Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-12-08


able augmentation in the consumption or lmpor-
tation Of foreign articles. g. m
The imports during the year ending sept. 3O,
1894. are estimated in value at Sl23 O93, 3ol, pc
ing, compared with the proceeding year an IN,
crease Of $14, 10l SAL. Those ourihs lle u
nast wears have on an average been about SILL
03s. l42. o,.;
The Exports, during the same year. are estl.
mated Al Se6. ais 724; Of which $74 444, 429 were
in domestic, and 1922, S74, 295 in foreign prooucls
being compared with the proceeding year, an IN
crease of So $685. 32l; of which $3,eoS' sSS were III
foreign products. The average e eop 10 soo.
ring the last years have been about Ssl, ls,oSo;
of which 500. 4O7, 976 are the average IN articies
of domestic products, and ll,7l4 I'd those
It will thus be seen, that the imports OF the last
wear varied in amount SIP, 0o5: 2O9, from the
average OF the past years, ana NOSE paying !,
duties are believed to have varied much less; ~
is therefore, in connexion WIN tiie ,In. .ho
fore named, considered sale 10 lhler, 1ia' ue
imports of the ensuing year may not diner ma
terialy from that average. Should tney NOT
en- differ. the revenue from customs Will prooa.
bly correspond in substance win tnat oi ,le pas
wear except SO far as it may be changed oy the
whole amount of all the importatlohs "heh GULF
pared with the above average
inc duty. for aught which is known will probably
| he similar. and the rate of duties on them VIII
not. by existing laws, be essentially altered I'LL
the 3lst of Dec, A. d. 1888; ,.r.
The revenue from the sale oil PuDiic Lahos'
| has been estimated at hall miliion more
| than the amount it was estimated lot the cuI
rent wear. and one million more than the amount
| for 1888.
This estimate would have been made still lar
ger had not the sales of the Chichasaw lands
which will probably exceed half million OF
dollars, been pledged by treaty to other purpo-
ses, and not to the general revenue OF Inc 'oV-
eminent. A..
facts of the progressive increase for some time
evinced: the sum actually received during the
past year; the great quantity of new and salea-
bile lands coming into market the enlarged de-
mand for them to satisfy the necessary wants OF
our growing population, and OF the emigrants
from Europe, and the high prices which their
produce fortunately obtains both at nome ana
abroad.
The revenue from Bank Dividends has beene s-
timated at somewhat less than heretofore, IN
consequence Of the sales Of our Bank stock un-
der the act of July 10th 1882, for the investment
of the accruing income of the Navy PENSION
and Hospital Funds having already amounted
to $685. 500, and on which the Treasury can
now receive no dividends applicable to general
purposes. II might perhaps be advisable to de-
duct still further sum to meet any contingency
like that of the present year. in which the U. ..
| Bank, without the consent of this Department.
or the sanction Of Congress, and without any
forewarning Of its intention, seized on about
$40 04l of the estimated revenue from thls
source and has since withheld 1t from the pupnc
Treasury
Comics Of the opinions Of the Attorney Gene
raj. and the whole correspondence on this sub
iect between the department and the Bank occur
ring previously TO the request for these opin-
ions, are annexed, for the consideration and &C
ton of Congress. Itmay be properto add, that
within a few days new communication IN re-
lation to this transaction, has been received
from the Bank, and when reply is hnlshed,
both will be submitted, if desired.
No foundation appears to have existed in ldD
or equity for the great claim of damages made
by the Bank on account of the protest OF what
has been called, in common parance, the Dill OF
exchange, drawn on the French Government by
this Department 1t is believed that the bill,
when protested, ought, by our agents abroad,
had they acted with due regard towards
their principal, to have been taken up for the
credit of that principal, which was the United
States, rather than for the credit OF the Bank;
or. at the farthest if similar and conflicting re-
lations existed between them and the Bank, they
should have pursued the equitable course OF Ia
king it up for the credit Of both the United
States and the Bank, or the more liberal one OF
giving the preference to the Government which
was the drawer; and in either of these events,
no room for difficulty, by this extraordinary
claim, would probably have been left But as
these agents preferred different course, there
by Justly impairing the further confidence OF the
Government in their discretion, it would seem
that the Bank in the next place, having long
been the general fiscal agent ofthe Government,
and the primary one in Importance, should have
returned the bill, and made no charge against
its principal, the United States, except for the
actual advances, and the actual costs and ex-
penses it had incurred in the transaction The
actual advances, by the Bank, when the bill was
originally received, had only been matter of
form, and were nothing. The money, in fact
never belonged TO this Department, except in
trust for the merchants, or their widows and Or
phans, who had suffered by French spoliations
and a sum exceeding the whole amount of it ha-
wing been left in the Bank and its branches and
no part Of the money having ever been brought
into the Treasury by warrant, it was immediate
ly, on notice OF the protest restored in form, and
a willingness was expressed to make remnnera-
ton to the Bank for all reasonable costs and
expenses. But the temptation of an opportu-
nifty to obtain more from its principal, by no