society. I "o substitute for ■lv
such a system except in placing oil the M
Indians on large reservatlona as rapidly | II
as can be done, and giving them abso- ■ d
lute protection there as soon tts they are | ei
fltteafor It- They should be induced to C
take their lands in severalty and set np p
a territorial government for their own fi
protection. For full details on this sub- tl
•act 1 call your special attention to the s
report of the secretary of the Interior and ti
the commissioner of Indian affairs. n
The report of the Secretary of War 8
.
OlZof which $23,832 810 wasdisbursed in ( ,
the payment of debts contracted during 1 t
the war, and is not chargeable to curreut c
arinv expenses. Hts estimate ol $34,- t
531 031 for the expenses of the army for >
the' next fiscal year is HS low as it is ,
believed can be relied on. The t
estimates of bureau officers have been <
carefully scrutinised and reduced ,
wherever It has been deetued praclica- ,
ble. If, however, the condition of the j
country should be such by the begin- <
nine oi the next fiscal year as to admit |
of a greater concentration of troops, the i
appropriation asked for will not bo ex- j
trend "d. The appropriations estimated i
for river and harbor improvement anil i
for fortifications aro submitted sepa- j
ratelv. Whatever amount Congress
inay'tleem proper to appropriate ior ,
these purposes will fce expended.
The recommendation of the Gem-ml of 1
the army that appropriations be made \
for the forts at Boston, Portland, New
York Philadelphia, New Orleans and
San Francisco, is concurred in.
I aiso ask your special attention to the
recommendation of the General com
manding the military division of the
Pac fic for the sale of the seal islands of
St. Paul and St. George, Alaska territory
and suggests that it either be complied
with, or that legislatiou be had fir Hie
protection of the seal fisheries from which
a revenue should bo d* rived _
The report of the Secretary ol War
contains a synopsis of the reports of the
heads of bureaus, of the commanders of
military divisions, aud of the districts of
Virginia, Mississippi and Texas, and the
report of the general of the army in full.
The recommendations therein contained
have been well considered and ara sub
mitted for your action.
I however, call special attention to tb
recommendation of the chief of ordi
nance for the sale ot arsenals and lands
no longer of use to the government; also
to the recommendation of the secretary
of war, that the act of the 3d of March,
1869, prohibiting promotions and ap
pointments on the staff corps of the
army, be repealed. The extent of the
country to be garrisoned, and the num- j
ber of military pests to be occupied is j
the same with a reduced army as with a
large one, and the number of staff offi
cers 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 office, and the
changes made since. Strenuous efforts
have been made to place as many ves
sels in commission (or render tb-rn fit
for service if required) as possible, and
to substitute 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 of the public ser
vice.
The report of tbo Postmaster General
tarnishes a clear and comprehensive
exhibit of the operations of the pos
tal service and of the financial con
dition of tffp Postoffice Department,
ending the 30th of June, 1809. The
ordinary postal revenues for the
year ending the 30th of Juue,
ISC9, amounted to eighteen millions
three hundred and forty-four thousand
five hundred and ten dollars, and the
expenditures to £23,698,131, showing an
excess of expenditures over receipts of
§5,353,620. "The excess of expenditures
over receipts for ihe previous year
amounted to $6 137,992; the increase of
revenues for 1869 over those of 18' S was
$2,052,909, and Hie increase of expendi
tures was §937,538; the increased revenue
in 1869 exceeded the increased revenue in
1868 by $906,336, and the increased
expenditures in 1869 was 82,527.'.70 less
than the increased expenditure In 1853,
showing, by comparison,this gratifying
feature of improvement, that while the
increase of expendilureorer the increase
of receipts in 1868 was §2,439,535, the in
crease of receipts over the increase of ex
penditures In 1869 was §1,084,374.
Your attention is respectfully called
to the recommendation made by the
Postmaster General for authority to
change the rate of compensation to the
ranin trunk railroad lines for their ser
vices in carrying the mail; for having
post route maps executed: for reorganb
/.ing and increasing the efficiency of the
special agency service; for tho increase
of the mail service on the Pacific, and
for establishing mail service under
the flag of the Union on tho At
lantic; and most especially do I
.-all your attention to his recommenda
tion for the total abolition of the frank
ing privilege. This is an abuse irorn
which no one receives commen.su
rate. advantage. It reduces the receipts
for the postal service from twenty-five
to thirty per cent., and largely increases
the service to be performed. The method
by which postage should be paid npon
public matter is set forth fully in the re- |
port of the Postmaster General.
The report of the secretary of the in
terior shows, that the quantity of public
lands disposed of duriug the year ending
the 30tb of June, 1369, was 7,600,152 acres,
exceeding that or the preceding year by
1,010 407 acres; of tbis amount 2,599,544
acres were entered under the
homestead laws, and the remainder
was granted to aid in the construction of
works of internal i m prove ment approved
to the state as swamp lands an a located
with warrants and scrip. The cash re
ceipts from all sources were §4,472,886;
exceeding those of the preceding year,
*284,140.
During the last fiscal year 23,196 names
were added to the pension roils, and 4,-
376 dropped therefrom, leaving at its
close, 187,963. The amount paid to pen
sioners, including the compensation of
disbursing agents,was §28,422,884, an in
crease of $4.411,903 on that of the previ- !
ous year. The munificence of Congress
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. The additions to the pension rolls of
each successive year since ihe conclusion
of hostilities, result in a great degree
from the defeated amendments of the
act of July 14,1862, which extended its '
provisions to cases not falling within its .
original soope. The large outlay which
Is thus occasioned is further increased '
>j the more liberal allowance bestowed
ifncp that data npon these who In the
ine of duty were wholly or pe rmanently
iiaabled. Public opinion M* given an
smphatic sanction to th measure# ot i
Congress, and it will be conceded ihatrio
piart ofonr public burden is mow cheer
fully borne than that which is imposed by
LhU branch of the service. It neces- I
sitates, the next fiscal yw. in addition I
to the amount justly chargeable to the j (
uaval pension fund, an appropriation of (
§30,000.000. i
During the year 1869 the Patent Office
lsoed 13.762 ' patents, and its receipts
were §686,389, being §213,926 more than
the expenditures. I would 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 ol
education. If It is the desire of Con
gress to make the census, which ninst be
taken during the year 1870, more com
plete than heretolore, 1 would suggest
early action upon any plan that 'bay
be agreed upon. AB Congress at Its last
session apf>ointed a oomuiittae to take
into consideration such measures as
might be deemed preper in referenoe to
the census and to report a plan, I desist
fn m saying more.
T recommend to your favorable con
sideration the claims of the Agricultural
bureau for liberal appropriations. In a
country so diversified in climate and
Roil as ours, and with a population so
largely dependeut pnn agriculture, the
benefits that can be oonferred by prop
erly fostering the bureau areincalculable.
I desire respectfully to call the atten
tion of Congress to the inadequate sala
ries ol' a number of the most Important
officers ot the government iu this mes
sage. I will not enumerate them,
but will specify only the Justices oi
tbo Supreme Court. No change lias
been made in tficir salaties tor
fifteen years, and within that time
the labors of tbo court have largely
increased and tho expenses of living
have at least doubled during the same
time. Congress has twice found it nec
essary to increase largely tho compensa
tion of its own members, and the duty
which it owes to another department ot
government deserves, and will uudoubt
ediyreceive its due consideration.
There are many subjects not alluded
to in this message which might
with propriety be introduced, but
I abstain, believing that your patriot
ism and statesmanship will suggest the
topics of the legislation most conducive
to the interests of the whole people. On
my part I promise a rigid adherence to
[ the laws and their strict enforoement.
U. A GRANT.
■ ■ ' '
REPORT
OF THE
GENERAL OF THE ARHY.
WASHINGTON, December s.—General
Sherman, in his report submitted to
Congress to-day, opposes any further
reduction of the army. Ho says the en
tire army is ou duty, and he has constant
calls for more troops, which cannot be
granted. He calls tbo president's earn
est attention to tbis watter.tliat Congress
may be appealed to not to diminish tne
military establishment because of the
great extent ot country; the unsettled
character of a large region measured
north, south, east 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 large is at
peace, a state of quisi war continues to
exist over one-hulf itsextent, and troops
therein are exposed to labors, murders,
fights aud dangers that 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 state of things amounting to
anarchy.
lie refers to the labors and exposures
of tho 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 duty with
out murmur aud with marked intelli
gence. Never, ho says, has be known
the army officers so poor, but they hope
by the appreciation of the currency their
compensation will soon become more
satisfactory. 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 of 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 one hundred
and fifty-six aro awaiting orders. The
number of retired officers is one hun
dred and seventy-seven. He urges tbat
cavalry and artillery regiments be offi
cered alike in regimental and company
organizations, and asks for an extra
lieutenant for cavalry companies. He
argues that it is uDjusi that the reduc
tion ol'the army should fall exclusively
on the infantry arm of the service, and
recommends that after congress has en-
I acted the necessary laws, the President
i assemble a board of disinterested gen
eral officers, to whom shall be com
mitted the whole matter of reduction and
reorganization.
General Sherman comments upon
what ho calla the absurdity of the stali
j of the army making the reports to tho
secretary of war. If this is continued,
he says, we have the absurdity of the
general commanding the army, with his
chief etaff officers reporting to somebody
else. lie hopes for legislation that will
allow the officers of the army to call
upon the general for troops instead of the
president.
He advocates an increase of pay for
the soldiers. He recommends that forts
covering the cities of Portland, boston,
j Xew York, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
j New Orleans and San Francisco be com
pleted as soon as possible. He calls at
' tention to the earnest recommendations
I Of General Thomas, that Sea island of
; Alaska, St. Paul and St. George be sold
ito the cheapest bidder. He is informed
that parties in San Francisco are ready
to bid several millions of dollars, which,
: he sayß, would go far towards indemni
; Tying the government for tbis otherwise
j poor and costly country.
"But, father, you kuow love makes
time fly," said an enthusiastic daugh
ter, who was arguing in favor of a longer
I bridal trip than usual. "Yes, my dear,
j I know U does at first. but you will find
' that in the end time will make lovefly."
KEPOTt T [ £
OF THR
SECRETARY OF WAR.; £
, t X
a
WASHINGTON, December 6. 1
The report of General Belknap, Secre- '
taryofWar, which was anomltted to ]
Congress to-day, opens with a tribute to *
the memory of General Rawlins.
The Secretary then explains that few
recom mendattons will be made at length. <
as the duties of the office were assumed <
but a few days prior to the date of this
report—November 20. He, however, '
refers to the material matters of the re- j
ports presented to him. Referring to
the report of the General of the Army,
he aays;
There are twelve departments and
three districts, each under the oommaud
of a general officer, and the departments
are formed into four military divisions,
commanded by the four generals next
In rank to the General of the Army.
The regular army consists of five regi
ments of artillery, ten of cavalry, twen
ty-five of infantry, the battalion of engi
neers, and tbo corps of cadets. All the
regiments are on duty.
The Secretary endorses a reootnmenda
tiou of General Sherman, that legislation
be had enucting the rules and articles of
war adopted by the board oonvened in
conformity with the act of Congress of
July 28, 1866, and approving the new
regulations compiled in Juno, 1868. Tho
Secretary then continues, still referring
to General .Sherman's report:
He indorses the recommendations of
tho Adjutant General of the army for
the repeal of so much of section 6 of the
act of March 3,186§, as prohibits further
appointments or proniotions.leaving the
organization of the Adjatant General's
department as it was fixed by section 10
of the act ol July 28, 1866. An increase
to the number of Assistant Inspector
Generals 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
received, renewed, and registered to be
14,943.
Of 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 tbe
settlement of accounts some increase in
the force is necessary. A building capa
ble of accommodating all the bureaus of
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 publlo business. Tbe
monthly rental of buildings and
lots occupied by buildings owned by
the United States amounted to §4,264 19,
being a yearly rental of §50,954 28.
Tbe railway companies to which
the military railroad material of the
Quartermaster's Department was acid
on credit at the end of tbe war, incurred
1 a debt originally of $7,591,406. Interest
has increased this amount to $9,000,000
about one half of which has been paid
but soma railroads being in default, and
showing no disposition to meet their ob
ligations, suit has been lately ordered to
i be brought against them. But few ves
-1 sels bav'3 been owned by this depart
i ment during the year. The railroads of
the country having declined to adhere to
the war rates of transportation, have
i been paid during the fiscal year theirf
general tariffs, with a classification o
i military supplies settled in conference
at a convention of general freight
1 agents. There bave been paid
! for water transportation during the
i i year, $1,424,222 82, and for railroad
transportation, $2,253,304 30, Of this
i amount, $933,166 21 was paid to the Pa
, j clfic railroads, one-half being paid in
. I cash and the other half retained in tbe
' treasury to meet the Interest on the
i I bonds guaranteed by tbe UDited States.
1 During the year 96,000 persons, 3,800 an
r imals, and 62,000 tons of stores have been
, moved by water, and 60,000 persons,
14,000 animals, and 40,000 lons of stores
by railroad; 27,000 tons of stores bave
i been moved by contractors for wagon
transportation. The Pacific railroad has
i occupied some of the principal 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
i routes iu the Indian Territory, the actual
cost nnder the contract being refunded
' to tbe War Department out of tbe appro
priation of $2,000,000 for the pacification
of the Indians, granted April 10, 1860.
i Although the amount of clothing and
equipage on band at the end of the war
i has been reduced by sales and issues,
' there still remains a stock valued at over
• $42,000,000. The general depots bave
• been reduced to four, aud at only two of
• them is there any large collection of ma
l terlal, viz: at the Schuylkill arsenal, on
i the Delaware, and at Jeffersonville, on
the Ohio. The latter is being drawn
npon oonstantlv, bnt it still oon
• tains over $14,000,000 worth of war
' material. There are 72 national
i cemeteries, and 313 local post or private
' cemeteries in which soldiers lie buried.
• The titles of 71 of the national cemeteries
have bee., approved aa perfect by the
1 Attorney General; 322 607 intermentsare
■ reported, of which 171,946 have been
Identified. Tbe expenditure on this
work has been nearly $3,000,000 daring
■ the year; 5,855 animals were purchased,
I and 3,492 were sold. These latter pro
duced the sum of $223,338. Subsistence
i supplies tor the army have been mainly
I procured in the large market cities ol
i the country. The average cost of the
, ration at these markets has been about
i 23c. Efforts to procure salt meats on
i the Pacific coast for troops stationed
' there have met with great success,
1 supplies of excellent quality having
I been obtained at lavorable prices,
i Tobacco, at an average monthly value
of $19,000, has been furnished to the
' troops at cost prices, and the Freedmen's
i 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 $150,000, and at the request of tbe
Interior Department, stores valued at
$37,040 were issued to destitute Gsages
and others, to prevent starvation
during the winter. Under an ar
rangement between the War De
partment and tbe Department of
the Interior, the Indian Department
is being furnished with food for the In
dians on several reservation on tbe Mis
souri river and In tbe Indian Territory.
Tbe ration so furnished is prescribed or
approved by the Interior Department,
and its value is to be repaid from appro-
I prtatlons made by section 4 of the act of
April 10. iB6O. Tliere baa been paid $27,-
121 73 aa coram mat lon on raiiona to c
Unlou soldiers while prisoners of war. e
Claims for supplies furnished tte army 1
during the war, amounting to 82,899,* i
806 15, hare been received, of 1
which $238,033 87 bars been allowed, t
and $2,531,061 13 have been rejected, i t
During the fiscal year 11,907 accounts j t
and returua hare been received, from I i
various offices, of which 11,787 have been i (
examined and referred to the Third Au- 1
dlior for final settlement. A change In 1
the army ration, by extending the rati- I
ety of articles, aod also in the manner of <
disposing of the savings of soldiers' i
messes and oakeries would be of ad van- ,
tage. A change in the law is reccm- <
mended so as to allow officers of the line
when acting as assistant commission
ers of subsistence S2O per month in
addition to their pay, instead of S2O less
one ration per day, now allowed.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR WORKS
have progressed as rapidly as the means
appropriated for their execution allowed.
The appropriation in April last of $2,-
000,000 for these works was distributed
In accordance with the law ao as to sub
serve the interests of commerce. The
survey of Northern aud Northwestern
lakes has progressed com mens urately
with the amounts appropriated for con
ducting it. The Lake Superior survey
is drawing to completion. It bus devei- |
oped u.aoy new harbors of refuge, and
made known dangers to navigation j
highly important to the commercial in- ;
terests of Lhe States dependent upon the I
water lino of communication for ihe j
transportation of cereals and ores.
Reecnnoisaanees and geographi
cal and geological explorations
and swveys have been con
tinued during the year In the terri
tory west of the Mississippi river, and
the* information thus obtained is sup
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
and transportation Irom the mines of
Southern Nevada. The geological sur
vey, just completed from Sierra Nevada
to the Rocky monntalns, is fruitful in
valuable results, especially in relation
to the mining regions and to the extent
of the coal formation. It also furnishes
other scientific data of great interest.
Liberty arsenal, Missouri, has been
sold during the year, under authority of
the act of July 28, 1868, and realized the
sum of $8,012 00. The St. Louis arsenal
will be sold under the same act as soon
as it can be spared, but certain buildings
thereat should be reserved from sale snd
devoted to general army purposes. The
sale of the Harpers Ferry armory prop
erty will take place on November 30,
1869. The Rome arsenal, theChamplain
arsenal, the Mount Vernon arsenal
(Alabama), the Appalachicola arsenal
and the North Carolina arsenal are
recommended to be sold. It is advisable
that this should be done, and (bat the
captured lands in bhreveport, Louisi
ana, in Marshall nnd Jeffer
son, Texas, and 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 the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts and in the valley of the M ississippi.
The sale of some of the present eastern
arsenals is suggest) d as a means to raise
funds wh> rewilh 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 the Missis
sippi. Powder depots should be 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-filths larger than the
now authorized number, while the army
baa more 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 1866, the rejections for want of the
necessary educational requirements have
increased from 15 per cent, to 27 per
cent. As n substitute for the otner 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 for.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, aud the depressing in
fluence up>on 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 coining fiscal
year 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 Qeneral Sheridan embraces the De
partments of Dakota, the Platte and the
Missouri, commanded respectively by
Mgjor General W. S. Hancock, Brevet
Major General Augur and Brevet Major
General Sehofield. These three depart
ments cover a territory of great extent,
in which most of the civilized, semi
civilized and wild Indians abide, and
include the Btates 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 tbem is deemed insufficient,
with the present reduced strength of
companies, to meet the wants of the ser
vice. Although there have been nu
merous depredations in Ibis 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 savages, 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
UDder the preseat Indian management
is working well. The Indian receives
ail that the government intends he
should, and can have no plea of bad
faith to urge as an excuse for a return
to his former habits.
The current expenditures of the Medi
cal Department during the fiscal year
ending June 30. XSC9, were $233,501 21.
The total expenditures of that depart
ment, Including " war debts" and re
fundments," was $703,305 30, and the
available balanoeon tiand at the ctoseof
the year was $1,792 050 73. The health of
the "troops has been good. The total
number of caseaon the sick list during
the year was 104,235. The average nu ru
ber constantly on sick list report was
2,367, or about 5-42 per cent. The num
ber of deaths was 548; of discharges for
disability, 1,128. The number of com
missioned medical officers for duty on
June 80, 1869, was 101, being au average
of one medical officer to 204 tneu. The
number of posts was 239, besid *s detach
ments and outposts. Tnere arenowtwo
vacancies of surgeons and forty-two of
assistant surgeons in the medical corps
The experience of the past three years
has shown that the present organization
of the medical staff is satisfactory, bnt
that even were all the vacaneies In it
filled It would still tie barely adequate
to the demands made upon It.
The Paymaster Geusial presents the
following'suuatnary exhibit: Balance in
the hands of paymasters at the begin
ning of the fiscal year, July 1, 1868, $5,-
981,578 14; rec-lved from Treasury dur
! ing the fiscal year, $36,245,000; received
| by paymasters from other sources, ex-
I elusive of sums transferred among them
selves, $238,19$ 06; total to be accounted
I for, $12.161,770 30. Accounted for as fol
[iows: Disbursements to the regular
, array, $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 refunded
to Treasury,s4B,94B 37; balance in band*
of paymasters June 30,1869, $3,633,677 01;
total sl2 404,770 20 Ther- remain m-w m
service only sixty regular paymasters
authorized oy the act ror me reorganiza
tion of the army passed July 28, 1806.
The disbursements for reconstruction
purposes are $2,613,293 16, and the bal
ance in hands of paymasters October 2,
1869,1s $110,643 79. The total amount
disbursed by the pay department for
additional bounties, including those set
tled by the Second Auditor and paid by
the department on treasury certificates
from the beginning to the 30th June 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 Freed men's Bu
reau the Secretary repeats what has al
ready been published in Genera! How
ard's report. The expenses of the bu
reau were met the first year with the
proceeds of rents, sales of crops, school
taxes and tuition, and sale of "Confed
erate States" property. The amount re
ceived from all these miscellaneous
sources was $1,865,615 SO, and from up
propriations by Congress since July.
1866, $11,084,750, making a total of $12,-
850,395 80 received from all sources. 'I he
expenditures, including the accounts of
the "Department of Negro Affairs."
from June 1, 1865, to August SI, 1809,
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 the walks of civil
life upon their graduatioa.
The cost of military reconstruction in
the First District (Virginia) for the vear
ending September 30, 1869, was 8146,-
902 86.
t In the 1 ourth District, the cases of
violence offered Ihe regularly constituted
authorities were not numerous.
In the Fifth military district, Indian
raids duriDg the year have been tin
-1 usually bold, and" it is believed com
manded in most instances by white men,
Heavy damages to the citizens in iiv
stock and property have resulted, but
the loss of life has been small, amoum
ing to about twenty-six persons. Tin
troops In the district could not be used
in the protection of the citizens agains'
the Indians on account of thc-ir being
required to carry out reconstruction.
The number of cases tried by military
commission, under section 3 of the act
of March, 1567, from October 30, IS6S, tr
September 38, 1869, is 59, of which 21
were convicted and 38 acquitted.
The number of murders and oihei
crimes In Texas, has diminished during
the past year.
The report closes with the following
statement of appropriations, expendi
tures aud estimates: There was carried
to the surplus fund June 30, 1809, the
sum of $58,239.17-1 93 The actual expen
ditures for the fiscal year ending June
30,18C9, were. Including the Freedmen's
Bureau, $56,761,732 16, to which must be
added for old war debts paid the sum of
$23 582.310 60, making tho total expendi
tures $8,774,042 76. Of the above there
was expended for reconstruction purpo
ses $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 $2,940,000 00. The total estimate
of military appropriations for the year
ending June 30,1869, is $54,431,031 39. In
the foregoing estimate the amounts
originally presented by the heads of bu
reaus have been 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 submitted
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 lhe General of
the Army, to wit: Portland, Boston,
New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans
and San Francisco,
In the town or S , Maiue, lived
some vears ago a couple who bad got
tired o'f tho jars and troubles of wedded
life, aud 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 they "went to the old gentleman
who joined them in the bonds of mat
rimony some years before, and
desired bim 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 hold," said be, "I have it. You
promised to live together until death
should you part. Come out into the
yard." Then seizing a cat that sat in
ihe doorway, bedlreted John to takeber
by the tail aud Jane by the head and
pull her apart. Then lifting a sharp axe,
he said: "Now death doth you part."
The axe fell and the couple were di
vorced.
To CURE AND SMOKE BAc.jt._At tin
season of Ihe year, ail onr farmers are
preparing 10 salt their hams and ba
con, so we propose to give tbem art
celpt *vHereby salting arid smoking csn
be done in one simple and short prorvus
Many of our housewvies are forced to
depend upon their neighbors for conve
niences to smoke wi'h. These of us who
own smoke houses know how dlffi'-u.t
it is to smoke just right. Bv lh
process all trouble is avoided. Take
targe sized butter-firkin, cask t-r bar
rel, according lo the quantity of meat
you desire to smoke. Place it over a fir.
of corn cobs with the corn on. Meet
smoked in this way is higher flavored,
the oora seem log to produce a tet< r
taste than coba, or wood, or green ws.
nuta. Let lhe tub smoke from five j,,
six hours. To one hundred pounds ot
meat take eight pounds of sail, two
pounds of coarse brown sngor, or tlm.
pints of molasses, aud two ounces mi;
petre. Ruballttlefine salt Into the ham,
and shoulders, then put th meat it
the Btnoked tub, cover it wall water
turn In the salt, sugar and saltpetr-'
cover closely, and set In a cool place
where it will not freeze. If a scum ri-. .
on the brine turn it off, ? aid and add a
little more salt, ir d sired to keep
through the summer, in be early spring
smoke the tub three hours 1 •nger, put
back the meat acd turn on ihe t'r
when cold.
lu a month after pickling, the bams
will be ready for us*. They can be kc p:
in the brine all summer, and if a ham i
cut, return It to the tnb f.r further use.
Beef and tongues can be kept In the
same manner, and there Is no damp-r
from insects. In six or seven weeks the
beef is packed and smoked enough t ,
dry. This is the surest and inostexpe
ditious way ofsalting and smoking pork
and beef, and if once tried will alw-f, -
i be adopted.
DISTANCES AT 081-HAUDS.—Much u.v
cusslon has taken place in relation to 11.
proper distances apart to set apple tre.--
, in orchards. Many western farmer*
prefer placing tbem near together a* a
■ protection from cold winds, and fifteen
. and twenty feet have been recommended.
t This close planting has proved the va is.
, of shelter, and while the trees re young
, a larger amount of fruit is obtained fron,
an acre. But when the trees become
t larger and older these advantages in a
1 great measure disappear. It is therefore
g proposed to thiu them out by succc
sively removing the supernumeraries,
until double distance is obtained. Thus
the shelter and larger crops are ob
j tained in the earlier yean of the
orchard, and more space and light
" when it becomes older. The dis
] advantages are, the greater difficulty
' of cultivating, snd greater exhausts'/:.
2 of the soil. We observe a statement ol
~ J. Bennington, of Macon, Michigan, in
B the Weetcrn Ilural , that he has orch
ards set out twenty years ago, which
have so crowded each other that the
" fruit has become small and slanted, and
. be is thinning the trees out. But they
, are not so good in form, nor will the.
probably become nearly *o perfect anil
• symmetrical as If-set out thirty or thirt y
five feet apart and allowed to grow and
- develop under full exposure to light ami
p air. But where shelter is u necessity, it
i may nevertheless be best to set thick at
- first unless timber belts are employed
> to B-recn the young trees from fierce
1 winds.— Country Gentleman.
COMI'OST HEAPS.—IT is often recotn
-3 mended that when manure is thrown
r into heaps in a field it should be covered
with a layer of earth to prevent the es
cape of the ammonia. The experiment
, of Dr. Yoeleker. at the royal agr.ciiltn-
J, ral college at Cirenceetefi in England,
have established the fact that the evapo
ration of ammonia from large heaps of
manure, goes on but siightiv; for the
'2 reason that during the composition of
'* manure,certain organicacids are formed
' at the same tune theammonie. isevolved
and then immediately unite with the
ammonia, forming non-volatile com
" pounds. There is an active escape
. of ammonia from the interior of largs
2, heaps, where the beat is too great for
' the chemical changes above referred
® to; but as it approaches the exterior
parts of the heaps, where the beat is
2 very much less, the ammonia is com
pletely taken up by the organie acids
,? and retained. There will be but a
trilling escape of ammonia while there
is sufficient moisture to retain it, for
t r water absorbs and retains many huu
-8 dred times the bulk of ammonia "gas at
the ordinary temperatares. These non
; volatile compounds, from being highly
" soluble in water, are liable to be washed
away by every rain storm, giving the
6 well-known brown color to the drain
ing?) of manure heaps.— American Ag
p rieultnri&t.
8 ■
R WHAT FOWLS TO KKKl\—'The choice
of breeds is so much a matter of fancy,
p that one can hardly advise another
. about them without a long dissertation,
j Brabmas are good layers, sitters tul
t mothers and are great" favorites; hehvy
i fowls, active, but will not fly; flesh good.
1 Light Brabams are not very expensive
e dark now,are qnite so. White Leghorn
r are presistent layers, do not sit, fly like
3 pigeons; very pretty, nice, economical
, fowls. OI French fowls,select Houdans,
which are good sized, speckled, homely
j fowls, presistent layers, and hardy; ex
t cellent lor the table." If you must beeco
t nomical, buy two trios of the breed you
prefer, and a lot of common fowls, se
j lee ing light colored, large bodied, feath
er-legged pullets, .next spring save the
B your pure pullets, ,and you will stock
your yard with forty or fifty fowls with
' little expense. Should you wish a breed
of more fancy fowls, "you have your
s choice among Polands of various colors,
, llamburgs, etc., which are great layers:
( Cochins, which are not superior to Brah
mas; Black Spanish,which lay the hand-
J somesteggs laid by any fowl, and many
of tbem, are very beautiful, but delicate,
as are also the Creve Cueurs and La
. Fleche breeds, which excel most others
' as layers and table fowl.— American An-
I rieultraHst.
J A little girl got to school in Dan
. bury, Connecticut, the other morning
just as it commenced, and her teach*:
[ said' "You are just in time, Sussie."
Then, turning to the otherschollars, she
j asked, "ID time for what children?" A
, hand went up. and au intelligent boy
i thus signified be had solved the pro-
Mem. "Well, Thomas, just in time for
what?" "Lanigan's ball 1" shouted the
[ promising youth.
\ A lady made a call upon a friend who
, had recently been married. When ber
husband came to dinner she said : "I
have been to see Mrs. ." "Well,
replied tho husband, "I suppose she is
very happy." "Happy! Well. I should
: think she' ought to be; she has n
j camel's-halr shawl, two-thirds border."