Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-12-18

the Treasury recommends such revision Of
the present tariff as will raise the required
amount. l need scarcely add that l concur
in the opinion expressed in his report-that
the public debt should not be increased by an
additional loan, and would therefore strongly
urge upon Congress- the duty Of making at
their present session the necessary provision
for meeting these liabilities.
The public debt on the lst of July, 1858,
the c"n.n.ncement Of the present fiscal year,
was $25 l55,977 81.
During 0 FIRST quarter Of the present year,
the sum Of $4,000, 600 has been negotiated
OF the loan authorized hy the act of l4th OF
June, l858-mxking the present outstal d.
ing public debt, exclusive OF Treasury notes,
S35, 1887 66. There was on the lst OF
July, 1858, of Treasury notes issued by the
authority OF the act of Dec a. 1857, unre-
the amount of actual indebtedness, at that
date, $45. 5.97O,777 66. To this will be ad-
ded $IOOO0,OOO during the present fiscal
year his being the remaining ha t of the
loan of $2O,0000O0 not yet Negotiated.
The rapid increase of the public debt,
and the necessity which exists for modifica'
ton Of the tar'ff, to meet even the ordinary
expenses OF the government, ought to ad.
mOnish us all, in cur respective sheres Of du-
ty, to the practice of rigid economy. The
objects of expenditure should be limited in
number, as far as this may be practicable,
and the appropriations necessary to carry
them into effect Ought to be disbursed under
the stric,cs, accountability. Enlightened
economy does not consist in the reiusa! to
appropriate money for constitutional purp
es, essentially to the defence, progress and
prosperity Of the republic, but in taking care
that none of this ,"oney shall be wasted by
mismanagement, in It's application to the OBJ
ects designated by iaw.
Comparisons between the annual expendi
ture at the present time, and what it was ter
or twenty years ago. are altogether fallacious
The rapid increase of our country in exten,
and population, renders a corresponding in
crease of expenditure, to some extent, una
voidable. This is constantly creating new OBJ
jects of expenditure, and augmenting the a
mount required for the old. The true ques
tons then, are, have these objects been unne
cessarily multiplied? or, has the amount ex
pended upon any or all of them, been larger
than comports with due cconomy2 In accor
dance with these principles, the heads of thu
different executive departments of the govern
ment have been instructed to reduce their es
Inmates for the next fiscal year to the lowes
standard consistent with the efficiency of thu
service, and this duty they have performed il
spirit of Just economy The estimates o
the Treasury, War, Navy and Interior De
partments, have each been in some degree re
duced and unless sudden and unforeseen
emergency should arise, it is not anticipated
that deficiency will exist either within thu
present or the next fiscal year. The P o. D
is placed in peculiar position, different from
the other departments, and to this l shal
hereafter refer
invite Congress to institute rigid scruti
ny to ascertain whether the expenses in al
the departments cannot be still further re
duced; and promise them all the aid in my
power in pursuing the investigation.
THE DEPARTMENTS.
/ transmit herewith the reports made to m.
by the Secretaries of War, of the Navy, O
the Interior, and of the P. NJ. General. They
each contain valuable information and impor
tant recommendations, to which l invite tho
attention of Congress.
In my last annual message took occasion
to recommend the immediate construction O
Of ten small steamers, light draught, for the
purpose Of increasing the efficiency of thu
navy. Congress responded to the recon
mendation ty authorizing the construction o
eight of them. The progress which has beer
made in executing this authority is stated ir
the report of the Sec'y of the Navy. concur
with him in opinion, that greater number o.
vessels is necessary for the purpose of pro
tecting in more efficient manner the persons
and property Of American citizens ou til,
high seas, and in foreign countries, as we'll a.
in guarding more effectually our own coast
| accordingly recommend the passage of al
act for this purpose.
The suggestions contained in the report O
the Secretary of the Interior, especially those
in regard to the disposition of the public do
main, the pension and bounty land system
the policy towards the Indians, and the a
mendment Of our patent laws, are worthy O
the serious consideration of Congress
posi- OFFICE.
The p. O. Department occupies position
very different from that of the other depar,
ments For many years it was tho policy o.
the government to render this se.l-sustaib
ing department and if this cannot now be
| accomplished III the present condition Of the
country, we ought 20 make as near an ap
proach to it as may be practicable.
The P. NJ. General IS placed in q most EN-
barrassing position by the existing laws. He
is obliged to carry these into effect. He ha:
no other alternative. lie finds, however
this cannot he done without h, avy demands
upon the treasury over and above what is re-
ceived for postage aud ese have been pro
gressively increasing from year to year until
they amounted for the last fiscal year ending
TN the Both June, 1858. to more than foul
millions and half of dollars: whilst it is es
,in,ated that for The present fiscal year they
will amonnt to SIS, ,29O OOU. These sums are
exclusive of the annual appropriation cl
100000 for compensation for mail service
performed foI the Houses of Congress and the
other departments and officers of the govern.
ment in the transportation of free matter"
The cause of these large deficits is mainly
attributable to the increased expense of trars-
porting the mails. In 1852 the sum paid fol-
this service was but fraction above four
| millions and a quarter. Since that year il
has annually increased until 1858, it has
reached more than eight millions and quar-
ter; and for the service Of 1859 it is estima.
ted that it will amount to more than ten mill
ions of dollars.
The receipts of the P. o. Department can
be made to approach or equal its expenditure
only by means of the legislation of Congress.
In applying any remedy, care should be taken
that the people should be deprived of the ad-
vantages which they are fairly entitled to en-
joy from the p. o. Department The princi.
pal remedies recommended to the considera.
ton of Congress by the P. NJ. General, are to
restore the former rate of postage upon single
letters to five cents; to substitute for the
franking privilege the delivery to those enti.
titled to enjoy it, of post-office stamps for
their correspondence, and to direct the de.
partment in making contracts for the trans.
portation of the mail, to confine itself to the
payment of the sum necessary for this single
purpose, without requiring to be transported
in post coaches or carriages of any particular
description. Under the present system, the
expense to the government is greatly increased
by requiring that the mail shall be carried in
such vehicles as will accommodate passengers
This will be done without pay from the de.
partment, over ali roads where the trade will
10 thoo