Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-01-02

made for those claims of citizens OF the United
State. which arose from captures by Columbian
n.ivatcers. and were adiudged against the claimants
h the judicial tribunals. This decision will com
pel the United States TO apply to the several Go.
y-rnmcnts formerly united for redress. With ell
these-New Greneda, Venezuela, aud Ecuador, q
perfectly good understanding exists. Our treaty
with Venezuela is faithfully carried into execution
and that country, IN tho enjoyment Of tranquility,
10 gradually advancing in prosperity under the
guidance Of its presen, distinguished President, Ge-
neral Paez. With Ecuador. a liberal commercial
convention has lately been concluded, which will be
transmitted 10 the Senate at an early day.
With the great American Empire Of Brazil our
relations eontinue unchanged, as docs our friendly
intercourse with the other Cover bments Of South
America-the Argentine Republic, and the Repub-
lies Of Uruguay, Chill, Peru and Bolivia. The dis
solution ofthe Peru Bolivian confedeI alton may PC
casion some temporary inconvenience 10 our CHI.
zens in ihnt quarter, but the obligations on the rev
Governments which have aIisen out of That Confsd.
GRAFTON to observe its treaty .tipulaiiens, will no
doubt be soon understood, and it is presumed iha,
no indisposition viii exist TO fuifl hose which IL
contracted with the United Suites.
The financial operations Of the Government du.
ring the present year, have, am happy to say, beon
very successful. The dificuiiiss under which the
Treasury Department has iabofed from known de-
fects in the existing laws relative to the sste keep
ing Of The public moneys, aggravated by tho sns-
pension OF specie payments by several Of the banks
holding public deposites, or indebted to public III
GERS for notes received 10 payment Of public dues,
have been snsmounsed to a very gratifying extent
The large current expenditures have been puHctu-
ally met, and the faith ofihe Government in all It's
peoaniaIy concerns has been serupulously main
tanned.
The nineteen millions Of Treasury notes autho-
rized by the act Of Congress OF 1887, and the
~-~Itc..,.x. l..x. .t al a. .f.w ~ tt. ty1utaaYra
of merchants on fieir duty bonds, and Of the de-
positc banks in the payment oil public money. held
by them, have been 20 p%uactualls redeemed rs to
leave less than the original ten millions outstend-
ing al any one time, aud the whole amount unfe-
deemed now falls short Of three millions. OF these
the chief portion ia not due until next year, and the
whole would have been already txtineuished, could
the Treasury have rehlized tho payments due TO II
from The banks. If those due from them during
the next year shsll be puhctually made, and II Con.
gress shall keep the appropriations within The esti'
mates, there is every reason 20 believe that all the
outstanding Treasury notes can be be redeemed, and
the ordinary expenses betrayed, without imposing
on the people any additional harden, either vi loans
or increased taxes.
To avoid thi-. and TO keep the expenditures With
in reasonable bounds, is a duty, second only in i'm
portance to the preservation OF our national eharac
ter, and the protection Of our citizens in their civil
and political rights. The creation, ia time Of peace
Of a debt likely TO become permanent, is an evil for
which there Is no equivalent. Tue ispiJity With
which many OF the States are apparently approach
ing 10 this condition, hdmonishes us Of our own
duties 10 a manner too impressive TO be disrr gard.
I'd. Oae, not the least important, is to keep the
Federal Government always in a condition 10 dis
charge, with Ease aad vigor, is highest functions,
should their exercise be required by any sudden
conjuneiure Of public aaaits-a condition to which
We are always exposed and which may occur when
II is least expected. To this end, it Is indispensa-
Bite that its finances should be ~untrammelied, and
its resources, as far as practicable, u~nincumhered.
No circumstance could present greater obstacles to
the accomplishment OF these vitality important OBJ
Jects, than the creation of an onrfous national debt.
Our own expeiie nee, ard uaso that Of other nations,
have demonstrated The unavoidable and fearful ra.
pidity with which a public debt is increased, when
the Government has once surrendered itseIfto the
ruinous practice Of supplying its supposed neeossi.
ties by new loans. The struggle, therefore, on our
part, to be successful, must be made at the thresh-
hold. To make Our eforts effective, severe econo-
my is necessary. This Is tho surest provision for
the national weliarf; and il is. at the same time the
best preseryative Of the principles on which our in.
stitutions rest. SimF Lefty and economy in the at.
fairs of State have never failed to chasten and in
vigoraie Republican principles, while these have
been as surely subyerted by national proiigality,
under whatever speeious pretvxt, it may have been
introduced or fostered.
These considerations cannot be lost upon a peo-
pie who have never been ina.tentiye to the fleet OF
their policy upon the institutions they have crea.
ted for themselves bat al the present moment
their force is augmented by the necessity which a
decreasing revenue must impose. The cheek late
ly given 10 importaii0ns Of articles subject to duties,
the arrangements In the operations Of internal
trade, and especially the reduction gradually taking
place in our tariff ct dutes, all tend materially to
lessen our receipts; indeed ii is probable that the
diminution resulting from the last cause alone, will
not fall short of five millions Of dollars in he yeai
1912, as the final deduction Of all duties TO wenty
per cent. then takes effect. The whole revenue
Then accruing from the customs, and hom the sales
OF public lands, if not more, will undoubtedly be
wanted to defray the necessary expenses Of he Go
vernment under the most prudent administration
OF its Affairs. These are circumstances that impose
the necessity of rigid economy, and require its
prompt and constant exercise. With the, Legjsla-
iore rest the power and duty Of so adjusting the
public expenditure as TO promote this end. Bv
the provisions OF the Constitution, ii ia only in CON
sequence of appropriations made by law, that mo-
pey can be drawn FROM the Treasury no instance
has occurred since the establishment of the Go.
vcrnment in which the Elective, though 4 compo.
nent part of the Legislative POWER, has interposed
an objection to an appropriation bill on the ground
ot ITS extravogance, uis-duty in this lespect has
been considered fulfilled by requesting such nppro.
priations only as the public service may be reason.
ably expected to require. In the present earnest
direction of the public mind towards this subject,
both the Executive and The Legislature hive evi.
dence of the strict responsibility TO which they will
be held; and while | am conscious OF my own anx-
~ious efforts TO perform with fidelity this portion OF
my public functions, it il a satisfaction 10 me TO be
able TO count on a cordial Corporation from you.
AT the time | entered upon my present duiies,
our ordinary dishursements-without including
those on account of The public debt, the p~ost.ofire
and the trust funds in the charge Of the Government
had been largely increased by appropriations for
the removal Of the Indians, for rcpeling Indian
hostilIie., ard for other less urgent expenses which
grew out Of an overlooking Treasury. Independent