The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-12-06

tion.l executive was called upon in. the
and laws to furnish military i'd. / am crate.
full to be able to state the troops sent in re.
sponse to these calls for aid In suppression ol
domestic violence were able by the Influence
Of their presence In the disturbed regions to
preserve the peace and restore order without
the use q force. In the discharge Of this del:
men acted with great prudence and courage
and for their services deserve the thanks a
Grande in Texas, to which / have already re-
ierred have rendered necessary the constant
employment Of military force. In that
vicinity. A full report Of all recent
ted to the House Of Representatives in answer
to resolution Of that body, and 1t will not
therefore, be necessary to enter into details
regret to say that these lawless incursions
into our territory by armed bands from the
Mexican side OF the line for the purpose of
robbery have been of frequent occurrence, and
IN spite o. the e. most Vigorous -, efforts Of the
have generally succeeded in escaping
into Mexico with their plunder. In May
last I gave orders for the exer cise
of the utmost vigilance on the, part
Of our troops for; the suppression of these
raids and the punishment Of the guilty par
ties, as well as the recapture Of the property
stolen by them. Gen. Ord, commanding In
Texas, was directed to invite the cooperation
of the Mexican authorities in efforts to this
end, and assure them that was anxious to
avert giving the least offense to Mexico. At
the same time he was directed to give notice
of my determination to put an end to the in
yasion OF our territory BY lawless bands, with
n inforf{nyo ~ r1sp f,,1
zens, even II the effectual punishment OF the
outlaws should make the crossing Of the bor-
der by our troops in their pursuit necessary
It is believed that this policy has had
the effect to check somewhat these depreda-
tions, and that, with = considerable increase
Of our force upon that frontier, and the estab-
lishment Of additional military posts along
guard that extensive border, peace may be
preserved, and the lives and property of citi-
Eens in Texas fully protected.
Prior to the first day Of July last the army
was, in accordance with law, reduced to
the maximum Of Is 600 enlisted men being a
authorized. This reduction was made, as
required by law, entirely from the infan-
try and artillery branches of the service,
without any reduction Of the cavalry. Under
the law as it now stands, 1t is necessary that
the cavalry regiments he recruited to one
hundred men in eat:. :" '!''any for service on
sary effect Of this legislation is to reduce the
infantry and artillery arms of the service be-
low the number required for efficiency, and I
concur with the secretary Of war in recon.
mending that authority be given to
recruit all companies Of infantry to ut
least fifty men, and all batteries Of
artillery to at least seventy.ffve men, with
power, in case Of emergency, to increase the
former to 100 and the latter to 125 men each.
invite your special attention to the follow
ing recommendations Of the secretary of war:
First, that provision be made for supplying to
the army more abundant and better supply
of reading matter. Second, that early action
be taken BY. congress looking to complete
tions: Third, that section 1858 Of the revised
statutes limiting the number Of officers on the
retired list be repealed. Fourth, that the
claims arising under the act Of July 4, 1854,
for supplies taken by the army during the
war, be taken from the Offices Of the quarter
master and commissary generals and
transferred to the Southern claims
having more time % and better ' facilities 1ar for
their prompt investigation and decision than
are possessed by these officers. Fifth, that
congress provide for an annuity fund for the
families Of deceased soldiers, as recommended
by the paymaster general Of the army. The
report of
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
shows that We have six squadrons now en-.
gagged in the protection of our foreign CON-
merce and other duties pertaining to the naval
service The condition and operations Of the
department are also shown. The total expen-
ditures for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1877, were $16,077, ,74.54. There are unpaid
claims against the department chargeable to
last year, which are presented to the con-
sideration of congress by the report Of
the secretary. The estimates for the
fiscal ys:r s.e g, seso,%na%encing m July L. 1s;s
sum Of $2$l ,443.11, submitted for new build
ings, repairs and Improvements at the sew
cral navy yards. The appropriations for the
present fiscal year commencing July, 1877, are
$13, ,592, ,935 .98. The amount drawn from the
treasury from July LIST to November LIST, 1877,
is $5,343 '037: :00 Of which there is estimated to
amount Of actual expenditure during the first
four months Of the present fiscal year to have
been $4,3l3, ,5O9 10.
THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report Of the postmaster general con.
tains q full and clear statement Of
the operations and condition Of the post
Office department.. The ordinary revenues
Of tho department for the fiscal year ending
juno so, 1877, including receipts from the
money order business, from official stamps and
stamped envelopes amounted to S27, ,53l 5e5o6.
The additional sum Of $7,O13, 600 was received
from the appropriation from the general
treasury for various purposes, making the re.
amounted to $33 4s6 322. ~, leaving an excess
OF total receipts over total expenditures Of
81 ,O58, ,562S and an excess Of total expendi-
lures over ordinary receipts Of Is, 1854 ,737. .1S.
Deducting from the total receipts the sum OF
$632 61841, received from international money
orders ofthe preceding fiscal year, and deduct
81 .20 paid on liabilities incurred in pre-
vious fiscal years, the expenditures and receipts
appertaining to the business Of the last fiscal
year were as follows: Expenditures @32,232,-
504A; receipts ordinary from money order
business and from official postage stamps,
81, ass, -; excess ofexpenditures $4,854,-
department for the year ending June 80, 1879,
are estimated at an increase OF three per cent.
over those Of 1877, making $29,034 0982S, and
the expenditures for the same year are esti-
mated at 81, ~, III, leaving an estimated de-
ficiency for 1879 OF $685., ,32,8. The addi-
tional legislation recommended BY tho post
service and to protect the postal revenue
from the abuses practiced under existin z
laws is respectfully recommended to
the careful consideration. Of congress.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
The report Of the attorney general contains
several suggestions as to the administration
of justice to which invite attention. The
pressure Of business In the supreme court and
certain circuit courts Of the United States is
such now that serious delay, to the great in
jury and even oppression OF suitors occurs, and
. remedy should be sought for this condition
of affairs. Whether it will be found In the
plan briefly eketched in the report, Of increas-
Ing the number Of judges Of circuit courts
and by means of this addition to judicial force,
Of creating an intermediate court Of errors
and appeals, or whether some other mode can
be devised obviatlng the difficulties which
now exist leave to your mature considers
ton.