Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-12-21
WHOLE NO. I'm.


lie revenue for, the fiscal year. ending
June so, 1853, amounted TO fiffy-eight
millions, nine hundred and thirty-one
Thousand eight hundred and sixty-five
ldollars from customs. and 70 two million
four hundred and Eve thousand seven
hundred and eight dollars FROM public
lands and other miscellaneous sources,
amounting together TO sixty million
three hundred and thirty-seven thousand
i've hundred and seyenty-four dollars;
while che public expenditures for the
same period, exclusive of payments on
account of the public debt, amounted 10 >
torty-three million five hundred and iifty-
four thousand two hundred and sixty-twos
dollars; leaving balance of thirty-swo
million four hundred and twenty five
thousand four hundred aud forty-seyen
dollars of receipts above expenditures,
The fact of increasing surplus in the
Treasury. became. the subject of anxious
consideration at very early period of
my administration. aud the path of duty
in regard to it seemed TO me obvious and
clear namely first, to apply the sur
plus revenue to the discharge OF the pub
lie debt, SO TAR as it could judiciously be
be done; and, secondly, to devise means
to the standard Of the public exigen-
cies. y5ef - 4. -
OF these objects, the first has been in
The course of accomplishment, in a man
ner and to degree highly satisfactory
The amount of the public debt. OF al
classes, was, on the fourth of March,
1853, sixty-nine millions one hundred and
ninety thousand and thirty-seven dollars;
payments on account of which have been
made, since that period, TO the amount OF
SIC, 7o3, $50, leaving unpaid, andin the
continuous course of liquidation, the sum
of $50, 6,4S6,7o8. These payments. al
though made at the market price of the
respective classes of stocks. have been eff
fected readily, and TO the general advan-
tage of the treasury, and have. at the
same time eproyed of signal utilitysin the
relief they have incidentally afforded 10
the money market and to the industrial
aud commercial pursuits Of the country.
The second of the aforementioned OBJ
jects, that of the reduction of The tariff,
is of great importance, and the plan sug-
gested by the Secretary Of the Treasury.
which IS 10 redace the duties on certain
articles, and to add 10 the free list many
articles now taxed, and especially such
as enter into manufactures, and are not
largely.or at all. produced in the coun-
try, is commended 10 your candid and
careful consideration. > -rr
You will find in the report of the SEQ.
retary of the Treasury, also, abundant
proof of the entire adequacy of the pre-
sent fiscal system TO meet all the require
ments of the public service, and that,
while properly administered, il operates
TO the advantage of the community in or
binary business transactions. lni ~
respectfully ask your attention 70
sundry suggestions of improvements in
the settlement of accounts, especialiy as
regards the large sums Of outstanding ar
rears due the government and OF other
reforms in the administrative action of his
department, which are indicated by the
Secretary as also the progress made in
the construction OF marine hospitals, Gus
tom houses. and Of n new mint in Cali
fornia and assay Office in the city of New
York, heretofore provided for by Con-
gress; and also TO the eminently successful
progress of the Coast Survey, and Of the
Lighthouse Board.
i Among the objects meriting your at-
tention will be important recommenda-,
tions from the Secretary OF War and Ma
W. i am fully satisfied tina the navy Of
the United States is not in tc0ndilion Of
strength and efficiencyof commensurate
with the magnitude of our commercial
and other, interests; and commend 10 your
especial attention the suggestions on this
subject made by the Secretary Of the Ma
Wy. respectfully submit that the army
which, under our system, must always be
regarded with the highest interest, as n
nucleus around which the volunteer for
ces OF the nation gather in the hour Of
danger, requires augmentation or modi6-
cation. 10 adapt IL 10 the present extend
ed limits and frontier relations of the conn.
try, and the condition OF The Indian tribes
IN the interior of the continent the me-
eessity OF which will appear In the conn
munications of the Secretary Of War ana
the Interior. "H
In the administration Of the Post Of
fce Department for the fiscal wear end
ing June 3Oth, 1853, the gross expendi.
ture was seven million zine hundred and
eighty-two thousand seven hundred and
city six dollars and the eross recein,-
during the same period, Eve million nina
hundred and forty-two tbousand seven
hundred and thirty -four dollars showing
tnat the current revenue failed 70 meet
the current expenses Of the department
I oy the sum OF two millions forty-two
thousand and thirty-two dollars. The
causes which, under the present postal
system and laws, led inevitably to this
result, are fully explained by the report Of
the Postmaster General; and one great
cause being the enormous rates the De-
Partment has been compelled 70 pay for