Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-12-12

| nine hundred ana thlrty-Seven uOllars'
There was subsequent increase of two
million seven hundred and fifty thousand
dollars for the debt of Texas-making n
total of scvcnty-one million eight hundred
and seventy-nino thousand nine hundred and
thirty-scvcn dollars. OF this the sum of
forty-fve million five hundred and twenty
! five thousand three hundred and nineteen
| dollars, including the premium, has boen
discharged, reducing the debt to thirty mil
lion seven hundred and thirty-seven thou
sand one hundred and twenty rine dollars 4;
all which might be paid within year with
out embarrassing the public service, but
being not yet due, and only redeemable at
the option of the holder, cannot be pressed
to payment by the Government.
On examining the expenditures of the last
FIVE years. it will be seen that the average,
deducting payments on account OF the pub
lie debt, and ten millions paid by treaty to
Mexico, has been about forty-eight million
dollars 1t is believed that, under an eco
omical administration of the government,
TIN average expenditure for the ensuing five
yea, will not exceed that sum, unless extra
ord;no,-y occasion for its increase should
occur The acts granting bounty lands will
s,,r h., zen executed, while the extension
of n,r rront er settlements will cause n
continuod dem, nd for lands and augmented
rcccints nrobabl\', from that source. These
considcro lions viii Justify a reduction Of the
revenue from customs, so as not to exceed
rorty-eirht or fifty million dollars. think
the exigency for such reduction is imperative,
and again urge it upon the consideration Oh
Congress.
| The amount of reduction, as well as the
manner OF efiecting it, are questions OF great
and general interest it being essential 10
| industrial enterprise and the public prosper
| itv, as well as the dictate Of obvious lustlce,
that the burden of taxation to made to res,
as equally possible upon all classes, "nu
all sections and interests OF the country
| have heretofore recommended to your
! consideration the revision of the revenue
laws, prepared under the direction of the
Secretary of the Treasury, and also legislation
upon some special questions affecting the bu-
siness Of that department, more especially
the enactment of law to punish the ab-
straction of Ollicia, books or papers from the
files of the government, and requiring all
such books and papers and all other public
property to be turned over by the out going
officer to his successor Of law requiring
disbursng officers to deposite all public mo-
ncy in the vaults of the treasury or in other
| legal repositories, where the same are conve-
nently accessible and a law to extend ex-
listing penal provisions to all persons who
may become possessed of public money by
deposite or otherwise, and who shall refuse
or neglect, on due demand, to pay the same
into the treasury ! invite your attention
anew to each Of these subjects.
The army during the past year has been SO
constantly employed against hostile Indians
in various quarters, that it can scarcely be
said, with propriety Of language to have
been a peace establishment Its duties have
been satisfactorily performed, and we have
reason to expect, as result of the year :
operations, greater security to the frontier
inhabitants than has been hitherto enjoyed
Extensive combinations among the hostile In
dams of the Territories of Washington anC
Oregon at one time threatened the devasta
ton of the newly formed settlements Of tina
remote portion Of the country. From recen
information, we are permitted to hope tina
the energetic and successful operations con
Quoted there will prevent such combination
in future, and secure to those territories al
: opportunity to make steady progress In tn
development of their agricultural and mine
raj resources
Legislation has been recommended by Inc o.
previous occasions to cure defects in the eS
isting organization, and to increase the eff
cheney Of the army, and further Observation
has but served to confirm me in the view
then expressed, and to enforce on my min
the conviction that such measures are nc
only proper but necessary.
have, in addition, to invite the attentio
f Of Congress to change Of policy in the dis
trihutlon of troops, and to the necessity G
= providing more rapid increase of the mil
) tary armament. For details of these an
other subjects relating to the army, | refer {
the report Of the Secretary of War
,a III Of : &c
, satisfactory, but exhibits the most gratifyin
evidences OF increased yigor As it is con
parativcly small, it is more important that
. should be as complete as possible in all tt
; elements Of strength that it should be Ell
1 cient in the character of its officers, in til
zeal and discipline of Its men, in the relabi
= ity Of its ordnance, and in the capacity of i
G ships. In all these various qualities the nav
: has made great progress within the la'
D few years. The execution of the law of Coz
/ gress, of February 2S, 1855, - to promo
r the efficiency of the navy has been attendC
e by the most advantageous results. The la
! for promoting discipline among the men
Y found convenient and salutary. The syste
of granting an honorable discharge to iaitl
@ full seamcn on the expiration of the period
r their enlistment, and permitting them to r
t enlist after Il leave of absence for fe
f months, without cessation of pay, is high
Q beneficial in its influence. The apprentic
. system recently adopted is evidently destint
[ to incorporate into the service large numb
O of our countrymen hitherto so difficult
o procure. Several hundred American boys a.
v now on three years cruise in our nation
h vessels, and will return well trained seamc
n In the ordnance department there is a decide
and gratifying indication of progress credits
e bic to it and the country The suggestion
Y of the Secretary Of the Navy, in regard
If further improvement in that branch Of Il
G service. ! commend to your favorable acno
The new irigates ordered by Congress a
Il now aloat, and two of them in active seryic
/, They are superior models Of naval archite'
Il ture, and, with their formidable battery, al
Z largely to public strength and security.
G | concur in the views expressed by Il
Z Secretary of the Department in favor Of
o still further increase of our naval force.
y The report of the Secretary of the lnteri
IS presents facts and views in relation to inte
It nal affairs over which the supervision
?. is department extends, Of much intere
Q and importance
l. The aggregate sales of public lands, durir
/, the last fiscal year, amount to nine milli(
- two hundred and twenty-seven thousai
Il eight hundred and scventy-eight acres {
lc which has been received the sum of Gig
&c million eight hundred and twenty-one thou
= and four hundred and fourteen dollars
l. During the same period there have be-
Is located, with military scrip and land warrar
: and for other purposes, thirty million o
l. hundred thousand two hundred and thir
l. acres, thus making total aggregate of th
lc ty-ninc million three hundred and twent
eight thousand one hundred and eight acr'
ut On the Both of September last, surveys h
he been made of sixteen million eight hundr
le and seventy-three thousand six hundred a
ninety-mne acres, large proportion of viii
ry is ready for market,
IN The suggestions in this report in regard
10 the complication and progressive expansion
Ie the business of the different bureaux of t
ry departments to the pension system; to t
colonization Of Indian tribes, and the reco