The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-01-05

count OF injuries done 70 their persons and
property, for which the Mexican Republic
is responsible. The unhappy situation OF
that country tor some time past has not al.
lowed its government to give due considcra.
ton to claims of private PREPARATION, and has
appeared to call for and justify some for
bearance in such eases on the part of this
government; but, in the revolutionary move.
ments which have lately occurred in that
Republic, and III the Organization of a stable
government, urgent appeals TO It's justice
have been made, and it may be hoped with
success, for the redress of all complaints Of
our citizens.
In regard to the Central American rcpul,.
lies, which, from their proximity, and other
considerations, have peculiar relations TO thi,
government, while it has been my ala, con.
stantly to observe all the obligations of 30.
.itical friendship and Of good ncighborhood,
obstacles TO this have arisen in some Of them
from their own insufficient power to check
IawlcsS interruptions, which in effect throws
most of the task on the United States. Thus
II is that the distracted Internal condition Of
the State OF Nicaragua has made il incum.
Dent on me 20 appeal to the good faith OF
our citizens to abstain from unlawful inter
ruption in its affairs, and to adopt preventive
measures to the same end, which on smi.
lar occasion, had the best result in rcassuring
the peace Of the Mexican States o! Sonora
and Lower California.
Since the last session of Congress, a treaty
Of amity, commerce and navigation, al for
the surrender Of fugitive criminals, with
the kingdom Of the Two Siciics; treaty
Of friendship, commerce and navigation with
Nicaragua; aud a convention Of commercial
reciprocity with the Hawaiian Government,
have been negotiated The latter kingdom
and the State of Nicaragua have also accedrd
to a declaration recognizing as international
rights the principals as contained in the con
yention between the United States and Rus
sia, July 31st, 1904. These treaties or con
vcn,ions will be laid before the Senate for
ratification.
The statements made in my last annual
message respecting the anticipated receipts
and expenditures Of the treasury have been
substantially verified. 1t appears from the
report Of the Secretary Of The Treasury that
the receipts during the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1880, from all sources, were sG5
Oo3, $50 and that the public oxpendi, ares g.,
NV '",'e r''''"' '%,iua''e ". payments on
account Of the public debt, amounted 70
S3o,35O,363. Doing the same period. the
payments made in redemption Of the pub.
TIC uo'iI, including interest and premium,
"'houGtcd 10 S9,Sii,5 2S. The balance in
t.,e treasury at the beginning Of tn present
fiscal year, july lst, 1855, was SIS g3l,07G
The receipts for the first quarter, and the
estimated receipts for the remaining three
quarters, amount together to SG7,9ls,73i:
thus aiiording, in all, as the available re.
sources Of the current fiscal year. tie sum
Of $50, sj6,7l0. If the expenditures of the
first quarter Of the current fiscal year be
added to the expenditures for the remaining
three quarters, it is estimated by the Score.
tary OF the Treasury that the sum total will
be $7d,23G, siG; thereby leaving an est.
mated balance in the treasury in July, 1866,
Of Slj, G23, 1868 IL. The total estimated an.
nual expenditure Of the present fiscal year
includes the - 600, 600 to meet the last in
staIment Of the slO,0UO,O00 provided for by
the late treaty with Mexico, and the $40
900 appropriated on account of the debt due
TO Texas which, two Gums make an ag.rc-
gate amount Of 1870, 600, and reduce the
eXdcnditurcs, actual or estimated, 10, ordi.
nary Objects OF the year, to the sum Of 500, o
$4,000. The amount Of the public debt at
the commencement Of the ifs, al wear was
iO,5s3, 63l, and deductions being md, Of
subsequent payments, the whole public debt
of the Federal Government, rcmaing at this
time, is less than So, 100000. The remnant
Of certain other Government stocks, amount
Ing to s2i3, 600, referred to in my last mes.
sage as outstanding, has since been paid.
! am fully persuaded that it would be dif.
ficult to devise a system superior to that by
which the fiscal business of the government
is now conducted. Notwithstanding the
great number Of public agents Of CO | .ction
and disbursement, it is believed t at tlc
checks and guards provided inelu,i ns tac
requirement of monthly returns, render it
scarcely possible for any considerable fraud
on the part Of those agents, or neglect in
volying hazard Of serious public loss, to es
cape detection. ! renew, however, the re.
communication heretofore made by me OF the
enactment OF a law declaring 1t felony on
the part Of public officers to insert false en-
tries in their books Of record or account, or
to make false returns, and also requiring
them. on the termination Of their services,
to deliver to their Successors all books, re.
cords, and other objects of public nature,
in their custody.
Derived, rs our public revenue is, chiefly
from duties on imports, its magnitude affords
gratifying evidence Of the prosperity, not
only of our commerce, but Of other great
interests upon which that depends The
principles that all moneys not required for
the current expenses Of the government
should remain in the hands Of the people,
and the conspicuous fact that the annual re-
venue from all sources exceeds by many
million dollars the amount needed for pru-
dent and economical administration Of pub
lie affairs, cannot fail to suggest the pro-
priety of an early revision and reduction Of
the tariff duties on imports. 1t is now SO
generally conceded that the purpose Of re-
venue alone can justify imposition of duties
on imports, that, IN rc-adj ust;ng the impost
tables and schedules, which unIuestionably
require essential notifications, departure
from the principles Of the present tariff is
not anticipated.
The army, during the past year, has been
actively engaged in defending the Indian
frontiers, the state Of the service permitting
but few and small garrisons in our perma-
nent Notifications. The additional regiments
authorized at the last session of Congress
have been recruited and organized, and u
large portion of the troops have already been
sent to the field. All the duties which de.
volvc on the military establishment have
been satisfactorily performed, and the dan
gerous operations incident to the character
of the service required of our troops have
furnished additional evidence of their cour-
age, zeal and capacity to meet any reluisi-
ton which their country may make upon
them. For the details of the military opc-
rations Of the troops, and additional proyi-
sions required for the military service, re-
fer to the report of the Secretary Of War
and the accompanying documents.
Experience, gathered from events which
have transpired since my last annual mes
sage, has served to confirm the opinion then
expressed of the propriety of making pro-
vision, by a retired list for disabled officers,
AM for increased compensation to the olli-
%, . retained on the list for active duty All
the rcu-ons which existed when the mca-
sures were recommended on former occa-
sions continue so far, except circumstances