The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-12-13

priated by the act Of 18th February, 1860, for
the purpose Of supplying the deficiency in the
revenues and defraying the expenses Of the
Post Office Department for the year ending
3oth June, 1881 This sum, therefore, justly
chargeable To the year 1853. must be deducted
from the sum of S5s,s4S475,72, in order to
ascertain the expenditure for the year ending
sOth june, 1860, which leaves . balance for
the expenditures Of that year of 400, 465, 46.
The interest on the public debit including
Treasury notes for the same fiscal year end
ing on the 30th June, 1860, amounted to
$3,177,31462, which, added to the above sum
Of $50, 4O2, 465, As, make the aggregate of
$58,579, 7S9,0S. 1t ought in Justice to be OBJ
served, that several of the estimates from all
the Departments for the year ending 30th
June, 1860, were reduced by Congress below
what was, and still is deemed compatible
with the public interest. Allowing liberal
margin of S25O,O0O for this reduction, and for
other causes it may be safely asserted that
the sum of SCI, 10000 or at the most
S62 900, 900, is amply sufficient to administer
the Government and to pay the interest on the
public debt, unless contingent events should
hereafter render extraordinary expenditures
necessary.
This result has been attained in consider.
able degree by the care exercised by the ap-
contracts. l have myself never interfered
with the award Of any such contract except
in a single case with the Colonization Society,
deeming it advisable to cast the whole respon :
sibility in each case on the proper head of the
department, with the general instruction that
these contracts should always be given to the
lowest and best bidder. It has ever been my
opinion that public contracts are not legiti-
mate source of patronage to be conferred upon
personal or political favorites; but that in all
such cases public officer is bound to act for
the Government as prudent individual would
act for himself f...a#
AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE &C.
+ 1t is with great satisfaction l communicate
The fact that, since the date Of my last Annual
Message, not a single slave has been imported
into the United Ststes in violation of the laws
prohibiting the African slave trade. This
statement is founded upon a thorough exami-
nation and investigation of the subject. In.
ded, the spirit which prevailed some time since
among portion of our fellow-citizens in favor
OF this trade seems to have entirely subsidized.
l also congratulate you upon the public
sentiment which now exists against the crime
Of setting on foot military expeditions within
the limits of the United States, to produce
from thence and make war upon the people Of
unoffending States, with whom we are at
peace. In this respect a happy change has
been effected since the commencement of my
Administration. It surely ought to be the
prayer Of every Christian and patriot, that
such expeditions may never again receive
countenance in our country or depart from
our shores. .a.
It would DO a useless repetition to do more
than refer, with earnest commentator. to my
former recommendations in favor ofthe Pacific
railroad; of the great power Of the President
to employ the naval force in the vicinity, for
the protection of the lives and property Of our
fellow citizens passing in transit over the diff
ferent Central American routes, against sud>
den and lawless outbreaks and depredations;
and also to protect American merchant vessels,
their crews and cargoes, against violent and
unlawful seizure and confiscation in the ports
of Mexico and the South American republics,
when these may be in q disturbed and revo>
lutionary condition. 1t is my settled convic-
tion. that without such power we do not
afford that protection to those engaged in the
commerce of the country which they have
right TO demand
ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
again recommend to Congress the passage
of law IN pursuance Of the provisions of the
Constitution, appointing day certain, previ-
Gus to the 4th March, in each year Of an odd
number, for the election of representatives
throughout all the States. A similar power
has already been exercised, with general appro-
baton, i'm the appointment Of the same day
throughout the Union for holding the election
of electors for President and Vice President
of the United States. My attention was ear
nestly directed to this subject from the fact,
that the 35th Congress terminated on the Sd
March. 1859, without making the necessary
appropriation for the service ofthe Post Office
Department. was then forced to consider
the best remedy for this commission, and an
immediate call of the present Congress was
the natural resort. Upon inquiry, however
ascertained that fifteen out of the 33 States
composing the Confederacy were without rep
resentatives, and that, consequently, these
fifteen States would be disfranchised by such
call. These fifteen States will be in the
same condition on the 4th March next. Ten
of them cannot elect representatives, according
to existing State laws, until different periods,
extending from the beginning Of August next
until the months of October and November.
In my last message gave warning that, in
a time Of sudden and alarming danger, the
salvation of our institutions might depend
upon the power of the President Immediately
to assemble full Congress 8, to meet the emer-
gency. .
TARIFF.
It is now quite evident that the financial
necessities of the G ,vernment will require
modification Of the Tariff during your. present
session, for the purpose of increasing
THE REVENUE.
Tn this respect I desire to roitsrate the
recommendation contained in my last two an
nual messages. In favor Of imposing specif-
ic, instead Of ad caiorum duties on all import
Il ~. 81 kAo
piled. From long observation and experience
am convinced that specific duties are neces-
sary, both to protect the revenue, and to SCI
cure to our manufacturing interests that
amount of incidental encouragement which
nnavoidably results from q revenue tariff
As an abstract proposition, it may be admit
ted that ad ralorem duties would, in theory,
be the most just and equal, but if the expert
ence Of this and Of all other commercial ma
lions has demonstrated that such duties can
not he assessed and collected without great
frauds upon the revenue, then il is the part OF
wisdom to resort to specific duties. Indeed,
from the very nature Of an ad raIorem duty,
this must be the result. Under it the newt
able consequence is, that foreign goods will be
entered ut less than their true value. The
treasury will, therefore, lose the duty on the
difference between their real and fictitious
value, aud to this extent we are defranded.
The temptations which ad rdlorem duties pre-
sent 10 dishonest importer are irresistible.
His object is TO pass his goods through the Gus
tom house MS the very lowest valuation nee
essary to save them from confscation. In
this he too often succeeds in spite Of the vigi-
Y Al