Des Arc citizen., 1859-12-21

we have since experienced ought to teach us all to scrutinze our expenditures with the greatest vigilance, and to reduce them 10 tnc lowest possible point. The Executive De, partments of the Government have devoted themselves to the accomplishment of this oD- iect with considerable success, as will appear from their different reports and estimates' To these I invite the scrutiny or congress, for the purpose of reducing them still lower, if this be practicable, consistent WILL t.9 great public interests of the country. Tn ald of the policy of retrenchment l pledge my self to examine closely the bills appropratlng land or money, so that II any ol .heao should inadvertently pass both Houses: hs must sometimes be the case, l may aHoru them m opportunity for reconsideration. Al the same time we ought never to forget that true public economy consists, not III w:.h VIII holding the means necessary to accomphsh important national objects connded 70 ous ps the Constitution, but in taking care tha1 tne money appropriated for these purposes shaii be faithfully and frugallv expended.
 It will appear from the report of the oecre +erv of the Treasury t hat it is extremely doubtful to say the least, whether we snaii be able to pass through the present ana the next fiscal year without providing additlonai revenue This can only be accomplished by strictly confining the appropriations within the estimates of the different Depart ments,
 without making an allowance for any addl- tional expenditures which Congress may
 think proper, in their discretion, to author
 ize, and without providing for the rede mp
 ton of any portion Of the S2o,ooo,o0o or
 Treasury notes which have been already ls- sued. In the event of deficiency, which consider proboble, this ought never to be supplied by a resort to additional loans.
 It would be a ruinous practice in the days of peace and prosperity to go on increasing the national debt to meet the ordinary eX- nenses of the Government. This policy would l crinple eur resources and impair our credit in l case the existence of war shouin render it ne- cessary to borrow meney. Shouid sucn ue 1 fciencv occur as apprehended would re- ! commend that the necessary revenue be raised l by an increase of our present duties on i'm l norts. need not repeat the opinions ex- l pressed in my last annual message as to the 1 hest mode and manner of accomplishing this l object, and shall now merely observe that 1 these have since undergone no change.
 The report of the Secretary of the Treasury
 will explain in detail the operations Of that Dep artment of the Government.
 The receipts into the treasury from all | sources during the fiscal year, ending 3Oth
 June 1859, including the loan authorized by | the act of 14th June, 1858, and the issue of | treasury notes, authorized by existing laws,
 were S1, ,692,471 01, which sum- with the bal
 ance of So,3es, ,3l6 10 remaining in the treas
 l ury at the commencement of that fiscal year : made an aggregate for the service of the yea of $sS, ,099. .7S7 Il.
 i, The public expenditures during the fisca f year ending 30th June, 1859, amounted t D Ss3, ,751, ,511 57. Of this sum Sl7 ,4o5 ,2s5 A. l. were applied to the payment of interest ol IT the public debt and the redeption of the issue e of treasury notes. The expenditures for a e other branches of the public service durin l., that fiscal year were, therefore, S66 356, ,226 II The balance remaining in the treasury 0 n the 1st July, 1859. being the commencement IS of the present fiscal year. was s4,S39, ,27o i: ? m first quarter of the fiscal year, commencin S: July ist, 1859, were S2O,61e, ,865,s5. Of tn in amount S3 s2l 300 was received on ascour
 of the loan and the issue of treasury notes mt the amount of S1e, ,797 ,565, ,s5 having been r D. ceivevd during the quarter rom the ordinfqi 15Hf sseepts fer tse ten,s!iiins shree auartsSs