The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-18

timatcd ordinary expenditures, the sun OF 2i'-
925,8i4 81 dol.
Thus it will be seen that Of the aggregate
expenditures, actu i and estimated, for the seven
years ding on the 30th June, 1852, amount
ipg To 294 SO7,407 95 dol, the sum of 1885,
$50 Is dol, exclusive of l3,387,544 O6
dol, interest on the war debt, is required to
sustain the faith of the Government, pledged or
implied, or arising in consequence of its acts
during period subsequent I" the 30th June,
lSl5, and prior to Ist July, lS49.
Same of the objects Of these estimated en-
penditures, by reason Of the extended area OF
territory, have been made either permanent
charges upon the Treasury, or will continue for
a long series of years, and may be stated rs
follows:
Excess of expenditures Of War Department;
Navy Department; Pensions; Interest on War
Debt; Territorial Governments; Survey of
Boundary Line; Survey Of Coast of California /;
Indians.
Further experience will undoubtedly result
in compelling still greater expenditures in the
fulflment Of treaty stipulations, and in con-
trolling and subduing the Indians and other
lawless bands with which our newly acquired
territories are infested, and before thee will be
that permanent emigration to and settlement
therein of that class of our citizens so necessa-
ry 10 " Inli ueVclopeIie'lt Vi tnc IcSouICts anu
defence OF that country.
These charges upon the Treasury, not found
in our expenditures in former times, arising from
our greatly expanded territorial limits, will
doubtless, for the present, press heavily, but
we may confidently expect m ample compens1-
ton for these additional burdens, in the Immense
mineral wealth of our new acquisitions and the
rich commerce which our comm ,nding position
on the Pacific ocean opens to the enterprise OF
our countrymen.
Frauds upon The Revenue.
In obedience to the act of 10th May, 1900,
whereby it is made the duty of the Secretary of
the Treasury "to digest, prepare, and lay be-
fore Congress, ut the commencement OF every
session, a report on the subject Of finance, con-
tanning estimates of the public revenue and pub
lie expenditures and plans for improving or
increasing tho revenues from time to time,"
feel it my duty, in view of our necessarily in
creased expenditures and maturing liabilities, to
submit to the wisdom of Congress such sug-
gestons as the present state of our country,
and the revenues seem to demand.
We cannot overlook the fact, in our estimates
of future revenue, that the last three or four
wears have been exceptional ones; that we are
indebted for our large revenues in part to the
famine, the revolutions, and the broken down
markets of Europe. The case with which the
low duties under the act Of 1916 may be re-
duced still lower by successful frauds and I'M
dervaIuations, combined with the causes just
stated, have induced a large excess OF importa-
ton. But the markets of Europe are recover
ing their tone, the effects of the famine are
passing away our country is filled, it is be.
lieved to excess with foreign goods, and it
would be contrary to all reasonable expecta-
ton to look for continuance Of these large
importations.
The provisions of the act of July, SIC, have
been fouad insufficient for the prevention of
| frauds AMI undervaluations. The extent to
which they have been carried, and the degree in
W .ich they have been rendered systematic aud
complete, have been highly detrimental to the
revenue. The Department has long given the
subject of these frauds its most earnest atten-
ton, and exhausted all its authority for their
prevention and detection, but they are still of
such magnitude, and so demoraizing in the r
effects. as lc demand the immediate intcrposi-
ton of Congress-.
A special communication or this subject w.-
mlde to the Senate on the Goth September last
IN answer to resolution of that body, and NJ
that embraced much that would otherwise be
Incorporated in this report, copy thereof is an.
ncXed hereto, marked
That numerous frauds, by means Of under
valuations, have been and continue to be syste
naticall, perpctrated. and that they are confined
nrithcr to one class Of articles, one market, no
one part of the United States tii, Department
has an accumulation of the most undeniabl,
evidence
This proof consisting Of great variety Of de
tails, will with great pleasure be submitted tc
Congress, or any gifts committees that may bt
charged with the subject.
Through the vigilance Of the appraisers, vas
numbers of advances upon invoices have beer
made. At Boston and New York the numbe
so advanced from January, lSl9, to Octobe
LIST, 1850, amounted t. more than 1000 (tabl,
T) ranging from per cent, to upwards of 40(
per cent
Statement U is an importation of fruit, and i
cited as exhibiting not only the system Of fraud
ulent undcrvalualions, but the inequality of val
ues in the different ports Of the United State
under the present system. The fruit was ship
ped by the same house about the same time
one cargo arriving at philadrlph one at New
York and one Mt Boston, the quality and invoice
value being the same. At Phhdrl phia it pass
ed at the invoice value ut New York the mp
praiscrs advanced it IS pr cent and at Bosto'
| 90 per cent, and no objection nor appeal from
the decision Of the npprais ers was made
would respectfully and earnestly urge upor
Congress to inquire fully into the practical "p r
alton Of our present system Of imposing dulie
upon the foreign cost or values of merchandise
being fully Satisfied that the longer it is contin
ued the weaker will become the restr intS npoI
and the stronger the inducements to the com
mission Of frauds by disappearing the duti
able values.
IVnvS and Means.
The estimated receipts from customs, rs pre-
sentcd for the remainder of the current year
and for the year ending 30th June, 1852, ar
based upon a continuance of the present larg
amount of imports. Aside from our increased
expenditures, aud exclusive of estimated pur
chases Of stock, we have to provide for 1920
952 80 Of the pnblic debt which natures within
the next two fiscal years.
The ordinary expenditures of the Govern
ment, and the public debt originating chiefly il
the recent war with Mexico, together with n va
riety of demands arising out Of that war, pre-
sent the amount Of liabilities for which it be
comes the duty of Congress to provide.
Our trade with foreign nations, and the money
arising from the sales of public lands have con
stituted heretofore the resources from which tn
al avnansas nf tho bova haa,