Demoine courier., 1856-01-10
YMR RKRaENK E@HRTKR.

gate Of $3.77O 600, and reduce
the expenditures, actual or estimated, for
ordinary objects of The year, 10 the sum
OF s6,416,O0O. The amount Of the pub
lie debt al The commencement of the fs
cal year was $4U, 583, 63l, and deduc.
lions being made on subsequent pay
meris, the whole public deb, of he Fed
eral Government, remaining a, this time
is less than $40, 600 900. The remnan,
OF certain Other Government Stoke,
amounting 10 s243, 900. referred to 10 my
last messVe as outstanding, has since
been paid.
am fully persuaded that il would be
difhcnlt 10 cevise a syslem superior 10
that by which the fiscal business Of me
government 10 conducted. No,wilh-
standing the greater number Of public
agents Of collection and disbursement, i,
is believed that the checks and guards
provided, including The requirement, Of
monthly ieturns, render j, scarcely pos
sible for any considerable frauds upon
The part OF these agents, or neglect in
volving hazard Of serious public loss, to
escape detection. renew, however,
the recommendation heretofore made by
me Of tho enactment Of a law declaring
i. felony on the part Of public officers to
insert false entries in their books of re-
cord or account, or TO make false returns
and also requiring them, the termination
OF their service, TO deliver 10 their sue.
cessors all books, records, and other OBJ
Jecis of a public nature in their custody.
Derived as our public revenue is,
chiefly from duties on Imports, it's mag
ni,ude affords gratifying evidence OF the
prosperity. no. only of our commerce.
but OF other grea, interests upon which
that depends. The principle that all
moneys not required for the current ex
penses OF government should remain in
the hands Of the people, and the ron
spicuous fact that the annual revenu
from all sources exceeds by many mil
Ion dollars the mount, needed for pru-
dent and economical administration Of
public affairs, cannot fail to suggest the
propriety Of an e.rly revision and re.
duc.ioa Of the tariff du,ies on imports
II is now so generally conceded that The
purpose Of revenue alone justify impo-
silion Of duties on imports, that. in re-
adjusting tho impor. tables and SEIZED.
ules, which unqu~estlonably require es-
ssntial notifications, a departure from
The principles Of the present tariff is mol,
anticipated.
The army, during the pas, year. has
been actively engaged in defending the
Indian frontiers, the state Of the service
permitting but Few and small garrisons
in our permanent Notifications The
additional regiments authorized st the
last session Of Congress have been re
cruited and organized, and a large por-
lion Of the troops have already been sen,
to the field. All the duties which de-.
volve OF The military establishment have
been satisfactorily performed, and the
dangerous operation. incidenl,o the char.
acter Of the service required OF our
troops have furnished additional evi.
tence Of their courage. zeal and capaci-
" to meet any requisilion which their
country may make upon them. For the
details of The military operations oil the
troops, and additional provisions requir-
ed for the military service. l refer to
the report of the Secretary of War and
the accompany ing documents.
Experience gathered from events which
have TRANSFERRED since my last annual mes.
sage has served 10 confirm the opinion
then expressed Of the propriely of ma.
king provisions, by a retired list, Cor dis
abled officers, and for increased compen-
sation TO the officers retained on the list,
for active dut-. All the reasons which
existed when The measures were recon-
men6ed ol former occasions continue so
far, except circumstances have given to
,hem additional force. The rec0mmen-
da,ions heretofore made for a reorgani-
cation VI the army are also renewed
The elementary education given those
oficers who commence their service az
cadets qualities them 10 q considerable
extent 10 perform the duties of every
otu ~ VIC eCSviCCS out W StsC tuc ut&u.
est efficiency TO artillery requires the
practice and special study of many
yea.s, and it is not therefore, believed
advisable TO maintain, in time OF peace,
a large force Of hat arm than can he EN-
ployed in the service OF field and seige
artillery. The duties of the staff, in all
its various branches, belong to the move
mems of the troops. and the efficiency
Of an army in the field would materially
depend Oh the ability with which those
duties were discharged. Its not. as in
the case Of artillery. "a specisIi.y tina, re-
quires also an intimate knowledge Of the
duties OF an officer Of the line. and il il
not doubted tina. 10 complete the educa.
ton Of an officer for either the line OF
the staff, it is desirable that he shall have
served in both. With this view l have
recommended on former occasions, .hs,
the duties Of lie staff should be- manly
performed by details from The line, and,
with a conviction o. the advantages which
would result from such a change. il il
again presented Cor the consideration oil
Congress.
The repor, Of the Secretary Of the
Navy, herewith submined. exhibits in
full The naval oDerations of the oast wear