Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-12-07
conneclion wilh The powers Of lhe civilized

The United States have continued gradually and
steadily to expand Through acquisitions of terrific
(which how mucheyer some of them may have
been questioned ,are now universally seen aud adj
mitted 10 have been wise in policy just in charac
Ter, and a great element in The advancement Of
our country, and, with il, Of the human race, in
freedom, IN prosperity, and in happiness: The
thirteen states have grown TO be thirty one, with
relations reacting 10 Europe on the one side, and
on the other TO the distant realms Of Asia.
| am deeply sensible of the immense respon-
sbiity which the present magnitude Of the re-
public, and the diversity and Multiplicity of its
interests, devoves upon me; the alienation of
which, so far as relates to the immediate conduct
OF the public business is, first, in my reliance on
the wisdom and patriotism Of The two Houses of
Congress; and secondly, in the directions afforded
me by the principles OF public polity, affirmed b.
our fathers Of the epoch Of 1898, sanctioned by
long experience, and consecrated anew by the
overwhelming voice of the people of the United
States
Recurring TO these principles, which constitute
the organic basis Of union, perceive that vast
as are the functions and the duties of the federal
government, vested in, or entrusted to, lis three
great departments, the legislative, executive and
Judicial, yet the substantive power the popular
force, and the large capacities for social and ma
teral Development, exist in the respective states
which, all being of themselves well constituted
republics, as they preceded, so they are alone
capable ofmainanng and perpetuatingheAmer
lean Union.
The federal government has its appropriate
line of action in the specific and limited powers
conferred on it by the Constitution, chiefly as to
those things in which the States have a common
interest, in their relations TO one another and to
foreign governments; while the great mass of
interests which belong to cultivated men, the or.
G1T1ap hpcit nf 81
all the diversified personal and domestic affairs of
society, rest securely upon the general reserved
powers OF the people of the several States There
IS the effective democracy the nation, and there
the vital essence of its being and its greatness
Of the practical consequences which flow from
the nature of the federal government, the primary
one is the duty of administering with integrity
and fidelity the high trust reposed in it by the
Constitution, especially IN the application Of the
public funds, as drawn by taxation from the peo-
pie, and appropriated to specific objects by Con-
gress. Happily, have no occasion to suggest
any radical changes in the financial policy of the
government. Ours is almost, if not absolutely
the solitary power of Christendom, Having sur
plus revenue, drawn Immediately from imposts on
commerce, and tnerefore measured by the sponta-
neous enterprise and national prosperity of the
country with such indirect relation to agriculture
manufactures, and the products of the earth and
sea, as to violate no constitutional doctrine and
yet vigorously promote the general welfare
nor as to the manner of keeping and managing
1T, does any grave controversy now prevail there
being general acquiescence in the wisdom Of
the present system.
The report of the Secretary of the Treasury,
will exhibit, in detail the state of the publie il
nances, and the condition of the various branches
of the public service administered by that depart
ment of the government.
The revenue of the country, levied almost in
senslbly to the taxpayer, goes on from year to
year increasing beyond either the interests or the
prospective wants of the government
At the close of the fiscal year ending June 80
1852, there remained in the treasury, a balance of
yl4 ,632 1885, The public revenue for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1858, amounted to Cos, 93I.
$50, from customs, and to S2,405, 7OS, from pub
lie lands and other miscellaneous sources. amount
ing together to SCI 1887 574; while the public ex-
penditures for the same period exclusive of paw
ments on account of the public debt, amounted
to $43,5542S2; leaving balance of S32,425, AL
of receipts above expenditures.
Thlsfact of increasing surplus in the treasury
became the subject OF anxious consideration at
very early period of my administration, and the
path of duty in regard to it, seemed to me obyious
and clear, namely first, to apply the surplus rev.
enue TO the discharge of the public debt so far as
1t could Judlciously be done; and secondly, to
devise means for the gradual reduction of the
enue to the standard of the public exigencies:
Of these objects, the first has been in the course
of accomplishment, in manner and to a degree
highly satisfactory. The amount of the public
debt, of all classes, was, on the 4th of March
1905, soy, l9O,03I; payments on account of which
have been made, since that period, to the amount
of $l2,7O3,329, leaving unpaid, and in the CON
tinuous course of liquidation, the sum of g56 :
1867 These payments, although made at the
market price of the respective classes of stocks
have been effected readily, and to the general adj
vantage of the treasury, and have at the same
time proved of signal utility in the relief they
have incidentally afforded to the money market
and to the industrial and commercial purruits of
the country.
The second of the aforementioned objects
that of the reduction of the tariff is of great i'm
portance, and the plan suggested by the Secretary
of the Treasury, which is to reduce the duties on
certain articles, and to add to the free list many
articles now taxed, and especially such as enter
into manufactures, and are not largely, or at all
produced in the country, is commended to your
candid and careful consideration.
You will find in the report of the Secretary of
the Treasury, also, abundant proof of the entire
adequacy of the present fiscal system to meet all
the requirements OF the public service, and that,
while properly administered, it operates to the
advantage of the community in ordinary business
relations.
respectfully ask your attention to sundry i'm
provements in the settlement of accounts esne-
cially as regards the large sums of outstanding
arrears due to the government and of other re.
forms in the administrative action of his DEPART
ment which are indicated by the Secretary; as
also to the progress made in the construction of
marine hospitals. custom houses, and of a new
mint in California and assay Office in the city of
New \ ork, heretofore provided for hy Congress-:
and also to the eminently successful progress of
the Coast Survey, and of the Lighthouse Board
Among the objects meriting your attention,
Will be important recommendations from the Sec
retares OF War and Navy. | am fully satisfied
that the navy Of the United States is not in a
condition Of strength and efficiency commensur-
ate with the magnitude of our commercial and
other interests; and commend to your especial
attention the suggestions on this subject, made
by the Secretary of the Navy. Respectfully sub
init that the army. which, under our system,
must always be regarded with the highest inter
est, as nucleus around which the volunteer
forces of the nation gather in the hour of danger
requires augmentation, or modification, to adapt
It TO the pre- ent extended limits and frontier re-
lations OF the country, and the condition of the
Indian tribes in the interior Of the continent =
the necessity of which will appear in the commu-
ncations of the Secretaries of War and the Inte