Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1858-12-22

WutiWul
The pp.i inu,aso ot the public debt
and The urycr-iiy which exists lur mod
UDotiun uf the tariff, 10 meet oven the or
diuuiN yAucn.cs OF the GuNcrumcnt ought
GO odmonish MA all, i'm our respective
.phcrsi Of duty, io the practice oil rigid
economy. Tho object OF expenditure
should bc limited in number, a. far as thi.
may be- practicable aud the appropria.
tions necessary TO carry them into effect
ought 10 be dislurecd under the strictesl
accountability Enlightened economy
docs not consist in the refusal TO appro-
.priotc money for constitutional purposes
essential TO the defcnce,progrcss and pros.
pcriiy of tho Republic but in taking care
that none cf this monoy shall be wasted
by mismanagemcnt in its application to
The objects designated by law.
Comparisons between the annual ex-
pcnditures at the present time, and what
II was ten or twenty years ago, are altogo-
ther iallocious, Tho rapid increase Of our
country in extent and population, rem
ders corresponding increase of eNpcndi-
ture, 10 some extent, unavoidable. This
IS constantly creating new objects of exc
soenditure, and angmcntng the amount
required for the old
The true questions then are, have these
objects been unnecessarily multiplied ! or
has the amount expended upon any or all
OF them, been larger than COMFORTS with
due economy? In accordance with these
principles the heads Of the different csc
cutive departments of the Government
have been instructed to reduce tLoir esti-
mates for the ncXt fiscal year to the lowest
a, ~
the service, and this duty they have per.
formed in n spirit of just economy. The
estimates of the Treasury, War, Navy, and
Interior Departments, have each been in
some degree reduced, and unless u sud
den and unforeseen emergency should u
rise, ii is not anticipated that deficiency
will exist either within the present or next
fiscal year. The Post Office department is
lplaced in peculiar position, different
from the other departments, and to this l
shall hereafter refer.
] invite Congress to institute rigid
scrutiny to ascertain whether the cxpen-
ses in all the departments cannot be still
farther reduced and promise them all
the aid in my power in pursuing the in
vestigation.
transmit herewith the reports made
TO me by the Secretaries of War ofthe Ma
w, OF the Interior, and Of the Postmaster
General They each contain valuable in
formation and important recommended
tions, to which | invite the attention of
Congress.
In my last annual message look occa-
sion TO recommend the immediate con-
struction of ten small steamers of light
draught, Tor the purpose olncreasing the
efficiency OF the Navy. Congress res
ponded to the recommendation by author.
izingthe construction of eight ofthem. The
progress which has been made in cXecu-
ting this authority is stated in the report
ofthe Secretary of the Navy. / concur
with him in the opinion that greater
number of this class of vessels is necessary
for the purpose of protecting in more eff
ifcient manner the persons and property
of American oitiaens on the high seas, and
IN foreign cotmtries, rs well as in guarding
more efiectually our own coasts. | accor-
dinghy recommend the passage of an act
for this purpose,
The Suggestions contained in the Re
port Of the Secretary of the Interior, es-
.pecially those in regard to the disposition
ofthe public domain. The peasion and
bounty land system, the policy towards
The Indians, and the amendment of our
patent laws, are worthy of the serious con.
sideration of Congress.
The Post 0ffce Department occupies a
position very different from that of the
other departments For many years it,
was the policy of the Government to rem
der this a'self sustaining department.: and
if this cannot now be accomplished in the
present condition Of the country, we ought
to make as near an approach to it as prac-
ticablc. .-.. ... ''......
The Postmaster General is placed in a
most embarrassing position 10y the existing
laws. lie is obliged to carry these into eff |
feet. He has no other alternative. lIeI
finds however that this cannot be done
without heavy demands upon the Treasu-
~ over and above what is received for
postage and these have been progressive
ly increasing from year TO year, until they
amounted for the last fiscal year, ending
on the Goth June, 1858. to more than 81
100000 while it is estimated that for the
present fiscal year they will amount to
SG,290,000. These sums are exclusive ofl
the annual appropriation of 100000 for
compensation for the mail service" per-
formed for the two houses of Congress and
tie other Departments and officers of the
Government in the transportation of free
matter.
The cause of theselarge deficits s,,main-
ly attributable to the increased expense
transporting the mails. In 1852 the !
sum paid for this service was but a frac-
tion above S4,2jO000. Since that year it
has annually increased, until in 1858, it,
has reached more than IS, 100000, and for
the the service of 1859, it is estimated that
it will amount to more than $4,000, 900. !
The receipts of the Post Office Depart
mont can be made to approach or to equal
its expenditure only by means of the
legislation of Congress. In apply.nn any
remedy care should be taken that the
people should not be deprived of the adj
yantages which they are fairly entitled to
enjoy from the Post Office Department.
The principal remedies recommended to
the consideration of Congress by the Post