Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-01-10

millions provided for in the late treaty with
Mexico, and seven millions seven hundred and
fifty thousand dollars appropriated on account
of the debt due to Texas, which sums make
an aggregate amount of ten million seven hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars, and reduce the
expenditures, actual or estimated, for ordina-
ry objects of the year, to the sum of sixty
million four hundred and seventy-six thousand
dollars
The amount of the public debt, at the COM
mencement of the present fiscal year, was for
ty million five hundred and cighty-three thou
sand 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 four
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 outstanding, has since been paid.
l 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 dis
burscment, 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 those a.
gents, or neglect involving hazard of serious
public loss, to escape detection. renew, how
ever, the recommendation, heretofore made by
me, of the enactment of law declaring it to
be felony on the part of public officers to in
sert false entries in their books of record or
account, or to make false returns, and also re-
quiring them on the termination of their SER
vice to deliver to their successors all books, re-
cords, and other objects of public nature in
their custody.
Derived as our public revenue is, in chief
part from duties on imports. its magnitude af-
fords 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 expense of the government re-
main for active employment IN the hands Of
the people, and the conspicuous fact that the
annual revenue from all sources exceeds by
many millions of dollars, the amount needed
for a prudent and economical administration
ofpublic affairs, cannot fail to suggest the pro-
pricty of an early revision and reduction of
the tariff of duties on imports. 1t is now so
generally conceded that the purpose of reven-
ue alone can justify the imposition of duties
on imports, that, in readjusting the import ia
bles and schedules, which unquestionable re-
quire essential notifications, a departure from
the principles of the present tariff is not antic-
ipated.
ARMY,-The army, during the past year
has been actively engaged in defending the
Indian frontier, the state of the service per-
mitting but few and small garrisons in our
permanent Notifications. The additional reg
iments authorized at the last session of Con-
gress have been recruited and organized, and
large portion of the troops have already been
sent to the field. All the duties which de-
vove on the military establishment, have been
satisfactorily performed, and the dangers and
privations incident to the character of the SER
vice required of our troops, have furnished
additional evidence of their courage, zeal and
capacity to meet any requisition, which their
country may make of them. For the details
of the military operations, the distribution Of
the troops, and additional provisions required
for the military service, | refer to the report
of the Secretary of War, and the accompany
ing documents.
Experience, gathered from events which
have transpircd since my last annual message,
has but served to confirm the opinion then ex-
pressed of the proprety Of making provision,
by retired list. for disabled officers, and for
increased compensation to the 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 them additional
force
The recommendations heretofore made for a
newcd. The thorough elementary education
given to those officers, who commence their
service with the grade of cadet, qualities them,
to a considerable extent, to perform the duties
of every arm of the service; but to give the
highest efficiency to artillery, requires the
study and practice of many years, and it is
not, therefore, believed to be advisable to
maintain, in time of peace larger force of
that arm than can be usually employed in the
duties appertaining to the service of field and
siege artillery. The duties of the staff in all
its various branches belonging to the move
ment of troops, and the efficiency of an army
in the field would materially depend on the
ability with which those duties are discharged.
1t is not, as in the case of the artillery, spe-
cialty, but requires also, an intimate knowl-
edge of the duties of an officer of the line,
and it is not doubted that, to complete the ed
ucation of an officer for either the line or the
general staff, it is desirable that he shall have
served in both. With this view, it was re-
commended on former occasion that the du-
ties of the staff should be mainly performed by
details from the line, and with conviction of
the advantages which should result from such
change, it is again presented for the conside-
ration of Congress.
NAvY-The report of the Secretary of the
Navy herewith submitted exhibits in full the
naval operations of the past year, together