The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-01-11

n declaration, recognizing MS interDationa
rights the principles cou4ained in the conven
ton between the United States and Russia
OF the Odd Of July, 1856 These treNre,
and conventions will be l?sl before the Sen.
ate for ratification.
Tine statements made, in my last annual
message, respecting the anticipated receipts
and expenditures of heTreasury, have been
substantially verified. -,
ltnppears from the report of the Secretary
of the Treasury, that the receipts Curing the
last financial year ending June 80, 1866, from
all sources, were sixty-iive million three thou
sand nine hundred and thirty dollars; and
that the public expenditure for the same pc.
rod, exclusive of payments on account. of
public debt, amounted to, fttY.six million
three hundred and sixty-fve thousand three
hundred and ninety-three datIars. During
the same period, the payments 'nnde in re-
dempiion of the public debt, Including inter-
est ana premium, AMOUNTED to nine million
eight hundred aud Wfty-four thousand five
hundred and twenty-eight dollars.
THe balance in the Treasury at the bepin-
nlng OF the present year, July /, 1855. was
eighteen million nine hundred and thirty.one
thousand nine hundred and seventy.six dol.
lars, the receipts for the first quarter, and the
estimated receipts for the remaining three
quarters, amount, together, to sixtv.seven
million nine hundred and eighteen thousand
seven hundred and thirty.four dollars; thus
aIfordlng IN all, as the available resources of
the current year, the sum of eighty-six million
eight hundred and liity-six Thousand seven
hundred and ten dollars.
Ii, to the actual expenditures, of the first
quarter of the current fiscal year, be added
the probable expenditures of the remaining
three quarters, ms estimated by the Secretary
OF the Treasury, the sum total will he seventy.
one million two hundred and twenty. six
thousand eight hundred and forty-six dollars.
thereby leaving an estimated balance in the
treasury on July /, 1856, Of fifteen million
SIX hundred twenty-three thousand eiCht
hundred and sixty-three dollars and turty-one
cents.
In the above estimated expenditures of the
present fiscal year are iacluded three million
dollars to meet the last instalment of the ten
millions provided for in the late treaty with
Mexico, and seven million seven hundred and
hlty Thousand dollars appropriated on account
OF the debt due to Texas, which two sums
make an aggregate amount ten million seven
hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and reduce
the expenditures, actual or estimated, for or
binary objects OF the year, to the sum of sixty
million four hundred and scventy.six thousand
dollars
The amount Of the public debt, at the
commencement Of the present fiscal year,
was forty million five hundred and eighty.
three thousand six hundred and thirty nne
dollars, and, deduction being made of subse.
quent payments, the whole public debt of the
federal government remaining ut 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 out standing, has since been paid.
am fully persuaded that it would be diff
cult to devise 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 disbursement, il is believed that the checks
and guards proved including the requirement
of monthly returns, rendered il scarcely pos
sible for any considerable fraud on the part
of those agents, or neglect involving hazard
ofany serious public loss, to escape detection.
l renew, however, the recommendation here.
toiore made by me, of the enactment of a
law declaring it felony on the part of public
officers to insert false entries in their books
OF record or account, or to make false re-
turns, and also requiring them on the tcrmi.
nation of their service to deliver to their sue
cessors all books, records, and other objects
OF public nature in their custoday.
Derived MS pulic 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
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 dollars, the amount
neededtor prudent and economical admins.
tration Of public affairs, cannot fail to suggest
the prcpriety Of IN early revision, and reduc.
tion ithe tariff of duties on Imports tits now
so generally conceded that the purpose of
rcveneue a one can Justify the imposition of
duties on imports, that, in rp-ndiustinr the
import tables and schedules, which unques-
tionably require essential notifications, de.
partnre from the principles of the present
tariff is not anticipated.
The army, during the past year, has been
actively engaged in defending the Indian
frontier, the state of the service permitting
but few and small garrIsOns in our permanent
| Notifications. The additional regiments an.
thorlzed ut the last session of Congress have
been recruited and organized, and large
portion OF the troops have already been sent
to tho field. All the duties, which devolve
, on the military establishment have been
satisfactorily performed, and the dan gers OF
and prvations incident TO the character of the
service required of our troops have furnished
additional evidence of their courage, zeal, and
capacity to meet any requisiton, which their
country may make upon them. For the details
of the military operations, the distributions OF
the troops, and additional provisions required
for the military service, refer to the repor
of the Secretary of War and the accompany
ing documents.
Experience, gathered from events whicl
have transpired since my last annual message
las but served to confirm the opinion ther
expressed OF the propriety of making provis
ion, by retired list, for disabled officers, an,
tor increased compensation to the officers re
tanned on the list Tor active duty. All tn
reasons which existed, when these measure
were recommended on former occasions, con
time without modification, except so far ~
circumstances have given to them additiona
force.
The recommendations, heretofore made 70
u partial reorganization of the army, ARE als
renewed. The thorough elementary educa
ton given to those officers, who conmenc
their service with the grade of cadet, qualife
them, to considerable extent, to perform tn
duties OF every arm OF service; but to give In
highest efficiency to the artillery requires til
practice and speciul study of mnnv vanrs on.