The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-12-23

p . a = = :.
you that the claims of our citizens uper
the late Republic of Colombia have! NO
yet been satisfied by the separate Gov
ernments into which it has been resolved
The charge d'affairs of Brazil having
expressed intention of his Government
not to prolong the treaty of 1928, it will
cease to be obligatory upon either party
on the 18th day Of December, 1s41
when the extensive commercial inter.
course between the u, States and that
vast empire will no longer be regulated
by express stipulations. ,,.',.{.:e :
1t affords me pleasure to communicate
to you that the Government of Chill has
entered into an agreement to Indemnify
the claimants in the case of the Macedo.
nian, for American property seized in
1919; and to add, that information has
also been received which justifies the hope
of an early adjustment of the remaining
claims upon that Government. ,:.>1>'.'
The commissioners appointed in pur.
suance of the convention between the
United States and Texas. for'naking the
boundary between them; have, according
to the best report received from our com
missioner, surveyed and, established, the
whole extent of the boundary north along
the western bank of the Sabine river,
from its entrance into the Gulf of Mexi-
co to the thirty-sccond degree Of north
latitude. The commission adjourned ON
the 10th of June last, 70 reassemble on
the lst November, fer tie purpose of es-
tablishing accurately the intersection Of
the thirty-second degree Of latitude with
the western bank, of the Sabine, and the
meridian line thence to Red river. 1t is
presumed that the work will be- conclu-
dcd in the present sass1h. ""n [:"zs 80
The present sound caildition of their
finances, and the success with which en-
barrassments in regard TO them, at times
insllnlointable,,@ have been
overcome, are matters upon which the
people and Gnyerpmant pf, the: United
States may we'll congratulate themselves.
An overfowing treasury, howeyer it may
be regarded as an evidence Of. public;
prosperity, is seldom conducive, to- the
permanent welfare of any peoples; and
experience has, demonstrated its incom-
patibility with the salulary action OF politl.
cal Institutions like those OF the United
States. Our safest reliance EfDrffinanciai
efficiency and independence has, on the
contrary, been found toIcohsist lin ample
resources unerc,iTnbcred with debt; and,
in this respect, the Pe:Ie1af Government
occupies SingniarIy fortunate and truly
enviable position. -,
When | entered upon the discharge of
my official duties in March, 1887, the
act for the distribution of the surplus re-
venue was in course of rapid execution.
Nearly twenty-elght millions Of dollars Of
the public moneys were, in pursuance OF
its provisions, deposited with the States in
the months of January, April, and July,
of that year. In may there occurred a
general suspension of specie payments
by the banks, including, wlthovery few
exceptions, those in winch the publicimo-
neys were deposited, aud upon whose fl
deity the Government had unfortunately
made itself dependent for the revenues
which had been collected from the people,
and were indispensable to the public ser
vice. This suspension, and the excesses
in banking and commerce out of which It
arose, and which were greatly aggravated
by its occurrence, made, to a great ex-
tent, unavailable the principal part Of the
public money then on hand; suspended
the collection Of many millions accruing
on merchants bonds; and greatly reduced
revenue arising from customs and the pub.
lie lands. These effects have continued
to operate, in various degrees, to the pre-;
sent period; and. N addition to the de-
crease inthc ravenue: thus. produced, two
and half mllii6ns of duties have been
relinquished by two biennial reductions
under the act Of 1888, and probably as
much more upon the importation OF iron
for railroads, by special legislation. 49, ~.
Whilst such has been our condition for
the last four years in relation to revenue,
we have, during The same period, been
subjected to an unavoidable continuance
of large extraordinary expenses necessa.
rily growing out of past transactions, and
which could not be iinmediatel arrested
n,;tbou3 rrest- nraiudice TO the public in