The Nevada Democrat., 1857-01-07
The Presidents Message.

already been circulated in every section of the
State. AS it has doubtless been read by the
most Of our readers, we deem it unnecessary to
give more than an abstract of the document
Near one half of the message is devoted to
the affairs of Kansas. The causes which have
lead to the difficulties in that territory are clear
ly set forth, and the policy of the Democratic
party in regard to the new territories, and the
equality of the several States, is ably vindica-
ted AS soon as the act organizing the terrific
ries of Kansas and Nebraska was passed, asso-
Citations were formed in some of the Northern
States for the purpose of settling the territory
with an anti-slavery population. These acts
led to counter movements on the part of the
South, and thus bodies of armed men entered
the territory, on its northern boundary by the
way of Iowa, as we'll as on its eastern by the
way of Missouri. In consequence of these and
other incidents, many acts Of disorder have been
perpetrated in Kansas, to the occasional inter
ruption rather than the permanent suspension
of the regular government The difficulties in
that territory however, have been greatly ex-
aggerated for purposes of political agitation in
other sections of the country. The number
and gravity of the acts of violence have been
magni6ed, partly by statements entirely untrue,
and partly by reiterated accounts of the same
rumors or facts. The Irregularities in the Kan
sas elections, were but the natural consequence
Of these disorders. Incidents of actual violence
or of organized obstruction of law, have been
met as they occurred by such means as were
available, and as the circumstances required.
Bodies of armed men foreign to the territory,
have been prevented from entering, or compell-
J ed to leave it, and the predatory bands, engaged
in acts Of violence under cover of the existing
political disturbances, have been arrested or
dispersed, and every well disposed person is
now enabled to devote himself to the pursuits of
peaceful industry.
'Unwise laws, equally with Irregularities at
] elections are, in periods of great excitement,
the occasional incidents of even the freest and
best political institutions But all experience
demonstrates that in country like ours, where
the right Of selfconsttution exists in the COM
pletest form, the attempt to remedy unwise leg
islaton by resort to revolution, is totally out
of place; inasmuch as existing legal institutions
afford more prompt and efficacious means for
the redress OF wrong.
II confidently trust that now, when the peace
ful condition of Kansas affords opportunity for
calm reflection and wise legislation, either the
J Legislative Assembly of the Territory, or Con-
gress, will see that no act shall remain on its
statute-book viOative of the provisions of the
Constitution, or subversive of the great objects
for which that was ordained and established,
and will take all other necessary steps to assure
to its inhabitants the enjoyment without OBJ
struction or abridgement, of all the constitu-
tonal rights, privileges and immunities of citi-
zens of the Uuited States, as contemplated by
the organic law of the territory"
The financial affairs of the government were
never in a more Aourishing condition. During
the last fiscal year thereceipts from the customs
were, for the first time, over s64,000,000, and
from oil sources $73,9lS,l41. The expenditures
amounted to $72,948,792, about thirteen mil
lions of which was paid on the public debt, and
three millions TO Mexico, being the balance due
for the Gadsden purchase On the fourth of
March, 1852, the public debt was S69, ,129, ,937,
which was subsequently increased by the gov
ernment assuming the debt of Texas. to $7l-
879,937. OF this sum $45, ,525, ,3l9 including
premium, has been paid, reducing the debt to
$3O,737, ,l29, all of which might be paid within
year without embarrassing the public service
but being not yet due and only redeemable 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, de-
, Quoting payments on account of the public debt
and ten millions paid by treaty to Mexico, has
been but about forty-eight million dollars. 1t
is believed that, under an economical admins
tration of the Government, the average expen-
diture for the ensuing five years will not exceed
, that sum, unless extraordinary occasion for its
increase should occur. The actsgranting boun-
ty lands will soon have been executed while
2 the extension Of our frontier settlements will
5 cause continued demand for lands, and aug
ment receipts, probably from that source
These considerations win justify a reduction of
= the revenue from customs so as not to exceed
: forty-eght or fifty million dollars think the
I exigency for snch reduction is imparitiye. and
again urge it upon the consideration of Congress-
1.-THE amount Of reduction, as well as the
manner OF efiectlng it, are questions of great
( and general interest; 1t being essential to in
dusrial enterprise and the public prosperity, as
well as to dictates of obvious Justice, that the
burden of taxation be made to rest as equally
as possible upon all classes, and all sectionsand
Q interests of the country"
The aggregate sales of the public lands du-
ring the last fiscal year amount to 1927 ,S7S
acres, and there has been located during the
same period with military scrip and land war;
rants, 80, l00.23O acres, thus making total of
S9,S2s, los acres of land disposed of by the gov
ernment in one year.
The expenditure of the post Office department
for the last fiscal year was $40 4O7 $685. and its
gross receipts $7,620,S 0,SOl--making an excess of
, expenditure over receipts of S2,7s7 ,O46 The
mail facilities in every section of the country
J have been much increased during the past year.
The inconsidcrabe augmentation of the income
Of the post office department, under the reduced
rates of postage, and its increasing expend-
lures, must. for the present, make it dependent
ON the irensnrv 10 sonae exinnt for s...,..c-4