The Shasta courier., 1855-01-06
Domestic Affairs.

| sury, IL Will appear mat the amount OF revenue
during the last fiscal year from all sources was
$73,549.7o5 and that the public expenses for
the same period, exclusive of payments on ac-
count OF the public debt, amounted to S5l.ClS.-
249- During the same period the payments made
in redemption of the public debt including In
terest and premium, amounted to s24. 1886, $50. I
!, To the sum total of the receipts of that year is
to be added balance remaining in the treasury
| at the commencement thereof, amounting to
s21 ,942 .S92. and at the close of the year a
corresponding. balance amounting TO S20l37.-
967 OF receipts above expenditures also remain
ed in the treasury. Although in the opinion of
the Secretary of the Treasury the receipts of the
current fiscal year not. likely 10 equal. in
amount, those of the last, yet they will, un-
doubtedly, exceed the amount of expenditures
by It least II, 900 900. | SHALL therefore, cou-
tinue to direct that the surplus revenue be APP
j piled. so far as it can be iudicously and econo
niicaiy DONE to the reduction of the pahise
debt, the amount of which at the commence
ment of the last fiscal year was S67 $40 ,62S, OF
which there had been paid on the Goth day of
November, 1854, the sum of $22 365, ,l72, eav-
| ing balance of outstanding public debt of only
| $44 .975, ,456 redeemable at different periods
| within fourteen ears. There are also remnants
| of other Government stocks. most of which are
already due, and which the interest has
| ceased. but which has not yet been presented
tor payment amounting to $233, 49, This state
ment exhibits the fact that the annual income
of the Government greatly exceeds the amount
of its public debt, which latter remains unpaid
only because the time of payment has not yet
matured and it cannot be discharged at once,
except at the option of public creditors. who
prefer to retain the securities OF the United
States, and the other fact not less striking, that
| the annual revenue from all sources exceeds by
many millions of dollars the amount needed for
q prudent and economical administration OF the
Government.
The estimates presented to Congress by the
different Executive Departments at the last ses,
sor, amounted to. .$3S, ,4O6 ,5sl, and the appropr
ations made to the sum of $5S 1l6,95S. of this
excess OF appropriations over estimates, howev-
er, more than twenty millions was applicable to
extraordinary objects, having 20 reference to
the usual annual expenditures. Among these
objects was embraced ten millions to meet the
third article of the treaty between the United
States and Mexico. so that in fact, for objects
of ordinary expenditure the appropriations
were limited to considerably less than forty
millions of dollars. | therefore renew my rec-
Ommendation for reduction of the duties on
imports. The report of the Secretary of the
Treasury presents series OF tables showing
the operation of the revenue system for several
successive years, and as the general principle
of reduction of duties with a view to revenue,
and not protection, may now be regarded as the.
settled policy of the country, trust that little
difficulty will be encountered in setting the de-
tails of measure to that effect.
i An increase of the army is recommended, and
and its necessity urged for the following rea-
sons:
i The settlers on the frontier have suffered
much from the incursions of the predatory
bands. and large parties of emigrants to our Pa
cific possessions have been massacred with i'm
punity. The recurrence of such scenes on
ly be prevented by teaching the power of. and
their responsibility to the United States. From
the garrsons of our frontier posts it is only pos
sible to detack troops in small bodies, and
though these have all occasions displayed a
gallantry and stern devotion to duty, which on
a larger field would have commanded universal
admiration, they have usually suffered severely
in those conflicts with superior numbers, and
sometimes been entirely sacrificed. All the dis
pcsable force of the army is already employed
on this service, and is known to be wholly mad
equate to the protection which should be af-
forded
The public mind of the country has been re-
Gently shocked by savage atrocities committed
upon defenceless emigrants and border settle
ments. and hardly less by the unnecessary de-
j struction of valuable lives, where inadequate de-
tachments of troops have undertaken TO furnish
the needed aid. Without increase OF the ml
tary force, these scenes will be repeated il is to
A.
astrous consequences.
An increaee in the pay of officers is also sug-
gested, and the creation of retired list recon-
4 mended.
! A reorganization and gradual increase of the
4 navy is also deemed worthy of the favorable
1 consideration of Congress. He holds that
We should not overlook the present magni-
%r1
cial marine, nor fail to give due weight to the
fact that besides the two thousand miles of At
lantc seaboard, we have Pacific coast
stretching from Mexico to the British posses
sons on the north, teemng with wealth and en-
| terprise and demanding the constant presence
| of ships-of-war. The augmentation of the navy
! has not kept pace with the duties properly and
!, proftaby assigned to it in time of peace and
it is inadequate for the large field of It's opera
tions, not merely in the present bat still more in
the progressively increasing exigencies OF the
United States
The subject of sea disasters is dwelt upon and
several wise recommendations made, one of
which is the revision of the existing laws for the
maintenance of discipline at sea; and another,
the adoption of the proposed apprentice system
for both national and merchant ships.
The Post Office Department continues to be a
charge upon the general treasury. The cost of
mail transportation during the year ending June
80, 1854, exceeds the cost of the preceding year
by $595o74. The entire expenditure for the
Department during the year ending June 80,
1854, including $l33,4S3 of balance to foreign
offices, amounted to $S,71O,9Q7. The gross re-
ceipts during the same period amounted to s6,-
955,5s6, exhibiting an expenditure over income
of $l,755,32l, and dimpnition of defcien-
cy, compared with the last year, OF $36l,756
dollars. The increase of the revenue of the de-
partment, for the year ending June30, 1854, over
the preceding year, was s970,399. No proper
tionate increase, however, can be anticipated
for the current year. in consequence off the act Of
i C.anuroca Of & l2i4 nrOyidino for in