with the utmost ylgor. The result Is
that most of these are in effective COndi-
ton, and need only 10 be manned and set
in commission TO 90 at once into service. Some
of the new sloops authorized by Congress are al
ready id commission. and most OF the remainder
are launched and wait only the completion of
their machinery to ENABLE them TO take their
places as part OF our effective force.
Two iron torpedo-ships have been COM
pleJed curing the last year: and four
of our large turreted iron-clads are
now undergoing repairs When they are finished,
everything hat i needfUl OF our navy as now an
thoriZed will be in condition for service, and
with the advance in the science of torpedo war
fare the American navy, comparatively small as
it Is, viii be found at any time powerful for the
purposes of peaceful nation.
Much has also been accomplished during the
wear in aid of science and to increase the sum
of general knowledge and further the interests
of commerce and civilization. Extensive and
muCh-needed sOundings have been made for by
geographic purposes and to fix the proper routes
of ocean teegraphs. Further surveys Ofthe Darlen
Isthmus have been undertaken and completed
and two vessels OF the navy are now employed IN
conjunction with those of England, France. Ger
many and Russia. in observations connected with
the transit of Venus, useful and interesting to the
scientific world.
The estimates for this branch of the public
service do differ materially from those of last
year, the general support of the service
being somewhat less and those for improvements
at various stations rather larger than the CORE
spending estimate made year ago. The regular
maintenance and steady increase in the eff
cheney of this most important arm, in proportion
to the growth of maritime intercourse and in
terests, are recommended to the attention OF Con
gress.
The use of the navy during peace might be
further utilized by a direct authorization of the
employment of naval vessels in surveys of the
supposed navigabe waters OF other natiOnal-
ties on this continent, especially the trib-
utaries Of the two great rivers OF South
America, the OrOnOCo and the Amazon.
Nothing prevents, under existing laws
such explorations, except that expenditures
must be made in such expeditions beyond those
usually provided for by the appropriations The
| field designated is unquestiOnably one of inter
| est, and one capable of large development of
| commercial interests, advantageous to the PEG
pie reached and to those who may establish rela-
| tons with them
EDUCATION AND THE PosTOFFICE.
| The education of the people entitled to exer-
else the right of franchise 1 regard essential to
|
| in republics, where neither education nor pre-
J viOus condition enters into account in giving
| suffrage Next to the public school, the Post
office is the great agent ofeducation over our vast
| territory. The rapidity with which new sections
| are being settled, thus increasing the cost of
carrying the mails in more rapid ratio than the
| increase OF receipts, is not alarming. The re-
| port of the Postmaster-G General, herewith at
| tached, shows that there increase of
revenue in this department in 1873 over the
| previous year of S1,674,411, and an increase Of
| the cost of carrying the mails and paying en-
| ployes of 1901, 1871 The report of the Post
masterGeneral gives interesting statistics of his
| department. and, comparing them with the cor
responding statistics of a year ago, shows q
growth in every branch of the department.
! postal convention has been concluded
| with New South Wales, exchange of postal
cards established with Switzerland, and the
regulations pending for several years past with
| France have terminated in q convention with
| that country, which went into effect last August
An International Postal Congress was con-
vened in Berne, Switzerland, in September last
at which the United States represented by
an officer of the Postoffice Department of much
experience and of qualification for the position
A convention for the establishment of an inter
national postal union was agreed upon by the
delegates of the countries represented, subject to
| tho approval of the proper authorities of those
countries.
respectfully direct your attention to the report
of the Postmaster-General and 20 his suggestions
in regard to equitable adjustment of the ques-
ton of compensation to railroads for carrying the
mails.
THE SOUTHERN STATES.
Your attention will be drawn to the unsettled
condition of affairs in some of the Southern
States. On the 14th of September last the Gov
ernor of Louisiana called upon me, provided
by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, to aid IN suppressing domestic violence
in that State. This call was made in
view of a proclamation issued on that
day by D. B. Penn, stating that he
was elected Northumberland in 1879 and call
ing upon the militia of the State to arm, assem-
Bile and drive from power the usurpers, as he
designated the officers of the State Government.
On the next day | issued my proclama-
ton, commanded the insurgents to dis
perse within five days from the date
thereof, and subsequently learned that on
that day they had taken forcible possession of
the State House Troops were sent by to
support the existing and recognized State Gov
ernment, but before the expiration of the five
days the insunectiOnary movement was praC-
tiCally abandoned and the officers of the State
Government, with some minor exceptions, re-
sumed their powers and duties. Considering
that the present State administration of LouisI-
ana naQ Deen the only government
in that State for nearly two years
that it had been tacitly acknowledged and acqui
esced in such by Congress, and more than
once expressly recognized by me, 1 regarded it
as my clear duty, when legally called upon for
that purpose, to prevent its overthrow by an
armed mob under pretense of fraud and irregu-
larity in the election of 1872. | have heretofore
called the attention of Congress to this
subject, stating that on account of the frauds
and forgeries committed at said election, and
because it appeared that the returns thereof were
lV wa tn
thereby who were chosen, but from the best
sources of information at my command | have
always believed the present State officers re-
ceived majority of the legal votes actually cast
at that election. repeat what [ said in my special
message of Feb. -, 1873, that in the event of no
action by Congress must continue to recognize
the government heretofore recognized by me.
I regret to say that with the preparations for
the late elections decided indications appeared
IN some localities in the Southern States of de-
termination, by acts of violence and intimida-
ton. to deprive citizens of the freedom of the
ballot because of their political opinions; bands
of men masked and armed made their ap-
pearanCe; White Leagues and other societies
were formed; large quantities of arms and am
munitiOn imported and distributed to
these organizations; military drills, with men
these, murders enough were committed to
spread terror among those whose political
action was to be suppressed if possible by these
intolerant and criminal proceedings. In some
places cOl0red laborers were compelled to vote
according TO the wishes of their employers, I'M
der threats of a discharge il they acted other
wise, and there are too many instances in
which, when these threats were disregarded,
they were remorselessly executed by those by
w understand