The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-12-08


Of public creditors; who prefer 10 retain
the securities Of tho United States; and the
other fact, not less striking, that the annual
revenue from oil sources exceeds, by many
millions Of dollars, the amount needed tor
q prudent and economical administration of
the government. 80 ys45-...
The estimates presented to congress from
the different executive departments, at tho
last session, amounted to thirty eight mil
lion four hundred and six thousand five hum
dred and eighty-one dollars and the appro-
priations made to the sum of fifiv.eiobt
million one hundred and sixteen thousand
nine hundred and fay eight dollars. OF
this excess Of appropriations over estimates,
however, more than twenty millions was
applicable to extraordinary objects, having
no reference to the usual annual expendi.
lures. Among these objects was embnced
ten millions to meet the third article of the
treaty between the United States and Mex
leo; 80 that, in fact, for objects Of ordinary
expenditure, the appropriations were limited
to considenbly less than forty millions Of
dollars. ] therefore renew my recommen-
dation for reduction Of the duties on i'm
ports. Tho report Of the secretary Of the
treasury presents series Of tables, show
ing the operation Of the revenue system for
several successive years, and as the general
principle Of reduction Of duties with view
to revenue and not protection may now DO
regarded as the settled policy Of the. couD-
try, trust that little. difficulty viii be en-
countered in settling the details Of a meas
ure to that effect.
In connection with this subject I recon-.
mend change In the laws, which recent
experience has shown to be essential 10 ttss
protection Of the government. There is no
express provision Of law requiring the rec.
ords and papers Of public character, OF
the several officers Of the government to be
left in their offices for the use Of their sue
cessors, nor any provision declaring Il felo-
ny on their part to make false entries in the
books, or return false accounts. In the alb
sence Of such express provision by law, the
outgoing officers, in many instances, have
claimed and exercised the right to take into
their own possession important books and
papers, on the ground that these were their
private property; and have placed them
beyond the reach Of tho government.
Conduct Of this character, brought in sever
al instances to the notice Of the present Sec
rotary OF the treasury, naturally awakened
his suspicion, and resulted in the Disclosure
that ut four ports, namely, Oswego Toledo,
Sandusky and Milwaukee, the treasury had,
by false entries, been defnuded, within the
four years next preceding March, 1853, Of
the sum Of ono hundred and ninety. EIGHT
thousand dollars. The great difficulty with
which the detection Of these frauds has
been attended, in consequence Of the alb
straction Of books and papers by retiring
officers, and the facility with which similar
frauds in the public service may be pcrpe-
trated, render the necessity Of new legal
enactments, In the respects above referred
to, quite obvious. For other material modi-
fications Of the revenue laws which seem
to me desirable, refer you to the report Of
the secretary Of the treasury That report,
and the tables which accompany il, furnish
ample proofs Of the solid foundation on
which the financial security Of the country
rests, and Of the salutary influence Of the
independent treasury system upon commerce
and all monetary operations.
The experience Of the last year furnishes
additional reasons, regret to say, Of pain
full character, for the Recommendation hero
tofore made, to provide for increasing tho
military force employed in the territory in
habited by the Indians. The settlers on the
frontier have suffered much from the incur
sions of predatory bands, and large parties
of emignns to our Pacific possessions have
been nassacrcd with impunity. The rccur-
renee Of such scenes can only DO prevented
by teaching these wild tribes the power Of,
and their responsibility to, the United
States. From the garrisons OF our frontier
posts, it is only possible to dctach troops in
small bodies; and though these have on oil
occasions displayed gallantry and stern
devotion to duty, which on larger field
would have commanded universal admin
ton, they have usually suffered severely in
these conflicts with superior numbers, and
have sometimes been entirely sacri6ced.-
All the disposable force Of the army 10 al
ready employed on this service, and Is
known to be wholly inadequate TO the pro-
lection which should be afforded. Tho
public mind Of the country has been recent
ly shocked by savage atrocities committed
upon defenseless emigrants and border set
Elements, and hardly less by the unnecessa-
~ destruction Of valuable lives, where mad
equate detachments Of troops have undcrta-
ken to furnish the needed aid. Without in
crease Of the military force, these scenes
will DO repeated, It il to be feared, on q
larger scale, and with more disastrous con-
sequences. Congress, I am sure, will per-
ceive that the plainest duties and RESPONSE
bilities of government are involved in this
question, and doubt not that prompt action
may be confidently anticipated, when delay
must DO attended BY such fearful hazards.
The bill Of the last session, providing for
IN increase Of the pay Of the rank and 6lo
,f the army has had beneficial results, not
only in facilitating cnlistments, bot in OBJ
rious Improvement in the class Of men who
enter the service. l regret that cores.
,onding consideration was not bestowed on
he officers, who, in view Of their character
md services, and the expenses TO which
hey are necessarily subject, receive at
present what is, in my judgment, inadequate
The valuable services constantly rendered
~ the army, and its incstimable impor-
ance, as the nucleus around which tho
volunteer forces of the nation can promptly
yuther in the hour of danger, sufficiently
lttest the wisdom of maintaining military
,cacc establishment; but tho theory OF our
Iystem and the wise practice under II, re-
luirc that any proposed augmentation, IN
ime Of peace, be only commensurate With
,ur extended limits and frontier relations.
While scrupulously adhering to this phnci-
lie, I find, in existing circumstances, o Ne
essity for increase Of our military force,
nd L Is believed that four new regiments,
wo Of infantry and two Of mounted men,
I'LL DO sufficient to meet tho present ext