The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1854-12-15

piled. 50 far as 1t can be judiciousy and rco-
done, TO the reduction Of the public [
debt, the amount of which, at the commence
rnent ot the last fiscal year, was 67,340,52S I
dollars; of which there bad been paRi, GA the !
Goth day Of November, 1851, the sum OF 22,-
36j, lie dollars leaving balance OF outstand-
ing debt OF only 44,975,+56 dollars, redeema-
Bile at different periods within fourteen years
There are also remnants Of other government
stocks, most Of which are already due, and on
which the interest has ceased, but which have
not yet been presented for payment, amount
ing TO 23s,l79 dollars
This statement exhibits the fact that the an
nuai income of the government erratly exceeds
the amount of its public debt, which latter re-
mains unpaid, only because the time OF pay |
ment has not vet matured, and It cannot &c DIS
charged at once, except at the option OF pualic
creditors, who prefer to retain the securities o.
the United States: and The other fact, not less
striking, that The annual revenue from all sour
ces exceeds. by many millions OF dollars, the
amount needed for prudent and economical
administration of the government
The estimates presented TO Congress from the
different executive departments, a, the last sfS-
sion. amounted 10 $33, t06 ,5Sl; and the ap-
nropriations made, to the sun OF SOS, f6,92S.
Cftbis excess Of appropriations over estimates,
however. more. than $40, 10000 was aPplica-
bic to extraordinary objects, having no refer
pDce 10 the usual expenditures. Among these
objects was embraced $I0,000,000 to inert the
tbird article of the treaty between the United
States and Mexico; so that, in fact for objects
ofordnary expenditure, the appropriations We're
limited TO considerably less than Sf0,900,900.
7 therefore renew my recommendation ior re-
duciion Of the duties on imports.
The rt,port Of the Secretary Of the Treasury
presents series of tables, showing the opera
ton of the revenue system for several success
sive years, and as the gen raj principle OF re-
.!uction Of duties with view to revenue and
not protection NAV now BE- regarded as the set
tied policy Of the country, trust that lhtlt ili-
fculiv viii be encountered in settling the de-
fails of measure 10 that effect
In connection with this subject, ! commend
change IN the laws, which recent experience
has shown to be essential 10 the protection OF
the government. There is no express pfeVI-
aion of law, requiring the records and papers OF
a public character, Of the several officers OF tl't
government, to b. left in their otices for tie
use Of ther sIcceSsors, nor any provision de-
claring il felony on Their part 10 make false en-
tries in the books, or return false accounts. IN
the absence of sucA express provision by law
the out roing officers, in many instances, nave
claimed and exercised the right to take IntC
their own possession important hooks and pa
pers, on the ground that these were their PR
=eate property and have placed them beyont
the reach Of the government Conduci OF tnl
character. brought in several instances 10 th'
notice of the present secretarypf the treasury
materially awakened his suspicion and resulted
,Eo4o
weqo. Toledo, Sanduskv, a d Nsilwaukie, th'
treasury had, by false entries, been deiraudeC
within the four years next preceding March
1858. of the sum of ole hundred and ninety
eight thousand dollars. The great difficult.
with which the detection of these frauds ha
been attended, in consequence OF the ahstrac
ton of books and papers by the retiring otncer'
and the facility with which similar frauds /
the public service may be perprtrated, rende
the nt cpssity of new legal eHactrnents, III In
respects above referred to, quite obvionS.
For other material notifications OF the revf
nue. laws which seem to ne desirable, refr
YOU to the report Of the secretary OF the trea
surv That report, and the tables which ac
company it, furnish ample proofs Of the sott
foundation on which TIE fina ancal security {
the country rests, and Of the salutary lntinenc
of the independent treasury system upon con
G?rrce ana all monetary operations.
The experience Of the last year furnishes at
ditional reasons regret TO say, OF paintl
character, for the accommodation hrretoiol
fna!e, 10 provide for increasing the mtIita'
force employed in the territory Inhabited /
the Indians The settlers on the frontier hay
suffered much from the incursions ot PredatoF
bands, and large parties Of emigrants to oar r
cific possessions have been nassacred with N
puntv, The recurrence of such scenes ca
only be prevented by traching these wild trih
The power Of, and their responsibility 10, Il
United States.
From the garrisons Of our frontier posts, it
only possible to dttach troops in small hodlo
and though these have on all occasions dIspia
ed gallantry and stern devotion to dut
which on larger frid would have command
universal admiration, they have usually suiif
ed severely in these conflicts with superior nuI
hers. and have sometimrs been entirely sac
feed All the disposahle force Of the army
already employed on this service, and is know
TO be wholly inadequate to the protection whl
should be afforded.
The public mind of The country has been ;
Gently shocked by savage atrocities commit
upon defencpless emigrants and border sett
Inents, and hardly less by the unnecessary c
struction Of valuable lives, where inadeqna
detachments of troops have undertaken to fl
nish the needed aid
Without increase OF the military force, tht
scenes will be repeated, il is TO BE- feared, on
larger scale, and with more disastrous con
quencps Congress, I am sure, will perceI
that the plainest duties and responsibilities
government are involved in this question, a
/ doubt not that prompt action may be cor