Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-12-10

in this Territory will be found in the docu-
meuts communicated herewith from the De-
partments of State and War.
l refer you to the report of the Secretary of
the Treasury for particular information con-
Ueruiug the final condition Ofthe government,
and the various branches of the public service
connected with the Treasury Department.
During the last fiscal year the receipts
from customs, were. for the first time, more
than S64 900, 900. and from alt sources,
1913, HI; which, with the balance
hand up to the 1st of July. 1855, made the
otal resources of the year to amount to S62,-
S50,11
The expenditures, including So, 1000 600
in execution of the treaty with Mexico, and
including sums paid on account of the public
debt, amounted to $50, 172, ,4O1; and in
cluding the latter, to S72, ,94S, 792, the pay
ment on this account having amounted to
$l2,776. 800.
On the 4th of March, 1858, the amount
of the public debt was 500, 129, ,939 There
was subsequent increase of 81 100, 900 for
the debt of Texas-making total cf Sll,
s79,937 OF this SUN S45 ,525 319, inclu-
ding premium has been discharged, redu-
cling the debt to $50, 737, 121 ; all which
might be paid within a year without embar-
RAISING the public service, but being not yet
due. and only rcdcemable 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 public
debt and $40 900, 600, paid by treaty to
Mexico, has been but about SIS, 900, ,000.-
It is believed that, under economical ad-
minstration of the government, the average
not exceed that sum, unless extraordinary
occasion for its increase should occur.
The acts granting bounty lands will soon
have been executed, while the extension of
our frontier settlements will cause continued
demand for lands, and augmented receipts,
probably, from that source. These consider
ations will justify reduction of revenue
from customs, SO as not to exceed Is or 90
millions of dollars. l think the cxigency for
such reduction is imperative, and again urge
it upon the consideration Of Congress.
The amount of reduction, as well as the
manner of affecting it, questions of great
and general interest; it being essential to
industrial enterprise and public prosperity,
as well as the dictate of obvious justice, that
the burden Of taxation be made to rest as
equally as possible on all classes, and 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 legisla-
ton upon some special questions affecting the
business of that department. more especially
the enactment of a law to punish the abstrac-
tion Of official books or papers from the files
of the government, and requiring all such
books and papers and all other public proper
ty to be turned over by the outgoing officer
to his successor; of law requiring disburs-
ing officers to deposit all public money in the
vaults of the Treasury in other legal de-
positaries, where the same are conveniently
ACCESSIBLE and law to extend existing pc
raj provisions to all persons who may become
possessed of public money by deposit or 9TH
.rwisc, or who shall refuse or neglect, on due
demand, to pay the same into the Treasury.
L invite your attention anew to each of these
projects
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 years op-
erations, greater security to the frontier in
habitants than has been hitherto enjoyed =
Extensive combinations among the hostile In
dians Of the Territories of Washington and
Oregon ut one time threatened the devasta-
ton of the newly y-formed settlements of that
remote portion of the country.
From recent information, we are permitted
to hose that the energetic and successful op-
erations conducted there will prevent such
combinations in future, and secure to those
Territories an opportunity to make steady
progress in the Development of their agricul-
tural and mineral resources.
Legislation has been recommended by me
on previous occasions to cure defects in the
existing organization, and to increase the eff
cheney of the army, and further observation
has but served to confirm me in the views
then expressed, and to enforce on my mind
the conviction that such measures arc not
only proper but necessary.
| have, in addition to invite the attention
of Congress to change of policy in the dis
tribution of troops. and to the necessity of
providing more rapid increase of the mill
tary armament. For details of these and
other subjects relating to the army, refer
to the report of the Secretary Of War.
The condition of the navy is not merely
satisfactory but exhibits the most gratifying
evidences of increased vigor As it is com-
paratively small, it is more important that it
should be as complete as possible in all the
elements Of strength that it should be eff
cient in the character of its officers, in the
zeal and discipline of its men, in the reliabil-
ty of its ordnance, and in the capacity of its
ships In all these various qualities the navy
has made great progress within the last few
years.
The execution Of the law of Congress, of
February 2S, 1855, 9 to promote the efficien-