Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-12-10
PREsIDENT,S MESSAGE,

able ana calm DOCUMENT, cAhloltHS HS"u."o
at the close of his administration, in the same
light Of tru,hfuness and fearles. honesty which
shone upon his induction into Office. 1t tis>in-
possible for US TO present our readers at present
with any thing more than = few bfieff extracts
from this digni6ed paper, although the whole Of
it we'll deserves the attentive perusal of every
man in the Union.
Alarge portion Of the Presidents reflections
is bestowed upon the great question that di-
yides the two sections of the Union. His ar-
guinent upon the Rights Of the States, in This
connection, is clear and sound and his review
of the whole controversy, from its incipiency TO
the Kansas Nebraska Bill, evinces mind long
watchful of and intimately acquainted with the
political history of the United States. We shall
endeayor to publish this part of the message
next week.
Upon the finances of the country, he has The
following:
Irefer you to the report Of the Secretary Of
the Treasury for particular information concern
luS Tue ITAucIal cOuuilluu W
and the various branches of the public service
connected with The Treasury Department
During the last 6acal year tho receipts from
customs were, for the FIRST time, more than six
ty.four million dollars; and from ull sources,
teventy-three million nine hundred and eighteen
thousand one hundred and forty-one dallars !;
which, with the balance on hand up 10 the lst
of July, 1855, made The total resources of The
year TO amount to ninety-two million eight hun.
dred md fifty thousand one hundred and seven
teen dollars. The expenditures, including three
million dollars in execution Of the treaty with
Mexico, and excluding sums paid on account OF
the public debt, amounted to sixty million one
hundred and seYen,y.two thousand four hundred
and one dollars; and, including the latter, 10
seventy.two million nine hundred and forty.eight
thousand seven hundred and ninely.two dollars,
the payment on this account having amounted
to twelve million seven hundred and seventy-six
thousand three hundred and ninety dollars.
On the 4th of March, 1853, the amount of
the public debt was sixty.nine million one hun.
dred and twenty.nine thousand nine hundred
and thirty.seyen dollars There was subse.
quent increase of two million seven huadred
apd fifty thousand dollars for the debt of Texas
--inaking total of seventy-one million eight
hundred and seyenty-nine thousand nine hundred
and thirty.seven dollars. OF this the sum of
forty. five million FIVE hundred and twenty-five
thousand three hundred and nineteen dollars,
including premium, has been discharged, redu.
cling the debt 10 thirty million seven hundred
and thirty-scven thousand one hundred and
twenty.nine dollars; all which might be paid
within year without embarrassing the public
service, but being not yet DUE and only redeem:.
BILE mt the option Of the holder, cannot be press
ed to payment by the government.
On cIsmining the expenditures of the last
five years, it will be seen that the average, de-
Quoting payments on account of the public debt
and ten millions paid by treaty 10 Mexico, has
been but about forty.eight million dollars. 1t
is believed that, under an economical adminisira.
tion Of the government, the average exPendi-
ture for the ensuing FIVE years will not exceed
that sum, unless extraordinary occasion tor It's
increase should occur. The acts granting boun-
ty lands will soon have been executed, while
the extension Of our frontier settlements will
cause continued demand for lands and aug.
mented receipts, probably, from that source.
These considerations will justify reduction OF
the revenue from customs, 80 as not to exceed
forty.eight or fifty million dollars. i think the
e1igency for such reduction ID imperative, and
again urge it upon the consideration Of Con-
gress.
Tha-arnaunt- -os- -ssdrstion5- rell-ae The
inner of effec,ing it, are questions of great
and general interest; il being essential to in
dustrial enterprise and the public prosperity, as
we'll as the dictates of obvious Justice, that the
burden Of taxation be made to rest as equally
as possible upon all elases. and all interests
Of the country.
The President recommends an increase Of
the army and reports the present condition OF
the navy as not only satisfactory but highly
gratifying. The new Friga.es ordered by Con-
gress are now afoat. "They are superior mod
els" says the Message, "of naval architecture,
and with thei. formidable batteries add largely
to the public strength and security"
The Kansas troubles are thus spoken of:
1t affords me unmingled satisfaction THUS to
announce the peaceful condition of things in
Kansas, especially considering the means to
which it was necessary to have recourse for the
attainment of the end, namely, the employment
of part of the military force of the United
States. The withdrawal Of thst force from its
proper duty OF defending The country against
foreign foes or the savases of the frontier, 10
employ it for the suppression of domestic in
surrec,ion, is, when the exigency occurs, mat
ter of the most earnest solcitude. On this oc-
casion Of imperative necessity it has been done
with the best results, and nv satisfaction in the
attainment of such results by such means is
greatly enhanced by The consideration, that,
through the wisdom and energy Of the present
Executive of Kansas, and the prudence, frmness
and vigilance of the military officers on duty
there, tranquility has been restored without one
drop of blood having been shed in its accom-.
plishmcnt by the forces of the United States.
OF the doings Of the Department Of the In
terror, the following will be read with interest
The aggregate sules of the public lands, du.
ring the last fiscal year, amount TO nine millions
two hundred and twenty-seven thousand eight
hundred and seyenty-eight acres; for which has
been received the sum of eight million eight
hundred and twenty.one thousand four hundred
and fourteen dollars During the same period
there have been located, with military scrip and
land warrants, and for other purposes, thirty
million one hsndred thousand two hundred and
thirty acres, thus making total aggregate of
thirty.nine million three hundred and twenty
eight thousand one hundred and eight acres.-
On tie 3oth Of September last, surveys had
been made of sixteen million eight hundred and
seventy.three thousand six hundred and ninety
n inc acres, large proportion of which is ready
for market.
The Post Office Department is reported as
dependent in part upon the Treasury for its
support, owing to the reduced rates Of postage.