True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-12-16

AuB on tulS pOlut W OOuou uN''ONi O"S
expressly requires that I" the United
States shall protect each Of them
(the States) against INVASION" Now,
if a military road over our own Ter
ritories be indispensably necessary to
enable us TO meet and repel the invader,
it follows as necessary consequence not
only that we posses the power, but that
it is our imperative duty, to construct such
a road.
ltwould be an absurdity TO invest a
government with the unlimited power 10
make and conduct war, and at the same
time deny to it the only means ofreachlng
and defeating the enemy at the frontier
Without such road it is quite evident
we cannot ''protect" California and our
Pacific possessions "against INVASION
We cannot by any other means transport
men and munitions of war from the At
lantic States in sufficient time successfully
to defend these remote and distant portions
of the republic. Experience has proved
that the routes across the Isthmus ,of Cen
tral America are at best but very uncer'
tain and unreliable mode Of commun!ca-
tiOn.
But even if this were not The case, they
would at once be closed against US in the
event OF war with naval power, so much
stronger than our own as to enable it 10
blockade the ports on either end of these
routes. After all, therefore, we can only
rely on military road through our own
territories; and ever since the origin OF the
government Congress has been in the
practice of appropraling money from the
public treasury for the construction of
such roads.
The difficulties and expense of construc-
ting military railroad to connect our At.
laniic and Pacific States have been greatly
exaggerated. The distance on the Arlzo
mia route near the 32d parallel Of north
latitude, between the western boundary OF
Texas on the Rio Grande and the eastern
boundary of California on the Colorado,
from the best exploration now within our
knowledge, does not exceed 47O miles,
and the face of the country is, in the main,
favorable, For obvious reasons government
ought not to undertake the work itself by
means of its own agents. This ought 10
be committed to other agencies, which
Congress might assist either by grants OF
land or money or by both, upon such terms
and conditions as they may deem most
beneficial to the country. Provision might
thus be made not only for the safe, rapid
and economical transportation of troops
and munitions Of war, but also of the pub
lie mills.
The commercial interests Of the whole
country, both east and west, would be
greatly promoted by such a road and,
above all, it would be a powerful addition
al bond of union. And although advanta
ges of this kind, whether postal, CONNER
cial or political, cannot confer constitution.
al power yet they might furnish auxiliary
arguments in favor Of expedting a work
which, in my judgment, is clearly enbra'
ced within the war making power.
For these reasons | commend to the
friendly consideration of Congress the
subject Of the Pacific Railroad, without
finally committing myself to any parlicu'
lar route.
The report of the public finances and o.
the Treasury will furnish detailed state
ment of the condition ofthe public finances
and Of the respective branches of the pub.
lie service devolved upon that department
of the government. BY this report it ap-
pears that the amount of revenue received
from all sources into the treasury during
the fiscal year ending the 30th of June,
1857, was sixty-eight million six hundred
and thirteen dollars and sixty seven cents,
| ($6S, ,6l3,5l3,67) which amount, with
the balance of nineteen million nine hun.
dred and one thousand three hundred and
twenty-five dollars and fOrty.6ve cents,
($l9,9Ol 1926 ,45) remaining in the treas
ury at the commencement of the year
made an aggregate for the service of the
year of eighty eight million five hundred
and thirty-two thousand eight hundred
and thirty-nine dollars and twelve cents,
1888, ,532, ,s39, ,l2) {.
The public expenditures for the iSca
year ending 3Olh June, 1857, amounted
to seventy million eight hundred
and twenty-five thousand seven hun
dred and twenty. -four dollars and eigh
ty-fve cents, ($7O,s22 ,s24,s5) of which
five million nine hundred and lorty-thre'
thousand eight hundred and ninety si'
dollars and ninety y.one cents, ($5, ,743, 1906,
9D were applied to the redemption of th'
public debt, including interest and premi
: UNI, leaving in the treasury at the com
, mencement of the present fiscal year, Oh
, the Isl July, 1857, seventeen mliol
seven hundred and ten thousand one hun
J dred and fourteen dollars and twenty-sev
en- cents, ($l77l0, HAPPY
The receipts into the treasury for tn
first quarter of the present fiscal year
commencing lst July, 1857, were $40,
929,Sl9,sl, and the estimated receipts O
l the remaining three quarters, to the 30y
: June, 1858, are $3G,750, 900, maxim,
with the balance before stated an aggre
gate Of $75,3 ,339, ,934, ,Os for the service G
+, the present fiscal year.
1 The actual expenditures during the frs
: quarter of the present fiscal year wer
: lwenly-three million, seven hundred an
e fourteen thousand, five hundred and TWEEN
e weight dollars and thirty.seven cents
b (23,7l4,59s 37,) Of which three million
3. eight hundred and ninety FIVE Thousand
s two hundred and thirty. two dollars an
v thirty.nine cents, 1886, 1872 39) were ap
: piled to the redemption of the public deb
e including interest and premium.
g The probable expenditure Of the remain