The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1861-12-20
unusually large receipts during the year
from foreign countries.

unusually large receipts during the year
from foreign countries.
! COINAGE.
The large and rapidly increasing produce
tion of gold in the territory of Colorado
suggests inquiry into the expediency of es-
tablishing an assay Office or branch mint
at Denver. A private mint for the conve-
nience of the people, is now in operation at
that place; and obvious considerations seem
to require the substitution of national for
private agencies in coinage.
The silver mines OfNNevada and Arizona
have also yielded large returns; and the
protection of the citizens engaged in ex.
tracing these treasures from insurrectiona.
ry and savage violence, demands the ear
nest consideration of Congress.
No means exist of ascertaihing with abb
solute certainty the quantity of coin now in
the United States but the best accessible
data leads the Secretary 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 mill
lions of dollars.
The Secretary takes great pleasure in di-
recting the attention of Congress to the able
and instructive report of that Office, and to
the suggestions it contains.
CLAIMS.
Under the act of July 27, 1861, large
claims have been presented by the author
lied agents OF the Governors of several
States for expenses incurred on account of
troops raised by them respectively, and
employed for the suppression of the insur>
rectiOn 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 officers, and
as no such vouchers have as yet been fur
nished, it has been hitherto impracticable
to adjust and pay them. Inasmuch, how.
ever as these expenditures were incurred at
a time when Congress was not in session,
and when the public exigency was impera>
tive, and were marked, so far as the state
ments submitted to him disclosed their
character, by discretion and patriotism, the
Secretary thought himself warranted in
advancing to the several States, upon certi-
ficates of the State officers to the general
correctness of the accounts, and on condi-
tion that no further claim should be made
on account of the expenses contemplated by
the act until after final settlement upon
vouchers, the sum of forty per centum of
their respective demands and he has ac-
cordingly paid to the States of Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Mi.
chigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin,
the aggregate sum of $4,514O78 81.
AS the law did not seem to contemplate
the continued action of state officers for fed.
eral objects, but confined the appropriation
made by it to expenses incurred, leaving ex-
penses to be incurred to the action of federal
officers within their respective spheres of
duty, the Secretary has not thought himself
authorized to settle in the unusual mode
provided Dy the act, except for advances
actually made, or at least contracted for
prior to its passage. All other claims are,
and will be, referred to the War Depart
ment for sanction and requisition, unless
Congress shall be pleased to direct other
wise.
An act of the last Congress authorized
the payment of claims, allowed for certain
services and expenses in Oregon and Wash
ington 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 asks the atten-
tion of Congress to the injurious influences
of authorizing such issues for such pur-
poses. Claims are easily allowed when pay
ment 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 in
jury has resulted from the act just referred
to is to be attributed to.the faithful vigil
lance of the Third Auditor in the examina
tion of the claims made upon the Treasury,
and the comparatively small amount OF
bonds, not exceeding probably, two millions
eight hundred thousand dollars in all, is-
sued or to be issued in payment of them.
Tha attention of Congress is respectfully
directed to the observations of the Fifth
Auditor in respect to the abuses which
have been tolerated in the consular system,
and the expediency of authorizing the ap-
POlutmCuo VI d COuSui'SSutTdt lOr tue COdSt
and Islands of the Pacific.
In disregard of repeated warnings OF
impending dagger in December last, the
Secretary OF the Treasury, in Office at. the
time, neglected to take necessary measures
to secure the vessels and other movable
property connected with the lighthouse es>
adjustments This property, therefore, be-
came the easy prey of insurrectionary vi
olence.
Acts of rapine and plunder followed each
other in quick succession as the rebellion
spread, until the light of commerce were
extinguished along the whole coast--except
at Key West and some neighboring points
protected by the power of the Unioa-'
from the capes of the Chesapeake round to
the western limits of Texas.
In other parts Of the couotry the light.
house system has been extended and i'm.
proved, until it is surpassed in aids and
benefits to navigation and commerce by
that of no other country. Under the di
rection of the Secretary also, as the rebel
lion has been suppressed in district after
district, the lights have been rekindled.
Already from the coasts of the Chesapeake,
from the banks of Hatteras, from the ISL
oul, of Don't PoDoI oofvo,oo