Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-12-13

nual expenditures. Among those objects
was embraced the $4,000, 900 TO meet
the expenses under articles of the treaty
between the United States and Mexico
So in fact the ordinary appropriations were
limited to cosidsraby less than $40. .000,-
600. threiore renew my recommends
ton for a reduction of the duties on i'm
ports.
| The report of the Secretary of the
Treasury presents aseres of tables show
ing the operations of the revenue system
for several successive years, and as the
general principle of The reduction of dn-
ties, with view to revenue and protec>
ton, may now be regarded as the settled
policy of the country, trust that little
| difficulty viii be encountered in settling
the details of a measure to .hat effect.
10 connection with this subject rec
ommend a change in the Laws which re-
cent experience has shown to be essential
TO the protection OF the government
There is no express provision of law re-
curing the records and papers of pub
lie character, of the several officers ofthe
Government, to be left i'll their offices for
the use of their successors !; or any pro-
vision declaring it felony on their part
to make false entries on the books, or 10
return false accounts. In the absence of
such express provisions by law, the out
going officers have claimed and exercised
the right to take into their own possession
important books and papers, on the ground
that these were their private properly,
and havo placed them beyond the reach
of the Governments. Conduct of this
character brouGh; in several instances to
the notice of the present Secretary cf the
Treasury, naturally awakened his sus-
picion and resulted in the disclosure that
al four ports, viz: Oswege, Toledo, San
dusky and Milwaukee, the Treasury had
by false entries been defrau9ed within the
four years next preceding March, 1888,
of the sum of s 90, ,000.
The great difficulty with wtich the de-
lection of these frauds has been attended
in consequence OF the abstraction Of books
and papers by the retiring officers, aud
the facility with which similar frauds in
the public service may be hereafter com
mitted, render the necessity Of new legal
enaetments in the respects atove referred
10 quite obvious. For other notifications
of the revenue laws which seem % be de-
sirab!e, I refer you to the report of the
Secretary Of the Treasury. That report
and the tables which accompany ii, fur
nish ample evidence of the solid founda-
ton on which the financial security of the
country rests, and of The salutary infu
ence Of the independent Treasury system
upon Commerce and all monetary opera
/ ti0us.
/ The experience of the last year furnish addi-
tional reasons ] regret to say. OF painful char
acter, for the recommendations. heretofore made
to provide for increasing the military force en-
ploycd in the Territories inhabized by the In
dians The settlers on the frontier have suffered
much from the incursions of predatory bands
and large parties of enlgfapts- to eur Pacific pos
sessions have been massacred with impunity-
The recurrence of such scenes can. only be pre-
vented by teaching these wild tribes the power
of the u S. and their responsibility to them
From the gaTisons on the frontier forts it is only
possible to detach troops in small bodies and
though they have on all occasions displayed gal-
lauiry and a stem devotion to duty. which in
larger field would have commanded admiration,
thev have suffered severely IN these conflicts
All the disposable force Of the army is already
employed in this service, and is known t. be
wholly inadequate to the protection which should
be afforded The public mind Of the country
has been recently shocked by savage atrocities
committed upon deiencciess emierants and ira
ders and hardly less by the unnecessary destruc-
ton Of valuable where inadequate defachments
of troops to furnish the needed aid. Without an
increase of the military force these scenes will
be repeated it is TO be feared, on larger scale
and with more disastrous consequences Con-
gress am sure, will perceive that the plainest
duties and responsibilities of government are in
volved in this question. and their prompt action
NAV be confidently anticipated when DELAY NAV
be attended with such fearful hazards. The bill
of the last session providing f1r An increase of
tie pay of the rank and file oftbe army had ben
eficial results not only facilitating enstments
but in the class of men who enter. the service.
| regret that corresponding consideration was
not bestowed on the Officers who. il view Of the
character of their services and of thu expenses to
which they are necessarily subjected, receive at
present what is, in my judgment, inadequate
compensation The valuable services constantly
rendered by the Army, and its ;nestimai,le i'm
portance as nucleus around which the volunteer
forces of the nation can promptly gather in the
hour of danger, sufficiently attest the wisdom OF
maintaining a military peace establishment but
the theory of our system and the wise practice
under it, requires that any proposed augmentation
in time of peace be only commensurate with the
extended limits of our frontier regions. " hile
existing circumstances, security for an increase
of our military force. 1t Is believed that four
new regiments, two of infantry and two of
mounted men. viii be sufficient TO meet the pre-
sent emergency. If it were necessary carefully
to weigh the cost in case of such Grgencv, it
would be comparatively light Withthe increase
of the numerical force OF the army, should. |
think be combined certain measures of reform in |
its organization and administration. .
The prese ut organization is the result of par
fial legislation often directed to spec al objects
and interests, and the laws regulating rank and |
command having been adopted many years ago |
FROM the British code are not always applicable
to our service 1t is not surprising. therefrc that
the system should be deficient aud require care |
FIJI revision The present organization, by main
tanning large staF corps, or departments, separ,
ates many officers from that close connection with
troops and the active dgtes of the field which |
are deemed requisite to qualify them for the va
rious responsibilities of high command Were |
the duties of the Army Staff mainly discharged |
by officers detached from the regiments it Is be-
lieved that the special services world be equally /
well performed and the discipline and instruc- /
ton of the Army be improved.
While due regard to security of the rights of /
ard. tn ,sSo. F,.f