The Potter journal. [volume], December 11, 1866, Image 1

About The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872

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VOLUME XVIII.- NUMBER^.
THE
TOTTER JOURNAL,
PCBLISHSD BT
X. W. XcALARXEY, Proprietor.
TrWDevotod to the cao*c of Republican!*™. the in
Ureataof AgrioHture, the advancement of Education,
and the Wat itocd <1 Totter county, owning no iruide
• xcept that of Principle, it will endeavor to aid in the
work of more fully Freedomißing our Country.
fcF* Advertisement# inserted at the following rate*,
except where special bargains arc made. A ''square
is lOlin s of Br. vier or 8 of Nonpareil types :
1 quare, 1 insertion ft #'
1 square. 2 or 3 insertions - W
Kacti subsequent insertion lees than 13..... 40
1 square, I year -... .... .... —........ 10 00
Bu iness Cards, 1 year - 5 00
Administrator's or Executor's Notices...... 3 00
Special and Editorial Notices per line 20
All transient advertisements must be paid in
advance,and no notice will be taken of advertisements
from a distance, unless they are accompanied by the
money or satisfactory reference.
BuP Job Work, of all kinds, executed with neatness
and despatch. •
BUSINESS NOTICES.
Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons
IXULALIA LODGE. NO. 342, F. A. M. Stated*
b Meeting* on the 2d and 4th Wednesdays of each
month. Hall, in the 3d Story of the Olmsted Block.
fe.C.LABRABBg,Sec. WM. SHEAR, W.M. |
O. T. ELLISON, X. IL.
FLACTICING PHYSICIAN, Coudersport, Ta .
respectfully informs the citixens ot'the village and
vicinity"that he will promptly respond to all calls for
professional services. Office on First street, first door
vr*st of his residence. 17-40
JOHN S. MANN.
ATTORNEY AND COUNSELLOR AT LAW
Coudersport, Ta., will attend the several Courts j
In Totter and Cameron counties. All business en- j
trusted to his care will receive prompt attention.
Office on Maiu street, in residence.
OLMSTED and EABBABEE.
A TTORNEYS AT LAW, Coudersport, Tenn'.v
Will attend to all business entrusted to their
care with promptness and fidelity. Will also attend
the several courts in the adjoining counties. Office j
In the second storey of the Olmsted Block.
ISAAC BENSON,
ATTORNEY AT LAW, Couder-port, Ta.. will
attend to all business entrusted to him with care
and promptness. Attends Courts of adjoining coun
ties. Office on Second street,near the Allegany bridge
F. W. KNOX,
ATTORNEY AND COUNSELLOR AT LAW,
Coudersport, Ta., will attend the Oourts in Tot
*er and the adjoining couuties.
MILLER A Mr ALABN EY,
ATTOR^ EYS-AT LAW, HARBISBCBO, Tenn'a.—
Agents for the Collection of Claims against the
I'nited States and State (iovernments,su'--h as I'ensions,
Bounty, Arrears of Tay,Ac-Address Box 95, sarrisburg
W If MILLKK, J. C. M'ALAKSBV
M. W. Mr ALABN EY.
REAL ESTATE and INSURANCE AGENT.-'
Land Bought and Sold, Taxes paid and Titles
investigated. Insures property against tiie in the best
companies in the Country, and Tereons against Acci
dents In the Travelers Insurance Company of Hart
ford. Business transacted promytly 17-29
P. A. STEBBINS A Co.,
MERCHANTS— Dealers in Dry Goods, Fancy-
Goods, Groceries. Provisions, Flour, Feed, Tork,
and everything usually kept in a good country store.
Produce bought aud sold 17 29
C. 11. SIMMONS.
MERCHANT— WELLSV1LLE N Y., Whole
sale and Retail Dealer in Dry Goods, Fancy and
S'.aple Goods.Clothinsr.Ladies DressGoods.Groceries.
Flour, Retailers supplied on liberal terms
CHARLES S. JONES,
MERCHANT— Dealers in Drugs Medicines, Paints,
Oils, Fancy Articles, Stationery, Dry Goods,
Groceries, Ac., Main Street, Coudersport, Ta
D. E. OLMSTED,
MERCn ANT—Dealer in Dry Goods. Ready-made
Clothing, Crockery, Groceries, FlnuU Feed,
Pork, Provisions, Ac., Main street, Couderspoit, Pa
COLLINS SMITH,
MERCHANT— Dealer in Dry Goods, Groceries,
Provisions, Hardware, t/ueensware, Cutlery,
and all Goods usually found in a country store. n'Gl
11. J. OLMSTED.
HARDWARE Mercnant, and Dealer in Stoves,
Tin and Sheet Iron-Ware, Main street, Couder
■ port, Tenn'a. Tin and Sheet Iron Ware made to
• rder, in good style, on short notice.
COI'DERMIMIHT HOTEL
HC.VERMILYEA, PROPRIETOR. Corner of Main
. and Second streets.Coudersport .Totter Co.Ta.
A Livery Stable is also kept in connection with this
Htel. Daily Stages to and from the Railroads.
Potter Journal Job-Ofliee.
HAYING lately added a fine new assortment of
JOB TYPE to our already large assortment,
ws ar now prepared to do all kinds of work, cheaply
and with taste and neatness. Orders solicited.
LYMAN HOUSE.
Lewisville, Potter county, Pennsylvania.
Bl'RT ON LEWIS. Proprietor. Having
taken this excellent Hotel, tne proprietor wishes
o make the acquaintance of the traveling public and
eels confident of giving satisfaction to all who may
all on him.—Feb. 12, 66 tf
WORK
pVr* i! Monuments and Tomb-Stones
flMnß' of ali kinds, will be furnished on reasona
ble terms and short notice by
a&f" f E. Itrennle.
Residence: Eulalia, 1% miles south of
W Pa , on the Sinnemahaning
Road, or leave your orders at the Post Office. fc6'4
DAN BAKER.
"PENSION, BOUNTY and WAR CLAIM AGENCY
X. Pensions procur-*d for Soldiers of the present
War who are disabled by reason of wounds received
or disease contracted while in the service of the United
States ; and pensions, bounty, and arrears of pav ob
tained for widows or heirs of those who have died or
been killed while in service. All letters of inquiry
promptly answered, and on receipt by mail of a state
ment of the case of claimant, I will forward the ne
cessary papers for their signature Fees in Pension
cases as fixed by law. Refers to Hons. Isaac Benson,!
A. O. Olmsted, John S. Mann, and F. W. Knox, Esq
DAN BAKER,
Junes 64 Claim Agent, Coudersport, Pa.
Year! We want agent*
tpXilfvr V evert-where to seil our IMPROVED
S2O dewing Machines. Three new kinds. Under and
upper feed. Warranted five years. Above salary
• r large commissions paid. The onlt machines sold
in th United Btates for !e*s than *49, which are fully
licensed by Howe, Wheeler A. Wilson, Grover A Ba-!
ker,Singer A Co.. A Bachelder, ALL other cheap ma
chines are infringements and the seller or user are
ibU to arrest, tine, and imprisonment. Circulars
re. Address, or call upon Shaw A Clark, Biade
trd, Maine, or Chicago, 111. Deo. 26, 1865. iswly.
Itch ! Itch ! Itch !
SCRATCH! SCRATCH! SCRATCH!
WIIEATO.VS oiktmext,
Cure the Iteh in 46 Honrs !
n A M rw J BALT RHEUM, ULCERS, cniL-
PrW m' e ? a A' ERUPTIONS OF TIIE SKIN.
Vj ce fjfwiri^o ßale a,! <3rntr '-' i ® tß - Ry sending
H 3 ' POTTER, Sole Agents, 170 (
•ail fre of l ° n ' il wil l be forwarded by |
any part of the United States.
*, i", *p.notice wky ly r. t
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and House
of Bepresentatives:
After a trief iuterva! the Congress of the
United States resumes its annual legislative
labors. An all-wise and merciful Provi
dence has abateb the pestilence which vis
ited our shores, leaving its calamitous tra
ces upon some portions of our country,
i Peace, order, tranquility, and civil author
ity have been formally declared to exist
! throughout the whole United States. In
all of the Stales civil authority has super
, seded the coercion of arms, and the people,
by their voluntary action, are maintaining
their governments in full activity and com
plete operation. • The enforcement of the
laws is no longer " obstructed in any State
by combinations too powerful to be sup
pressed by the ordinary course of judicial
proceedings;" and the animosities engen
dered by the war are rapidly yielding to the
beneficent influences of our free institutions,
and to the kindly effects of unrestricted so
cial and commercial intercourse. An en
tire restoration of fraternal feeling must be
the earnest wish of every patriotic heart;
and we will have accomplished our grand
est national achievement when, forgetting
the sad events of the past, and remembering
only their instinctive lessons, we resume
our onward career as a free, prosperous, and
united people.
In my message of the 4th of Dec. 1865,
Congress was informed of the injures
which had been instituted by the Executive
with a view to the gradual restoration of the
States in which the insurrection occurred to
their relations with the general government.
Provsional Governors had been appointed,
Conventions called, Governors elected, Leg
islatures assembled, and Senators and Rep
resentatives chosen to the Congress of the
L nited States. Courts had beeu opened for
the enforcement of laws long in abeyance.
The blockade had been removed, custom
houses re-established, and the internal rev
enue laws put in force, in order that the
people might contribute to the national in
i come. Postal operations had been renewed,
and eflbits were being made to restore them
to theii former condition of efficiency. The
States themselves had been asked to take
part in the high function of amending the
Constitution, and of thus sanctioning the
extinction of African Slavery as one of the
j legitimate results of our internecine strug
' g' e -
Having progressed thus far,the Executive
Department fouud that it had accomplished
nearly all that was within the scope of its
, Constitutional authority. One thing, how
. ever, yet remained to be done before the
; work of restoration could be completed,
and that was the admission to Congress of
• loyal Senators and Representatives from
| the States whose people had rebelled against
the lawful authority of the general Govern
. meut. I his question devolved upon the re
', spective Houses,which, by the Constitution,
are made the judges of the elections, returns,
aud qualifications of their own members;
; | its consideration at once enoraired the
i attention of Congress,
j In the meantime, the Executive Depart
• ment —no other plan having been proposed
■ by Congress—continued its efforts to per
. feet, as far as was practicable, the restora
tion of the proper relations between citizens
' of the respective States, the States, and the
' Federal Government, extending from time
to time, as the public interests seemed to
, require, the judicial, revenue and postal sys
tems of the country With the advice and
consent of the Senate, the necessary officers
were appointed, and appropriations made
by Congress for tbe payment of their sala-
ries. The proposition to amend the Fede
ral Constitution, so as to prevent the exis
i tence of slavery within the United States or
any place subject to their jurisdiction, was
ratified by the requisite number of states;
aud on the 18th day of December, 1865, it
was officially declared to have become valid
as a part of the Constitution of the United
States. All of tbe States in which the in
■ eurrection had existed promptly amended)
their Constitutions, so as to make them con
form to the great change thus effected in!
the organic law of the land; declared null
and void all ordinances and laws of seces
sion; repudiated all pretended debts and oh-!
ligations created for the revolutionary pur
poses of insurrection; aud proceeded, in
good faith, to the enactment of measures for
the protection and amelioration of the con
dition of the colored race. Congress, how-1
ever, yet hesitated to admit auy of these
j States to representation; and it was not un
til the close of the eighth month of the S3S
sion that an exceptiou was made in favor of
iennessee, by the admission of her Sena-;
tors and Representatives.
I deem it a subject of profound regretthat
Congress has thus far failed to admit loyal'
Senators and Representatives from the oth
er States, whose inhabitant', with those of
1 ennessee, had engaged in the Rebellion, j
len States—more than one-fourth of the
whole number remain without represent
ation , the seats of 50 members in the House
of Representatives and of 20 members in
the Senate are yet vacant—not by theirown
consent, not by a failure of election, but by
the refusal of Congress to accepl their cre
dentials. Their admission, it is believed,.
to ft>e of Jbqo lUfyocfycy, Dissetyiftftioj) of fljohlifg, (iiehtfqlre gijd
COUDERSPORT, POTTER COUNTY, PA., TUESDAY DECEMBER 11, 1866.
would have accomplished much toward the
renewal aud strengthening of our relations
as one people, and removed serious cause
for discontent on the part of tlie inhabit
ants of those States. It would have accord
ed with the great principle enunciated in
the Declaration of American Independence
that no people ought to bear the burden of
taxation, and yet be denied the right of
representation It would have been in
consonance with the express provisions of
the Constitution that "each State, shall
have at least one Representative," and
"that no State, without its consent, shall
be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Sen
ate." These provisions were intended to
seenre to every State, and to the people of
every State, the right of representation in
each House of Congress; and so important
was it deemed by the framers of the Con
stitution that the equality of the States in
the Senate should be preserved, that not
even by an amendment of the Constitution
can any State without its consent, be de
nied a voice in that branch of the National
Legislature.
It is true, it lias been assumed that the
existence of the States was terminated by
the rebellious acts of their inhabitants, and
that the insurrection having been suppress
ed, they were thenceforward to be consid
ered merely as conquered territories. The
Legislative, Executive and Judicial De
partments of the Government, however,
with great distinctness and uniform consis
tency. refused to sanction an assumption so
incompatible with the nature of our repub
lican system, and with the professed objects
of the war. Throughout the recent legis
lation of Congress,the undeniable fact makes
itself apparent, that these 10 political com
munities are nothing less than States of
this Union. At the very commencement
of the Rebellion, each House declared, with
a unanimity a? remarkable as it was signif
icant, that the war was not "waged, upon
our part, in any spirit of oppression, nor
for any purpose of conquest or subjugation,
nor purpose of overthrowing or interfering
with the right# or est blisiied institutions
of those States, but to defend and maintain
the supremacy of the Constitution and laws
made in pursuance thereof, and to preserve
the Union with all the dignity, equality,
and tights of the several States unimpaired;
and that as soon as these objects" were "ac
complished, the war ought to cease." In
some instances, Senators were permitted to
continue their legislative functions, while
in other instances Representatives were
elected and admitted to seats after their
States had formally declared their right to
withdraw from the Union, and were en
deavoring to maintain that right bv force
of arms. All of the States whose people
were in insurrection, as States; were in
cluded in the apportionment of the direct
tax of *20,006,000 annually laid upon the
L nited States by the act approved August
5, 1861. Congress, by the act of March 4,
1862, and by the apportionment "of repre
sentation thereunder, also recognized their
presence as States in the Union; and they
have, for judicial purposes, been divided iu
to districts, as States alone can be divided.
The same recognition appears in the recent
legislation in reference to Tennessee, which
evidently rests upon the fact that the func
tions of the State were not destroyed bv the
Rebellion, but merely suspended; and that
principle is of course, applicable to these
States which, like Tennessee, attempted to
renounce their places in the Union.
i he actiou of the Executive Department
of the Government upon this subject has
been equally definite and uniform, and the
purpose ol "the war was specifically stated
in the Proclamation issued by my prede
cessor on the 22d day of September ,1862.
It was then solemnly proclaimed and ae- i
clared that "hereafter, as heretofore, the war
will be prosecuted for the object of practi
cally restoring Lhe constitutional relation
between tLe United States and each of the
States and the people thereof, in which
States that relation is or may be suspended
or disturbed.
The recognition of the States by the Ju
; dicial Department of the Government has
also beeu clear and conclusive in all pro
ceedings affecting them as States had in
the Supreme, Circuit and district Courts.
In the admission of Senators and Repre
sentatives from many and ail of the States,
there can be no just ground of apprehension
; that persons who are disloyal will be cloth
ed with the powers of legislation; for this
j could not happan when the Constitution
and laws are enforced by a vigilant and
faithful Congress. Each House is made
the "judge of electious, returns, and quali
fications of its own members," and mav,
"with concurrence of two-thirds, expel a
member. \\ hen a Senator or Represent
ative presents his certificate of election, he
may at once be admitted or rejected; or,
should there be any question as tohiseligi- !
bility, his credentials may be referred for
investigation to the appropriate committee.
If admitted to a seat, it must be upon evi
dence satisfactory to the House of which he
thus becomes a member, that lie possesses
the requisite constitutional and legal quali
tications. If refused admission as a mem
ber for want of due allegiance to the Gov
ernment. and returned to his constituent*,
they are admonished that none but persons t
loyal to the United States will be allowed
a voice iu the Legislative Councils of the
Nation, and the political power and moral
influence of Congress are thus effectively
exerted to the interests of loyalty to the
Government and fidelity to the Union.;
Upon this question, so vitally affecting the
' restoration of the Union and the permauen- j
' cy of our present /orm of government, my
convictions, heretofore expressed, have un
dergone r.o change; but, on the contrary,
their correctness has been confirmsd by re
flection and time. If the admission of loy
j al members to seats in the respective Houses
of Congress was wise and expedient a year
' ago, it is no less wise and expedient now.
If this anomalous condition is rignt now—
if, in the exact condition of tnese States at
the present time, it is lawful to exclude
' them from representation, I do not see that
the question will be changed by the efflux
of time. Ten years hence, if ihese States
remain as they are, the right of representa
i tion will be no stronger —the right .of ex
clusion will be no weaker.
The Constitution of the United States
makes it the duty of the President to re
-1 commend to the consideration of Congress
I t O
"such measures as lie shall judge necessary
or expedient." I know of no measure more
imperatively demanded by every consider
ation of national interest, sound policy, and
equal justice, than the admission of loyal
members from the unrepresented States.
This would consummate the work of resto
ration and exert a most salutary influence
. in the re-establishment of peace, harmony
and fraternal feeliDg. It would tend great
ly to renew the confidence of the American
people in the vigor and suability of their
institutions. It would bind us more closelv
together as a nation, and enable us to show
to the world the iuherent and recuperative
power of a Government founded upon the
will of the people, and established upon the
principles of liberty, justice and intelligence.
<4)ur increased strength and enhanced pros
perity would irrefragibiv demonstrate the
fallacy of the arguments against free insti
tutions drawn from our recent national
disorders, by the enemies of republican
government. The admission of loyal mem
bers from the Suites now excluded from
Congress, by allaying doubt aud apprehen*
sioD, would turn capital, now awaiting an
opportunity for investment, into the chan
nels of trade and indu try. It would alle
viate the present troubled condition of
those States, and, by inducing emigration
aid in the settlement of fertile regions now
uncultivated, and lead to au increased pro
duction of those staples which have added
so greatly to the wealth of the nation and
the commerce of the world. New fields of
enterprise would be opened to our pro
gressive people, and soon the devastations
of war would be repaired, and all traces of
our domestic differences effaced from the
minds of our countrymen.
In our efforts to preserve " the unit? of
Government which constitutes us one
people," by restoring the States to the con
dition which they had prior to the rebellion,
we should be cautious, lest, having rescued
our nation from perils of threatened disinte
gration, we resort to consolidation, and in
the end absolute despotism, as a remedy
foi the recurrence of similar troubles. Tue
war having terminated, and with it all oc
casion for the exercise of powers of doubt
ful constitutionality, we should hasten to
bring legislation within the boundaries pre
scribed by the Constitution, and to return
to the ancient landmarks established bv
our fathers for the guidance of succeeding
generations. The Constitution which at
any time exists,until changed by an explicit
and authentic act of the whole people, is
sacredly obligatory upon all. " If, in the
i opinion of the people, distriuction or mod
ification of the constitutional powers, be in
any particular wrong, let it be corrected by
an amendment in the way in which the con
stitution designates. Rut let there be no
; change by unsurpation; for" "it is the cus
tomary weapon by which free Governments
are destroyed." Washington spoke these
1 words to his countrymen, when followed!
by their love and gratitude, he voluntarily
retired from the cares of public life. Tu
keep in all things within the pale of our
constitutional powers, and cherish the Fed-!
eral Union as the only rock of safety,"were
prescribed by Jefferson as rules of action !
to endear to his "countrymen the true
principles of their Constitution, and pro
mote a union of sentiment and action
j equally auspicious to their happiness and
safety." Jackson held that the action of
the General Government should always be!
| strictly confined to the sphere of its ap
propriate duties and justly and forcibly !
j urged that our Government is not to be
maintained nor our Union preserved " by
invasion of the rights and powers of the
several States. In thus attempting to
make our General Government strong, we
make it weak. Its true strength consists
in leaving individuals and States as much
as possible to themselves; in making itself
felt, not in its power, but in its beneficence;
not in its control, but in its protection; not
in binding the States more closely to the
centre,but leaving each to move unobstructed !
in its proper constitutional orbit". These are
the teachings of rneu whose deeds and'
servises have made ibeui illustrious, audi
who, long since withdrawn from the scenes
of life, have left to their Country the rich
legacy of their example, their wisdom, and
their patriotism. Drawing fresh inspiration
from their lessons, let us emulate thein iu
lore of country and respect for the Con
stitution and the laws.
The Report of the Secretary of the Treas
ury affords much information respecting
the revenue aud commerce of the ceuntry.
His views upon the currency, and with re
ferance to a proper adjustment of our rev
enue system, internal as well as impost, are
commended to the careful consideration of
Congress. In my last Annual Message 1
exprssed my general views upon these sub
jects. I need now only call attention to
; the necessity of carrying into every Depart
ment of the Government a system of rigid
accountability, thorough retrenchment, and
wise economy. With no exceptional nor
unusual expendituresjhe oppressive burdens
of taxatious can be lessened by such a mod
ification of our revenue laws as will be con
sistant with the public faith, and the legit
imate and necessary wants of the Govern
ment. The report presents a much more
satisfactory condition of than
j one year ago the most sanguine could have
anticipated. During the fiscal year ending
'the 30th June, 1565, the last year of the
war, the public debt was increased $941,-
902,547, and on the 31st of October, 1865,
it amouuted to $2,740,854,750 On the
31st day of October, 1866, it had been re
duced to $9,551,310,006, the diminution,
during a period of 14 months, commenc
ing September 1, 1865, and ending Octo
ber 31, 1866, having been $206,379,565.
In the last annual report on the state of the
finances, it was estimated during the three
quarters of the fiscal year ending the 30th
of June last, the debt would be increased
$112,194,947. D iring that period, how
ever, it was reduced $31,196,387, the re
ceipts of the year having been $89,905,905
more, and the expenditures $200,529,235
less than the "estimates. Nothing could
more clearly indicate than these statements
the extent and availability of the national
resources and the rapidity and safetv with
which, under our form of goveenmeut, great
military and naval establishments can be
disbanded, and expenses reduced from a
war to a peace footing.
During the fiscal year ending the 30th
of June, 1866, the receipts were $558,032,-
620, and the expenditures $520,750,940,
leaving an available surplus of $37,281,680.
It is estimattd that the receipts for the fis
cal year ending the 30th June, 1867, will
be $475,001,386, and that the expendi
tures will reach the sura of $316,425,078,
leaving in the Treasury a surplus of $158,-
633,308. ' Tor the fiscal year ending June
30th, 1868, it is estimated that the receipts
will amout to $436,000,000, and that the
expenditures will be $350,247,641—5h0w
ing an excess of $86,752,359 in favor of
the Government These estimated receipts
may be diminished by a reduction of ex
else and import duties; but after all ne
! cessary reductions shall have been made,
the revenue of the present and of follow
ing years will doubtless be sufllcient to
cover legitimate charges upon the Treasury,
and leave a large annual surplus to be ap
plied to the payment of the principal of
the debt There seems now to be no good
reason why taxes may not be reduced as
the country advances in population and
wealth, and yet the debt be extinguished
within the next quarter of a centurv.
The report of the Secretary of war fur
nishes valuable and imjortant information
in reference to the operations of his Depart
ment during the past year. Few volunteers
now remain in the service and they are be
ing discharged as rapidly as they can be
replaced by regular troops. The Armv
has been promptly paid, carefully provided
with medical treatment well sheltered and
subsisted, and is to be furnished with breech
loading small arms. The military strength
of the nation has been unimpaired by the
discharge of volunteers, the disposition of
unservicable of perishal le stores, and the
retrenchment of expenditure. Sufficient
war materials to meet any emergency has
beeu retained, and, from the disbanded vol
unteers stand ready to respond to the na
-1 tional call, large armies can be rapidly
organized, equipped, and concentrated.
Fortifications on the coast and frontier
have received, or are being prepared for
more powerful armaments; lake surveys!
and harbor and river improvements are in
course of energetic prosecution. Prepara
tions have been made for the payment of
the additional bounties authorized darin<r
the recent Congress,, under such regu
lations as will protect the Government
from fraud, and secure to the honorable dis
charged' soldier the well-earned reward of
his faithfulness and gallantly. More than
six thousand maimed soldiers have received
artifieal limbs or other surgical apparatus;
and forty-one national cemeteries, contains
the remains of 104,526 Union soldiers !
have already been established. The total
estimate of railitarv appropriations is $25.-
205,669.
It is stated in the report of the Socre
tary of the Navy that the naval force at
this time consists of 278 vessels, armed
with 2,351 guns. Of these, 115 vessels
carrying 1,029 gun c , are iu com mission, (
TERMS.--$1.50 PER fKNBffl.
distributed chiefly among seven squadrons.
The number of men in the service is 13,-
000. Great activity and vigilance have
been displayed by all the squadrons, and
their movements have been judiciously
and efficiently arranged in such a manner
as would best promote American commerce,
! and protect the rights and interests of our
countrymen abroad. The vessels unem
ployed are undergoing repairs, or are laid
up until their services may be required.
Most of the iron-clad fleet is at League
Islan ), in tbe vicinity of Philadelphia, a
place which, until decisive action should be
taken by Congress, was selected by the
| Secretary of tbe Navy as the most eligible
location for that class of vessels, ft is im
portant that a suitable public station sboarld
l>e provided for the iron-clad fleet It if*
intended that these vessels shall be in
proper condition for any emergency, and
it is desirable that the bill accepting League
Island for naval purposes, which parsed the
House of Representatives at its last session,
should receive final action at an eariy pe
riod, in order that there may be a suitable
public station for this class of vessels, as
well as a navy-yard of area sufficient for
the wants of the service, on the Delaware
river. The Naval Pension fund amonuU
I to sll 750,000, having been increased
$2,750,000 during the year. Tbe expert*
ditures of the Department for the fiscal
year ending 30th June last were $43,324,-
526, and the estimate for the coming year
amounts to $23,568,436. Attention is
invited to the condition of our seamen, and
the importance of legislative measures for
their relief and improvements. The sug
gestions in behalf of this deserving class of
our fellow-citizens are earnestly recommend
ed to the favorable attention of Congress.
The report of the Postmaster General
presents a most satisfactory condition of
the postal service, and submits recommen
dations which deserves the attention of
Congress. The revenue for the Depart
ment for the year ending June 30, I*o6,
were $14,386,086, and the expend it r
$15,352,079, showing an excess of the Lat
ter of $965,093. In anticipation of tins
deficiency, however, a special appropria
tion was made by Congress in the act ap
proved July 28, 1866. Including the
| standing appropriation of S7O UJOO for free
mail matter, as a legitimate portion of the
revenues yet remaining unexpended, the
actual deficiency for the past year is on!)'
$265,093 —a sum within $51,141 of the
amount estimated in the annual report of
1864. The decrease of revenue, compared
with the previous year, was one-fifth per
cent, and tbe increase of expenditures, ow
ing principally to the enlargement of the
mail service iu the South, was twelve ]*r
cent On the 30th of June last there was
in operation six th usand nine hundred and
thirty inaii routs, with an aggregate length
lof one hundred and thousand
nine hundred and twenty-one miles, an
j aggregate annual transportation of seventy-'
one million eight hundred and thiry-sever#
thousand nine hundred arid fourteen miles,
and an aggregate annual cost, including all
expenditures of $8,410,184. The length
of railroad routes is 32,092~mi1es and the
j annual transportation 30,609,407 miles.
.The length of steamboat routes is 1 4,346
miles, and tbe annual transportasion 3,4 11,-
962 miles. The mail service is rapidly in
-1 erasing throughout the whole cmm'rv, an-!
its steady extension in the Southern States
indicates their constantly improving con !'
tion. Tbe growing importance of t'e
f-reign service also merits attention. The
Post Office Department of Great Brit tain
and our own have agreed upon a preli ainn
ry basis for a uew Postal Convention,
which it is believed will prove eminentlv
beneficial to the commercial interest ->f the
United States, inasmuch as it contemplates
I a reduction of the international 'ett-r post
-1 age to one half the existing rates; r reduc
tion of portage with ah other countries to*
and from wiiich correspondence is trans
mitted in the British mail, or inc! se mails
through the United Kingdom: tie estab
lishment of uniform and reasonable eh urges
for the sea and territorial transi- of corre
spondence in each Post Office D part meat
of the right to use all mail couru inieau're
established under the authority os'the'i.tbor'
for the dispatch of correspondence, either
in open or closed mails, on tlvo term* as
those applicable to the inhabi.mts of the
| country providing the means of tf tusuission.-
| I he report of the Secretary of tlse Interior
exhibits the couditon of those branches of
the public service which are Committed to
his supervision.
4,629,312 acres of public land weredis
posed of, 1,592,51G acres of winch were
entered under tbe Homestead act Tlie
policy originally adopted relative to the
public lands lias undergone essential mod
ifications. Immediate revenue, and not
their rapid settlement, was the cardinal
features of land system. Long expeiience
and earnest discussion have resulted in ilie
conviction that the early development of
our agricultural resources, and tbe delusion
of an energetic population o\--r our va-t
territory, are objects of far gr-.mr impor
tance to the national growth and pr ->pentv
tlian the proceeds of the sale of i\- jau 1 -o
the liighest bidder in <*• en nvd - -' Th<r
Con. i :iued on List vaqi.