, 1876-12-16

good Of the service a. we'll rs for the Interests
of the government, and urgently recommends
that the compensation OF the cla-s If post
masters sbove mentioned be based on the
business of their respective offi -. as a-cer-
tanned by the sworn returns OF the stamps
cancelied.
! A few pOstmss,ers in the Siuthsra States
have expressed great apprehension Of their
( p-rsonal safety on account OF their cInnecliun
with The postal service. snd have specially
! requested that their reports OF apprtheudei
danger should NOT be msde public. lest /,
| should result in the lo~s of their lives bur no
| positive testimony Of interference has been
Submitted. except in the Case OF - mail mes-
SINGER at SpAr'auturg, Ia Souih Carolina,
who reported that he had been violently
driven away while in charge of the mails on
account Of hi- political stfihaticns. Ihe AZ
sisrant sup, rinienlent Of the railway mail
service invest igsted ,hIs case, aud reported
| that he Messenger hid disappeared from his
| post, leaving his work TO be pprfo- mrd by a
! substitute. The postmaster general thiuk-
! this case Is suthoien'ly suggestive 10 Justify
him 10 Tecomm- udIng that severe yua
| i~hment should be provided for the cif-n~e
Of aSsanlIing my prison IN 'he charge Of the
mails, of retardlng or otherwise ob>tTuoting
them by thres's "i prrson,i injury.
\ very gratifying r,-ul, IL presented in the
fac, that the drficirucy OF this drpar m-u'.
during th- iast fscal year. uss r,dur,d 70
| 81, ,0SI. 100 Is, ss agaius- So. l19 9,;S - OF
Il a.. IL.
rracrd to the large increase of ~ ordinary
rrce,p's, which greatly exceeded the e. l.
mates therefor, an1 shght decrease In H.
expenditures. The ordinary receipts of thr
posi' ttce department for the seven past fi-cal
Years, have increased 1T an average Taie uf
| over ) per cent per Aunum, WhIle the iu-
! e7euse If ezp-udi'urrs for the same I-Tioi
has ben about D pr cent. Per annum, aud
the decrease OF q, III 'ienoy Ia revenues has
been at The rate of nearly J per cent. per an
mum.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The report of Il Q commissioner of agriculrure
accompanying this message, will b.. found
one oi great interest, marking, 1t dOe-, the
great progress In the last c-utnry III variety
of prudnc uf the sUil, Increased knowledge
aud skill in the lnb,r Ui Producing, saving
and manufacturing the same, 10 prepare them
for the use of man. in the Improvement of
machinery To aid Ihe aYricul uralIsi IN hI>
labors, and n knowledge If scientific sub
CTS necessary to thorough sys em uf ecun-
umy IN agricultural productions, namely.
chemistry. botany, entomology. e'c. \ study
of this report by those interested IL a.;rlcul
and a fkt4t- gF.afsa 4
will render il Of valne in pointing on; those
articles which are rais-d IN greater quantity
than the needs OF the world require, and
which must srll, therefore. for It's than thr
cost of production | call special attention
o the need of the department for new gal
IeTy for the reception of the exhibits returned
from the centennial exhibition. including *
hIbirs donated by many foreign nations, and
10 the recommendations Of the commissioner
Of agriculture generally
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The reports of the dis rIct commissioners
and the board of health Just received too
late TO read them and to make reeummenda-
tioas thereon. AID are herewith submitted.
The CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.
The international exhibition. held in Phila-
deiphia this year, IN cUmm-mOratInn of the
one huHdredrh anniversary Ut American Ia
dep Ddene-, has proven great success aud
viii doubt BE- of enduring advantage 10
the country Ii has shown the great pro
gress in he ar's, sGi-Bce and mechanical skill
made i'll n single century. and demonstrates
that we are but li'tle hrhind the Older nations
III any one branch, while IN sOme We -oare-ly
have Il rIyal. l. has srrvrd 70 not only bring
prOple aud products uf skill ani labor from
all parts of The world together, in bringing
together people from all sections Of our own
country, which must prove a great benetii III
tire infDrmtion impaired and the pride oi
country engendered. Il has been sug-
grsfed by SCIENTISTS interested 10 and cuhurc'
ed with The Smi hsoniam Institute, IN n com
munieatiou herewith submitted, that th-
Government exhibit BE- removed to the cap
i'aI aud a suitable building erected, or Pur-
chased for accommodation, a. permanent
-xhIbIr. | earnestly reccummrnd n, AMI be
leVing hat Congress would second Tins view.
l directed that all govsrBneEt EXHIBITS al the
centennial exhibition should remain where
thy are, exc pr such as might be injured by
remaining III building not intended as ii
protection fruIn inclement weather, or sucb
o. may b. waa'ed by The department. turn-
ishing them. until the question OF Pr
maueut exhibition Il acted upon. Although
the moneys appropriated by Congress 10 ell
abe The participation Of The several execi-
five deuarrmrars in rhe international exhIbI-
tIon Of 1876 were not sufficient 10 carry on
The undertaking 70 the fnll exte1t at frs
contemplated, II gives me plsa-ure 10 refer L
-b. fl ...-n, aud errdit4ble mann-r III whicn
these -everal drparrm.n's, to provide an eX-
hibiilon on the par OF The snvernmen', have
discharged their duries with ihe funds placrd
At their command. vi hout a pr'c.d~nt TO
guide rhrrn IN be preparation OF sueh dis
play.
The-success of their labO-s was amply at
tested by he sustained attendance Uhi-h The
c,ut-nt- 0f th- government building attract
ID during the p-riUd II the -KhIbltlDn from
both forrisn and native p-Opie- am strong
ly Impre---d wi'h the value Of th- collection
mad bY The gpvernm-ut for the pHrPps=s ot
The exhibition, Illustrating a. 1t does The gen
-rzI Resources # the country, and sta L. real
and practical evidence OF our groTrh a. a
nation Ia tbe u-es Of the fn-rcaniiie ert- and
b. application Of applied science IN the 3D.
,niyi-fr.rion Of the affairs OF gogefument |
Many mai u have voluntarily 1OntrIbu ID
their exhibir- 10 the Cnired Sr4Irs to increase |
rhe interest in any Permsseas exhie''ion |
Congress rnay provide. For 'hi- act OF g-n- |
.r,-i5y they should reo-ise rhs hanks OF the !
u-ouI-, and rv-p-e. tally suggest tha, res-
'IotIyu of Cougrrs- 10 hat effect be adopted. |
CHOOSING The PRESIDENT.
The ATTENTION Of CoDgr1- cannot BE too |
earnestly eall-d TO the necessity Of fhrO~ing |
some greater safeguard over the method 'i
ehousipg aud declaring the election OF q |
Pre-iden-. Uuder the pre-snt system. there |
-ezrns 10 be ~ provided remedy tor eonte-'ing |
The election Ia any Ons State The remedy |
u, partly. 10 doab-, in the enlightment OF
ries-cr
The s,nppl-or- support OF free schools and /