Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-12-07
pHESIDENT,S lIESSAGE.
Concluded from the FIr'

the limits OF - wise and JudiciohN economy. An
Overlooking treasury had produced habits OF prodi-
raii;y and extravaganza which could only bu gIadu,
allr corrected. The work required both time anu
patience. larplird myself diligently to this taSS
IRON he beginning, and was aided n.y. the nnie anu
cne... - efforts Of the heads Of tho different ENeeu-
tive DEPARTMENTS. The result OF our inhor9 IN lnis
good cnusc did not appear in the sum total OF Oh. ~
pendilarrs Cor the first two years, mainly III sou:I
Quegce 81 the extraordinary expenditure hooesHn,ny
incurred in the Utah expedition. and tne VIZ MI
mmonl: of the contingent expenses o. No - = and
ring This period. These greatly exceed Lns ia! an u
mileage Q: the members. FoT u e" a'nnnn,.d n
81 aSo 81. ,ha rnr,inrtnt expenses rose to 81 ,0s3, 800
"a ana tnr Tho Year ending 3nth June, 1887, Whilst
the pay and lnileage amounted 10 So"s,VsS . L
contingent; expenses amounted 70 Sl,49l ,oo' 30. l
Avn hnnry. however, TO hc able 10 INFORM you; thaI
Iur;nr the las; fiscal year ending OIL the 3oth June,
1850, the total expenditures OF inc NoFernMeI :'
In Mi its hunchcs-le;islatire, executive and judi,
c;,I-cyclusiye Of the public debt, were reduced
20 the sum OF - ,Au2, 4G3 &c. This conclusively ap-
pcars from the books Of the Treasury. In the year
ending OF the 3gth June, 1865, the total expenditure,
exclusive OF The public debt, amounted TO
81. 9ol, Il. -. and that Tor the Year ending on the
Sott June. is3?, 10 SOD, %+', 226 -. Whilst The BOOKS
Of the Treasury show an actua! expenditure OF
SJ".>t>,t14 - tor lie year ending on the 3Oth June,
1850, i~rclUd:n. $1,000, GGi Il for the contingent en-
pense> OF Congress, there must he deducted from
this amount the sum vi 81 ,.e6 900 20, with the interest,"
upon it Of Sl5o,4oo, appropriated 10y the act OF l'th
February, lS"o, 'ior the purpose OF supplying the
deficiency in the revenues and %dclraying the en-
pruScs Of The Post Office Department Tor the year
ending the thirtieil OF June, one thousand e:ight
hundred and ;iitY-niuc." This sum, therefore, just
" chnr.cahic 70 the wear 1863, must he deducted
from the sum of $j9.SiS,i1i -, in order to asceT-
Tai the expenditure for the year ending on the "Vth
June, lSGD; which leaves a balance for the expcndi-
lures Of that YEAR Of $5i ,4U2. 40 IL. Tho interest
Oh The public debt, including Treasury notes, for the
same fiscal Year ending Oh the Goth June, 1850,
amounted 10 S~3.l,',Sli o.. which, added TO inc
above sum q: *31.43..;i ID, makes thenssreguteo Of
SJS.'. p, 50 vS.
1t ought in justice to he observed that several Of
the estimates from the departments for the year end-
ing 30lh JunG, 1860, were reduced by Congress below
what was ana sill is deemed compatible with the
public interest. Allowing . liberal margin OF
S!,Jo0, 900 for this reduction, and for other causes. IL
may be safely asserted that tho sum Of SOL 600, ouo,
or. q, the iuuS;. So, 200, coo, is amply 8ttMciehl 10
administer the Government and 10 pay the interest
on the pn5lic debt, unless contingent events should
hereafter render extraordinary expenditures heees-
Snrv.
This result L:ls been attained in 4 considerable de-
gree by the Gurs: exercised by tue appropriate depart
nlen,s in entering iuto public contracts. | have my
self Never intcriercd with the award OF any slch
contrnci, except i'll i single case with the Colonization
Society, dcc.Iimg ii advisable to cast the whole re-
sponsibil,y IN each case on the proper head OF the
department. with the general instruction that these
contracts shouid always be given 10 the lowest and
beS. bidder. 1t has ever been my opinion that pub
nc contracts are 40; a legitimate source OF patronage,
10 be conferred upon personal or political iurorltcs;
but that iii all such cases II public officer Is bound 10
act FOR the Government US = prudent individual would
sc. for himself.
AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE, ETC.
Il is with great satisfaction, lcominanicste the met,
tina! Stree ;he date Of my last Annual Message, hot
aSinglc slave has been imported into the Cniteo
States in violation of the laws prohibiting tue
African slave trade. This statement Is founded upon
L thorough examination and investigation oithe sub
iect. Indeed, the spirit which prevailed some time
since nmoug & portion OF our fellow citizens il favor
Of this trade seems 10 have entirely subsidized.
u.so congratulate you upon the public sentiment
which now exists .urllIISt The crime OF setting on loot
military expeditions within the limits Of the United
States, to proceed from thence TO and make war upon
the people Of nno:lendins States, with whom We are
u peace. In this respect L happy change has been
Effected since he commencement Of my Admins
trution. Il surely ought to be the prayer OF every
Christian and patriot, that such expeditions may
never again receive couiltrnance IN our country or
depart from our shores.
Il wonld be II useless repetition 10 do more than
rofcr, with earnest commentators, to my former re-
ccn!!ncndatirHs IL favor OF the pnclhe kallroad-ot
the grant Of power 10 the President to employ the
naval force in the vicinity for the protection Of the
lives and property Of our iellow-citiZcns passing IN
transit over The different Central American routes,
against Sudden and lawless outbreaks and dcpredn-
tioDS, a:d also to proteot American merchant vessels,
their crews and cnrgoc> against violent and unlawful
seizure and conhscation III tho ports Of Mexico and
the South American republics, when these may be in
- disturbed and revolutionary condition. 1t is my
settled conviction tia; wit!ou; such u power We do
no: afford thst protection 10 those engaged in the
commerce oi t!:c country which they have II right to
demand.
ELECTION uf MEMBERS OF cuNaEE.s.
again recommend 70 Congress the passage OF u
law III pursuance Of the provisions OF the ConstitI-
ton, appointing 4 day certain, previous to the 18th
March in each year o. III odd number, Tor the cleo
ton CT Representatives, throughout al the Statcs.-
a similar power has al.caiv been exercised, with
general appreciation. in the appointment OF the same
dr. Throughout; the Cuion for holding tLs election OF
Electors for President and Vice President of the
United States. Ny attention was earnestly directed
70 this subject, from the fact tla, the Sjtll Congress
Terminated on the u March, 1852. without making
the necessary appropriation for the service OF the
Post OtGcs Department. WAS then forced 70 con-
slider the best remedy Tor this omission, and oil i'm
mediate call Of the Ircscn, Congress WAS the natural
resort. Crca enquiry, however, aScrrtalned that
fifteen OF; Of The thirty-th.ee States composing the
ConivdeTacy "ere w!Inou: representatives, and that,
consequently, these fifteen States would be disfrnn-
chiscd by sllcn q call. These fifteen States will be
IN The sa:ie condition on the 4th March next. Ten
oil :!cn cauEu; elect Representatives, according 10
existing State laws, until different periods, extending
from ;hc beginning OF August hex: until the months
q! October and November.
Ia my la,. message | gave warning that, IN II time
Of sudden and alarming danger, the salvation OF our
institutions might depend upor the power OF the Pre-
sidcut Immediately 20 assemble ! !ull Congress. 10
meet the c;ncrseucy.
TARIFF.
II Is now quite evident that ttc financial nects>!-
lies Of The Government will req uire 4 modification OF
;he tarit. during v0Er prc>rn; session, for the pur-
pose OF increasing the revenue. In this aspect, / de-
sire 20 rcitera'e the recommendation contained in
49, hNN '" tiiiihhs NNNdNS III IANVl VI |
specific Instead Of al Ealor,m duties on all imported
articles :" which these cali be properly applied.
FROM long observation and experience am eonvin-
ccd that specific duties are necessary, both L. pro-
teet the revenue and 10 secure 20 our manufacturing
interests that amount ri incidental encouragement;
which unavoidable results from q revenue tnru.
- au abstract proposition j; may nc admitted that
al TGlorsti duties would, in theory. be the most just
and equal. But if the experience OF this and OF all
other commercial nations has demonstrated TINT such
duties cannot ic assessed and collected without great
frnudg ItlOn tho rrvpf1ic tbp,, ~ ia Tim n, ~ NCiS-
dom 10 resort 70 specific duties. Indeed, from the
very nature OF m al ealorem duty, this mti,. hu the
result. Cndcr it the inevitable consequence is, that
foreign goods will De entered ut less than their true
value. The irca~ary will. therefore, lose tho duty on
tle difference between their real and fictitious value,
and 10 this extent VIC are dcfraidsd.
The temptations which I'd ralOrcm duties present
10 q dishonest Importer are irresistible. His object
is 70 pass his goods through the Custom house u the
very loves, valuation necessary 70 save them from
coptsca;jon. In this he too oflen succeeds in spite
Of the vigilance OF the revenue officers. Hence the
resort 10 false invoices, one. for the purchaser nnd
another for the cus;om-housc, and TO other eXpedi-
en,s 20 de'r"nd tie Government. The honest i'm
porter produces Gis invoice 10 the collector, Stating
the Gctua! price 4. which he purchased the articles
abroad. Not ;" the dishones,i importer and the agent
Q! tho foreign manufacturer. And here it may be
observed ,la: Il very larry. proportion OF the manu-
features imported from abroad are consigned tor sale
TO commission merchants who are mere agents ell
ploycd hy the manufacturers. In such cases no ac-
tual sale has been made to Fix their vaiuc. The 70
reign manufacturer. il he be dishonest, prepares an
inYoicc OF the goods, not at their actual value, but
at the very lowest rate necessary to escape detection.
In this .nanncr the dishonest importer and the TO-
reign manufacturer enjoy 4 decided advantage over
the honest merchant. They Ac thus enabled to un-
derseil. The lair trader, and drive him from the mar
ket. In fact, the operation Of this system has alretS
d. driven troIu the pursuits OF honorable commerce
many OF thst class al regular and conscientious mer-
chants, whose character, throughout the world, il the
pride .; cur country.
The remedy for these evils is TO he found in spe-
Gihc dn:icS. so lar Is this may bc practicable. They
dispense with ANY inquiry ut the custom-house into
the ac'iai cost or value OF the article, and it pays