The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-12-14

treasury one year ago.
The director of the mint urges the
necessity Of more vault room for the
purpose of storing these silver dol
lars which are not needed for circu-
lation by the people. l have seen
no reason to change the views eX-
pressed in my last annual message
on the subject of this compulsory
coinage, and l again urge its sus-
pension on all the grounds contained
in my former recommendation, rein
forced by the significant increase of
cur gold importations during the
last year, as appears by the compar
ative statement, herewith presented,
and for the further reasons that the
more this currency is distributed
among the PEOPLE the greater be
comes our duty toprotect it from
disaster, That we now have abund-
ance for all our needs, and that there
seems but little propriety in build
ing vaults to store such currency
when the only pretense for its coin
age is the necessity of its use by the
people as circulating medium.
THE COAST DEFENsEs.
The subject Of coast defenses and
Notifications has been fully and
carefully treated by the Board of
Fortiications, whose report was sub
mitted at the last session Of Con-
gress;. but no construction work of
the kind recommended by the board
has been possible during the past
year, from lack Of appropriations for
such a purpose The defenseless
condition OF onr sen coast and lake
frontieris perfectly palpable; the cx-
aminations made must convince us
all that certain of our cities named
in the report Of the board shall be
fortified, and that work on the most
important of these Notifications
should be commenced aU once. The
work has been thoroughly consider
ed and laid out, the Secretary of
War reports, but ali is delayed in
default of Congressional action.
The absolute necessity, judged by all
standards of prudence and foresight,
Of our preparation for an caectual
resistance against the armored ships
and steel guns and mottars of mod
ern construction which may threaten
the cities ON our coasts, is SO appa
rent that | hope effective steps will
be taken in that direction immedi-
ately. The valuable and suggestive
treatment of this question by the
Secretary of War is earnestly com
mended to the consideration of Con
gress.
THE NEEDS OF THE NAVY.
The report of the Secretary of the
Navy contains a detailed exhibit of
the condition of his department,with
such a statement Of action needed
to improve the same rs should chal-
lenge the earnest attention Of Con
gress, The present navy of the Uni
ted States, aside from the ships in
course Of construction, consists of:
First, II single turreted monitors,
none ofswhich are in commission,
nor at the, present tire seryiceable.
The batteries of these ships are OBJ
solete, and they can only be relied
upon as auxiliary ships in harbor
defense, and then only after such an
expenditure upon them as might not
be deemed iustifable. Second, five
fourth-rate vessels of small tonnage,
only one of which was designed as
a war vessel, and all of which are
auxiliary merely. Third, twenty
seven cruising ships, three Of which
are built Of iron, of small tonnage,
and twenty -four of wood. OF these
wooden vessels it is estimated by the
Chief Constructor of the Navy, that
only three will be seryicable beyond
a period Of six years, at which time
it may be said that Of the present
naval force nothing whrthy of the
name will remain.
In the event that the present in
vitation of the department for bids
to furnish such of this material for
the new vessels as is now authorized,
shall fail to induce domestic manu-
facturers to undertake the large cx-
penditurcs required TO prepare for
this new manufacture, and no other
steps are taken BY Congress at its
coming session, the Secretary con-
templates with dissatisfat tion the
necessity of obtaining abroad the
armor and the gun steel for the au-
thorized ships. 1t would seem desi
rable that the wants of the army
and navy in this regard should be
reasonably met and that by uniting
the contracts such inducements
might be offered as would result in
securing the domcstication of these
important interests.
A NATIONAL PENrTENTIARY.
The conduct of the Department of
Justice for the last fical year is fully
detailed in the report of the Attor-
,ney General, and invite the earnest
fattention of the Congress to the
llsame and due consideration of the
recommendations therein contained.
In the report submitted by this Off
Ger to the last session Of the Con-
gress he strongly recommended the
erection of penitentiary for the
confinement of prisoners convicted
and sentenced in the United States
Courts, and he repeats the recon
mendation in his report for the last
wear. This is matter Of very great
Importance, and should at once re-
ceive Congressional action. United
States prisoners are now confined in
more than thirty different State
prisons and penitentiaries, scattered
in every part of the country. They
are subjected 10 nearly as many
modes of treatment and discipline.
and are far too much removed from
the control and regulation Of the
Government. So far as they are en-
titled to humane Treatment and an
opportunity for improvement and
reformation, the Government is re-