Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-12-26
THE PRESIDENTS MEssAGE-No. III.

THE PRESIDENTS MESsAGE-No. III.
Nearly three-fourths OF the Annual Message hav-
ing been given up to defence of the Mexican War,
and an exposition Of the Presidents views of the
remote causes, as well as of the immediate origin,
of this War, and having in the two preceding num-
bers reviewed the last branch of this division of the
Message, we pass by the first for the time, though
il would, under other circumstances than the pre-
sent deserve particular examination both Of its
facts and its differences. OF the latter we will here
stop to notice only one. Speaking of President
JAcKsoN's Recommendation TO Congress in Febru-
airy, 1887, to issue letters Of marque and reprsa
against Mexico, the President seems to understand
that both Houses Of Congress fully sustained
the views of Gen. JACKSON to the character OF
Ne wrongs which we had suffered from Mexico,
and that " no difference Of opinion on the subject
is believed to have existed in Congress at the time =
of these solemn proceedings" Now, we protest
against any such distortion of history as this.
These solemn proceedings Of Congress consisted
in doing what! In the determination by the
committee of the Senate that no regard should be
paid to the Presidents recommendation, in which
conclusion the Senate unanimously concurred,
as did the House Of Representatives in similar
conclusion of their committee so that it is in
one sense strictly true, as the President says,
that on the subject of this recommendation of Re-
sprisas "no difference Of opinion existed in Con-
gress at the time The committees of the two
Houses made reports, indeed, probably intended to
tran0pillize the last hours of President JACKSON 5
official life, which reports recommended that, in
stead OF any such measure as the General had pro-
posed, another application should be made to
Mexico Tor the adjustment ofthese claims. The APP
pcsaion was made accordingly under the admins
traiiop Of Mr.. VAN buren,, and the result reported
TO Congress by him, with an intimation that he left
il TO them to take redress into their own hands, if
they thought the occasion required it. Even this
IA oil President VAN buren, was rather an act
urtesy towards his " illustrious predecessor
hose !" footsteps he had declared his intention
# SLOW, than an indication of any opinion of his
IA WAR against Mexico, upon such pretences,
aud be either wise or honorable. We do not be-
ssieye that he entertained any such opinion. We
are sure, indeed, that he did not, though possibly
some Of the persons about him might have done so
Perhaps he had no ambition of military fame, al
the expense of his country's peace and prosperity
Congress, at least, seem to have understood him
:sFshes took no advantage of his polite dsrsr-rrs
IN returning the subject to them TO determine the
time, the mode, and the measure of redress"
Having indicated the truth of history in this
particular, turn TO the two subjects, necessarily
treated Of in connexion, which occupy nearly the
whole Of the remainder of the Presidents Message
THE FINANCES AND THE TARIFF.
The management of the Public Revenue, which
was represented, in the Inaugural Address of for
mer President OF the United States as that search.
iDg operation in all Governments an idea which
however novel when announced, was fully real
lied by his successor, who had been scarcely
six months in office before the condition Of the
Treasury became such that Diogenes with his lam
tern could not after the most dligent search have
found in it a dollar to swear by, any than he
found an honest man in Athens-will, if we mistake
not be found TO be more searching" operation
than ever, should the war now unhappily existing
be prolonged for year or two longer as the Pre-
sident in the course of his financial recommends
tons, seems to intimate that it may.
The Message of the President and the Annual
Report of the Treasury Department-which is also
now before the Public-exhibit the error, so CON-
mon of late years, of ouer-stating the means and
under-stating the expenditures of the Government.
The Message presumes that Loan of twenty three
millions of dollars WILL in the present prospects OF
the Treasury, be sufficient to carry on the Govern
ment, with its war expenditure, TO the end of the
next fiscal year, which will be on the 10th OF June,
ls4s This estimate being founded on the Report
from the Secretary of the Treasury is necessary
to resort to that document for the particulars out Of
which this general result is made up. Turning,
therefore, from the Message to the Treasury Re-
port we find that the means Of the Treasury are
estimated follows:
For the year ending June 3OM, ls47
Revenue from Customs. ............ s27 sas 7al
from sales Oh Lands. .............. 3,4O0 600
miscellaneous ................... loo, 900
Total. .............. S3l 1885, 73l
For the year ending June 3Ot, ls4s.
From Customs. .......................S 2S 900 900
From Lands. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 5000, 900
Miscellaneous ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 100, 900