Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-12-29
REPORTS PROM THE DEPARTMENTS.
POSTMASTER GENERALS REPORT


ing an early appropriation to meet all the
existing liabilities Of the Post Office Depart
ment. The failure Of the last Congress to
provide for the expenses Of the Department
= dwelt on al considerable length, and the
hope ex pressed that inasmuch rs the faith OF
the Government has thus been broken, that
not only the principal of these debts will
now lie promptly paid, but the interest on
them also.
The actual (paiD expenditures Of the De-
partment in the fiscal year ending June 3Oth,
1859, amounted to 81 ass. 0s593. To this
must be added the ascertained Liabilities OF
the Department, which could not be paid.
owing to the failure Of Congress to make the
usual appropriations. and which now con-
stitute deficiency to be provided for to
June Both. 1859, 1926, .20-making
grand total of actual (paid) expenses and liza
bllities, Of Sl5,754092 80.
This sum includes :7s9,599 l6 appropri-
ated by special acts Of Congress out OF
the general treasury, which being de-
Quoted, leaves the actual (paid) expendi-
lures Sl0.66S, 484 o. instead of 81 ,45S, O83..
&C., and the total of expenditures and liza
blites l4,96i ,403 33 instead Of SIS, I54,-
O92 SO.
Ifthcre be added to Sll,45S.083 SO the
sum of S55 IS, closed BY suspense. and the
sum of S627 &c gained ON the bad debt &C
count be subtracted, then the actual expen-
ditures, as adjusted in the Auditors Office,
will lie $ll .457 SIP 33.
The gross revenue for the year 1853, in
GLIDING receipts from letter-carriers and from
foreign postage, amounted to SI,968, 4o4.-
Excess Of expenditures for 1859, SG.996, OO9
80 Estimated expenditures for 1860, in
GLIDING the California service, is $685.
CIT O.. Deficiency Of means for the service
of 1860, S5,526,32i 90. Total value of
postage stamps and envelopes issued to
postmasters during the year 1859, $6,62l,-
533 81.
In the way Of retrenchment, MIR. Holt
thinks the franking privilege ought to be
paid for out of the national treasury, and
that publishers of newspapers ought to be
made TO pay postage on their exchanges
But, if from the grandeur and beniicence OF
it's mission. the press is excepted, and Is to
be subsidized to the extent of its hostages by
the government, then, undeniably. such sub
sidy should be contributed from the common
treasury also, instead vi being imposed, rs
at present, on the oppressed revenues of the
Post Office Department, which under all
circumstances, should be maintained invlo-
late.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.
Secretary Cobb reports SS3, al .5ll.57 as
the amount expended during the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1859. The aggregate means
Ii & n "a
IL. Hence deducting the expenditures from
the aggregate means during the year, bal
ance remained in the treasury on July lst,
1889 of 1889, 215.54.
Mr.. Cobb says:
IL do not doubt that the actual receipts
into the treasury for the present and next tis-
cal years, will be fully equal to the estimates,
The only remaining question In connection
with the estimates to be considered, is the
probable demands upon the treasury during
this period. Ii the appropriations made at
the present session do not exceed the amount
contained in the estimates, 1t is believed that
they can be met with the ordinary and ex-
traurdinary receipts already provided for by
law. The estimated balance that will be IN
the treasury on the 30th June, 1861, is only
,OD
ditional appropriations. If therefore, the
appropriations should exceed the estimates,
or Congress should determine to provide
within this period for the payment OF any
portion of the public debt, it will become ne
cesssry to make provision for such contin-
gencies. The idea of increasing the public
debt TO meet the ordinary expenses of the
government, should not be entertained for u
moment. Ii additional demands are created
upon the treasury By the Legislation Of the
present Congress, provision must be made
to meet them BY such increase of tariff du-
ties as may be required for that purpose.
The public debt on the lst july, 1854, as
stated in my last annual report, was 3d.
l55, 97T Is. The act OF June H. 1853, au-
thurized an additional loan of 2O,OOO,u 600,
which has been accordingly negotiated. OF
this $l8, 500. 900 had been paid INTO the trea,
sury. and the stock issued therefor on the
lst of July, 1859, the commencement of the
present fiscal year. portion of the re-
mainder has been since paid, and the stock
therefor issued. The balance will doubtless
he soon completed, which will make the per
mansnt public debt SIS, l55, gu &c"
REPORT THE SEChElAhf w iuE Na'i'
The report OF Secretary Toucey. has sever
al corrections marked on its margin with
pen, but as we have no design Of publishing
it entire we shall not observe them.
The Secretary says: Since the commence
ment of the present administration, twenty
steam vessels have been added to the navy
thirteen by construction, and the atoremen-
toned seven by purchase. Butnotwitbstand-
ing. beg leave most respectfully to renew
the recommendation which had the honor
to make year ago, Of still further increase
Of the navy.
The Naval Academy continues under the
Of Captain Geo. S. Blake,
and have the most gratifying evidence OF
the proficiency Of the pupils in all the
branches of their profession. Twenty acting
midshipmen graduated in June; one hundred
and thrty-,hree have since been permitted
TO he examined for admission; and of these
eishty-six were found qualified and admit
ted.
For the support Of the navy and marine
crops, and ali other objects under the control
Of the Navy Department, for the fiscal year
ending June 30. 1888, the estimates were
$l3.sO4.2l2 Il; Appropriation. Sl4, 24O,241
-: expenditures, SIG, Sl0,GS4, IL.
For the fiscal year ending June 80, 1859,
the estimates were Si4,6l6,29S 3; approprl-
atoms, $l4, 500, 35i %; expenditures, Sl4 ,o59,-