Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-04-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To The Senate and House of
Representatives ofthe u. S!GteS:

To The Senate and House of
Representatives ofthe u. States:
Notwithstanding the urgency with
which | have on more than one occa
sion felt it my dutyto press upon Con-
gress the necessity Of providing The Go
. Vernment with the means of discharg
D ing its debts and maintaining invioIalt
> the public faith, the increasing embar
+ easements Of The Treasury impose upon
; me the indispensable obligation of again
inviting your most serious attention &
the condition of the finances. Fortu-
naeIy for myself, in thus bringing this
important subject TO your view, for de-
Iiberate and comprehensive examination
in all its bearings, and, may add, for q
final adjustment Of it, to the common
advantage Of tho whole Union, am
permitted 10 approach it with perfect
freedom and candor. As few of the bur.
dens for which provision is now requi'
red to be made have been brought upon
the country curing my short admins
traiion Of its affairs, have neither mo
tive nor wish TO make it a matter Of
elimination against any Of my prede-
cessors. | am disposed 10 regard, as |
am bound TO treat them, dS facts, which
cannot now be undone, and as deeply
interesting to us all, and equally impo-
sing upon all the most solemn duties;
and the only use | would mako Of the
errors OF the past is, by careful exam.
ination Of their causes and character, 10
tavoid if possible the repitilion OF them
IN future. The condition of the country
indeed, Is such us may we'll arrest the
conflict Of parties. The conviction
seems at length 10 have made its way
to the minds Of all, that the dispropor-
ton between the public responsibilities,
and the means provided for meeting
them is no casual or transient evil. 1t
is, on the contrary, one which for some
years to come, notwithstanding a resort
10 all reasonable retrenchmens. and the
constant progress ofthe country in pop.
uIaIion and productive power, must con
tinue to increase under existing laws,
unless we consent TO give up or impnr
all our dolences in war and peace. But
this is a thought which, | am persuaded
no patriotic mind would for q moment
entertain, Without affecting an alarm
which | do not feel in regard to our for
egn relations, it may safely DO affirmed
they are in state too critical and in
voIVe too many momen,ous issues to
permit US to neglect in the least, much
less to abandon entirely, those means Of
asserting our rights, without which ne
gotlation is without dignity and peace
without security.
10 the Report Of the Secretary Of tho
Treasury, submitted TO Congress at the
commencement Of the present session,
It is estimated that, aftor eXhauslng all
tho probable resourcee Of the year, there
will remain o deficit Of about fourteen
millions Of dollars. With a view partly
to a permanent system Of revenue, and
partly TO immediate relief from actual
embarrassment, that officer recommend
cd, together with plan for establishing
a Government ExcheQuer, some expe-
dients Of moro temporary character,
VIZ, the issuing of Treasury notes, and
tho extension Of tho time for which the
loan authorized TO be negotiated by the
act Of the last session should DO taken.
Congress- accordingly provided for an
issue of Treasury notes to the amount of
S5 100000, but subject to the condition
that they should not DO paid away bo.
low par,
No measure connected with tho last
OF the two objects above mentioned was
introduced until recently into The House
of Representatives Should the loan
bill now pending before that body pass
into law, for It's present amount, there
would still remain deficit Of about
$2,5OO,OO0, 1t requires no argument
to show thar such a condition Of the
Treasury is incompatible not only with
a high state Of public credit, but with
any thing approaching TO efficiency in
the conduct of public affairs. II must
be obvious even 10 the most ineXperlen
ced minds, that, to say nothing Of any
particular exigency, actual or imminent,
there should be at all times in the Trea
sury Of a great nation, with view 10
contingencies Of ordinary occurrence,
surplus at least equal in amount TO the
above deficiency. But that deficiency
serious as it would be in ITSELF will, Il
am compelled to say, rather be increa-
sod than diminished, without the sdop-
Iion Of measures adequate to meet the
evil at once. The sIagnatIon Of trade
aud business, in somo degree incident to
the arrangement OF the national fnan-
ces, and tho state Of the revenue laws,
holds out but little prospect of relief in
the ordinary course Of things for somo
timc 10 come.
Under such circumstances am deep.
ly impressed with the necessity Of meet.
ing the crisis with vigor and decision
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