The Cecil Whig., 1881-12-10

distributions of nUy ships of war over the
highways of commerce. the varied in
tcreSts OF our for, i&n trade and the per
SONS and property Of "ur citizens abroad:
To maintain everywhere the honor of our
flag and the distinguished position which
we may rightfuliy ella III ;nuung the ma
tions of the world.
AFFAIRS OF THE POST OFFICE.
The report Of the Postmaster General
l S a gratifying exhibit Of the growth and
efficiency of the postal service. The re
ceiptS from postage and other ordinary
sources during the past fiscal year were
$50. 4Sa. Sl6.5S. The receipts from the
money order business were S295, ,5Si. 50
making 4 total of $50, .S5. 39i.9.. The
expenditure for the fiscal year was S39,-
251 1876. The deficit Supplied out of
the general treasury was 50 tS1, 129 -.
or Is $40 per cent of the amount exren,i-
ed The receipts We're So iin .63 in
excess of those of the previous year, and
Sl,3.J, 39i.9. i'll excess Of the estimate
made two years ago. before the present
period Of business prosperity had fairly
begun.
The whole number Of letters mailed iii
this country in The last fiscal year ey-
cecded one Thousand millions. The reg
/ istry system is reported 20 be in excel
lent condition. having been remodelied
during the past four years with good re-
suit. The amount of registration fees
collected during the last fiscal year was
-.l2. 90. an increase over the fiscal
year ending June 80. 1871. OF $40, ,4i3 4G.
ihc entire number of letters and pack
ages registered during the year was s.
:i3S, ,9l9. Of which oniS :, 2,O61 were lost or
destroyed in transit. The operations Of
the money order system are multiplying
yearly under the impuS" Of immigration
Of the rapid development Of the new
States and Territories and the cunse-
Quent demand for additional means Of
interior communication and exchange.
During the past year :i;iS additional
money order offices have been establish
ed. making a total Of ). 49J in operation
at the ,!afe OF this report. During the
year the domestic money orders aYnre-
gated III vainc &lu1. .O15. 1ii9 30. \ mutli-
licaiiou OF IN" system is suggested, re-
Guc;ng the ','S ip: money orders not ex-
ceeding H.. Il t!larS from ten cents to five
cents, and I..aiing the maximum limit
one hundred dollars in place oi lifty dul-
lars. Legislation for the disposition oi
unclaimed money orders in the posses
sion of the Post Office Department is
recommended i'll view Of the fact that
then total value now exceeds one million
dollars.
POSTAL SAVING BANKS
The attention Of Congress is again IN
vited to the subject of establishing d
system of savings repositories in connec-
ton with the Post Office Department.
THE STAR ROUTES.
AS has been already stated. great re-
ductiunS have recently been made in the
expense nT the Star Route service. The
investlationS of the Department ef jus
tice and the Post Office Department. have
resulted IN the presentation OF indict-
ments against perSous formerly connect
ed with that service. accusing them OF
offences against the United States. |
have enjoined upon the officials who are
charged with the cunduct of the cases
on the part OF the government, and upon
the eminent counsel who. before my ac
cession to the Presidency, were called to
their assistance. the duty of prosecuting,
with the utmost rignr of the law. all
persons who may be found cbargeaple
with frauds upon the postal service.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The report of the Secretary of the IN
terror contains MANY valuable suggestions
particularly touching upun the Indian
questions. The Indian Shcuid receive the
protection OF tine law. lie Shoud be
allowed to maintain in court his rights of
person and property. has repeatedly beg
gcd for this privilege. It's exercise would
be very valuable to him in his progress
towards civilization flf nta,,
Importance is the enactment of Il general
law permitting the allotment in severaItv.
to such Indians at least as desire it, of
reasonable quantity Of land secured to
them by patent. and FOR their own pro-
lection made inalienable Tor twenty of
twenty-five years. is demanded for their
present welfare and their permanent ad-
y3ncement.
sUr"Ei.SSiEG POLYGAMY.
For many wears the Executive in his
annual message to Congress has urged
the necessity Of stringent legislation for
the suppression of polygamy i'll the Ter
rit"ries, and especially in the Territory
Of Utah. The existing statute for the
punishment Of this odiouS crime. so re-
Voting to the moral and religious sense
of ChTiStenduni, has been persiStentlv and
contemptuou>ly violated ever since its
enactment. Indeed, in spite of cummen-
labe efforts on the part of the antbori-
ties who represent the United States in
that Territory, the law has in very rare
Instances been enforced. and. for cause
to which reference will presently be made
is practically q dead letter. The fact
that adherents of the Mormon Church.
which .'estS upon polygamy as its corner
stone. have recently been peopiing in large
plumbers Idaho. Arizona and other of our
western territories, is wei! calculated to
aEgIte the liveliest interest and appre-
hension. 1t iihposes Gp0n Congress and
and the Executive the duty of arrayino
against the barbarous system the power
which. under the Constitution aud the
law. they can WELD for its destruction.
Reference has been already made to
these obstacles, which the United States
officers i,;iss eac0ant"red in their efforts
to punish violators OF the iaH'. f.umi-
nent among these obstacles is the diiii-
Guilty OF procuring legal evidence su1li-
cicnt to warrant 4 conviction even in the
case of the most notorious offenders.
lAHr attention is called to Il recent
op!nio, nf the supreme Court of the
United States, explaining lis Judgment of
reversal in the case of Miles who had
been convicted of bigany in Utah. The
Court refers to the fact that the secrecy
attending the celebration Of marriages
in that Territory makes the proof of
rGiyG2my very ritlcult and tie proprie-
ty is suggested Gt mQaitYiFg Tie law OF
evidence. Whici, now makes a wife inC0la-
petent to testify against her husband.
ihls suggestion Is approved. | recon- |
mend also the passage 81. an act pr0vid- |
that in the Territories oi the United
States the fact that woman has been
married IL 4 person. charged With bigalny
shall not disqualify her as a witness upon
his trial for that offence. | further re-
commend legislation by which any person
soemnizino Il marriage in any of the Ter
ritories shall be required. under stringent
penalties for neglect or refusal, to file a
GerttiGate Of such marriage in the Su-
prcmc Court Of such Territory. Doubt !
less Congress may devise other practical
bic measures for obyiating the difficulties |
which have hitherto attended the efforts |
to suppress this iniquity. assure you
of my determined purpose 10 cooperate |
with you i'll any lawful and discreet inca
sqres which may DE proposed to that
eaq.
GOV ERNMENT AID 70 ~ BIIC EDUCATION.
Although our system of government /
does not contemplate that the nation |
should provide or support system for |
the education of our people, no measures |
calculated to promote that general intel |
hgence and virtue upon which the per-
Eetnily q CGr institutions 50 greatly de
penis havc eyer been regarded With in
4. ~ &