PUBLIC DOM 





rt of 1804. The decrease of revenue 



:ed with the previous year was one ami one- 



:it., uii.l the increase of expenditures. 



principally t tin' enlargement of the mail 



the South, was twelve percent. On tho 



i Juno la*t there were in operation six UK.U- 

 Bund nine hundred mid thirty mail routes, with an 

 aggregate length nf "in 1 liundrcd and eighty thou- 

 sand uii..- hundred and twenty-one miles, ail agirre- 

 giite annual transportation (if se\ only-one million 



'.unilred mid thirty-seven thousand nine hun- 

 ul an annual aggregate 



including all expenditures, of $8,410,184. Tlio 

 .read routes is thirty-two thousand and 



two miles, and the annual transportation 



liundrcd and nine thousand four 



hundred and sixty-seven miles. The length of 



utes is fourteen thousand three hundred 



itv-six miles, and the annual transportation 

 three million four hundred and eleven thousand nine 

 hundred and sixty-two miles. The mail service is 

 rapidly increasing throughout the whole country, 

 and its steady extension in the Southern States incli- 



their constantly improving condition. The 



i! importance of the foreign service also mer- 

 its attention. The Post-office Department of Great 

 Britain and our own have agreed upon a preliminary 

 ha>is for a new postal convention, which it is be- 

 lieved will prove eminently beneficial to the com- 

 mercial interests of the United States, inasmuch as 

 it contemplates a reduction of the international let- 



-tage to one-half the existing rates ; a reduc- 

 tion of postage with all other countries to and from 

 which correspondence is transmitted in the British 

 mail, or in closed mails through the United King- 

 dom ; the establishment of uniform and reasonable 



s for the sea and territorial transit of corre- 

 spondence in closed mails ; and an allowance to each 



iliee department of the right to use all mail 

 communications established under tho authority of 

 the other for the dispatch of correspondence, either 

 in open or closed mails, on the same terms as those 

 applicable to the inhabitants of the country provi- 

 ding the means of transmission. 



Tne report of the Secretary of the Interior exhibits 

 the condition of those branches of the public service 

 which are committed to his supervision. During the 

 last fiscal year four million six hundred and twenty- 

 nine thousand three hundred and twelve acres of 

 public land were disposed of, one million eight hun- 

 dred and ninety-two thousand five hundred and six- 

 teen acres of which were entered under the home- 

 Stead act. The policy originally adopted relative to 

 the public lands has undergone essential modifica- 

 tions. Immediate revenue; and not their rapid set- 

 tlement, was the cardinal feature of our land system. 

 Long experience and earnest discussion ha 

 ulted in the conviction that thn early development 

 of our agricultural resources, and the diffusion of an 

 energetic population over our vast territory, are ob- 

 jects of far greater importance to the national growth 

 and prosperity than tho proceeds of tho sale of tho 

 land to the highest bidder in open market. The pre- 

 emption laws confer upon the pioneer who complies 

 with the terms they impose the privilege of purchas- 

 ing a limited portion of "unaltered lauds at the 

 minimum price. The homestead enactments relieve 

 the settler from the payment of purchase-money, 

 and secure him a permanent home, upon the condi- 

 tion of residence for a term of years. This liberal 

 policy invites emigration from the Old, and from the 

 niore crowded portions of the New World. Its pro- 

 pitious results arc undoubted, and will be more sig- 

 nally manifested when time shall have given to it 

 a wider development. 



Congress has made liberal grants of public land to 

 corporations, in aid of the construction of railroads 

 and other internal improvements. Should thi s pol- 

 cy hereafter prevail, more stringent provisions will 

 be required to secure a faithful application of tho 



fund. Tho title to the lands should not pass, by 

 pal. -nt or otherwise, but remain in tli" (',, wrnmont 

 and subject to its conlrol until some portion 

 road has been actually built. Portions of them 

 mi^ht then, from time to time, be couvj. ed to tho 

 itiou, but never in a greater rutio to the whole 

 quantity embraced by the grants than the com 

 parts bear to the entire length of the \<r< j.-<:t<-d im- 

 provement. The restriction would not operate to 

 the prejudice of any undertaking conceived in 

 faith and executed with reasonable energy, u- 

 the settled practice to withdraw from market the 

 lands fulling within the operation of such grants, and 

 thus exclude the inception of a subsequent adverse 

 right. A breach of the conditions which Congress 

 may deem proper to impose should work a forfeiture 

 of claim to the lands so withdrawn but unconveyed, 

 and of title to the lauds conveyed which remain un- 

 sold. 



Operations on the several lines of the Pacific Rail- 

 road have been prosecuted with unexampled vigor 

 and success. Should no unforeseen causes of delay 

 occur, it is confidently anticipated that this great 

 thoroughfare will be completed before the expiration 

 of the period designated by Congress. 



During the last fiscal year the amount paid to pen- 

 sioners, including the expenses of disbursement, 

 was thirteen million four hundred and fifty-nine 

 thousand nine hundred and ninety -six dollars; and 

 fifty thousand one hundred and seventy-seven names 

 were added to the pension rolls. The entire number 

 of pensioners June 30, 1866, was one hundred and 

 twenty-six thousand seven hundred and twenty-two. 

 This fact furnishes melancholy and striking proof of 

 the sacrifices made to vindicate the constitutional 

 authority of the Federal Government, and to main- 

 tain inviolate the integrity of the Union. They im- 

 pose upon us corresponding obligations. It is esti- 

 mated that thirty-three million dollars will be re- 

 quired to meet the exigencies of this branch of the 

 service during the next fiscal year. 



Treaties have been concluded with the Indians, 

 who, enticed into armed opposition to our Govern- 

 ment at the outbreak of the rebellion, have uncon- 

 ditionally submitted to our authority, and mani- 

 fested an earnest desire for a renewal of friendly 

 relptions. 



During the year ending September 30, 1866, eight 

 thousand seven hundred and sixteen patents for use- 

 ful invention and design were issued, and at that 

 date the balance in the Treasury to the credit of the 

 patent fund was two hundred and twenty-eight thou- 

 sand two hundred and ninety-seven dollars. 



As a subject upon which depends an immense 

 amount of the production and commerce of the couu- 

 try, I recommend to Congress such legislation as 

 may be necessary for the preservation of the levees of 

 tho Mississippi River. It is a matter of national im- 

 portance that early steps should be taken not only 

 to add to the efficiency of these barriers against de- 

 structive inundations, but for the removal of all ob- 

 structions to the free and safe navigation of that 

 great channel of trade and commerce. 



The District of Columbia, under existing laws, is 

 not entitled to that representation in the national 

 councils which, from our earliest history, has been 

 uniformly accorded to each Territory established 

 from time to time within our limits. It maintains 

 peculiar relations to Congress, to whom the Con- 

 stitution has granted the power of exercising exclu- 

 sive legislation over the seat of Government. Our 

 fellow-citizens residing in tho District, whose in- 

 - are thus confided to the special guardianship 

 of Congress, exceed in number the population of 

 several of our Territories, and no just reason is per- 

 ceived \\liy a delegate of their choice should not bo 

 admitted to a scat in the House of Representatives. 

 MI appropriate and effectual of en- 

 abling them to make known their peculiar condition 

 aud wants, and of securing the local 



