Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-12-11

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IL addition to this sum the Postmaster General
7Wilfeqoirs from the Treasury, for the service d
the Post Ofiee Department, three million eight huh
dred AID thlrfy -sight ihnusaud segea hundred AMI
twenty eight dollrs fSS, S8s7ze, ss explained in
The Tepou 81 The Secretary Of the Treasury, which
VIII Increase the estimated deficit on the SUth june
1850, Ito seven million nine hundred and fourteen
thOusana I've hundred snd seventy six dollars and
esghiy nine cents, 81. 9l4, 576,S9 70 provide TO-
the payment Of this estimated deficiency, which viii
b increased BY sueh appropriations may be made
ny Congress, not estimated Tor in the report OF the
Treasury Department, as well ssio provide for The
gradual redemption from yesr 70 year Of the cut
stendiUg Treasury notes. the Seer tary Of the Urea
sury resommeuds such a revision Of the present
tarih as will raise the reQRired amount. Alter
What ] have Glseady said, 1 need soGrcsly add
thEs ] concur in the opinion expressed IN has
report that the pnhlie debt should not Be IN
creased By an additional losn, and would therefore
strongly urge upon Congress the duty Of making,
a. their present session, the necessary provision for
meeting these disabilities psrt
public DEBT on the Isl July i, the con1ensnsnt Of he
Dng tbs r quarter Of tie year e sum Of sl900o
JrnE re resent outstanding public debt, sSrgu-
Fressury notes ss55s597 ee There was ne is.
Dsc "a ISL aFsdesned lle sum Of sls75l sOomsking
& anosnt % eetaa indssteaae a. that date ssisO7lI o.
th being he remaining half o. the loan Of S2ooStO not yet
rae rapid Increase Of the public debt, and the
necessity which exists for modification Of The ta>
RI 50 1eet even tie ordinary expenses Of ihe Gov
ernmeu, ought 70 admouish Us 81, in ourrespective
spheres Of deity, 80 the practice Of rigid eeOuomy
The objects Of expenditure should be limited in
nunbeE as far IS this may be practicable, and he
appropriations necessary 40 carry them into etfeot
Outht % Be disburse3 under the sircteBt acoounta
bllity, 16tghteped eoonony does not consist in
tAerefasaltQ apProPgiate money for constitutional
paFB0se 20 the defense progress snd pros
~ sah noa nor
Of this money shall be Wsstedby mismanagsment,in
Ste spplisstioE ID Che % seIs dssigated By Law.
Comparisons between the sAuual expenditure at
the present tine and what It was ten or twenty
years ago are altogether fallaeious. The rapid in
u our country 10 extent and population rem
ders corresponding increase Of expenditure to
come extent, unavoidable. This is constantly orea-
ting new objects OF expenditure and augmenting 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 ali Of them been larger than COMFORTS with due
eoon0Eyf Ia accordance with these principles the
heads OF the different Executive departments Of the
Government have been instructed 10 rsdnee their
estimates for the next fiscal yesr 70 the lowest
standard consistent with the ef6ciency Of the SER
Wee, and this duty they have performed In spirit
Of Just economy.
The estimates Of the Treasury, War, Navy, and
Interior Departments have each been in some degree
reduesd; and unless sudden ana Unforeseen emer-
enoulQ II mol anLlclDaLeQ mat Qen-
cheney viii exist in either within the present or the
next fiscal year The Post Office Department is
placed in peculiar position, different from the 9TH
er Departments, and to this shall hereafter refer
invite oOrgTe-s institute rigid scrutiny ascertain
ge he expense In ali the Departments cannot e still fur
thF ucd promise them all the aid In my power In
Pufsairg the Investigation.
TRANSMIT herewith the reports made by the Secretaries
q war or ne Navy Of The INTERIOR and Of the Postmaster
General They each contain valuable Information and import
ant . which invite he attention q Congress-
In my last ami Rl message took occasion to re-
commend the immediate construction Of ten small
steamers, Of light draught for the purpose of in
creasing the efficiency Of the navy. Congress res
ponded TO the recommendation by authorizing the
obstruction of eight Of them. The progress which
has been made in executing this authority is ststed
in the report of the Secretary of the Navy. I con
cur with him in the opinion that greater number
Of this class of vessels necessary for the purpose
{ protecting in q more efficient manner the persons
and property Of American citizens the high seas
and IN foreign countries, as well as IN guarding
more effectively our own coasts. 1 accordingly
recommend the passage Of an act for this purpose.
The suggestions contained in the report Of the
Secretary Of the Interior especially those in regard
70 the disposition Of the public domain, the pension
and bounty land system, the policy towards the
indians. and the amendment Of our patent laws,
are worthy Of the serious consideration Of Congress-
The Post Office Department occupies position
very different from that Of the other Departments
Fer many years il the policy Of the Govern
ment TO render this 3 self-sustsining Department;
and if this cannot now be accomplished in the
present condition Of the country We ought to make
as near an approach 20 it as may be practicable.
Postmaster General placed IN most embarrassing posi-
Ton b s existing laws BE Obliged 70 cary these iHto eject
He haa other alternative He hnds however that TINS eanoe
without heavy demands the Treasury and above
year ending the Both June 1855, than four millions
hssa ysT they VII amount S620OtOO. These
elusive Of the annual appropriation Of S7eo00O FOR onPen
aud the other Departments and Oes Of the Government In the
transportation Of free matter = .a.HlI .FH -
The cause Of these large deficits IS mainly attri-
butabe &c the increased expense Of transporting the
mails. In 1852 the sum paid for this service was
bus fraction above four millions and a quarter
Since that year it has annually increased until in
1858 it has reached more than eight millions and
quarter; and for the service of 1853 it is estimated
that it viii amount to more than ten millions Of dol
lars.
The receipts of the Post Office Department can be
made 70 approach or to equal its expenditure only
BY means Of the legislation Of Congress. In apply
ing any remedy care should be taken that the peo-
pie shall not be deprived Of the advantages which
they are fairly entitled 70 enjoy from the Post Office
Department. The principal remedies recommended
to the consideration Of Congress by the Post
master General are TO restore the former rate
Of postage upon single letters to i've cents;
70 substitutes fOrshe frsnking privilege the de-
livery 70 those now entitled 20 enjoy il Of
AMI to direct the Department, in making con-
tracts for the transportation OF the mail, to con-
hne itself payment o. the necessary for this single
PURPOSE requiring he transported In coaches
carriages particular description Under the present
sstem the expense greatly increased by
requiring that the mail shall be carried in such vehicles as viii
accommodates passengers This will be done without from
Department roads where travel will remuneTate the
These Recommendations deserve the grave consid-
ration Of Congress.
Iwonld again call your attentiono the construction
Of pacific railroad. Time and reelection have but
served to confirm in the truth and justice Of the
observations which made this subject in my last
annual message 70 which beg leave respectfully to
refer
1t is freely admitted that it would be inexpedient
for this Government TO exercise the power Of con-
structing the Pacific Railroad by its own immedi-
ate agents. Such policy would increase the pa
tronsge Of the Executive TO a dangerous extent,
and introduce q system Of jObbing and corruption
which no vigilance on the part of Federal officials
could either prevent or detect. This can only be
done By the keen eye and active and careful su-
pervision of individual and private interest. The
construction Of this road ought therefore, TO be
committed to companies incorporated by the States
or other agencies whose peccniary interests would
be directly involved. Congress might then assist
them in the work By grants Of land or Of money, or
both, under such conditions and restrictions as
would secure the transportation Of troops and mu-
ntons of war free from any charge and that OF the
United States mail at fair and reasonable price.
The progress Of events since the commencement
horT