Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-12-07


not produce ourselves, the tariff upon which
increases the coet OF producing the manufac-
tuFed article. All corrections In tnis regard are
in the direction of bringing labor and capital
IN harmony with each other, and of supplying
needed.
The report of the Secretary of War, herewith
attached, and forming part of this message,
gives all the information concerning the opera
tons, wants aud necessities of the army, aud
contains many suggestions and recOmmenda
tors which 1 commend to your special atten-
ton. There is no class Of government en-
iloyes who are harder worked than the army
officers ard men-nOne who perform their tasks
more cheerfully and efficiently, and under cir
CumstsDces OF greater priv yatiOns and ha-dships.
Legislation is desirable to render more efficient
ms branch OF the public service. All the re-
commentators OF the Secretary of War | re-
gard as judiClOus, and [ especially commend
10 your attention the following: The cOnsOlda-
ton Of government arsenals, the restoration of
mileage 10 officers travelling under orders, the
exemption of money received from the sale of
subsistence stores from being covered into the
Treasury, the uSe of appT0pri atoms for the
purcEss sse Of subsistence stores without wait
ing fer the beginning OF the fiscal year,
for which the appropriation is made; for sidi-
tional appropriations for the collection of tor
Iedo material; for increased Appropriation for
the manufacture OF arms; for relieving the
various states from Indebted ness for arms
charged to tn IN during he rebslliOn; for drop
IiIg ficers from the re is OF the army, without
trial. TOR the Oftense of drawing pay more than
once for tie same period; for the discourage
tor the establish ment Of Prcfessorship OF
rhetoric and English literature at West Point.
The reasons for these recommendations are
obvious, and are set forth icieutIy in the
reports attached. / also recon mend that the
status OF the staff corps Of the army be fixed
where this has not alrt ady been dOne-sO that
promotions may be mace and vacancies filed
As they occur, in each grade, when reduced
below the humber t. be fixed by Law.
The necessity for such legislation is spe-
cislly felt row in the Paw department
N
is below the number adequate to the perf0r u
apce of the duties TeQuiI ed OF til en- 10y law. The
during the last year. Under the impulse OF the
I0TeiRn complications which threatened Us at
tie commence ment of the last session o. Con-
gTess, most Of cur effc' mt wooden ships were
put in condition for immediate service, and the
repairs Of our irUE-Ciad lleet were pushed " tn
the utmost vig6r. The result is that most Of
these are nov In an effective state, auG need
only 10 be manned and putin commission to 60
at once into service. me of the new slo0ps
authorized by Congress are already in commits
sion, and most of the em2iEder are launched
ed want only the conn letiCR OF their machine
pto enable item to tai their places as part of
our effective force. Y 70 iron torpedo ships
have been completed during the last year. aud
four Of our large double tuTreted iron Clads are
LOW under RCing repairs. When these are fin
irhed, everything that is useful Of our navy, as
now authorized, will be in condition for ser
vice, and with the advance in the sci
ence CT torpedo warfare, the American
navy, comparatively small az it is, will
be found at any time powerful for the purposes
OF Peaceful nation. Such has also been as
comI lsEed during the year in aid of science,
and 10 increase the sum of general knowledge,
and further tie interests Of commerce and civil
iZatiCu. Extensive and much eeded sOundings
have been made fer photographic purposes,
and TO TX the proper TOpte Of ocean teiegraphs
Further surveys Of the G reat Isthmus have been
under taken and compile eted, and two vessels of
the Navy are now employed iC conjunction with
tEOse of England, FsaLCe, Germany and Rus
sia IL observations connected with the transit
OF Venus, so useful and interesting TO the scien-
tlhc world. The estimates for this branch Of
the public service do not differ materially from
those OF last ear, those for the general support
OF the service being some8bat less, and those
for permanent imPrOvs ments at the various
stations rather lSIgcI than the corresponding
estimate made year ago. The regular main
tel Ice and steady increase in the efficiency
OF this most important al n in proportion to the
gIOwth of OUr maritime interests, is recon
mended to the attention Of Congress.
1 he use of the navy, in tine or peace, might
be ther utilized by direct authorization OF
the employment OF naval vessels in eNplora-
tons and surveys o. the supposed naTigd5le
waters OF Other nationahties on his c-uuuent,
SPEC ally the tributaries Of the tgo gceat rivers
OF SOGth America, the Oronoca ana the ANA
zon. Nothing prevents. under existing laws
such exploration except that expenditures must
DC made in such exped ions beyond those US
ually provided for III the appropriations. The
helo designated Is UrI II Stionab,y one of inter
est ard one capable of large dsve'O ment OF
commercial interests advantageous to the peo-
relations with them. Education of the people
entitled TO exercise the right OF franchise L re-
gard essential to general prosperity everywhere,
and especially Sc in republics where birth, edu-
cation, or previous condition does not enter
into account in giving suffrage.
Next to the PUBLIC school, the Post Ofics is
the great agent of education over our vast terri
tory, the rapidlty with which new sections are
being settled, thus Increasing the carrying OF
mails in q more rapid ratio than the increa sc OF
receipts is not alarming. The report Of the
he att
that there was an increase of revenue in his
department in 1873 over the previous year OF
S1,6ii Ill, and an incres q of cost of carrying
the mails and pay ing emp oyees OF S},0il, 1891.
The report of the PostD, asIer General gives in
teTestng statistics of his department. and com
pares them W th the corresponding statistics Of
year ago, showing growth in every branch
of the department. a postal convention has
been concluded With New South Wales, an ex-
change of postal. cards with Switzerland, aud
the Mt EQUATIONS pending for several years past
with france have term mated IL a Convention
August.
vened in Berna, Switzerland, in September
last, at which the Uni ed States was repre-
sented by an officer OF the Post Office Depart
ment of much eXperien &c and of qualification
for the position. A Col yention for the estab-
iishment OF an inter uat iOnal postal union was
agreed upon and signed By the delegates or
the CouItries represent ed, subject TO the gp-
prov3I of the proper authorities of those couu-
tries. / respectfully direct your attention 10
the report of the Postmaster General, aud u
his suggestions in regari to au equitable ad-
justment OF the question of compensation to
railroads for carrying tue Inaiis. Your atteu-
ti0n viii be drawn to the unsettled condition or
affairs IL some o. the sou hern states.
ON the 18th Of September last the Governor
of Louisiana called upOI me, as provided by
the COnAtitution and laws of the United States,
10 aid III suppressing domestic violence in that
Sta.e. This call was ma te in view of a prOcla-
NATION issued on that day by ID. B. Penn claim
iBg that he was elected lieutenant governor in
1872, and calling upon the militis OF the State
TO arm, assemble and drive the formsr power,
the usurpers, as he des gnated the or GERS of
the State government. On the next E Iy is-
sued my proclamation commanding thA iusur-
gents to disperse within five days from the date
thereof, and subseq learned that on that
day they had taken for cible possession OF the
State house. Steps were taken by me to sup
port the existing and recognized State govern
ment; but before the expiration of the Ave days
the insurrectonary movement was practically
abandoned and the officers of the State govern
ment, with some minor exceptions, resumed
their powers and duties.
Considering that the present state admins
tration Of Louisiana has been the only govern
ment in that state for nearly two years; that It
has been tacitly acknowledgement acq quiesced
in as sueh by Congress, and more than once
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