The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-12-02


In command Of the Alert md w. q.
Emory In command OF the Bear. The
Thetls wa entrusted to Commander Win.
field g. Schley, to whom also was assigned
the superintendence Of the entire expedi.
ton.
Immediately upon It's arrival at Upper.
navikthe 1eet began the dangerous nayi.
CATION Of Melville Bay, and In spite oof
0yery obstacle reached Littleton Island on
June %, 4 fortnight earlier than any ves-
sci had before attained that point. On
the same day Il crossed over to Cape sa-
blne, whers Lieutenant Greeley and the
other survivors OF his party werO dlscov-
cred. After taking on board the living
and tho bodies Of the dead, the re.
lief Bhips sailed for 81. Johns, where they
arrived on July IL. They were appro.
priately received at Portsmouth on August
and at Now York on August 8. Ono Of
the bodies was landed ut tho former place.
The others were puton shore at Governors
Island, and with the exception OF one,
which was Inferred In the National Gene.
terry, were forwarded ih0nco 10 tho desti.
nations indicated by friends. Tho organi.
zation and couluct ofthis relief expedition
reflects great credit uponla all who con
tributed to its success.
Ills LAST APPEAL FOR THE NAVY.
In this tho last Of stated messages that !
shall have the honor to transmit to the
Congress Of tho United States l cannot too
strongly urge on Its attention the duty Of
restoring our navy as rapidly as possible
to the high state OF efficiency which for.
merly characterized II. The long peace
that has lulled US into q sense OF fancied
security may ut any time DO disturbed. 1t
Is plain that the policy Of strengthening
this arm Of the service Is dictated by con.
siderations Of economy, of Just regard for
our future tranquility and OF true appre-
citation Of the dignity and honor ofths Re-
public. ri i qs ID
The report Of tho Postmaster General
acquaints you will, the present condition
and needs Of the postal service. 1t dis.
closes the gratifying fact that tho loss OF
revenue from the reduction In the ratio OF
letter postage, as recommended in my
message OF December, 1857, and effected
by the act OF March 8, 1883, has been much
leas than was generally anticipated. Ny
recommendation Of this reduction
was based on the belief that
the actual falling off in receipts
from letter postage for the year immedi.
ately succeeding the change Of rate would
be S 10000 1t has proved to DO only
S2,275,0OO. This is a trustworthy indica-
ton that the revenue will soon DO re.
stored to Its former volume by the natural
increase Of correspondence.
FURTHER REDUCTION IN POSTAGE.
confidently repeat, therefore the rec.
ommendation Of my last message that the
postage upon drop letters be reduced to
one cent wherever the payment Of two
cents is now required by law. The rate is
only exacted at Offices where the carrier
system is in operation, and 1t appears that
at these Offices where the carrier system
is In operation thnt tie increase tax on
call letters defrays not only the cost Of their
own collection and delivery, but OF the
collection and delivery Of all o'her mail
matter. This is an inequality that ought
no longer to exist.
approve the recommendation Of the
Postmaster General that the unit OF
weight in the rating of frst-class matter
should be one ounce, instead OF one.half
ounce, as it now Is. In view OF the sta.
tistics furnished by the department, it
may be doubted whether the change
would result in any loss OF revenue;
that it would greatly promote the CON.
y%enience Of the public is beyond dispute.
The free-delivery system has been lately
anslie to i've cities. and the total number
Of Offices in which it is now in operation
Is lon. Experience shows that itsadoption
under proper conditions is equally an nc
c"ommudatlon to the public md MI ad-
vantage to the postal service. 1t is more
than self sustaining and for the rea,ons
urged by the Postmaster General,
mny properly be extended. 1t il
the opinion Of that officer that
IT. is proper to provide means
whereby exceptional dispatch in deal
ing with letters in free delivery offices
may be secured by the payment Of m ex-
~traordinary postage. This scheme might
be made effective by the employment Of
q special stamp, whose cost should be
commensurate with the cost OF the extra
service. In some of the large cities pri.
rate express companies have undertaken
to outstrip the Government mail .carriers
by offering for the prompt transmission OF
letters better facilities than have hitherto
been at the command OF the postotiice.. II
has always been the policy Of the Govern.
ment to discourage such enterprises, and
it can no better maintain that policy than
by supplying thu public with the most
efficient mail service.
The Attorney General rencwst the recon-
,nendation contained in his report OF lust
year touching the fees of witnesses and
jurors. fIe favors radical changes in the
fec bill, the adoption Of a system BY which
the attorneys and marshals Of the United
States shall. be compensated solely Shy
salaries. and the erection by the Govern
ment of a penitentiary for the confinement
OF offenders against its laws.
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
OF the varied governmental concernsin
charge Of the Interior Department the re.
port of it's Secretary presents an interest
ing summary. Among the topics. dcservy.
ing particular attention I refer YOU to hi.
observations respecting our Indian a%frairs,
the presumption OF timber culture nets. |
tho failure Of railroad companies TO take |
title lands granted by the Government, |
and the operations Of the Pension Office,
the Pstent Office, the Census Bureau, and
tho Bureau OF Education.
Allusion has been made already 10 the
circumstance that both as between the
different Indian treaties between Indians
and whites the past year has. been one OF
nnbroken peace, and in this circumstance
the President is glad to find justification
for the policy OF the Government in lis
action in regard to tho Indian question
and tho confirmation OF the views which
were fully expressed in his rrst commu-
n~ication TO the ,Forty.scventh Congress.
The Secretary urges anew tho enactment
Of a law Furnishing crimes COM
mitted on Indian reservations and
recommends the passage of the
bill now pending in the House OF Repre-
| 40 - ts.,- - H. " r. 4