Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-01-09

otuCl piONlSlOIS ulduC W IdlSC tHOICy.
He advises Congress to impose duty of
25 per cent. on tea and coffee, now admit.
ted free of duty, from which he estimates
that S2,500,00O would be collected. He
recommends that this duty shall take ef-
feet from the first of January next He
also recommends that the price of the pub
lie lands shall be graduated to the time that
| they have been in the market, and thinks
that if a graduation bill in the form in
which it passed the Senate on its return
| from the House during the last session of
Congress, should become law, it would
increase the revenue from the public lands
from half million to million of dollars
per annum; and, if adopted, together with
the proposed duty on tea and coffee, the
'oans required for the support of the Gov
eminent might be safely reduced to $751;
100000.
! He proceeds to consideration of the
Sub Treasury bill. which he says is defect
i've in some of its details, as no appropria.
tons are made for the payment of sundry
officers without whose services the beauli-
full system cannot work properly. The
powers of the department in relation TO
that portion of the public moneys paid in
| u.
The payments necessary to be made in
several parts of Mexico are now not easily
made. The object to be gained is not to
circulate paper among the troops, "but to
facilitate the obtaining and transferring
specie there for circulation through the
operations of foreign exchange" In con-
nection with this subject, it is recommend
ed that branch mint shall be established
in New York. The best course for Con-
gress to pursue in relation to the clumsy
Sub-Treasury is not advised by the Secre.
tary, which is to repeal the continuance at
once and thus get clear of the difficulties
it continually presents.
The Secretary then straddles his hobby,
the tariff. We shall not at present under
take to follow him in what he says on the
subject.
He thinks that some augmentation Of the
revenue might be produced by removing
several restrictions in the presumption law
and especially by extending its provisions
to the unsurveyed lands to which the Indian
title has been extinguished, as well as from
the sale of that portion of the public lands
containing copper and other ores. He says
that if Congress, at an early period of the
present session, would impose the proposed
duty on tea and coffee, reduce and graduate
the price of the public lands in favor of
settlers and cultivators, extend the pre-
emption system TO the unsurveyed lands to
which the Indian title has been extinguish-
ed, and authorize the sale of that portion of
the public lands containing copper and
other valuable ores, the loan required for
the Government might safely be reduced
from twenty three to seventeen millions Of
dollars.
! REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
NAvY.-The Mediterranean squadron has
not been continued during the last year,
1t is proposed TO revive it as soon as cir.
cumstances will permit. The station at
Mahon has been discontinued at the earnest
request of the Portuguese Government, and
measures are in progress for the removal of
the public stores from that place. The East
India squadron, consisting of the Colum-
bus "A, and the sloop Vincennes, is sup
posed to have sailed for Japan and Kams.
katka, in the month of May or June last
and TO have returned to Macao about this
time. They will probably commence their
homeward cruise via the North Pacific in
January or February. Orders were sen,
to Commodore Biddle in January last to
proceed to the west coast Of Mexico, and
assume command of the squadron there.
No acknowledgment of the receipt of them
has been received at the Department. The
Brazil squadron consists of the frigate Co
lumbia, Commander Richie, and the brig
cambridge, Lieut.. commanding Penning-
ton, under Commodore Rosseau.
The African squadron consists of the fri
gate United States, the sloop Marion, brgs
Dolphin and Boxer, and store ship South
ampton, 90 guns in all. A full and inter-
esting narrative Isl given of the operations
Of the Pacific squadron since the war, both
under Com. Sloat and Com. Stockton, and
: copies are annexed of the official reports
of these officers. The squadron now con.
sists of the Savannah and the Congress
, frigates; the sloops Portsmouth, Levant
, Warren and Cyane; schooner Shark and
store ship Erie. The Race Independence
is on her way out with Com. Shubrck
who will on his arrival assume command
f and the sloop Preble has sailed for the
. same destination. The doings of the home
! squadron are also fully narrated, and copie.
, annexed of the official reports of Com
{ Conner'in reference to the blockade. the de
signs on Avarado, the affair at Tabasco
\ and the taking of Tampico. Full justice
s is done to the commanders of both squad
! rons, in whom the confidence of the de
: partment seems undated. Extracts from
the instructions under which they acted
!, show also a disposition on the part of the
. Government to avoid all collisions will