Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-16

law IN Angus 1885, up TO the 3Oh september last having
amounted to the very large of about forty four millions
Of dollars.
In retiring from this Department and from public life,
in which have served long with inferior abilities to many
Others but with equal socitude to promote the best interests
Of my beloved country, submit with the utmost Difference TO
the superior wisdom Of Congress my views and experience
regards the organization Of the Treasury Department Its
red and important duties with the rapid increase Of area,
business and population, scarcely be all promptly
pery peormedby any one Secretary Yet in deachng any
Of its duties from this Department the greatest must be
taken not TO impair the unity, simplicity, and efficiency Of the
SYSTEM To take from this Department its Supervision
the and finances, any Of the accounting
officers Of the Treasury, the two Comptroler the SIX Audi
tors the Treasurer, the Solicitor Register the Assistant
Treasures Collectors the marne the
vey, the mint the weights and measures the marine hosp
tails the lighthouse system, would create confusion and
be most prejudicisl to the public service.
But there important public duties, having necessary
connerion with the finances that could be most
sdvsnageousy from the Treasury and devoved upon
department Of the Government Among these are the
Land Office, land titles and surveys connected Herewith, Ii
and geological The business Of the Land Office occu-
pies very large portion Of the time OF the Secretary OF the
Treasury every day, and his duties conReced Herewith must
be greatly increased by the accession Of immense domain
in Oregon, New Mexico, and California especially in
nexion with their valuable mineral lands their prvse land
claims and conflicting titles From all decisions Of the Com
missioner Of the General Land Office, Government titles
private land claims, prescriptions, private entries or pur-
chases Of the public domain appeal lies TO the Secretary OF
the Treasury.
This is but one branch Of these dutes and yet as some
evidence the Of labor him from this
SOURCE have pronounced judgment in upwards Of five thou
sand cases. involving land titles since the 10th Of March,
s45. These are generally judicial questions and not hnan-
ca requiring often great labor and research and having no
necessary connection with the duties Of the Treasury Depart
ment The daily correspondence Of this Department with
the Commissioner Of the General Land Office Surveyors &C.
neral the Registers and Receivers and other persons
nected with the system, is mos, volumnous.
The supervisory power exercised by the Secretary
the Treasury the expenses Of the Courts Of the United
States, and other duties connected Herewith, through the
nsrsha and clerks Of these courts give rise TO very con-
siderable daily correspondence with these officers and having
necessary connexion with the finances should also be de
tached from the Treasury Department well from the
State Department the duties Of the marshas In connection
with the census Of the United States
Having transferred the sborous duties enumerated from thu
Secretary ofthe Treasury Congress should suhoze him
point assistant Secretary, who should be Of great Ia
Tents and experience with salay Of not less than $4,000