The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-12


ers contracts and prepared for the signature of
the Secretary and perform such other duties not requiring
the signature of the Secretary might conveniently be
devoved upon him by the department To maintain the
unity and efficiency of the system, he should be appointed
by the SECRETARY and subject TO his direction He would
want one able and efficient clerk, with salary not less
The Office of Comptroller of the Treasury should be d.
vied and that great and augmentng portion OF his du
ties relating to the receipts from customs, and the
counts of collectors and other officers of the customs
connected there WITH should be devolved the head
of a new bureau TO be called the Commissioner of Gus
TOMS whose duties would be various and important
The First Comptroller should retain all the other du
ties performed by him, and especially his decision
upon claims and accounts, which would occupy the
whole time of the head of the bureau
Combined are, under the First Comptroller the
duties appertaning both to receipts and expenditures OF
the public money accounts and claims, the ONCE is over
burdened with business which canno promptly and prop
ery be performed by any one individual, however able
and laborious
The duties now performed by the Commissioner of In.
dian Affairs most numerous and important, and
must be vastly increased with the great number of
tribes scattered Texas, Oregon, New Mexico
and California, and with the interesting progress of so
many of the tribes in Christianity, knowledge, and civ
lizaton These duties do not necessarily apperain 10
war; but 10 peace. and TO our domestic relations with
those tribes placed by the consliUton under the charge
OF this governments
This most important bureau, then, should be detached
from the War Department. with which it has no neces-
sary conneXion.
The duties of the Patent Office, great and important as
they now are necessarily increase with the prog
ress of light and knowledge the developments of the
wonderful inventive genius of our countrymen, and the
researches of SO many enlightened minds in this country
into machinery the physical sciences and the arcana OF
nature. This bureau has no necessary or proper con-
with the State Department. and ought to be sepa
ratei from it.
The Pension Office should also be detached from the
War Department, inasmuch as no military orders
given pensioners SUCH by the Secretary OF War;
by the Navy Department, much less to the widows and
heirs who receive these bount les from the government
There is another reason why the Pension Office as
wall tha Ind The
War Department, and placed under the supervision Of
the same Secretary to whom the Land Office would be
intrusted, namely: under system OF revolutionary
and military bounes and land warrants well
der treaties AMI reservations with Indian tribes, many
questions arise in relation to public lands and private
land claims, connecting themselves frequently and init
macy with general land system, and with decisions
upon land titles made by the Commissioner of the Gene
raj Land Office and therefore all these bureaus whose
duties intimately connected with the public lands
as well with private land claims ought to be placed
under the supervision of the department. conflict
of decision and jurisdiction may and does IN TACT take
place.
Having thus detached the Patent Office from the De.
parment of State, the Land Office from the Treasury
well its supervisory duties in connexIon with accounts
of marshas and clerks OF the courts including their
neyon with the census having detached, Also from the
War Department, the Indian Bureau and the Pension
Once, the same supervisory authority as regards them all
Secretary OF the Treasury and the Secretary OF War;
should be nrsled 10 the head of department, to
be called the Secretary of the Interior, nasmuch his
duties would be connected with those branches of the
public service deyoved upon this government by the ex
press letter of the constitution associated with do
nestle affairs. The duties of this new department,
thus organized. would be great and important, fully
equal TO those apperalnng to the head of any
other department except the Treasury under our sys
TEN at present organizet The whole Increased
expense of this reorganization would not exceed
twenty thousand dollars per annum; whereas to
the government IN an increased accountability and eff.
cheney of the service and 10 the people in the
prompt discharge of their business with the several de-
partments and bureaus, and the consequent immense
saving of time and expense the gam would be great m
deed the advantages vastly exceeding the small additional
expense From the great and continued multi pIlcahon
of the business OF the Treasury Department
ganzed, with the rapid increase oil our maritime iron
tiers area, commerce, revenue and population,
there great danger that, at some future perol the
Treasury Depart may be broken down by the weight
of its abos. and consequences ensue disastrous TO he
public interest.
Organized even as now proposed, the duties of the
Treasury Department would still BE great and arduous.
Connected with this subject recommend the compile
ton at an early day of the Treasury building, to
reprooi rooms TO all bureaus free from rent
well accommodate and include in this edhce the State
Department. with its invaluable archives,
The department has purchased for the sum appropi.
ated by Congress both the bridges within this District
the branch of the Potomac, which
free OF TOLL designed by the wise and liberal egisla
ton of Congress and in concentrating this result, val
liable aid rendered to me by the mayor of this city
The various recommendations of this my last financial
report respectfully submitted to the enlightened con-
sderaon OF the two houses OF Congress They are be-
eved TO be such would best promote the true inter
eSS OF the American people. For Them and my Couh-
try and her glorious confederacy of sovereign and Uni
ted States, invoke the continued blessings oil Heaven
May her Union be harmonious, progressive, and per
petual. May her be OF honor, peace. and
glory of equity, justice and good faith May each sue
cessive administration, all time TO come, faithfully
dschargng the arduous duties of its exalted trust re,
ceve the support and appreciation OF the people. Guided
by conscious ectude, may they be commended and sus
tanned every effort 10 promote the public good, and
even their errors which the LOT of humanity, be re-
garded with indulgence, and overruled by bengnan
| Providence. advancement laDOlneSS
welfare of our beloved country.
| r. J. WALKER
Secretary of the Treasury
| Hon. GEO NJ DALLAS,
| Vice President U. s. and President of the Senate.
Mr.. DAVIS OF Mississippi moved that twenty thousan
extra copies be printed for the use OF the Senate.
Mr. CAMERON objected to the printing OF so larsei
number
Mr. DAVIS of Mississippi | look upon the reports
embodyng the evidence with regard TO the new sysen
of finance in operation, and which has been IN oF
Grafton long enough to be decided upon. For that req
son, desire the report to be generally circulated
Mr. CAMERON For the same reason think The |
number in the resolution is great deal more thanNs
ought to have. think the country has decided upon n'
financial system, during the last and thereoe
think the usual number would suit great nuTou
of copies printed last year, which still find aoou
the house, undistrbuted.
MIR. KING. was prepared, Mr.. President IN The NE
instance to vote for the number of copies OF as
gentleman from Pennsyvan that the whole maVe
might go before the country for information and msm
be disseminated as far as possible. differ IRON Tue ee
eman decidedly in his view that the country has aIeai
decided against the present financial system and sha
therefore, vote Tor this resolution.