Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-12-12

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road through the Territories of the United States when G
is absolutely cs'sary for the defence Of any of the Ss
against foreign INVASION The constitution has conferred
upon Congress- power "to declare war" q to raise and
support armies. to provide and maintain navy and to
call forth the militia to repel invasons These HON
sovere powers necessarily involve important and
sbe public duties and among them there is none =, si
and imperative that Of preserving onr soil from tha
invasion of foreign enemy The Constitution has there
fore lef nothing on this point 10 trucon but exnra.
y requires that the United States shall protect elcb ~
them THE Staiesl against invasion I" Now if military
road over our Territories be Indispensable nec.ss,
to enable us to meet and repel the invader it follows as
necessary consequence not only that possess the
but is our imperative duty To construct such road !,
would be an nbsurdy to invest Government wi IN. nm
limited power To make and conduct war; and at the s,m
time deny to the only means Of reaching and deeatn
the enemy the frontier Without such road IL IL lug
evident we cannot "protect California and o,r p6qe
sessions against invasion" We cannot by any otber
means transport men and munitions Of from the Allan
tic States in sufficient time successfully to defend these ra
mote and distant portions of the republic.
Experience has proved that the across the sbmu
of Central America at best but uncertain and %
reliable mode of communication But if this were not
the case they would at be closed against rs in The
event OF war with naval power much stronger than our
to enable it to blockade the ports at either end r
these routes After ALL therefore, only RELY npnn
military road through own territories and since the
origin Of ihe government Congress has been in the prc
of appropratng money from the public treasury for tbe
construction of such roads
The difficulties and the expense of constructing military
railroad to connect Atlantic and Pacific States have
been greatly exaggerated The distance the Arznua
route the sd parallel of North latitude between the
Western boundary OF Texas the Rio Grande the
ern boundary of California the Colorado from the b,,t
explorations now within our knowledge, does not exceed
four hundred and seventy miles and the face OF the country
is in the main favorable. For obvious the govern.
mcn ought not to undertake the work itself BY means of
its agents. This ought 10 be committed to other age.
cics which Congress ght assist either by grants of land
money, by both, upon such terms and conditions us
they may deem most beneficial for the country Provision
might thus be made not only for the safe rapid and
nOmca transportation Of troops and munitions of war but
also of the public mails The commercial interests of the
whole country both East and West would be greatly pro-
m"ted BY such road and above all it would bea power
f additional bond OF union. Aud although advantage, Of
this kind whether postal commercial. political,
confer constitutional power yet they may furnish aux ay
arguments in favor of eypedting work which, in udg
ment is clearly embraced within the wai-nakng power.
For these reasons commend to the friendly considea
ton of Congress the subject of the Pacific railroad without
finally committing myself to any particular route
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary of the Treasury will furnish
detailed statement Of the condition Of the public finances
and of the respective branches of the public service devov-
port appears that the OF revenue received all
into the treasury during the fiscal year ending The
30th june 1851, siXyeght million six hundred aud
thrty-One Thousand five hundred and thirteen dollars and
sxtyseven cents, 63l,5l3 60 which amount with the
balance Of nineteen million nine bundled and Thousand
three hundred and twenty ive dollars aud orty cents
(*lg9o 895 A., remaining in tie treasury At the
mencemen of the year. made an aggregate for the
of the year of lightweight million tive hundred and thirty
two thousand eight hundred and thrty-nne dollars and
twelve cents (sNS,j3.,S39 I2.)
The public expenditures for the fiscal year ending 31h
June 1857 amounted to seventy million eight hundred aud
twenty-five thousand seven hundred and twcntyour doll
lars and echtyfve cents $50 S2sI24 49, Of which five
million nine hundred and forty three thousand eight hun.
bred and nneysiN dollars and nincty0ne cents, (Sl-
Sg6 o. applied To the redemption of the public debt
including inter st and premium leaving in the treasury tie
commencement of the present fiscal year on the Isl July
1857, seventeen million hundred and ten thousand
hundred and fourteen dollars and twenyscven cents
(Sl7.7l0,ll4 ~
The receipts into the treasury for the frs, quarter of the
present fiscal year. commencing LIST lily, 1851 twenty
million nine hundred and twenty-nne thousand eight hun
dred and nineteen dollars and eghtyOne cents (s2Ug2g
$40 ST. aud the estimated receipts of the remaining three
quarters to the 5Oth june 1868, thrysx million
hundred and fifty thousand dollars, (s36,75O0oO making
with the balance before stated aggregate of scvenyfve
million three hundred and eghty-nlne thousand nine hun
dred aud ryiour dollars and eight cents, ($753Sg934
OS,l for the service Of the present fiscal year.
The actual expenditures during the frs, quarter Of the
present fiscal year twentythree million hundred
and fourteen thousand five hundred and twenyeght dol
lars and thry-seven cents, $237li 81 of which three
million eight hundred and nlnety-iye Thousand Two hun
dred and thrtywo dollars and ,hrtynine cents $780,
23s 49, were applied to the redemption Of the public debt
including interest and premium. Thu probable eNpcnd-
lures of the remaining three quarters, to 3Uth June 1875
inyone million two hundred and forty-eght thousand
five hundred and thirty dollars and four cents t5l ,2sSO
o. including interest the public debt making aggre
gate Of seventyiOur million nine hundred and Sytyhree
thousand fy.egh dollars and frrtyone cents Silg63.
05S A. leaving estimated balance in the treasury the
close Of The present fiscal of four hundred aud twenty
six thousand eight hundred and seyeny-fye dollars and
sNty-seven cents, si2i,S75 81
The of the public debt at the commencement of
the present fiscal year weniy-nine million sixty thou
sand three hundred and eghysN dollars and ninety cents
ts.gOBhSSG 9O)
The amount redeemed since the list of July three
million eight hundred and ninety thousand two hun
dred and hrtywu dollars and thirty cents - vs.
2S2 39J-leaving balance unTcdoemed This time OF
twenty-five million one hundred and sixy-ivc thousand
one hundred and fy-iour dollars and ity-one cents So
l65l4 3D.
The amount of estimated expenditures for the remaining
three quarters of the present fiscal year will in all prba
bilty be increased from the forth in the report
of the Secretary His suggestion therefore, that authority
should be given to supply any temporary deficiency by the
issue of United amount Of treasury notes is approved,
and accordingly recommend the passage Of such u law
As stated in The report of the Secretary thu tariff Of
March 3, 1871 has been III operation for 50 short poi
Of time. and under circumstances so untavorahc just
development of its results q revenue measure, that
shnId regard as nexpcdcn, at least for the PRESENT.
WAR AND NAVY DEPARTMENTS
transmit herewith the reports made 10 me by the Seem
aries of War aud of the Navy, of the Interior and Of The
Postmaster General They all contain valuable and mp
tan information aid suggestions which commend 10 the
favorable consideration Of Congress.
have already recommended the raising of four addition
al regiments, and the report of the Secretary of Nape-
Sens strong proving this increase of The army U'
der existing circumstances to be Indispensable
would call the special attention Of Congress to the reg
ommendatOn NJ the Secretary of the Navy in favor 0e
construction Of ten small war steamers of light dIaugn -
For some years the Cover ment has been obliged on E
occasions IL hire such steamers RIM individuals To- s"pE
its pressing wants. Al the present moment we have no
armed vessels in the navy which penetrate the rvesw
China. We have but few which enter any Of the mar
borS south Of Norfolk, although many millions OF nrEn
and domestic commerce annually pass in and out o. %
habors Some Of mos, valuable Interests and most
Vulnerable points thus left exposed. This class OF kSs
sells of light draugh great speed and heavy guns would nc
formidable in coast defence The cost of Their consirum
will not he great, and they will require but comalNe
small expenditure to keep them in commission In imc.'
peace they will prove effective much larger vessels
and often more useful One of them should be al e,'s
station where maintain squadron, and three or Il
should be constantly employed on our Atlantic and f"c.
coasts Economy utility aud efficiency combine !" rtv
mend them almost Indispensable. Ten Of these in,n
vessels would be of ncacuabe advantage to the naval
vice. aud the whole of their construction would MOI ~
coed two million three hundred thousand dollars or s
900 each.
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT. :
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior Is worm
grave consideration II treats OF the numerous, np''
and diversified branches Of domestic administrator ~
trusted to him by law. Among these the most pr0lhuV"
are the public lands aud relations with the Indians
THE PUBLIC LANDS. .
Our system fr he disposal Of the public lands orEnt
with th. M rnnnhlic hnS boon llnIL'