society. I e no substitute for
■nob a yum except in placing ail the
Indians on large reservation 3 as re; .d'<y
69 can be done, and giving them "•■> j
late protection tberfi&s ( x es they are j
fitted for it They shoal 1 befnd to
take their lands in seiwufty and is-t up
a territorial government for their own
protection. For full details on thh- sub
ject, 1 callyonr special attention to the
report of The secretary of the interior and
.he commissioner ot Indian affair®.
The report of the Secretary of War
shows the expenditures for the year end
-1 otr the i3th of June, ld9, to be 0,644,-
ut2 of which $83,3.12 310 was disbursed in
the'payment of debts contracted daring
the war, and is not chargeable tocarrept
armv expenses, His estimate o
.731,031 for the expenses of the army for
the next fiscal year is as low ns it is
believed can be relied on. The
estimates of bureau officers have been
carefully scrutinized and re laced
wherever it has been deemed practica
ble If, however, the condition of the
country should be such by the begin
ning of the next fiscal year as to admit
of a greater concentration of troops, the
appropriation asked fr will not ?ieex_
nended. The appropriations estimated
for river and harbor improvements ar.d
for fortifications are submitted -epa
ratelv. Whatever amount D gr -
may deem proper to sppropri :e for
these purposes will be expanded.
The recommendation of the General of
the army that appropriations I-made
fbr the forts at Boston, Portland, New
York Philadelphia, Sew Orkai s and
San Francisco, is concurred in.
I also ask your special attention to the
recommendation of the General com
manding the military division of the
PaC fic for the >aloof the seal lsisode t;
Hi. Paul and St. George, Alaska territory,
and suggests that it either be eoianliou
with, or that legislation be had for tlie
protection of the seal fisheries from which
a revenue should be d> iiv ;l
The report of the Secretary of War
contains a synopsis of the repo.-ts of the
beads of bureaus, of the commanders of
tnditary divisions, and of the districts of
Virginia, Mississippi and Texas, and the
report of the general ot thoarmy in full.
The recommendations therein contained
Lave been well considered an l ; . > sub
mitted for your action.
J, however, call special attention Jo ib
recommendation ci the chief of ordi
nance, for the sale ot arsenals and lands
no loeger of use to the government; also
to the recommendation of the secretary
of war, that the act of the C J of March,
18$9, prohibiting promotions at d ap
pointments on the staff corps of the
armv, be repealed. The extent of the
country to be garrisoned, and the num
ber of military pests to be occupied is
the same with a reduced army as with a
'arge one, and the numbered str-ffotfi
eers required is more dependant on the
latter than the former conditions.
The report of the Secretary cf the
Navy, accompanying this, shows the
condition of the navy when this ad
ministration came into ofilse, and the
changes made sine. Strenuous efforts
have been made to place as tnr v v
*eU in commission tor render thera :i
for service if required) as possible and
to eubstitnte the sail for steam whilst
cruising, thus materially reducing the
expenses of the navy and adding greatly
to its efficiency.
Looking to our future I recommend a
liberal, though not extravagant: policy
towards this branch or the public ser
vioe.
The report of the Postmaster < • -nr-r.il
tarnishes a clear and comprehensive
exhibit of the operations of the pos
tal service and of the financial con
dition of the Postoffice Department,
ending the "Oth of Jane, I**; The
ordinary postal revenues for the
year ending the "'hh of Jnne,
1369, amonnted to eighteen million
three hundred and forty-fonr thousand
five hundred and ten dollars, and the
expenditures to £23, 698,131, showing an
excess of expenditures over rtr >,'3 of
*>,353,620. The excess of expenditures
over receipts for the previous year
amounted to 137,002; the increase of
revenues for 1809 ov-r th' of )-' - was
j52,052,900, and the increase of expendi
tures was f 967,538; thnincrearcd revenue
in 1869 exc-eded ttie increased revenue in
IXJPi by f908,336, and the tnereas-d
expenditures in 1869 was £2,527,-"70
than the increased expenditure in IS * -',
bowing, i'V comparison,this gr ifyiug
feature cf improvement, that whi e the
increase of expemiitareo'-er the ir
of receipts in 1968 was £2 439,535, tho in
crease of receipts over the increase of ex
penditures iD 1869 was £1,084,374.
Your attention is respectfully "ailed
to the recommendation mado by the
Postmaster General for auiho; ,ty :o
change the rate of compensation to the
main trunk railroad lines for th ir ser
vices in carrying the mall; for ! ving
post route maps executed; for r. rgani
zlng and increasing the efllcienc of the
special agency service; for tbo increase
of the mail service on the Pac...and
for establishing mail service under
the flag of the Union on the At
lantic; and most especially do 1
call your attent ion to his recommenda
tion mr the total abolition of the .rank
ing privilege. This is an abut-' irom
which no one receives eommeusu
rate. advantage. It reduces the receipts
for the postal service from twenty-five
to thirty per cent., and largeiv increases
the service to be performed. The method
by which postage should be paid upon
public matier is set forth fully in the re
port of the Postmaster General.
The report of the secretary of foe in
terior shows, that the quantity of public
lands disposed of (luring the year ending
the Kith of June. 1869, was 7,666,152 acres,
exceeding that of th preceding year by
1,010 467 acres; of this amcuut2.Bu9.sil
acres were entered under the
homestead laws, and the remainder
was granted to aid in the construction of
works of internal improvement approved
to the state as swamp lands and located
with warrants and scrip. The ca-h re
ceipts from all sonrces were §1172,8-6;
exceeding those of the preceding year,
."2*4,140.
During the last fiscal year 23,196 names
wore added to the pension rolls, and 4,-
376 dropped therefrom, leaviDg at its
close, 187.963. The amount paid to pen
sioners, including the compensation of
disbursing agent",was $28.422,8" i, an in
crease of f1. 411,905 on thnt of the previ
ous year. The munificence of On gross
has been conspicuously manifested
in its legislation for soldiers
and sailors who suffered in the
recent struggle to maintain that u ity
of government which makes us one peo
ple. Theudditions to the pension r iiscf
each successive year since the conclusion
of hostilities, result in a great degree
from the defeated amendments of the
act of July 14, 1802, which extended its
provisions to cases not failing within its
original scope. The large outlay which
is thus occasioned is further increased
by the more libera! allowance bestowed j
since that date apon those who in the
line of duty were wholly or permanently |
dfoabted. pnbiio opinion tu< given an
'emphatic sanction to t)K moasufee of j
CojßTfosc, and it will f-?oor.ceded that no .
part of oar public burden more Cheer
full* borae than that which is itnpw-d by
i h3a fcr.'-nch uf the service It neces
sitates, the next fiscal year, in addition i
to the amount justly chargeable to the
: naval pension fund, an appropriation of
I $30,000,009.
Luring the year 1- ' the Patent Office j
issued 13."62 patents, and its receipts ,
were being2l3-tt mora than ;
the expenditures. I wcnld respectfully
call your attention to the recommenda
tion of the Secretary of the Interior for
uniting the duties of supervising the
education of freedmen with the other du
ties devolving upon the commissioner of
education. If it is the desire of Con
gress to make the census, which must be
taken dnrint! the yenr I*7o, more com
plete than heretotore, I would anggest
early action upon any plan that uaay
bo agreed upon. As Congress at its last
se--ion appointed a committee to take
into consideration such measures as
might be deemed proper in reference to
the census and to report a plan, I desist
fr m saying more.
I recommend to yonr favorable con
sideration the claims of the Agricultural
bureau for liber*; appropriations. In a
conn try eo diversified in climate and
soil as curs, and with a population so
largely dependent spoil agriculture, the
benefits that can be conferred by prop
erly fostering the bureau areinealculable.
I deeire respectfully to eait the atten
tion of Congress to the inadequate sr.la
nes of a number of the most Important
officers of the government in this mes
sage. I v ili not enumerate them,
bui will specif* only the Justices of
the Supreme Court. No change fcs
been made in their salaries tor
fifteen years, and within that time
the labors of the court have largely
increased and the expenses of living
have at least doubled during the same
time. Congress has twice found it nec
essary to increase largely the compensa
tion of its own members, and the duly
which it owes to another department of
government deserves, and w..i undoubt
ediyreeeive its due coast deration.
There are many subjects not alluded
to in this tnetsago which might
with propriety be introduced, but
I abstain, believing that your patriot
ism and stab sin unship will suggest the
topics of the legislation roost conducive
to the info-revs of the whole people. On
oiy part I promise a rigid adherence to
th<- laws snd their strict enforcement.
U. S. GJIAST.
REPO II T
Or TTTE
GENERAL OF THE AUSY.
WAsniJtGT 'V, lic.'traitCr —General
Sherman, in his report submitted to
Congrees to-day, opposes any further
reduction of the - rmy. Ife says the en
lire army is on duty, and lie has constant
cat Is r r more troops, which cannot be
granted. J(o cads too president's earn
est attention to this matter, that Congress
mar be appealed to not to diminish tne
military establishment because of tLs
great extent ot country; the unsettled
character of a large region measured
north, south, cut and west by thousands
of miles; the acts of Indians who inhabit
this region, and the growing necessities
of affording greater protection to the
roads that traverse this region, and the
mining and agricultural interests there
in. While the nation at is at
peace, a slate of qwxi war continues to
exist over one-haif its extent, and troops
therein are oxpo.*eu to labors, murders,
fights and darners thai amount to war.
Withdrawing or largely diminishing the
troops in Texas, the Indian country,
Arizona, New Mexico, .Montana, Idaho
or Alaska, as well as in some parts of
the southern states would, he believes,
result in a stale of things amounting to
anarchy.
lie refers to the labors and exposures
of the officers and men, and hopes that
they will receive the assurance to which
they are fairly entitled that their labors
are appreciated. Officers have been re
quired to do the duties of Indian agents,
sheriffs, etc., foreign to their military
training, and have done this duly with
out murmur and with marked intelli
gence. Never, he saye, has he known
tue army officers so poor, but they hope
by the appreciation of the currency their
compensation will soon become more
eatHfactory. Any diminution of their
pay would result in the loss of the servi
ces of every good officer, to the extreme
damage of the army.
General Sherman advises the adoption
by Congress ot the new army regulations
as prepared by the special board of offi
cers. in referring to army consolida
tion, he says there are five hundred un
attached officers, of whom cue hundred
and tifty-.-ix are awaiting orders. The
number of retired officers Is cne hun
dred and seventy-seven. He urges that
cavalry and artillery regiments bo offi
cered alike in remental and company
organizations, and asks for an extra
lieutenant for cavalry companies. He
argues that it is unjns that the reduc
tion of the army should fall exclusively
on the infantry arm of the service, and
recommends that after congress has en
acted the necessary laws, jha President
assemble a board of disinterested gen
eral officer*, to whom shall be com
mitted tho whole matter of redaction and
reorganization.
General Sherman comment* upon
what ho calls the absurdity of the staff
of the army making ths reports to the
secretary of war. If this is continued,
he says, we have the absurdity of the
general commanding the army,* with his
chief staff officers reporting to somebody
else. He hopes for legislation that will
allow tho officers of the army to cell
upon the general for troops instead of the
president-
He advocates an increase of pay for
the soldiers. Ho recommends that forts
covering the cities of Portland, Boston,
New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
New Orleans and San Franci-co be com
pleted as s jun as possible. Ho calls at
tention to tho earnest recommendations
of General Thomas, that Sea island of
Al> ska, St. Paul and St. George be sold
to the cheapest bidder. Ho is informed
that parties in San Francisco are ready
to bid several millions of dollars, which,
he says, would go far towards indemni
fying the government far this otherwise
poor and costly country.
"But, father, you know love makes
time fly," said an enthusiastic daugh
ter, who was arguing in favor of a longer
bridal trip than usual. "Yes, my dear,
I know it does at ffr.it; but you will find
that in the end time will make love fly."
REPORT \i
I o
OF THi I|
SECRETARY OF WAR. \
1;
I I
Washixotos, December 6. j
The report of General Belknap, Secre- ! j
lary of War, wMch was sucmitted to t
Congretw to-day, opens with a tribute to j
:tie memory of General Kawiina. j ,
The Hec rotary then explains that few j '
recommendations will be irfade at length, |
as the duties of the office were assumed j
bat a few days prior to the date of this j
report—November 26. He, however, j
I refers to the material matters of the re- i
porta presented to him. Referring to :
I the report of the General of the Army, '
ihe nays: j
There are twelve departments and
; three districts, each under the command
of a general officer, and the departments
, are formed into four military divisions,
commanded by the four generals next
j in rank to the General of the Army,
I i'ne regular army consists of five regi
| meots of artillery, ten of cavalry, twen
tv-five of infantry, the battalion of engi
neers, and the corrw of cadets. All the
! regiments are on duty.
Thefseoretary endorses a reeomtneDda
tion of General Sherman, that legislation
i be had enacting the rules and articles of
i war adopted by the board convened in
conformity with the act of Congress of
July 38, 1866, and approving the new
regulations compiled in June, 1868. The
Secretary then continues, still referring
to General Sherman's report:
He indorses the recommendations of
the Adjutant General of the army tor
the- repeal of so much of section 0 of the
act of March 3,1860, as prohibit! further
appointments or promotions,leaving the
organization of the Adjutant General's
department as it was fixed by section 10
of the act of July 28, 1966. An increase
to the number of Assistant Inspector
(ienerals is recommended. With regard
to the Bureau of Military Justice, the
Secretary says:
The Judge Advocate General reports
the number of records of military courts
rweived, renewed, and registered to be
14,943. , .
Oi the Quartermaster General, the re
port states that the clerical force of this
office has been reduced so low, by late
legislation, as to seriously retard the
public business; and to provide for the
settlement of accounts some increase in
the force is necessary. A building capa
ble of accommodating all the bureansof
the War Department, fire proof and se
cure, is much needed. Military records
of great value are exposed to destruc
tion, and are so scattered as to impede
and delay the public business. The
monthly rental of buildings and
lots occupied by buildings owned by
the United States amounted to $4,204 19,
being a yearly rental of $30,954 28.
The railway "companies to which
the military railroad material of the
< "jartermaster's Department was sold
on credit at the end of the war, incurred
a debt originally of $7,591,408. __ Interest
has increased this amount to $9,000,000
about one half of which has been paid
hut some railroads being in default, and
showing no disposition to meet their ob
ligations, suit has been lately ordered to
be brought against them. Bat few ves
sels have been owned bv this depart
ment during the year. The railroads of
A ■ rlooQnn/4 frt orl harn fn
the i-ountry having declined toadhere to
the war rates of transportation, have
boon paid daring the fiscal year the!rf
gonerd tariffs, with a classification o
mtiitarv supplies sell led in conference
at a convention of general freight
agents. There have been paid
for water transportation daring the
vear, 81,424.222 5*2, and for railroad
transportation, £2,253,304 30. Of this
amount, $933,166 21 was paid to the Pa
cific railroads, one-half being paid in
cash and the other half retained in the
treasury to meet the Interest on the
bonds guaranteed by the United States.
During the vear 90,000 persons, 3,800 an
i male, and 62,000 tons of stores have been
moved by water, anil 00,000 persons,
14,000 animals, and 40,000 tons of stores
by railroad; 27,000 tons of stores have
been moved by contractors for wagon
transportation.' The Pacific railroad has
occupied some of the priuclpal routes of
former wagon transportation, and has
saved the government much money in
supplying the posts along Its line. By
arrangements between the departments
of War and the Interior, supplies for the
Indian service are now transported by
the Quartermaster's Department on
routes in the Indian Territory, the actual
cost under the contract being refunded
to the War Department out of the appro
priation of 82,000,090 for the pacification
of the Indians, granted April 10, 1800.
Although the amount of clothing and
equipage on hand at the end of the war
has been reduced by sales and issues,
there still remains ft stock valued at over
$42 000,000. The general depots have
been reduced to four, and at only two of
them is there any large collection of ma
terial, viz: at the Schuylkill arsenal, on
the Delaware, and at Jeffersonville. on
the Ohio. The latter is being drawn
upon constantly, but it still con
tains over 814,000,000 worth of war
material. There are 72 national
cemeteries, and 313 local post or private
cemeteries in which soldiers lie burled.
The titles of 71 of the national cemeteries
have bee., approved as perfect by the
Attorney General; 322 607 interments are
reported, of which 171,946 have been
identified. The expenditure on this
work has been nearly $3,000,000 daring
the year; 5,855 animals were purchased,
and 3,492 were sold. These latter pro
duced the sum of $223,338. Subsistence
supplies lor the army have been mainly
procured in the large market cities ot
the country. The average cost of the
ration at these markets has been about
23c. Efforts to procure salt meats on
the Pacific coast for troops stationed
there have met with great success,
supplies of excellent quality having
been obtained at favorable prices.
Tobacco, at an average monthly value
of $19.00*, has been furnished to the
troops at cost prices, and the Freedmen's
Bureau has been supplied with stores
to the value of nearly $250,000, most of
which has already been paid for, and the
remainder is in progress of refunding at
the Treasury. The issues to Indians at
various points have amounted to more
than 8150,000, and at the request of the
i Interior Department, stores valued at
$47,000 were issued to destitute Osages
an.l others, to prevent starvation
during the winter. Under an ar
rangement between the War De
partment and the . Department of
the Interior, the Indian Department
is being furnished with food for the In
dians on several reservation on the Mis
souri river and in the Indian Territory.
The ration so furnished is prescribed or
! approved by the Interior Department,
and its value Is to be repaid from appro
priations made by section 1 of the act of
April 10,1860. There has been paid $27,-
621 75 as commutation on rations to e
Union soldiers while prisoners of war. e
Claims fer snppliee furfifched tLe army 1
daring the war, amofi&ticg to $2,89?,- n
SOB 13, have been received, of fi
which $288,03$ 87 have been allowed, •
and $2,581,06113 hnva been rejected, i I
During the fiscal year 11,807 accounts t1
and returns have been received, from j t
various offices, of which 11,787 have been j t
examined and referred to the Third An- ; t
ditor for final settlement- A change in > 2
the army ration, by extending the vari- t
ety of articles, and aisofn the manner or c
disposing of the savings ot soldiers' i
messes and oakeries would be of advan- I
tage. A change in the law la recant- <
mended so as to allow officers of the line j i
when acting as assistant commission- i i
ers tf subsistence S2O per month in ' i
addition to their pay, instead of S2O less i
one ration per day, now allowed.
THE BIVKR ANI> HARBOR WORKS
have progressed as rapidly as the means j
appropriated fortheirexeoution allowed, j
The appropriation In April last of 82,- ,
000,000 far these works was distributed
in accordance with the law so as to sub- j
serve the interests of commerce. The .
survey of Northern and Northwestern ; '
lakes" has progressed commensurately \ j
with the amounts appropriated for con
ducting it- The l.ake Superior survey
is drawing to completion. Ttfcasdevel- j
oped many new harbors of refuge, and j
made known dangers to navigation :
highly important to the commercial in- I
terests of the States dependent upon the I
water line of communication for the j
transportation of cereals and ores.
Reconnoissances and geographi
cal and geological explorations
and surveys have been con
tinued during the year in the terri
tory west of the Mississippi river, and i
the Information thus obtained is sup- i
plied to the troops occupying that sec
tion of the country. The survey of the
Colorado of the west has not for special
reasons been resumed. Collateral sur
veys now in progress may furnish evi
dence of the necessity of the survey of
the upper portions of the river and of
the improvement of the lower portion as
a line of military supply and of travel
ana transportation Jrom the mines of
Southern Nevada. The geological sur
vey, just completed from Sierra Nevada
to the Rocky mountains, is fruitful in
valuable results, especially in relation
to the mining regions and to the extent
of the coal formation. It aiso furnishes
other scientific data of great interest.
Liberty arsenal, Missouri, has been
sold during the year, under authority of
the act of Julv 28, 1868, and realized the
sum of $8,012 50. Tne St. Louis arsenal
wsil be sold under the same act as soon
as it can be spared, but certain buildings
thereat should be reserved from sale and
devoted to cenerul army purposes. Tne
sale of the Harpers Ferry armory prop
erty will take place on November 39,
1669. Tbe Rome arsenal, the Cbanaplain
arsenal, the Mount Vernon arsenal
(Alabama), the Appalachieota arsenal
and the North Carolina arsenal are
recommended to be sold. It is advisable
that this should be done, aud that the
captured lands in hhreveport, Louisi
ana, in Marshall and Jeffer
son, Texas, at'd in Marion
and Davis counties, Texas, should be
similarly disposed of. A principal arse
nal of construction and deposit and a
powder depot are recommended to be
established on tbe Atlantic and Pacific
rßiauiiauru uu vuo ~
coasts and in the valley of the Mississippi.
The sale of some of the present eastern
arsenals is suggest* d as a meaDs to raise
funds wherewith to establish the princi
pal arsenal for the Pacific coast. Rock
Island is the principal point for the prin
cipal arsenal for the valley of ihe Missis
sippi. Powder depots should tie estab
lished on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
The army will probably be able to ab
sorb the cadets as fast as they graduate,
it being but two-flitbs larger than the
now authorized number, while the army
has mora than doubled in the meantime.
Upon the question of raising the
standard of admission, he remarks that
every addition to the list of preparatory
qualifications necessarily restricts the
circle from which can be drawn, and
that the present list embraces all the at
tainments that can be obtained by a
very large majority of the youth of the
country.
Since the standard was raised by law
in 1860, the rejections for want of the
necessary educational requirements have
increased from 15 per cent, to 27 per
cent. As a substitute for the other re
commendations of the Board, the In
spector proposes schools of appli
cation for the several arms, such
as exist in Europe and have always
been favored by military officers here,
and the nucleus for two of which are to
be fo>.nd in the artillery school at Fort
ress Monroe and one of the three engi
neer depots already established. He
gives various reasons for his proposi
tion; principal among them the ready
and economical application of facilities
already at hand, and the depressing in
llaence upon the cadets of a long resi
dence amid unchanging scenes and un
varying modes of life, study and disci
pline. The estimates for the support of
the academy during the coming fiscal
vear amount to $332,204 20, of which
$212,019 20 is for pay and allowances of
instructors and cadets.
The division commanded by Lieuten
ant General Sheridan embraces the De
partments of Dakota, the Platte and the
Missouri, commanded respectively by
Major General W. 8. Hancock, Brevet
Major General Augur and Brevet Major
General Schofield. These three depart
ments cover a territory of great extent,
in which most ot the civilized, semi
civilized and wild Indians abide, and
include the States of Illinois, lowa, Mis
souri, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Terri
tories of Colorado, New Mexico, Wyo
ming, Utah, Dakota, Montana and the
Indian. The administration of these
departments has been ably and
economically conducted, but the
number of troops now on duty
in them is deemed insufficient,
with the present reduced strength of
companies, to meet the wants of the ser
vice. Although there have been nu
merous deputations in this division,
the condition of Indian affairs is very
much better than last year. The policy
of reservations adopted by the Indian
Department Is, in the judgment of Gen.
Sheridan, the only policy that will put
an end to Indian murders and depreda
tions. Every effort is made to avoid the
necessity of punishing the Bavages, with
the strong hope that they may settle
down on their reservations, and adopt a
more peaceful and civilized life. The
system of supplying the wild bands
under the preseat Indian management
is working well. The Indian receives
all that the government intends he
sbo\ild, and can have no plea of bad
faith to urge as sn excuse for a return
to his former habits.
The currcs: expenditures of the Medi
cal Department during the fiscal year s<
ending Jane 30, 1869, were $233,361 21. p
The total expenditures of that depart- o
meat, including "war debts" and ** ra- ©
landmen was $706,305 3>3, and the b
s callable La la ace on hand at tbe close of 5
the year was $1,792,060 73. The health of d
the troops has been good. The total n
number of cases on tbe sick list during o
the year was 104,236. The average nam- L
ber constantly on sick list report was p
g,367, or about 5-42 per cent. Tbe nam- i
ber of deaths was 548; of discharges for j
disability, 1,128. The number of com- j
missioned medical officers tor duty on
June 10, 1699, was 161, being an average a
of ODe medical officer to 201 men. Tbe t
number of posts was 239, besides detach- t
men is and outposts. Tnere are now two i
vacancies of surgeons and forty-two of s
assistant surgeons in tbe medical corps i
The experience of the past three years |
has shown that the present organisation j
of tbe medical staff is satisfactory, but |
that even were all the vacancies in it t
filled it would still be barely adequate i
to the demands made upon it.
Tbe Paymaster Geuetal presents the '
following summary exhibit: Balance in
tbe hands of paymasters at the begin- 1
ning of the fiscal year, July 1, 196*, $5,-
981,578 14: received from Treasury dnr
iug the fiscal year, $36,245,000; received i
by paymasters from other sources, ex
elusive of turns transferred among them
selves, $238,393 09; total to be accounted
for, $42,464,770 20. Accounted for as fol
lows: Disbursements to the regular
army, $18,678,250 61; disbursements to
military academy, $181,258 78; disburse
ments to volunteers, back pay and
bounties, $19,918,635 43; total disburse
ments, $38,782,144 82; amount retunded
to Treasury,s43,94B 37; balance in band*
of paymaster* June 30,1869, $3.033,6 i i 01;
total $42 464,770 20. Tbero remain now m
service only sixty regular paymasters
authorized oy the act tor tne reorganiza
tion of the army passed July 28,1866.
The disbursements tor reconstruction
purposes are $2.613,29316, and the bal
ance ia bands of paymasters October 2,
1869, is $110,643 79. Tbe total amount
disbursed by the pay department for
additional bounties, including those set
tled bv tbe Second Auditor and pa;d by
the department on treasury certificates
from tne beginning to tbe 30th J one last,
$57,220,150.
Some more buildings are required at
Jefferson Barrick,and are recommended
to be paid for out of the proceeds of the
sale of the St. Louis Arsenal.
With reference to the Freedmen's Bu
reau the Secretary repeaLs what has al
ready been published in General How
ard's report. The expenses of tbe bu
reau were met tbe first year with the
proceeds of rentß, sales of crops, schorl
taxes and tuition, and sale of "Confed
erate States ' property. Tbe amount re
ceived from ail these miscellaneous
sources was $1,865,615 by, and from ap
proprintioiis by Congress since July.
1660. $11,084,750, making a total of $12,-
550.393 80 received from all sources. r lhe
expenditures, including the accounts of
the "Department of Negro Affair*.'
from June 1, 1865, to August 31, 1669.
have been $11,194,028 10.
The Secretary recommends- the reor
ganization of the West Point Military
Academy on an enlarged basis, with an
increased number of cadets, to be di
vided into two classes, one to pursue an
Ordinary course of military instruction
and to be returned to tbe walks of civii
ana to oe rtmiuru iu mc v.
life upon their graduatioa.
The cost of military reconstruction in
the First District (Virginia) for the rear
ending September 39, 1869, was 9146,-
PO2 86.
In the r ourth District, the cases of
violence offered the regularly constituted
authorities were not numerous.
In the Fifth military district, Indian
raids duriDg the year have been un
usually bold, and it is believed com
manded in most instances by whim men.
Heavy damages to the citizens in live
stock and property have resulted, but
the loss of fife has been small, amount
ing to about twenty-six persons. The
troops in the district could not be- used
in the protection of the citizens agaios l
the Indians on account of their being
required to carry out reconstruction.
The number of cases tried by military
commission, under section 3 of the act
of March, 1867, from October 30. 1868, to
September 38, 1869, is 59, of which -1
were convicted and 38 acquitted.
The number of murders and other
crimes in Texas, has diminished duriDg
the past year.
The report closes with the following
statement of appropriations, expendi
tures and estimates: There was carried
to the surplus bind June 30, 1869, the
sum of $58,239,174 93 The actual expen
ditures for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1869, were. Including the Freedmen's
Bureau, $50,761,732 16. to which must be
added for old war debts paid the sum of
$23 882.310 60. making the total expendi
tures $8,774,042 76. Of the above there
was expenced for reconstruction purpo
se?. $406,519 IS. There was appropriated
for the service of the War Department
for the fiscal year ending June 30. 1870,
$37,538,851 08.* The estimated deficien
cies are $2.910,000 00. The total estimate
of military appropriations for the year
ending June 30, 1860, is $3-4.431,031 39. Io
ths foregoing estimate the amounts
originally presented by the beads of bu
reaus have Iteen materially reduced, and
any appropriation smaller in amount
than that asked for would fail to meet
the necessary wants of the departments.
The following estimates are snbmitted
separately, and are given for the consid
eration of Congress, as presented by the
Chief of Engineers: For fortifications,
$4,196,300; for rivers and harbors, $7,961,-
900. Total. sl2 158,300. As to the forti
fications, I urge the appropriations
asked for the forts near the larger cities
named in the report of the General of
the Army, to wit: Portland, Boston,
New York. Philadelphia, New Orleans
and San Francisco.
In the town of S . Maine, lived
some years ago a couple who bad got
tired of the jars and troubles of wedded
life, and mutually resolved to end them.
But being rather short of this world's
goods, they hardly felt like paying out
the money necessary to obtain a divorce.
So tbev went to the old gentleman
who joined them in the bonds of mat
rimony some years before, and
desired him to untie the knot. The
worthy old squire scratched his head
and thought a moment, and told them
there was no way but to go to court:
"But bold," said he, "I have it. You
! promised to live togstber until death
should you part. Come out into the
yard." Then seizing a cat that sat in
the doorway, bedireted John to take ber
by the tail and Jane by the head and
pull ber apart. Then lifting a sharp axe,
he said: "Now death doth you part."
The axe fell and the couple were di
vorced.
To CCBE AMD SMOKE BACQK TBI S
season of the year, all our farmers are
preparing to salt their hams and b:t
--;on, so we propose to give there a k -
reipt wiwrreby *aj#ing and emoktng can
hadone in one pimple and abort process.
Many of our hooaewvies are forced to
legend apon their neighbors for conve
niences to smoke wl'h. These of us who
own smoke houses know how difficult
ilia to smoke just right. By th;>
process alt trouble is avoided. Take a
large sized batter-firkin, cask or bar
rel, according to the quantity of meat
you desire to smoke. Place it over a fire
of corn cobs with the corn on. Mest
smoked in this way is higher flavored,
the corn seeming to produce a beltu
taste than cobs, or wood. or green wal
nuts. Let the tub smoke from five to
six hours. To one hundred pounds of
meat take eight pounds of salt, two
pounds of coarse brown sugar, or three
puns of molasses, and two ounces salt
petre. Rub a little fine salt into the hams
and shoulders, then put 'h meat into
the smoked tub, cover i. with water,
turn in the salt, sugar and saltpetre,
cover closely, and set in a cool place
where it will not freeze. If a aeurn ri -
on the brine turn it off, a aid and add a
little more salt. If <1 sired to keej
through the summer, in be early Bpring
smoke the lab three h< ura 1 -og" r , put
buck tb meat ar-d turn on the brine
■when cold.
lu a month after pickling, the ban,
will be ready for us?. They can be kept
in the brine all summer, and if a ham *<-
cut, return St to the tub f>r further use.
Beef and tongues can be kept in the
same manner, and there is no danger
from insects. In six or seven weeks the
beef is packed and smoked enough to
dry. This is the surest and most expe
ditious way of salting and smoking pork
and beef, and if once tried will always
be adopted.
DI&TASCES AT OacHAUK— Much dis
cussion has taken place in relation to the
proper distance* apart to set apple trees
in orchards. Many western farmers
prefer placing tnem near together as a
protection from cold winds,and fifteen
and twenty fcet have been recommended.
Tbis close planting has proved the vaiue
ofshelter, and while the trees are young
a larger amount of fruit is obtained from
an acre. Bui when the trees become
larger and older these advantages in a
great measure disappear. It is therefore
proposed to thin them out by succes
sively removing the supernumeraries,
□ ntii double distance is obtained. Thus
the shelter and larger crops are ob
tained iu the earlier years of the
orchard, and more space and light
when it becomes older. Tbe dis
advantages are, the greater difficulty
of cultivating, and greater exhaustion
of tbe soiL We observe a statement of
J. Pennington, ot Macon, Michigan, in
the Western Rural, tbat be has orch
ards set out twenty years ago, which
have so crowded each other that tb<*
fruit has become small and stunted, and
be is thinning the trees out. But they
are not so good in form, nor will they
probably become nearly so perfect and
symmetrical as if setont thirty or thirty
five feet apart and allowed to grow and
develop uuder full exposure to light and
air. But where shelter is a necessity, it
may nevertheless be best to set thick at
first unless timber belts are employed
t-i B'-reen the young trees from fierce
Winds.— <'o unity Gentleman.
COMPOST HEAPS. —It is often recom
mended that when manure Is thrown
Into heaps in a tield it should be covered
with a layer of earth to prevent the es
cape of the ammonia. The experim -nts
. of Br. Voeleker, at the royal agricultu
| ral college at Oireneeetel, in Kngland,
have established the fact that the evapo
ration of ammonia from large heaps of
1 manure, goes on but slightly; for the
reason that during the composition of
manure,certain organic acids are formed
\ at the same timetheammonia iaevoived
' and then immediately unite with the
ammonia, forming non-volatile com
[ pounds. There is nn active escape
of ammonia from the interior of large
heaps, where the heat is too great for
the chemical changes above referred
' to; but as it approaches the exterior
, parts of the heaps, where the beat is
[ very much less, the ammonia is oom
t pleteiy taken up by the organic acids
1 and retained. There will be but a
trilling escape of ammonia while there
ia sufliciet.t moisture to retain it, for
[ water absorbs and retains many hun
dred times the bulk of ammonia gas at
the ordinary temperatures. These non
volatile compounds, from being highly
soluble in water, are liable to be washed
away by every rain storm, giving the
well-known brown color to the drain
ing of manure heaps.— American Ag
riculturist.
WHAT FOWLS TO KBEP.— The choice
of breeds is so much a matter of fancy,
that one can hardly advise another
about them without a long dissertation.
Brahruas are good layers, sitters inl
mothers and are great favorites; heavy
fowls, active, but will not fly; flesh good.
Light Brahams are not very expensive:
dark now,are finite so. White Leghorns
are presis.ent layers, do not sit, fly like
pigeons; very pretty, nice, economical
fowls. Ot French fowls,select Houdans,
which are good sized, speckled, homely
fowls, presisteat layers, aDd hardy; ex
cellent for the table. If you must be eco
nomical, bay two trios of the breed you
prefer, and a lot of common fowls, se
leciDg light colored, large bodied, featk
er-leggett pallets, .next spring save the
your pare pullets, .and yon will stock
your yard with forty or fifty fowls with
little expense. Should you wish a breed
of more fancy fowls, you have your
choice among Polands of various eolors,
Hamburgs, etc., which are great layers;
Cochins, which are not superior to Brah
mas; Black Spanish,which lay the hand
somest eggs laid by any fowl, and many
of them, an> very beautiful, but delicate,
as are als i the Creve Coeurs and La
Flecbe breeds, which excel most others
as layers and table fowl.—American Ag
riculturist.
A little girl got to school in D.in
bury, Connecticut, ibe other morning
just #3 it commenced, and her teacher
said' "You are just in time, Sussie."
Then, turning to the other schollars, she
asked, "In time for what children?" A
band went up, and an intelligent boy
thus signified he had solved the pro
blem. "Well, Thomas, just in time for
what ?" "Lauigan's ball!" shouted the
promising youth.
A lady made a call upon a friend who
had recently been married. When her
husband came to dinner she said ; "I
have been to see Mre. ." "Well,"
replied the husband, "I suppose she ia
i very happy." "Happy 1 Well, I should
think she ought to be; she has a
j cameLs-hair shawl, two-thirds border."