The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-01-10
MESSAGE.


Felow Citizens Of the Senate and ofthe House
Of Representatives.:
TREASURY.
The statements made, in my last annual
message, respecting the anticipated receipts
aud expenditures of The Treasury, have been
substantially verified.
Il appears from the report of the Secretary
Of the Treasury, tina, the receipts during the
last fiscal year ending June 80, 1855, from
all sources, were sxty-five million th.se
thousand nine hundred and thirty dollars;
and that the public Expenditures for the same
period, exclusive of payments on account of
the public debt, amounted 10 fif,y-six million
three hundred and sxtv-fse thousand three
hundred and ninety-ihres dollars. During
the same period, the payment made in re-
demplion of the public debt, including in
teresi and premium, amounted TO nine mil
lion eight hundred and foriy-four thousand
five hundred and tweuty.esht dollars.
The balance in the Treasury at the begin.
ming OF the present fiscal year, July 1, 1855,
was eighteen million nine hundred and
thirty-one thousand nine bundled and seven
ty-six dollars; the receipts for the first quar-.
ter, and the estimated receipts ioi the remain
ing three quarters, amount, together, to
sixty-seven million nine hundred and eigh.
teen thousand seven hundred and Airty .four
dollars; thus affording in all, as the available
resources Of the current fist al year, the sum
of eighty.six million eight hundred and
tifty-s:x thousand seven hundred and ten
dollars.
II, to the actual expenditures of the fts,
quarter of the current fiscal year, be added
the probable expenditures for The three re.
naming quarters, as estimated by the Sec.
retary Of the Treasury; the sum total will be
seventy-one million two hundred and twen.
ty.six thousand eight hundred and forty six
dollars, thereby leaving an estimated bal.
ance in the treasury on July 1, 1856, of fit.
teen million six hundred and iweniy-,hree
thousand eigh, hundred and sixty-lhree dol
lars and forty.one cents.
In the above estimated expenditures OF the
present fiscal year are included three million
dollars to meet the last ipstslm of the ter
millions provided for in the late treaty with
Mexico, and seven million seven hundred
and fifty thousand dollars appropriated OF
account of the debt due to Texas, which
two sums make an aggregate amount OF fer
million seven hundred and fifty ,horsant
dollars, and reduce the expenditures, actua
or estimated, for ordinary objects of the
year, to the sum ofsixty million fourhundret
and seventy-six thousand dollars.
The amount of the public debt, at thu
commencement of the present fiscal year
was forty million five hundred and eighty
three thousand six hundred and thiry-one
collars, and, deduction being made of subse
quent payments, the whole public debt o
the federal government remaining at thil
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 las
message as outstanding, has since been paid
lam fully persuaded that it would be diff
fcult 10 devise system superior TO that, b,
which the fiscal business Of the government
isnow conducted. Notwithstanding the grea
number Of public agents of collection an
disbursement, it is believed that the check
and guards provided, including the require
ment Of monthly returns, render it scarcel
possible for any considerable fraud on tn
part of those agents, or neglect involvin
hazard Of serious public loss, to escape detec
ton. renew, however, the recommends
tion, heretofore made by me, of the enact
ment Of law declaring it felony on the pa
of public officers to insert false entries In the
books of record or account, or to make falls
returns, and also requiring them on the tel
mination Of their service to deliver to the
successors all books, records, and other ot
iects of public nature in their custody.
Derived as our public revenue is, in chic
part, from duties on imports, its magnltud
affords gratifying evidence of the prosperit.
not only of our comm erce, but of the othe
great interests upon which that depends.
The principle that all moneys not require
for the current expenses of the govemmer
should remain for active employment in th
hands Of the people, and the conspicuous faa
that the annual revenue from all sources Q,
cseds, by many millions Of dollars, the amoul
needed for prudent and economical admir-
istration Of public affairs, cannot fail to SOS
gest the propriety of an early revision "a
reduction of the tariff Of duties on imports-
Il is now 30 generally conceded that the pu
pose Of revenue alone can justify the impos
tioE Of duties on imports, that, 10 rs.adiustin
the impost tables and schedules, which VI
questionsbly require essential modification
departure from the principles Of the press'
tariff is not anticipated.