Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-12-10


the functions and the duties of the federal govern
nent vested in, entrusted to- its three great de-
partments-the legislative, executive, and judicial
yet the substantive power the popular force and the
exist in the respective States, which, all being OF
themselves well constituted republics, as they pre-
cedcd so they alone capable of maintaining ana
perpetuatng, the American Union. The Federal
Government has its appropriate line of action in the
specific and limited powers conferred on 1t by the
constitution, chiefly as to those things in which the
States have common interest in their relations to
one another, and to foreign governments; while the
great mass of interests which belong to cultivated
men, the ordinary business of life the springs OF IN
dustry all the diversified personal and domestic at
fairs of society, rest securely upon the general re-
served powers of the people OF the several States
There is the effective democracy OF the nation and
there the vital 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 fde
ity the high trust rcposcd in it by the constitution,
especially in the application of the public funds, as
drawn by taxation from the people, and appropriated
to specific objects by Congress. Happily have no
occasion to suggest any radical changes in the tnan
cal policy of the government Ours is almost II not
absolutely, the solitary power of Christendom having
a surplus revenue drawn Immediately from imports
on commerce. and therefore measured by the spon-
taneous enterprise and national prosperity of the
country with such indirect relation to agriculture
manufactures and the products of the earth and sea-
to violate constitutional doctrine, and yet Wig
orouSly promote the general welfare Neither as to
the of the public treasure nor as to the man.
ner of keeping and managing it, does any grave con-
troversy now prevail there being general acqui
essence in the wisdom of the present system.
The report of the Secretary of the Treasury will
exhibit in detail the state Of the public finances
and the condition of the various branches of the
public service administered by that department of
the government.
Tie revenue of the country levied almost insen-
siby to the taxpayer goes on from year to year in
creasing beyond either the interests the prospec
tive wants of the government
At the close of the fiscal year ending juno 80
1852, there remained i'll the treasury balance of
fourteen million six hundred and thirty two thousand
one hundred and thirty dollars. The public rev.
cnue for the fiscal year ending June 80 1853 a
mounted to ftyeight million nine hundred and thir
y-one thousand eight hundred and sixty five dollars
from customs, and to two million four hundred and
five thousand seven hundred and eight dollars from
public lands and other miscellaneous sources amount
ing together to SiXtyOne million three hundred and
thirtv-Scven thousand five hundred and Sevcntyfour
dollars; while the public expenditures for the same
period exclusive of payments on account OF the pub
lie debt, amounted to forty-throe million five hundred
and fifty-four thousand two hundred and siNty-two
dollars; leaving balance of thirty-tWo million four
hundred and twenty-five thousand four hundred and
fortyseven dollars of receipts above expenditures.
This fact, of increasing surplus in the treasury,
became the subject of anxious consideration at We
~ early period of my administration and the path
of duty in regard to it seemed to me obvious and
clear namely: first, to apply the surplus revenue to
iudciously be done; and secondly, to devise means
for the gradual reduction of the revenue to the stan
dard of the public cXigcncies.
OF these objects, the first has been in the course
Of accomplishment, in a manner and to degree
highly satisfactory. The amount of the public debt,
of ali classes, was, the fourth of March, 1853,
sixty mine million one hundred and ninety thousand
and thirty-scven dollars; payments on account of
which have been made, since that period, to the a
mount of twelve million seven hundred and three
thousand three hundred and twcnty-nine dollars;
leaving unpaid and in the continuous course of Ii
luidation, the of ffty-siX million four hundred
md echty-six thousand seven hundred and eight
dollars. These payments, although made at the
market price of the respective classes of stocks have
been effected readily, and to the general advantage
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 pursuits of the country.
The second Of the aforementioned Objects that
Of the reduction of the tariff is of great Importance
and the plan suggested by the Secretary of the
Treasury, which is to reduce the duties certain
articles and to add to the free list many articles
taxed and especially such as enter into manutac-
ures and 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 adequa
~ of the present fiscal system to meet all the re-
luircments of the public service and that, while
properly administered, it operates to the advantage
Of the commudity in ordinary business relations.
respectfully ask your attention to sundry sug
gestons Of improvements in the settlement of &C
counts, especially regards the large sums of out
standing due to the government, and of 9TH
reforms in the administrative action of his depart
ment, which indicated by the Secretary; also
to the progress made in the construction of marine
hospitals custom-houses and of new mint in Cali
fornia and assay Office in the city of New York,
heretofore provided for by Congress and also to the
eminently successful progress of the Coast Survey,
and of the Lighthouse Board.
Among the objects mcrtng your attention will be
important recommendations from the Secretaries of
War and Navy am fully satisfied that the navy |
Of the United Statas is not in condition of strength
and efficiency commensurate 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. l res
pectfuly submit that the army which, under our
SYSTEM must always be regarded with the highest |
interest, nucleus around which the volunteer
forces of the nation gather in the hour of danger
requires augmentation modification, to adapt to
the present extended limits and frontier relations of
the country and the condition of the Indian tribes
in the interior of the continent the necessity of
which will appear in the commupicatons of the Sec
retaries of War and the Interior.
In the administration of the Post Office Depart
ment for the fiscal year ending June so, 1852 the
gross expenditure million nine hundred
and eghtytwo thousand seven hundred and fifty six
dollars and the gross receipts, during the Pc
rod, five million nine hundred and forty-two thou
sand seven hundred and thirty-four dollars; show
ing that the current failed to meet the
rent expenses of the department by the sum of two
million fortytwo thousand and thirty-two dollars.
The causes which, under the present postal system
and laws led inevitably to this result, fully
planned by the report of the Postmaster General;