The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-12-18

steamship Lines, but would suggest tn,
, direct offer of ample compensation TO
: carrying the mails between the Atlana
, lseaboard cities. and the continent OF
American owned and American bull
steamers, and would extend this hberali
ty to vessels carrying the mails to South
i American States, and to Central Ameri
ca and Mexico, and would pursue tht
same policy from our Pacific sea port
to foreign sea ports on the Pacific. /
might be demanded that vessels bull
for this service should come to a stand
ard fixed by legislation in tonnage, speed
and all other qualities, looking to the
possibility of the Government requiring
them at some time fer war purposes
The right also Of taking possession o.
them In such emergency should bt
guarded. I offer these suggestions, be
heving them worthy of consideration IL
all seriousness, affecting sections and al
interests alike. If anything better can
be done to direct the country into a gen
eral prosperity, no one viii be more
ready than 1 to second the plan.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
! forwarded herewith will be found the
report Of the commissioners appointed
under the act Of Congress, approved 20th
June, 1874, to wind up the affairs of the
District Government. It viii be seen
from the report that the total debt of the
District of Columbia, less securities on
hand and available is:
Bonded debt issued prior to July LIST,
1874, IS, $50, $40 43; 800 per cent bonds
act of Congress, June20th, 1874, g, ,068,
1853 70; Certificate of Board OF Audit,
| 81, no, ,558 45; total SIS, IL, ,667 81; less
special improvement assessment charge
able to private property in excess Of any
demand against such assessment, 81, ,614-
I053 81; less Chesapeake and 6 Ohio Ca
nal bonds, $4,000 and Washington &
Alexandria Railroad bonds, $50 600; In
the hands OF the Commissioner of the
Sinking Fund, 81, ,748, ,054 81; leaving the
actual debt, less said assets, S13, 994; ;613
"a. In addition to this, there are claims
preferred against the Government of the
District, amounting In the aggregate to
I$3, ,147, 7S7 4S, as reported by the Board
of Audit, of which the greater part will
probably be rejected. Thissum can with
no more propriety be included in the
debt of the District of Columbia Govern
Iment, than can the thousands of claims
against the General Government be in
cluded as a portion Of the National debt,
but the aggregate sum thus stated in
cludes something more than the funded
debt chargeableto the District of Colum-
bia. The Act of Congress of June Doth,
1874, contemplates an apportionment be-
tween the United States Government and
the District of Columbia, In respect to
the payment Of the principal and inter
est Of the 3.65 bonds Therefore,
in comparing with precision the
bonded debt of the District, the ag-
regate sums above stated as respects
| the 3.65 bonds now issued, the Outstand-
| ing certificates Of the Board of Audit, and
the unadiusted claims pending before that
Board sho'd be reduced to the extent Of
the amount to be apportioned to the U.
S. Government In the matters indi-
Gated In the act of Congress of June Goth,
1874. especially invite your attention
to the Recommendation of the Commits
sioners of the Sinking Fund relative to
the ambiguity of the act of June Goth,
1874, the interest on the District
bonds and the consolidation of indebted
ness to the District. I feel much in
debted to the gentleman who consented
to leave their private affairs and come
from distance to attend to the busin-
ess of this District, and for the able and
satisfactory manner In which it has been
conducted. [ am sure their serviceswill
be equally appreciated by the entire
country.
1t viii be seen from the accompanying
full report of the Board Of Health, that
the sanitary condition Of the District is
very satisfactory in my opinion. The
District Of Columbia should be regarded
as the grounds Of the National Capital IN
which the entire people are interested.
1 do not allude to this to urge generous
appropriations to the District, but to
draw the attention of Congress-, in franz
ing O law for the Government of the
District, to the magnificent scale on
which the city was planned by the
founders Of the Government, the man
Iner in which for ornamental purposes
the reservations, streets and avenues
we're laid out, and the proportion Of the
property actually occupied by the Gen
eral Government. 1 think the proper
ton Of the expenses of the Government,
and improvements to be borne by the
General Government, the cities of
Washington and Georgetown, and the
country, should be carefully and equita-
Ibly defined in accordance with section
three, of the act approved June 23d,
1874.
THE MISSISSIPPI
l appointed Board to make a survey
of the mouth of the Mississippi River
with view to determine the best meth
| cd of obtaining and maintaining depth
of water sufficient for the purposes OF
commerce, &C., and in accordance with
an act entitled can act to provide for the
appointment of a Commission of Engi-
neers to investigate and report perma-
nent plan for the excavation of the alluvial
basin of the Mississippi River, subject
to inundation," appointed Commits
sion of Engineers. Neither Board has
vet completed its labors. When then
reports are received they will be for
warded to Congress without delay.
-s U. S. GRANT,
EXECUTIVE MoNsIoN, WASHINGTON, d. c.,
December Z, 1874.