National Republican., 1876-12-06

issued : proclamation upon the 7st Of August,
1910, q copy Of which is hereto annexed.
WAR DEPARrNEST-ARnY.
The report of the Secretary Of War shows that
the army has been actively employed during the
Bureau, certain wild hands OF the Sioux Indian
nation aud in preserving the peace at the south
during the election. The Commission constituted
under the act Of July "a, 1876 to consider and
port on the whole subject of the reform and re-
organization of the army" met in August last,
opinions bearing on the subject beforeit. These
are now under consideration. and their report Is
progressing. am advised, though, by the presi.
dent Of Sommission tnat MI os mPrae;,sa9s,s ~
report TO be presented through me to Congress
on the first day Of this session, as there has not
the importance of the subject demands There
FORE ask that the time Of making the report be
extended to the 18th day Of January. 1877.
1875, the army regulations prepared under The act
of NJ arch !, 1875, have not been promulgated, but
are held until after the report Of the above men
toned commission shall have been received and
BY the act Of August Is, 1876, the cavalry force
of the army was increased by 2,50o men, with the
proviso that they should be discharged on the ex-
pirstion Of hostilities. Under this authority the
cavalry regiments have been strengthened, and o
portion of them are now in the field pursuing the
remnants Of the Indians with whom they have
been engaged during the summer.
The estimates Of the War Department are
made up on the basis OF the number oil men au-
thorized BY law and their requirements as shown
by years of experience; and also with the pur-
pose on the part of the bureau officers to provide
Tor all contingencies that may arise during the
time for which the estimates are made. Exclu-
sive of engineer estimates (presented in accord
ance with acts Of Congress calling for surveys
and estimates for improvements at various localt
ties,) the estimates now presented are about six
years 1915 and is75-7s. TRis Increase is asked
In order to provide for the increased cavalry
lchn hair rvfra ha rxy.N Pm
prosecute economically work upon important
public buildings; to provide for armament Of for
titcations and manufacture Of small arms, and
to replenish the working stock IN the supply de-
partments. The appropriations for these last
named have for the past few years been SO limited
that the accumulations in store will be entirely
exhausted during the present year, and it will
be necessary TO At once begin TO replenish them.
Invite your special attention TO the following
Recommendations Of the Secretary Of War:
First. 7 hat the aims under the act of July 4,
1884, for supplies taken by the Army during the
war be removed from the Offices of the Quarter
master and Commissary Generals and trans
ferred TO the Southern Claims Commission.
These claims are Of precisely similar nature to
those now before the southern Claims Commis-
sion, and the war Department bureaus have not
claimants.
Second That Congress sanction the scheme of
an annuity fund for the benefit Of the families of
deceased officers; and that il also provide for the
permanent Organization of the signal service;
both of which were recommended in my last an
Third. That the manufacturing operations OF
the ordnance department be concentrated at three
arsenals and an armory, and that the remaining
object by the ordnance department.
RIVER AND HARBoR IMPROVEMENTS.
The appropriations for RIVER and harbor i'm
proyements for the current year were $5I015, 900.
With my approval the Secretary Of War directed
that of this amount g OGO 600 should be expended
nd ahO ba
prosecuted which were not Of national import
ance. Subsequently this amount was increased
to e 2S7, 60, and the works are now progressing
on this basis.
Tho improvement Of the South Pass of the Mis-
sissippi river, under James b Esds and his as
soeiates, is progressing favoraoly. At the pres.
ent time there is q channel of twenty and three
tenths 20 31oths) feet in depth between the jet
ties at the mouth Of the Pass, and eighteen and
Sne, half ns1O feet at the head q the Pass
before payments can be made by the United
States. A commission of engineer officers is now
examining these works, and their reports viii be
presented as soon as received.
NAVY.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy shows
that branch Of the service to be in condition as
effective as is possible to keepit with the means
and authority given the Department 1t is, of
gressive establishments ofgreat European Powers
with the old material Of our navy to which no in
crease has been authorized since the war, except
Of others which had gone to decay. Yet the most
has been done that was possible with the means
at command, and by substantially rebuilding
repairing and renting our mon
isOi So broush. I up that though 'f !. does S' nGs
proe p | ressve navies Of the world world, it is now in a
condition more powerful and effective than It
ever has been in time Of peace. The complete
lay cd on account of the inadequacy Of the appro-
priatiOns made last year for the working bureaus
Of the Department, which were actually less in
standing the greatly enhanced price Of labor and
and the increase In the cost Of the
naval service out Of the universal use and great
ag for these Tepars should proTSsa
that they may be completed without further un-
necessary delay and expense. When this is done,
developed and useful to fits full capacity, and it
will be powerful for purposes Of defense and also
for offensive action should the necessity for that
arise within reasonable distance from our
shore.
The fact that our navy is not more modern and
powerful than II is has been made a cause of COM
plaint against the Secretary Of the Navy by per-
IONS who, at the same time, criticise and complain
Of his endeavors to bring the navy that we have
10 its best and most eticlen. condition: but the
good sense Of the country will understand that 1t
IS really due TO his practical action that we have
1t this time any effective naval force at COM
mand.
FOST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Postmaster General shows
lures on account IF previous years. over recsipts
for the fiscal year ending June 50, 1876, to be
n, 15l ,sss.ee. Estimated expenditures tor the
revenue for same period Is SsO, ,S4S iS5.
Leaving estimated excess of expenditure TO be
as deficiency Of q, ,uis, ,2o7.4a.
is convinced that a change in the basis OF adjust
ing the salaries Of postmasters Of the fourth class
Is necessary for the good Of the service as we'll
recommends that the compensation Of the class
Of postmasters above mentioned be based upon
the business of their respective Offices, as ascer-
tained from the sworn returns, to the Auditor,
Of stamps Cancelled.
PROTECTION FOR SOUTHERN PosTMAsTRns.
few postmasters in the Southern States have
safety on account Of their connection with the
postal service, and have specially requested that
be made public Iest il should result in the loss Of
their lives. But no positive testimony of inter-
terence has been submitted except in the case Of
Ina who reported that he had been yioIentiy
driven away while in charge of the mails on ac-
count Of his political affiliations. An assistant
tigated this case and reported that the messen-
ger had disappeared from his post, leaving his
work TO be performed by q substitute. The Post
master General thinks this case is sufficiently
more severe punishment should be provided for
the ofense Of assaulting any person In charge of
the mails or Of retarding or otherwise obstructng
them by threats Of personal injury.
"A very gratifying result is presented in the fact
that the deficiency Of this Department during
the last fiscal year was reduced to a. 0Sl ls as
ganst %, I69 93s. IS Of the preceding year. The
difference can be traced to the large increase in
its ordinary receipts (which greatly exceeded the
estimates therefor), and slight decrease In its
The ordinary receipts Of the Post Once Depart-
nent for the past seven years have increased at
IN average Of over eight per cent. per annum,
while the increase Of expenditures for the same
period has been but about fiye-fity per cent. per
lnnum, and the decrease of deficiency in the
revenues has been at the rate of nearly two per
.ent. per annum.
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Commissioner Of Agriculture
this message, will be found one OF
great interest, marking, as It does the great
progress OF the last century in the variety Of
products Of the soil; increased knowledge and
lipulating the same TO prepare them for the
Use Of man; in the Improvements in machinery
20 aid the egrculturist In his laoors and In q
Of those scientific subjects necessary
70 thorough system Of economy In agricultural
production, namely: chemistry, botany, entomolo-
yy, &c. A study Of this report by those interested
n agriculture, and deriving their support from
T. will nd II Of value; in pointing out those arti-
lies which are raised in greater quantity than the
reeds Of the world require and must sell there
ore for less than the cost of production, and
hose which command profit over cost Of pro-
luetion because there is not an over-produc-