Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-21

s,oess of CONGRESS ourh, not to be distrnst1a 10
either case yet It is worthy OF ooservauon' t'a' ~.
mode which requires immediate iao'i'Y fa,' Ia
n;shes guard IN itself ngsns abuse by 'ne u
nrlnh,e check which furnishes upon issues otyoho
The means OF converting INTO coin. "a
h,i.f SYNOPSIS OF The foregoing stiten'ents aho
~,.,;o,. IN relation 10 the deficiency ot means 70
meet III, ordinary expenses oil Government curing
Tho ,orrsnt and next fiscal year, may De ase'ui
re- extend mr. the loan whch becomes que iS' Jan"
~ 1915 lis amour, tS5 1885 So may De Pro''oeu
for. . - ,;ol,s ,or,
Co.. n,rcnl,rly lea and cctee, and, by the o'her
means suggested in tbs report, an aou'.'on may "
made I, the revenue, OF between tour ana hNe :" i'
&c dollars E,matIng this at four millions i've nun
dred thousand d,lits there VIII be lett y oe p'osoeu
d. f,,r millions five hundred thousand dollars, anu
The outstanding Treasury notes, amounting 10 'oe
more than four millions SIX hundred Thousand ooi'ats
rh-se two items, amounting IN the whoie, 70 "'"e ~
Lions one hundred thousand dollars, might oe suPpieu
h, continuation of the act OF March 5, lc43, (pfo-
yIding for the of Treasury notes. WIN con
1inpen, authority to fund into stock,) wncn Is NM
ed 10 the ls of July, l54l, ana oy eSehuhe ~ % % ~
;ncl,de the anticipated deficiency OF Jour miohs hve
hundred thousand dollars, such portion OF II, as II
NAV be found expedent, TO meet IN TINS manner ny
,hs nm increase OF the permanent public debt may be
avoided and any reduction OF expenditures OF increase
nc revenue thai nav take place, will enable 'he De-
n,-,me nj TO redeem portion Of this floating debt
For this reason, if for no other 1t - aoVsaoie' ta'
,b;s norton of eur debt should be kept IN suc coho-
At 4 IN redeemed
discretion as TO the OF interest on the treasury
NOES 10 be issued be abrogated, or should the ant
1ity TO purchase them on presentation De wi'nheip,
which would be equivalent TO direction that interest
h, hc Maid mt all events, then it will be necessary 10
add 10 the estimated deficiency, for the services OF Inc
ne,, fiscal year. at least four hundred and MY 1hou-
sand dollars. a.. :.
There are some Subjects to which il seems duty 10
invite the attention OF Congress, before Closing 'S i
To p-event illegal mpott,tions on our southwestern
frontier rs well afford the proper iacii.es 10
traders who NAV wish 10 bring merchaho Sc III lal u
ree,ion i, would be advisable that port OF enfy
should b, established in ,hct quarter Inc town OF III
coincidence in Missouri has been suggested as gooo
Rv the existing law an appeal TO the Supreme Court
cannot be made from the DECISION oil Circuit Cour'
in cases involving the amount of duty that may De ie-
Wed on imported merchandise, because the amount IN
controversy in the particular case never exceeds the
prescribed limit. The courtesy OF The Judges some
times induces them TO disagree IN iorm IN order - 90
tain the opinion Of The Supreme Court But IL ire
o,env happens that only Judge holds the Court,
and il would seem that the Government ought not to
be indebted the courtesy OF any officer tor the op
portunity of correcting what may be an erroneous
constrpcton of its revenue laws. The princip'e
which prescrbes limitation of the value of the sub
;ect in controversy in civil suits to ent'le party to
an appeal is believed not 10 DE applicable 10 ques-
lions of revenue, when the decision OF particular
case NAV and often does, involve hundreds OF thou
sands OF dollars; ADD is submitted, that IN all snch
cases the United should have the right OF aP
peal, of course, but that the costs consequent upon
such proceeding SHOULD not IN any event be charged
upon the opposite party
n,a.,ice has prevailed of allowing the compen
salon OF clerks employed in the custom houses to DC
paid out OF the revenue IN cases where the ices were
not deemed adequate 10 obtain the necessary number
Believing this practice unwaranted by law, and being
confirmed in that view by The opinion of the Attorney
General it has been abolished. There are probably
cases. however, where legislative provisions Will be ne
cessay procure the proper assistance to the collectors
and naval officers
men u.s. and for years has BEEN wholly inadequate 10 II
purpose. Seamen being from their pursuits usual.
unable share in the general provision for the dest'
tue and having contributed to this fund hat the Law
demands claim lis benefits, without knowing or refer
ring TO its amount the legal restraints upon thos
charged with its administration. All efforts to proven
the expenditure exceeding the means provided. hav
heretofore been nnavailing and there is constantly
balance against the fund.- which supplied by appro
prations from the Treasury. To increase the amour
demanded from them would be odious, it not onerous
BY the act of March l, l543 the laws requiring cor
iribu.ons 10 this fund extended to the ownerS
registered vessels 1t submitted whether this priG
e.r,s mgm 9es is provision, with thu, areud
suggested Of npproprang to the same purpose the dis
crimuating tonnage duty, would probably furnish tn
relief which humanity we'll policy dictates shout
be extended 10 class of men proverb'aly mpfovden
but yet identified with the power aud prosperity of th
country
The condition of the marine preventive servc
against Smuggling has been materially improved, Will
wholesome economy has been preserved II will b
the subiec. of special report
The llght-house establishment will also be the sub
iecl Of future communication to Congress. Report
from the Commissioner of the Land Office, and fror
the Solicitor of the Treasury, respecting suits an
prosecutions in behalf of the Government, will also
submitted
Il affords great pleasure to state there has been
o
CUSTOMS the receivers Of public moneys, any othe
officer agent charged with the receipt or depose
the public funds. The which collectors and re
cevers are permitted TO retain in their hands, hav
been limited to the very lowest amount the public
vice would allow, while they have been required to d.
posite the surplus Immediately in the institutions de
signed for that purpose.
A rigid adherence tt these regulations is maintain
ed by Of constant watchfulness of their &C
counts lst Of the repositories selected by tn
Treasury accompanies this report. The terms o
which they employed are the tn ose settle
1888, and promul I'd in the circular of the Secrc
ary Of the Treasury the 9th day Of October, in ,ha
year few Of them merely received the public mo
neys in special deposit Ii IS bnt act of justice
say, that they have ia thfully fu filled all their engage
mens, have transferred the funds required wiihou
expense TO the Government, and have promptly me
all drafts upon them.
am unwilling t, omit the opportunity of invitin
the attention of Congress The multitude and FIRE
quency Of oats prescribed system Of collecting
the revenue. Custom House oath has become by
word II describe IN unmeonng ceremony, and it i
doubted whether il is felt Us imposing obligation
equal 10 that of simple affirmation. II is not per
ceived why the same penalties may not be inflicted
for the w,lful fasehood OF declaration in wftn!
which might be substituted in most for the ire
weren't invocation OF The Supreme Beng a bare al
fusion to the subject, it hoped Will be suicicn, Il
induce that consideration Of 1t TO which it may be en-
titled. Respectfully,
JOHN C. SPENCER,
Secretary Of tie Treasury.
To the Hon. WILLIE p. M,NGuM,
President Of The Sc tc.
alabama State Conreuion-We have not received