Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-01-01

mated, TOR ordinary objects of the year, TO the
sum of sixty million four hundred and seven
| E-six thousand dollars
| The amount Of the public debt at the COM
mencement of the present fiscal year, was
forty million five hundred and eighty three
| thousand six hundred and thirty-one dollars,
and, deduction being made Of subsequent pay
ments, the whole public debt of the federal
government remaining at this time is less than
| forty million dollars.
The remnant of certain other government
stocks, amounting to two hundred and forty
three thousand dollars, referred to in my last
| message as outstanding, has since been paid
am fully persuaded that it would be diff
| cult TO devise system superior TO that, by
4 which the fiscal business of the government Is
now conducted. Notwithstanding, the great
number of public agents of collection and dis.
bursement, tits believed that the checks and
1 guards provided, including the requirement
of monthly returns, render it scarcely possible
| Tor any considerable fraud on the part of those
| agents, or neglect involving hazard of serious
public loss, to escape detection. / renew,
however, the recommendation, heretofore made
by me, of the enactment of law declaring il
felony on the part Of the public officers TO In
| sert false entries in their books of record sOr
account, or to make false returns, and also re-
qulring them on the termination Of their SER
vice to deliver to their successors all books,
records, and other subjects of public nature in
their custody.
Derived as our public revenue is, in chief
part, from duties on imports, its magnitude.
affords gratifying evidence Of the prosperity,
| not only OF our commerce, but of the other
great interests upon which that depends
The principle that all moneys not required
Tor the current expenses Of the government
| should remain for active employment in the
hands of the people, and the conspicuous fact
that the annual revenue from all sources ex-
ceeds, by many millions of dollars, the amount
| needed for prudent and economical admins
tratlon OF public affairs, cannot fail TO suggest
the propriety of an early revision and reduc-
ton OF the tariff of duties on imports 1t Is
now SO generally conceded that the purpose Of
| revenue alone can justify the imposition Of
duties on imports, that, in readjusting the i'm
post tables and schedules, which unQ ueStion-
| ably require essential notifications a depar-
ture from the principles of tho present tariff
Is not anticipated.
The army, during the past year, has been
| actively engaged in defending the Indian from
tier, the state OF the service permitting but few
ana small garrlsons In our permanent fortif-
cations. The additional regiments authorized
at the last session of Congress have been re-
crulted and organized, and a large portion of
the troops have already been sent to the field.
All the duties which devolved on the military
establishment. have been satisfactorily per-
FORMED, and the dangers and privatiOns Incl
| dent 10 the character Of the service required
OF our troops, have furnished additional evl-
dence OF their courage, zeal, and capacity to
meet any requisition which their country NAV
make upon them. For the details Of the mil
itary operations, the distribution of the troops,
and additional provisions required for the mil
ltary service, refer to the report of the Sec
retary of War and the accompanying docu-
ments.
Experience, gathered from events which
nave transplred since my last annual message,
has but served to confirm the opinion then
expressed OF the prOpriety Of making provi-
sion, by retired list, for disabled officers,
and tor the increased compensation for the
otlcers retained on the list for active duty
All the reasons which existed, when these
measures were recommended on former occv-
SIons, continue without modification, except
so far as circumstances have given to some of
them additional force
The recommendations, heretofore made for
partial reorganization Of the army, are also
renewed. The thorough elementary eduea-
ton given to those officers, who commence
their service with the grade of cadet, quail
nes them, to aconslderableiextent,t to perform
the duties OF every arm Of the service; but to
give the highest efficiency to artillery requires
the practice and special study of many years
and 1t Is not, therefore, believed to be advisa-
| pie 10 MAINTAIN, IN time of peace, a larger
force OF that arm than can be usually en-
pioyed IN the duties appertaining to the SER
vice OF field and siege artillery The duties
OF the staf In all its various branches belong
TO the movements of troops, and the efficiency
Of an army in the field would materially de-
| pend upon the ability with which those duties
are discharged 1t is not, as in the case Of
the artillery, speciality, but requires also
an intimate knowledge Of the duties Of an of.
hcer of the line, and 1t is not doubted that, to
complete the education of an officer for either
| the line or the general staff, il is desirable
| that he shall have served in both With this
view, it was recommended on a former occa.
sion that the duties of the staff should be
mainly performed by details from the line
| and, with conviction of the advantages which
would result from such a change, it is again
presented for the consideration of Congress
NAVY.
The report Of the Secretary of the Navy,
herewith submitted, exhibits in full the naval
| operations OF the past year, together with the
present condition of the service, and it makus
suggestions of further legislation, to which
| your attention is invited
The construction of the six steam frigates,
| Tor which appropriations were made by the
| last. Congress, has proceeded in the most sat
| lsfactory manner, and with such expedition as
to warrant the belief that they will be ready
| tor service early in the coming spring I'm
| portant as this addition to our naval force is
| 1t still remains inadequate to the contingent
exigencies of the protection of the extensive |
| sea coast and vast commercial interests of the |
| United States. In view of this fact, and of |
| the acknowledged wisdom of the policy Of a |
gradual and systematic increase of the navy,
{'an appropriation is recommended for the con- |
structiOn of six steam sloops-of-war.
In regard TO the steps taken in execution of |
the act OF Congress to promote the efficiency |
OF the navy, it is unnecessary for me TO say |
more than to express entire concurrence in |
the observations on that subject presented by |
the Secretary in his report
POST OFFICE. |
1t will be perceived, by the report of the |
Postmaster General, that the gross expendit- |
ure of the department for the last fiscal year |
was nine million nine hundred and sixty |
thousand three hundred and forty-two dollars, |
and the gross receipts seven million three hun |
dred and forty-two thousand one hundred and |
thirty-six dollars, making an excess of expen- |
diture over receipts Of two million six hundred |
and twenty six thousand two hundred and six |