The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-12-07

teran,d facilitate the business and render less comp-
Gated the of the department should all the ac
counts of Interior department bo given to the Second
Auditor and all the accounts of the War Department be
given to Third Auditor recommended in my former
report a.
The attention of Congress is called the fact that the
Commissioner Of the General Land Office and his clerks
still occupy portion of the Treasury building ana .ha
the First and Fifth Auditors and their clerks and part OF
the clerks of the Third Auditor have TO be accommodated
in rented buildings apart from the Treasury BUILDING also
that the clerical force in the building eano. DC
the Land Office will be removed in tho course OF next
snrng an estimate been submitted for the expense OF
aiordng additional light and ventilation = ne Treasury
building that the will be more convenient and
comorabe and the necessary Appropriation Tor mat pu
pose is recommended -
The system of monthly accounts from the collectors of
customs and the settlement thereof within the succeeding
month the treasury, has been adhered to and fully ear
ried out with few exceptions upon the Pachc ana te
accounts are being rendered and settled with great de-
spatch The benefit growing out of this system to the
public and officers of the is manifest the
longer it Is enforced :,
The departm.nt has caused the collectors Offices in all
the ports to be examined within the year. with but few ex
ceptions by agents of the department in order 10 ascertain
how their books and accounts We're kept and by personal
nspeetiop how the official corps discharged their duties
These have enabled this department 10 cor
and omissions and to see that the oea corps
devote themselves person the duties conded TO the
and resulted in securing greater vigilance and more
faithful application of the revenue laws.
The report the Register of the Treasury No. 26 also
accompanies this 1t exhibits greatly improved condi,
ton of his office The annual report commerce ana
navigation in advance of any former one and Will be In
print for of Congress at the OF It's
abors The business OF the office has been promptly and
well done.
schedule mo 27) of all the lots and lands purchased
under execution and DEGREES for the United States or
otherwise taken for debts due to the United States and
which have heretofore been Sold and also schedule OF all
snch lands "a are now held by the United States They
are submitted in order that Congress may have in view
the sales heretofore made and devise some suitable mode
for the future of the property hand ana such as
NAV hereafter be acquired also for closing or crediting
on the books Of the treasury such debts as have peen OF
shall be discharged IN whole or In by INC purchase OF
real because after accounts have been stated at the
treasury leaving balance due to the United States they
are passed the Register and appear on his DOCKS ana
then to the Solicitor and appear on ms BOOKS ana are
then sent to the proper district attorney Tor sulL
When the debt is collected and paid INTO te feasury
in whole part the amount paid entered on the
books of the Auditor where the account was st stated
and then on the books of the Comptroller and then on the
books the Register but where lands or any other thing
is purchased under execution for the debt IN wnoe or
part no entry thereof is made the books OF the Audi
tor Comptroller and Register until resale made ana
the money paid the treasury and when the United
States fail in whole part in the courts no entry Ii
made on the books Of Auditor Comptroller and Regis
Thus the books Of the treasury exhibit balances due
the United States after the same are discharged.
This might be remeded by treasury regulation caus-
ing the proper entries be made the books OF the Au
ditor Comptroller and Register and opening in each office
account Of the lands &C. purchased tor tine United
treasury of Indebtedness and the judgment IN
the particular case had better be regulated by Con-
LreSS. 1hE c0rrecuOn Vi tne pOOkS WOulu Oc WIN
taking considerable time and labor as it would require to
overhaul the books from the OF the govern
Yet statement of the condition OF the bal
the books of the treasury can be made until is
done
The report of the Solicitor of the Treasury mo- 2s also
accompanies this report and exhibits the operations OF
that Office and the attention given to the trial OF suits ana
the collection of money upon judgments in favor OF the
United States with suggestions as to the proprety OF
amending the law to authorize commission to dis
trct attorneys the collection of old judgments and the
proprety fauthoriziDg the department to make compro
and settlements The attention OF Congress is called
the subject with recommendation that the department
authorized allow district attorneys and others
poyed for that purpose commission not exceeding ten
cent the amount collected
The report of the Treasurer OF the United states mo-
2o accompanies this The business in the office of the
has been promptly and satisfactorily performed
money both Of United States and the dsbursng
agents of the government deposited has been safely kept
One additional clerk for the Treasnrers Office is
nsnded for the stated by the Treasurer in his
port
Under the 18th section of the Independent treasury law
it thought advisable to have the offices of the assist
aud the deposaries of the United States
anned by agent of the department. and Mr.. William
A. Gouge appointed to examine all OF them except
that Of San Francisco California His letter of appoint
no 3O accompanies this report also his general
report upon the condition and operation Of the offices used
depostares of the public and by the dsbursng
agents OF the government exhibiting highy SATISFACTORY
condition said Offices the keeping the books and the
public money and tie duties of the respective officers he
will required examine the southern Offices not here
ofore examined by him. The assistant treasurers office ut
San Francisco has been examined by j. Ross Browne
other agent of the department. and that office found in
good condition. and the business promptly and satisacto
riy performed.
The table 81 which accompanies this report exhibits the
imports and exports of coin from the Both day OF Septem
ber 1921 the Both day of june 1864 and the table 49,
which accompanies this report exhibits the coinage at the
United States from the year 1902 to the 30th day Of
September 1854 and the table 49, which also accompanies
this report exh bits the coinage of the United States mint
and branches from nea from the year 1904 to
the 30th day of September, 1854.
Under the of 1853 there has been SIG OF sill
yer coined the mint in Philadelphia and branch mint at
New Orleans and circulated at Philadelphia New York,
mond Norfolk Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, St
Louis Jeersonyile Cincinnati San Francisco ana Pitts
burg and furnished to citizens at various other places
This has tended keep sound currency for change In
circulation and afforded great convenience to the public
but the circulation of large amounts OF small bank notes
has contracted the benefits Of the silver change in many
places or driven it away tied it the pockets of the
people The full benefit of silver coinage for change can
never be realized while small bank notes are encouraged
bank charters and made current by the patronage
of the community.
These tables give some data from which estimate
NAV be made of the increasing amount of gold and silver
coin retained the country The table 34 with the re-
marks annexed which this report exhibits es
Inmates made by Secretaries Of the Treasury and others of
amount gold and silver coin in the country at differ
en-, periods and gives the amount the Both September
1854 S24I which is believed not to be nigh
estimate OF this there about $50 10000 IN the
banks and 900 Oc0 the United States treasury the
rest being circulation amongst the people or boarded
APP. 49,,
IL appears from the report the banks from this de-
partment submitted Congress the 9th OF May 1854
that in ls5o there $40 banks in the United States
with capital of $227 533 and in ls53s4 there were
20s hanks with a csptal of S3Ol 156OTl-being in