Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-01-05

lions two hundred and ninety-six thous-
ane and nine dollars( 81, ,296, ,009, to-
gether with the further estimates of that
officer for the service for the present fiscal
year, ending 30th June, 1860, five mil
lions five hundred and twenty-six thous-
and three hundred and twenty -four dol
lars( 81. .526, ,324, making an aggregate of
ten millions three hundred and sixty-one
thousand six hundred and eighty-three
dollars( SIC. .361, ,6S3).
Should these appropriations be made
as requested by the proper departments,
the balance in the treasury on the 30th
June, 1861, will not, it is estimated, ex-
ceed three millions five hundred and thir-
ty thousand one hundred and ninety-six
dollar snd sixty cts. So, $50, 1876 GIT.
transmit herewith the reports of the
Secretaries of War, of the Navy, of the
Interior, and of the Postmaster General.
They each contain valuable information
and important recommendations well
worthy of the serious consideration of
Congress.
1t will appear from the report of the
Secretary of War, that the army expen-
ditures have been materially reduced by
system of rigid economy. which. in his
opinion, offers every guarantee that the
reduction will be permanent. The esti-
mates of the Department for the next
year have been reduced nearly two millions
of dollars below the estimates for the
present fiscal year, and half million of
dollars below the amount granted for this
year at the last session of Congress.
The expenditures of the Post Office
Department during the last fiscal year,
ending on the Both June, 1859, exclusive
of payments for mail service specially
provided for by Congress out of the gen.
eral treasury, amounted to S14, 1854 .493-
33, and its receipts to $7,96S,474 or;
showing deficiency to be supplied from
the treasury of $685. ,O09 26, against
SIS, ,235.677 Is, for the year ending Both
June, 1858. The increased cost Of trans
portation growing out of the expansion
of the service required by Congress ex-
plains this rapid augmentation of the ex-
penditure. 1t is gratifying, however, to
observe an increase of receipts for the
year ending on the 30th June, 1859,
equal to S4S1, ,691 81, compared with
those in the year ending on Both June,
1858.
It is estimated that the deficiency for
the current fiscal year will be $685.
424 04, but that for the year ending Both
June, 1861, it will not exceed 81, ,342,-
473 80, should Congress adopt the
measure of reform proposed and urged
by the Postmaster General. Since the
month of March retrenchments have been
made in the expenditures amounting to
81, ,826,471 annually, which, however
did not take effect until after the COM
mencement of the present fiscal year
the period seems to have arrived for de-
termining the question whether this De-
partment shall become permanent and
ever-increasing charge upon the Treasury,
or shall be permitted to resume the self
sustaining policy which had so long con-
trolled its administration. The course
of legislation recommended by the Post
master General for the relief of the De-
partment from its present embarrassment,
and for restoring it to its original indie
pendence, is deserving of your early and
earnest consideration.
In conclusion I would again commend
to the Just liberality of Congress the To-
cal interests of the District of Columbia.
Surely the city bearing the name of
Washington, and destined, I trust, for
ages to be the capital of our united, free
and prosperous confederacy, has strong
claims on our favorable regard.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
WAsH1NaToN Cry, DEC. 10, 1859.