Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-01-03

for ordinary objects of the year, to the sum
| of $50, 10000
The amount of the public debt at the COM
| mencement of the present fiscal year, was for
| ty million five hundred and eighty three thous-
and six hundred and thirty one dollars; and
deduction being made Of subsequent payments,
the whole public debt of the Federal govern
ment remaining at this time, is less than forty
| million dollars. The remnant of certain other
| government stocks, amounting to two hundred
and forty thousanl dollars, referred to
in my last message as outstanding, has since
! been paid.
am fully persuaded that it would be diff
| cult to devised system superior to that by
which the fiscal business of the government
| is now conducted. Notwithstanding the great
| number of public agents Of collection and dis
bursement, it is believed that the checks and
| guards provided, including the requirement
of monthly returns, render it scarcely possible
| for any considerable fraud on the part of these
agents, or neglect, involving hazard of serious
| public loss, to escape detection.
Irenew. however, the recommendation here
tofore made by me, Of the enactment of a law
declaring it felonyon the part of public officers
| to insert false entries on their books of record
or account, or to make false returns, and also
/ requiring them on the termination of their
service to deliver to their successors all books
and records and all other objects of public
nature in their custody. Derived as our pub
lie revenue is, in chief part of duties on i'm
| ports, it's magnitude affords gratifying evidence
| of the prosperity, not only Of our commerce,
| but also the other great interests upon which
that depends.
The principle that all moneys not required
| for 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 the prudent and economical adj
ministration of the public affairs, cannot fail
to suggest the propriety of an early revision
| and reduction oil the tariff of duties ON i'm
ports, that the impost tables and schedules un-
| questionably require essential modification.
A departure from the principles of the present
tariff is not anticipated.
ARMY.
The army during the past year has been ac-
lively engaged in defending the Indian from
tier, the state of the service permitting but
few and small garrlsons in our permanent for
tifcations The additional regiments author
lied at the last session of Congress have been
recruited and organized, and large portion
of recruits have already been sent to the field.
All the duties which devoye upon the mill
tary establishment have been satisfactorily
performed; and the dangers and privations
incident to the character of the service re-
quired of our troops have furnished addition
al evidence of their courage, zeal, and capac-
ity to meet any requisitlon which their coun-
try may make upon them.
For the details of the military operations,
the distribution of the troops, and additional
provisions required for the military service, l
refer to the report of the Secretary of War,
and the accompanying documents.
Experience, gathered from events which
have trauspired since Iuy last annual message,
has but served to confirm the opinion then ex-
pressed of the propriety of making provision
by a retired list for disabled officers, retained
on the list for active duty. All the reasons
which existed when these measures were re-
commended on former occasions, continue
without modification, except so far as circum-
stances have given to some of then. additional
force.
The recommendations heretofore made for a
partial re. organization of the army are also
renewed. The thorough elementary educa.
ton given to those officers who commence
their service with the grade of Cadet, quail
has them to considerable extent to perform
the duty of every arm sf tho service /: hut to
give the highest efficiency to artillery requires
the practice and special study of many years;
and it is not, therefore, believed to be advsa-
BILE 70 maintain i'll time of peace,a larger force
of that arm than can be usually employed in
the duties appertaining 10 the service of the
field ana siege artillery.
The duties of the Staff in all its various
branches belong to the movements of troops,
and the efficiency Of an army in the field
would materially depend upon the ability with
| which these duties are discharged 1t is not
as in the case of artillery, speciality, but re-
quires also an intimate knowledge of the du-
ties of an officer of the line, and tits not doubt
ed that to complete the EDUCATION OF an officer
fer either the line the general staff, il is de-
sirable that he shall have served with both.--
! With this view, it was recommended OH for
mer occasion that the duties of the Staff should
be mainly performed by details from the line,
and with the conviction of the advantages
which would result from such change, it is
again presented for the consideration Of Con-
gress. IN
| NAVY.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy,
herewith submitted, exhibits in fun the naval
operations Of the past year, together with the
| present condition of the service and it makes
suggestions of further legislation, to which
your attention is invited. The construction
Of the six steam frigates, for which appropria-
tions were made by the last Congress, has pro-
ceeded in the most satisfactory manner, and
with such expedition as to warrant the belief
that they will be ready for service early in the
coming spring.
Important as this addition to our naval force
is it still remains inadequate to the contin-
gent exigences Of the protection of the ex-
tensiye sea coast and vast commercial inter-
ests 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 construction Of the six steam sloops-of-
war. a
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 expenditure
of the Department for the last fiscal year was
50 96S, S42, and the gross receipts $7,342,l36
making an excess Of expenditure over re.
ceipts of $2,626, 206; that the cost of mail
transportation during that year was $674,.
| 952 greater than the previous year.
| Much of the heavy expenditures to which
! tho Treasury is thus subjected is TO be ascrib-
| ed to the large quantity Of printed matter con-
veyed by the mails, either franked or liable to
no postage by law, Or very low rates Of post
age compared with that charged on letters,
and to tho great cost OF mail service on rail-
roads by ocean steamers. The suggestions Of
| the Postmaster General on the subject deeerve