640 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



29, 1867 a period of ten months amounted to 

 $109,807,000. The expenses of the military estab- 

 lishment, as well as the numbers of the army, are now 

 three times as great as they have ever been in time 

 of peace, while the discretionary power is vested in 

 the Executive to add millions to this expenditure by 

 an increase of the army to the maximum strength 

 allowed by the law. 



The comprehensive report of the Secretary of the 

 Interior furnishes interesting information in reference 

 to the important branches of the public service con- 

 nected with his department. 



The menacing attitude of some of the warlike 

 bands of Indians inhabiting the district of country 

 between the Arkansas and Platte Elvers, and portions 

 of Dakota Territory, required the presence of a large 

 military force in that region. Instigated by real or 

 imaginary grievances, the Indians occasionally com- 

 mitted acts of barbarous violence upon emigrants 

 and our frontier settlements, but a general Indian 

 war has been providentially averted. The Com- 

 missioners under the act of July 20, 1867, were in- 

 vested with full power to adjust existing difficulties, 

 negotiate treaties with the disaffected bands, and 

 select for them reservations remote from the travelled 

 routes between the Mississippi and the Pacific. They 

 entered without delay upon the execution of their 

 trust, but have not yet made any official report of 

 their proceedings. It is of vital importance that our 

 distant Territories should be exempt from Indian out- 

 breaks, and that the construction of the Pacific Rail- 

 road, an object of national importance, should not 

 be interrupted by hostile tribes. These objects, as 

 well as the material interests, and the moral and In- 

 tellectual improvement of the Indians, can be most 

 effectually secured by concentrating them upon por- 

 tions of country set apart for their exclusive use, 

 and located at points remote from our highways and 

 encroaching white settlements. 



Since the commencement of the second session of 

 the Thirty-ninth Congress, five hundred and ten miles 

 of road have been constructed on the main line and 

 branches of the Pacific Railway. The line from Oma- 

 ha is rapidly approaching the eastern base of the 

 Rocky Mountains, whilst the terminus of the last sec- 

 tion of constructed road in California, accepted by 

 the Government on the 24th day of October last, was 

 but eleven miles distant from the summit of the Sier- 

 ra Nevada. The remarkable energy evinced by the 

 companies offers the strongest assurance that the 

 completion of the road from Sacramento to Omaha 

 will not be long deferred. 



During the last fiscal year seven million forty-one 

 thousand one hundred and fourteen acres of public 

 lands were disposed of, and the cash receipts from 

 sales and fees exceeded by one-half million dol- 

 lars the sum realized from those sources during the 

 preceding year. The amount paid to pensioners, in- 

 cluding expenses of disbursements, was $18,619,956, 

 and thirty-six thousand four hundred and eighty-two 

 names were added to the rolls. The entire number 

 of pensioners on the 30th of June last was one hun- 

 dred and fifty-five thousand four hundred and seven- 

 ty-four. Eleven thousand six hundred and fifty-five 

 patents and designs were issued during the year end- 

 ing September 30, 18(57, and at that date the balance 

 in the Treasury to the credit of the Patent fund was 

 $286,607. 



The report of the Secretary of the Navy states that 

 we have seven squadrons actively and judiciously 

 employed, under efficient and able commanders, in 

 protecting the persons apd property of American citi- 

 zens, maintaining the dignity and power of the Gov- 

 ernment, and promoting the commerce and business 

 interests of our countrymen in every part of the 

 world. Of the two hundred and thirty-eight vessels 

 composing the present navy of the United States, 

 fifty-six, carrying five hundred and seven guns, are 

 in squadron service. During the year the number of 

 vessels in commission has been reduced twelve, and 



there are thirteen less on squadron duty than there 

 were at the date of the last report. A large number 

 of vessels were commenced and in the course of con- 

 struction when the war terminated, and, although 

 Congress had made the necessary appropriations for 

 their completion, the Department has either suspend- 

 ed work upon them, or limited the slow completion 

 of the steam vessels so as to meet the contracts for 

 machinery made with private establishments. The 

 total expenditures of the Navy Department for the 

 fiscal year, ending June 30, 1867, were $31,034,011. 

 No appropriations have been made or required since 

 the close of the war for the construction and repair 

 of vessels, for steam machinery, ordnance, provisions, 

 and clothing, fuel, hemp, etc., the balances under 

 these several heads having been more than sufficient 

 for current expenditures. It should also be stated 

 to the credit of the Department, that besides asking 

 no appropriations for the above objects for the last 

 two years, the Secretary of the Navy, on the 30th of 

 September last, in accordance with the act of May 1, 

 1820, requested the Secretary of the Treasury to car- 

 rjr to the surplus fund the sum of sixty-five millions 

 of dollars, being the amount received from the sales 

 of vessels and other war property, and the remnants 

 of former appropriations. 



The report of the Postmaster-General shows the 

 business of the Post-Office Department and the con- 

 dition of the postal service in a very favorable light, 

 and the attention of Congress is called to its practi- 

 cal recommendations. The receipts of the Depart- 

 ment for the year ending June 30, 1867, including all 

 special appropriations for sea and land service, and 

 for free mail matter, were $19,978,693. The expen- 

 ditures for all purposes were $19,235,483, leaving an 

 unexpended balance in favor of the Department of 

 $743,210, which can be applied toward the expenses 

 of the Department for the current year. The increase 

 of postal revenue, independent of specific appropria- 

 tions, for the year 1867, over that of 1866, was $850,- 

 040. The increase of revenue from the sale of stamps 

 and stamped envelopes was $783,404. The increase of 

 expenditures for 1867 over those of the previous year 

 was owing chiefly to the extension of the land and 

 ocean mail service. During the past year new postal 

 conventions have been ratified and exchanged with 

 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Bel- 

 gium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the North Ger- 

 man Union, Italy, and the Colonial Government at 

 Hong Kong, reducing very largely the rates of ocean 

 and land postages to and from and within those coun- 

 tries. 



The report of the acting Commissioner of Agricul- 

 ture concisely presents the condition, wants, and pro- 

 gress of an interest eminently worthy the fostering 

 care of Congress, and exhibits a large measure of use- 

 ful results achieved during the year to which it refers. 



The reestablishment of peace at home and the re- 

 sumption of extended trade, travel, and commerce 

 abroad have served to increase the number and va- 

 riety of questions in the department for foreign 

 affairs. None of these questions, however, have 

 seriously disturbed our relations with other States. 



The Republic of Mexico, having been relieved from 

 foreign intervention, is earnestly engaged in efforts 

 to reestablish her constitutional system of govern- 

 ment. A good understanding continues to exist be- 

 tween our Government and the Republics of Hayti 

 and San Domingo, and our cordial relations with 

 the Central and South American States remain un- 

 changed. The tender, made in conformity with a 

 resolution of Congress, of the good offices of the 

 Government, with a view to an amicable adjustment 

 of peace between Brazil and her allies, on one side, 

 and Paraguay on the other, and between Chili and 

 her allies, on the one side, and Spain on the other, 

 though kindly received, has in neither case been 

 fully accepted by the belligerents. The war in the 

 valley of the Parana is still vigorously maintained. 

 On the other hand, actual hostilities between the 



