The constitutional union., 1860-12-21

members.
 For the year ending 30th June, 1858, whilst the pay and mileage amounted t8 S1 ,4902I4, the contingent expenses rose to &. .093 309 79; and for the year ending June, 1859. whilst the pay and mileage amounted to $859,093 66, the contingent expenses amounted to Sl,43l, ,5G5 78. I am happy, however, to be able to inform you that during the last fiscal year, ending on the 3Oth of June. 1860, the total expenditures of the Government. in all its branches, legislative. executive, and judicial, exclusive of public debt. were reduced to the sum of S3j, 4U2,- 465 46 this concIgsiye}y appears from the books of the Treasurer. In the year ending on the 30th of June, 1858, the total e>pendi- tue. exclusive of the public debt. amounted to SII.SJl.I29 I7, and that for the year ending Seth of June, 1859, to $j5.546, 2Z5 l3 whilst the books of the Treasury show an actual expenditure of S59S+6,474 = for the year ending the Both of June. 1860, including &I040,6j7 Il for the contingent expenses of Congress. There must be de- Qucted from this amount. the sum os Sl.Z96,- OCj Z6. wish the interest upon 1t of SI30, UoJ, appropriated by the act of 10th of Feb ruaIv. lS53. for the purpose of supplying the expenses of the Postoiiice Department for the year ending 3Uth of June 1859. This sum. therefore, justly chargeable to the year 1855, must be deducted from the sum oi S39,S4S,- I'll &. in order to ascertain the expenditure oi' the year ending on the Sth of June, 1860, which leaves balance for the expenditures pG that yeaG of 655, ,492,+G5 36. The inter est on the public debt, including Treasury notes for the sane fiscal year. ending on the 3Ctl of Jnue 1860, amounted to S3,l11- @It J2. which. addel tQ the above sum of &5J.+92.l65 1t. makes the aggregate Of S3>,- 519.T99 OS. Jtoueh, in justice be observed that several ol the estimates from all the de- Iarments for the year ending on the 50th oI June iSJ0. were reduced y Congress below what was. and .s still deemed compatible with the public interest. allowing EhomJ margin ot s2.5Vgug0 Ior this reduction. and tor olLtr causes. t may 0o safely asserted that the sun of 56i Loco, ,1yt, or at the most, S62. .U03UVU. is amply sufficient to administer the Government and pay the interest on the public debt. unless contingent events should hereafter render extraordinary expenditures necessary. This result has been attained, ia considerable degree, by the care exercised by the appropriate departments in entering into public contracts ! have myself never interIened with the award of any such con tracts. except in a single ca>e-that of the Colonization Society. deemed it advisable to leave the responsibility in each case to the proper head of the Department, with the gen eral instructions that these contracts should always be given t3 the lowest and best bidder. It is my opinion that public contracts are not a legitimate source ot patronage. to be con femcd upon personal and political tayorite- but that in all such cases, public officer i, bound to act for the Government as d prudent individual would act for himself
 TRANSIT ROUTES.
 1t would ba useles repetition to do more. than refer. with earnest commeDdation. to my former recommendation, in favor of the Pacific Railroad, of the grant of power to the pre~i- dent to employ the naval force in the vicinity for the protection of the lives and property of our fcilyw-citizeus passing in transit over the different Central American routes, against sudden and awIcs> outbreaks and dayrtda- ti0ns and also to protect American merchant vessels their crews. and carepa~, agaiu-t yio- lent a.j unlawful seizure and coua cation in the ports af Mexico and South American Re- ful-es. when dese may be in 8 disturbed and revolutionary c.o4iuoa. 1t Ia ny settled conviction that without such power. ua d. ua- afford that protection ,9 those engaged n the commerce. of the country, which t4,y have a ri i-ao to demri.
 AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.
 Iti- with great distinction l communicate the fact that since fLc date of my last Annual M,-aee not a .lu-lc slave has been imported into the United States in violation of tla Iags lroh.5t.u- the African Slave Trade. This statement .s founded upon a thorough cXanj- nation and iaEo .i4ation of the subject h. deel the spirit which prevailed same time since among portion of our tcI.ow-ciJizeus in favor of this trade seems to have entirely subsiIcI.
 FITLIBUSTETfNG.
 ! also congratulate you upon the public sentiment which ROW exists against the crime of sc.tIR on f,., military expeditions within the ImT of the United States. to proceed from thence and make War upon the people of an uuoHeuaag State with whom We are at peace. in this respect a happy change has been effected since the commencement. of my administration. Ii surely ought to be the prayer of every Christian and patriot that such expeditions may never receive cauDte- nance ia the country or depart from our shores.
 TARIFF.
 Isisaow quite evident U.u5 the financial necessities Of the Government require amoI- .~s...n ot tLa tariff during yo.r present aes- .au. igr the Iu.t ot increasing lhc ra,o- u.s. Ia ta.- pee. ! desire to Teitcratc the o'4mcal4t.sa- contained in my last two annual messages ia favor of imposing specific instead of ad yaiorem duties on all imported articles to which these can be properly aP- piled.
 ELECTION or MEMBERS TO CONGRESS.
 Tag. recommend to Congress the passage of law in pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution, appointing day, certain proyi- ous to the 4th of March, in each year, of an odd number. fer the election Of Representa- tiyes throughout all the States
 X GREAT CoUNTRY FOR THE LADIES' The time for marriage in Sparta was fixed by statute-that of the men at about thirty or thir5y-fye years; that of the women at about twenty or little younger. All sen who con +-,,al ,.,,,,,,,.r; al ,4+nr tbn or,vointaI +t,,o