Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1844-01-13

menus ana suggestions IN relation TO the
dencency OF means 10 meet the,ordinary
expenses of Government during the cur.
rent and the next fiscal year may be useful
by extending the loan which becomes due
lst January, le45, its amount (s5,672
976 49, may be provided for.
By raising Of light money, by duty on
articles now free, particularly tea and cof.
fee, and by the other means suggested in
this report, an addition may be made to
the revenue Of between four and five mil.
lions Of dollars. Estimating this at four
millions FIVE hundred thousand dullars.
there will he left to be provided for four
millions FIVE hundred thousand dollars, and
the outstanding Treasury notes, amounting
to little more than four millions six hun
drcd thousand dollars. These two items,
amounting in the whole 10 nine millions
one hundred thousand dollars, might be-
supplied by continuation If the act of
March 81, ls43, providing for the reissue
Of Treasury notes. with 4 contingent au-
,hority to fund into a stock.1 which is
limited to the lst Of July 1914. and BY
extending it 50 as to include the anticpa.
ted deficiency Of four millions FIVE hundred
thousand dollars, or such portion of it as
it may be found expcdient to meet in this
manner. By this an increase of the per.
manent public debt may be avoided, and
any reduction Of expenditures or increase
OF revenue that may take place will enable
the Department TO redeem a portion of
this floating debt. For this reason, if for
no other, il is advisable that this portion Of
our debt should be kept in such condition
that It may he redeemed al pleasure
Should the discretion as 10 the rate of in
terest on the Treasury notes to be issued.
be abrogated, or should the authority TO
purchase them on presentation be with
held, which would be equivalent to di.
rectlon that interest shall be paid at all
events, then it will be necessary to add To
the estimated deficiency for the service Of
the next fiscal year at least four hundred
and fifty thousand dollars.
There are some subjects to which il
seems duty to invite the attention of
Congress, before closing this report
To prevent illegal imporlations on our
southwestern frontier as well as to afford
the proper facilities to traders who may
wish to bring merchandise il that quarter.
The town Of Independence. in Missouri,
hasbcen suggested as a good position.
By the existing law an appeal to the
Supreme Court cannot be made from the
decision of a Circuit Court in cases in.
voIving the am punt of duty that may be
levied on imported merchandise, because
the-amount in controversy in the particular
case-exceeds the prescribed limit. The
courtesy of the judges sometimes induces
them to disagree in FORM in order TO OBJ
tain the opinion of the Supreme Court.
But It frequently happens that only che
Judge holds the court, and it would seem
that the Government ought not to be in.
debted TO the courtesy Of any officer for
the opportunity of correcting what may be |
an erroneous construction of its revenue
laws. The principle which prescribes
limitation Of the value Of the subject IN con.
,roversy in civil snits to enttle party to
an appeal, is believed not to be applicable |
10 questions of revenue, when the decision
of particular case may and often does
involve hundreds of thousands Of dollars;
and it is submitted that in all such cases
the United States should have the right of
appeal, Of course, but that the costs conse- |
quent upon such proceeding should not in |
any event be charged upon the opposite
party.
A practice has prevailed Of allowing the |
compensation of clerks employed in the |
custom houses to be paid out of The revenue.
in cases where the fees were MOI deemed
adequate TO obtain the necessary number. |
Believing this practice unwarrantcd bv |
law, and being confirmed in that view bv !
the opinion Of the Attorney General, it has |
been abolished. There are probably cases.
however, where legislative provision will
be necessary to procure the proper assist
ance to the collectors and naval officers.
The provisions for the relief Of sick and !
disabled seamen is. and for years has been.
wholly inadequate in its purpose. Seamen.
being from their pursuits usually unable 10
share in the general provision for the des-
titute, and having contributed to this fund !
what the law demands, claim its benefits. |
without knowing or referring its amount !
or TO the legal restraints upon those charged |
with its administration. All efforts to pre-. |
vent the expenditure exceeding the means
provided have heretofore been unavaing. |
and there is constantly a balance against |
the fund, which is supplied by appropria-
tons from the Treasury. To increase the
amount demanded from them would be
odous, if not onerous. By the act of
March |, lS43, the laws requiring contri-
buttons to this fund are extended 10 the
OWNERS Of registered vessels 1t is sub
miucd whether this principle might not
with great prnpriety be still further cx-
tended to the owners of all vessels, in the
form of either monthly or yearly contribu-
tons, graduated by the tonnage of the