The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-10


nually. This sum, with the temporary reduction
Of annual expenses, accustomed by the suspension
Of Official duties in the rebellious States amounting
60 $644, TAI SO, win more than suffice for all the
penses arising under the act Of July for the addi-
honal agents, inspectors and aids required for
Its due execution and the prevention Of illegal
traffic.
In this connection the Secretary asks permission
TO direct the attention of Congress to the fact that
surveyors of ports Mt several points in the Misss-
sippi valley almost exclusively occupied by
their duties under the act of July, and are subject
ed In consequence to labors and responsibilities
Tor which the compensation now allowed ny law IL
not an equivalent IT is therefore suggested that
the Secretary be authorized TO make some add
uOnal allowances, to be paid from the appropria-
ton already made for such services.
NFORMERs, REVENUE OFFICERS AND THE GOVERNMENT
TO SHARE THE PENALTIES IMPOSED BY SEIZURE OF
CONTRABAND GOODS.
The Secretary also recommends that division
be provided for of forfeitures fines and penalties,
under this act between the officers, the infOrmer,
and the government, corresponding to that now
allowed by the revenue laws in other cases; and in
order to protect the interests both of citizens and
Of the government, he further suggests that in all
cases Of fines, forleitures and penalties, under
whatever law, when the amount in controversy
does not exceed one thousand dollars, the Secre-
tary De authorized to prescribe whatever mode
may seem most convenient and certain for ascer
tanning the facts involved and to direct such set
Element OF the matter in controversy, by remitter
Or otherwise, as he may deem just.
SOLICITOR OF CUSTOMS TO RESIDE IN NEW YORK
The interests Of the government will also be pro.
NOTED, in the Judgment of the Secretary, by the
appointment of solicitor of customs to reside in
the city of New York, who shall conduct all suits
and prosecutions, and collect all penalties, fines,
torfeitures and dues to the government, under the
revenue laws, within the collection district Of New
York, and advise the Collector in respect to all
legal questions connected with the customs which
may be referred to him by that officer.
OPERATIONS OF THE MINT.
The operations OF the Mint during the last year
were large beyond precedent. The net amount of
bullion received was $72, 81 OIL: the amount
coined was:Of gold coins. $50 1893 ,237 of silver
coins, sos 700; of cent coins s0l ,660; of gold
s27s,oos a. making the total coinage of the year
483,693,767 IS. OF the bullion deposited,
?S4 1865 80 We're received at the Assay Office
In New York; of the gold bars, $40 GAS 72S So and
stamped at the same office. OF $799, 1928 1862 IA,
the entire coinage since the establishment Of the
Mint, $500 900 900 have been coined from bullion
derived from mines of the United States.
OF the gold deposited during the last year
S34 $3.50 81, and of the silver s6l0, oil 20 were
from the mines of the United States; the remainder
formed part of the unusually large receipts during
the year from foreign countries
ASSAY OFFICE AND BRANCH MINT AT DENVER CO.
DORADO.
The large and rapidly increasing production of
gold in the Territory of Colorado suggests inquiry
into the expediency of establishing assay Office
or branch mint ut Denver. A private mint for
the convenience of the people is now in operation
1T that place; and obvious considerations seem TO
require the substitution of national for private
agencies in coinage.
THE MINERS At NEVADA AND ARIZONA TO DE PKO-
TECTED.
The silver mines Of Nevada and Arizona have
also yielded large returns; and the protection of
the citizens engaged in extracting their treasures
from insurrectionary and savage violence, demands
the earnest consideration of Congress.
THE COIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
vic nf main Vnst1 n1,l al.xNo
certainty, the quantity Of coin now in the United
6tates but the best accessible data lead the Secre-
tary to concur in the judgment of the Director of
the Mint, that the amount is between two hundred
and seventy-fve millions and three hundred mil
lions of dollars.
The Secretary takes great pleasure in directing
the attention of Congress to the able and instluc
tive report of that officer and to the suggestions it
contains.
ARMY EXPENSES INCURRED BY GOVERNORS OF STATES
AND WHAT THE SECRETARY DID UNDER THE CIR
SUBSTANCES.
Under the act of July q, 1861, large claims have
been presented by the authorized agents of the Co
vcrnors of several States for expenses incurred on
account Of troops raised by them respectively, and
employed for the suppression OF the Instruction;
but as the act authorizing the settlement Of these
claims required proper vouchers in support of them
to be filed and passed upon by the accounting Off
GERS, and as no such vouchers have as yet been
furnished, it has been hitherto impractieable to adj
just and pay them Inasmuch, however, as these
expenditures were incurred at a time when Con-
gress was not in session, and when the public ext
gency was imperative, and were marked SO far as
the statements submitted to him disclosed their
character, by discretion and patriotism the Secre-
tary thought himself warranted in advancing to
the several States upon certificates of the State
officers to the general correctness of the accounts
and on condition that no further claim should be
made on account OF the expenses cOntem-
plated by the act until after final set
Element upon vouchers, the sum of for
ty per centum of their respective demands,
and he has accordingly paid to the States of Hi
nois Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Mich
gan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio Pennsyl-
vania Rhode Island and Wisconsin the aggregate
sum of 81, 5l4,O7S 81.
As the law did not seem to contemplate The con-
tinued action of State officers for federal objects,
but confined the appropriation made by il to ex-
TO the action of federal off GERS within their respec
tive spheres of duty the Secretary has not thought
hims If authorized to settle in the unusual mode
provided by the act, except for advances actually
made or at least contracted for prior to its pas
sage. All other claims are, and will be, referred
to the War Department for sanction and requisi-
ton, unless Congress shall be pleased to direct
otherwise.
BOND ISSUED FOR CLAIMS CONDEMNED AS luxurious
TO THE PUBLIC CREDIT.
An act OF the last Congress authorized the
payment of claims, allowed for certain ser.
vices and expenses in Oregon and Washington
to be made by the issue OF bonds of United States
bearing six per cent interest, and payable twenty
years after date The Secretary most respectfully
hSNs tue dttcHCioH oI congress 10 the injurious In
fuences Of authorizing such issues for such pur-
poses. Claims are easily allowed when payment
is to be made otherwise than in money, and bonds
issued for claims are apt to come into the market
in competition with bonds issued for loans, to the
serious prejudice Of the public credit. That no
important injury has resulted from the act just re-
ferred to is to be attributed to the faithful vigilance
of the Third Auditor in the examination of the
claims made upon the treasury, and the compare
lively small amount of bonds, not exceeding, PRO
badly, two millions eight hundred thousand dollars
in ALL issued or to be issued in payment of them.
The attention Of Congress is respectfully di-
rected to the observations of the Fifth Auditor
in. respect to the abuses which have been
tolerated in the consular SYSTEM and the eNpedien
cy of authorizing the appointment of Consul
General for the coast and islands of the Pacific
THE LIGHTHOUSE PROPERTY NEGLECTED BY THE
PREvIvUS SECRETARY, AND EASILY SEIZED iron
AND DESTROYED BY THE REBELS.
In disregard OF repeated warnings Of impending
danger in December last the Secretary Of the
Treasury in Office at the time neglected to take
the necessary measures to secure the vessels and
other movable property connected with the light
house establishments This property therefore,
became the easy prey of nsulrecfionary violence.
Acts Of rapine and plumber followed each other in
quick succession as the rebellion spread. until the
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