Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-12-11

entered upon Wtnnut ttS consent, thOuEh
when such consentis is asked aud granted upon
condition, that authority to insist upon such
condition ia clear. Thus Il is represented
that while the officers OF tho Government
IRE with great care guarding against tho oh.
structions OF navigation by a bridge across
the Miss as ppi RIVER Mt st. Paul. n largo picr
for n bridge has been built Just below this
place direct In the navlgable channel of the
river. IL such things arc to be permitted a
strong argument gun, nj is prcsented against =, the the
prove the navigation OF this and other i'm.
portans highways of commerce.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT..
The report of the Secretary OF the Navy
gives history OF the operations of his de-
psrtment, aud the present condition Of the
in full the course pursued by him to protect
the right of tho Government In respect to
certain vessels untnlshod at the time of his
dispatch boat iibiphln, claimed to be. com.
| plcted and awaiting tho acceptance of the de-
No oHe m fail to 1ee 6r from re re-
application OF business principles has becn
| insisted upon IN the treatment OF these sub.
arisen was caused by the cxncton on the
| part OF the dcpartn, n to contract obliga'
tons as they wer legally construed.
| tice 10 the contractor an agreement has
| been entered into prov d ng for tho asccr.
| tninmcuts by q judic al inqu rv, OF tho com.
pletc or partial compliance W tn the contract
| In her construction, and further providing
| for tho assessment of any damages to which
| the Government NAV bo entitled on account
| of partial failure to perform such contract,
or the payment OF the sum still re:
| naming unpaid upon her prlcc In case n full
Performanosc Is. is cd judged The contractor actor.
| unable to complete the other three vessels,
| they were taken possession of by the Gov
| ernmeut In their unfinished state under a
clause in the contract permitting such
| course. and arc now In process OF complet on
| in the yard of The contractor. but under the
supervision of the Navy Department.
| COpprpSs Mt It's ll st SESSION authorized the
| construction of Two additional now cruisers
and two punboats at cost not exceeding in
the aggregate S2,9a5,Oo0. The Appropriation
| for this purpose having become available
| on tho LIST day of July last, steps were at
| once taken for tho procurement of such
| as would be likely to insure their usefulness
when completed These are of the utmost
ipor'mantse a. con,dernE the constant mt ,a1 ad
| character, and the time is not lost which is
| spent in their careful consideration and Sc
lcct on.
All must admit the Importance of an Of
fective navy TO n nation like ours, having
| such an extended sea coast to protect, and
| yet we have not II single vessel of war that
ton ought not longer to continue. The na.
| stantly expo 'ed to it. Its foreign policy is
| of necessity weak, and its negotiations are
| conducted with disadvantage because it is
| not n condition to enfor 9 tho terms dlo-
tated by its sense of right and justice.
inspired. as I am. by the hope. shared
| by III patriotic citizens. that the day
is NOE far distant when our navy VIII be such
| rs belts our standing among the nations of
| the earth. and rejoced nt every step that
lends In the direction Of such consumma.
| ton, deem 1t my duty to especially direct
| the attention of Congress to the close of the
| report of the Secretary of the Navy, In which
| the humilintiny weakness nf the present or
ganizntion of this department is exhibited.
| and the startling abuses and waste of its pres.
| ont methods are exposed. The conviction is
matical demonstration that before we pro.
| ceed further In the restoration of n navy we
need thoroughly reorganzed Navy Depart
ment.
The fact that within seventeen years more
than st5,ooo,0o), have been spent in the con-
struction repalrs, equipment and arma-
| instead of an effective and creditable fleet
| we have only tho d'scontent and apprehen-
| sion of a nation undefended by war vessels,
added to the disclosures now made, do not
permit us to doubt that every attempt to re-
vive our navy has thus far. for the most
p part' I,a 6een misdireStod and ~ our ehorts IN
| blind groupings and expensive, aimless
follles. Enthusiastically, If we are content
simply as shabby ornament to the govern
| ment, constant watchfulness may prevent
| some of the scandal and abuse which have
| found way into our present organization,
| minimum. But If we desire to build ships
| for present usefulness instead of navel re-
have department orsanzed for for the work.
| supplied with all tho talent and ingenuity
| our country affords prepared to take advant.
nge of the experience of other nations and
| systematizc so that all efforts shall unite and
| lead in one direct on, and feel imbued with
| the conviction that war vessels. though now
| they are useless. combine all that the in
| genuity of man has up to this day brought
forth relating to their construction. earn
estly commend the portion of the Secretary s
| report devoted to this subject to the action
of Congress in the hope that his suggestions
touching the reorganization of his depart
| ment may be adopI cd as the first stop toward
| the reconstruction of our navy.
| THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The affairs of the postal service nre exhih
VIII! CHI viii be laid before you The posta
revenue whose rates of gain upon the rlsint
prosperity of 1882 and 1883 outstrpped th'
increas ny expenses of our growing service
was checked by the reduction in the rate o
| letter postage, VIII ch took effect in the be
ginning of October IN the latter year, and i
800 IN 1884 to $4,000 in 1856
in a deficiency in the revenue to meet thu
expenses Of the department of five and
qnsrter million Of dollars for the year 1854
and eight and II third million ON the las
hscal Year. Tho anticipated and natural re
vival of the revenue has been oppressed ant
tlon Of the country of which the postal ser
vice ia faithful nd Gator. The crafty int
| fact is shown, however, by the report tina
of SiSU00O in tho revenue of the latter hal
of the last year over the corresponding
period Of the preceding yenr.
The change in the weight of first class mat
ter. which may be carried for a single rat
of postage from a half ounce to an ounce
and the reduction hv one.half of the rate o
newspaper postage; "aich under recent leg
islation, began with the current year, vii
operate to restrain the augmentation OF re
ceipts which otherwise IN ght have been cx
= n n II m n n nN
pensc may gain upon the revenue and caus,
an increased deficiency to be shown at IL
close, yet after so long a period of awakened
prosperity, by proper economy 1t Is conf
IDENTIFY anticipated that even the present low
rntos. now as favorable as any country
affords, will be adequate to sustain the cos
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
The report of the Attorney General con
| tains history OF the conduct of the Depart
ment of Justice during the last year. and |
number OF valuable suggestions MS to needed
legislation, and invite your careful atten
in the courts of the United States is suci
that there seems to be an imperative neces
sty for remedial legislation on the subject
with pending causes that the delays in de
termlning litigation amount often to dc
| NAL of Justice.
Among the plans suggested for relief Is one
submitted by the Attorney General. Its mair
| features are The transfer OF all the origina
jurisdictions to the Circuit Courts to the Dis
| tho latter where necessary, an addition oil
Judges In the circuit Courts and constituting
them exclusively courts Of appeal, and reasor
| ably limiting appeals thereto. Further re-
| strictions of the right to remove causes from
the State tot ederal courts permitting ap
| peals to the Supreme Court from the court.
| from the District of Columbia and the Terri
| tories only In the same cases as they are al
| lowed from State courts and guarding against
an unnecessary number of appeals from the
| Circuit Courts. approve the plan thus out
lined and recommend the legislation necessary
for its application to our judicial system
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT..
| The report of the Secretary of the Interior
containing an account OF the opGrations OF
| this Important department and much inter
estng information, will be submitted for
your consideration The most intricate and
| difficult subject In charge of this department
Is the treatment and management of the
Indians am satisfied that some progress
| may be notei in their condition, as IL result
of II prudent administration of the present
| laws aud regulations for their control, but il
| is submitted that there Is lack of u fixed
purpose of policy on this, subject, which
| should be supplied. 1t Is useless to dlate up
| on the wrongs of the Indians and usaIaas