The Portland daily press., 1863-12-10

/ the instruction occurred, there is still great
deficiency of labors In every field of industry,
! especially in agriculture and in our mines, %
I well of iron as of the precious metals, while
! the demand for labor Is thus increased here,
| tens of thousands destitute of remanerative oc-
cupaton, are thronging our foreign consulates
offering to emigrate to the United Safes if es-
iential but very cheap assistance can be af-
iorded them.
NEW NATIONAL LIFE.
1t is easy to see that under the sharp dsci-
pline of civil war the nation is beginning
new life. This noble effort demands all the
aid, and ought to receive the attention and
support of the Government.
RECIPROCAL NATIONAL JUSTICE.
Injuries, unforeseen by the Government and
Unattended, in some cases may have been in
ficted on the subjects or citizens OF foreign
countries, both at sea and on land, by persons
in the service of the United States As this
Government expects redress from the powers
when similar injuries are inflicted by persons
in their service upon citizens of the United
States, we must be prepared to do justice to
foreigners. II the existing Judicial tribunals
are inadequate to this purpose, SPECIAL Court
may be authorized, with power to hear and
decide such claims Of the character referred
to as may have arisen, under treaties and the
public law. Conventions for adjusting the
claims by joint commission have been pro-
posed to some governments, but no definite
answer to the proposition has yet been re-
ceived from any.
In the course of the session shall probably
have occasion to request you to provide in
Identification to claimants, where DEGREES of
restitution have been rendered and damages
awarded by Admiralty Courts; in other cases
where this government may be acknowledged
to be liable In principle, and where the amount
of that liability has been ascertained by an in
formal arbitration. The proper officers have
deemed themselves required by the law of the
United States upon the subject, to demand
tax upon the incomes of foreign consuls in the
country. While such a demand may not in
strictness be 10 derogation OF public law, or
perhaps of any existing treaty between the
United States and a foreign country, the ex-
pediency of so far modifying the act as to
exempt from tax the income of such consus as
are not citizens OF the United States, derived
from the emoluments of their Office or from
property not situated in the United States, is
submitted to your serious consideration.
make this suggestion upon the ground that
custom, which ought TO be reciprocated, ex-
enpts our consuls in all other countries from
taxation TO the extent thus indicated. The
United States, / think, ought not to be excep-
tionally illiberal TO international trade and
commerce.
FINANCIAL.
The operations OF the treasury during the
last year have been successfully conducted.
The enactment by Congress OF national
banking law has been proved a valuable sup
port of public credit, and the general legisla-
ton in relation to loans has fully answered the
expectations of its trainers. Some amend
ments may be required to perfect existing
laws, but no change in Their principles or gen.
eral scope is believed TO be needed. Since
these measures have been in operation all de-
mands on the treasury, including the pay of
the army and navy, have been promptly met
and fully satisfied. No considerable body OF
troops, it is believed, were ever more amply
provided for and more literally and punctu-
ally paid, and it may be added, that by no
people were the burdens incident TO great
war ever more chcerfully borne.
The receipts during the year, from all
sources, and the balance in the Treasury at
its commencement, were 1901 ,125.674 So, and
the aggregate disbursements 1896, I96 $50 20 !;
leaving balance on the LIST of July, 1868, OF
S529,0A n. OF the receipts, there were re-
ceived from customs 500, 1850 GAP 40; from
internal revenue S3,764,7S7 o. from tax
81, 4S5, 103 81; from lands sl67,617 II; from
miscellaneous services S3,046, 6l5 80, and from
loans S176, 6S2, 1851 81, making the aggregate
1901, 1854 Sc. OF the disbursements there
were, for the civil service s23, 253 1922 0S; for
pensions and Indians S4,2l6,526 SO; tor inter-
est on public debt s24 ,729, SAG 81; for the
War Department $500, 29S,600 SO; for the
Navy Department S63 ,2l1 Jos q for payment
of funded and temporary debt sl,Sl6,-
635 OF; making the aggregate 1896 ,I96,630 Us
leaving balance of S5,329,044 81.
But the payment of funded and temporary
debt having been made from moneys borrowed
during the year, must be regarded as merely
nominal receipts, and their amount-Slsl,-
0S6,635 07-should therefore be deducted,
both from receipts and disbursements. This
being done, there remains on actual receipts,
0,039 ,039 70, and the actual disbursements,
ST14,709,995 So; leaving the balance as al
ready stated. The actual receipts and dis
bursements for the first quarter and the esti-
mated receipts and disbursement for the re-
naming three-quarters of the current fiscal
year, 1854, will be shown in detail by the re-
port of the Secretary Of the Treasury, to
which invite your attention.
1t is sufficient to say here that it is not be-
lieved that actual results will exhibit a state
of the finances less favorable TO the country
than the estimates that officer heretofore SUBJ
mitted, while it is confidently expected that at
the close of the year both disbursements and
debts will be found very considerably less than
has been anticipated.
WAR DEPARTMENT.
The report Of the Secretary of War is
document of great interest. 1t consists of:
1st-The military operations of the year, de-
tailed In the report of the General-in- Chief
2d.-The organization of colored persons into
the war service. 3d.--The exchange of pris-
oners, fully set forth in the letter Of General
Hitchcock. 4th.-The operations under the
act for enrolling and calling out the national
force, detailed in the report of the Provost
Marshal. 5th-The organization Of the Inva-
lid corps. 6th-The operation Of the several
departments of the Quarter Master General,
Paymaster General, Chief of Engineers, Chief
of Ordnance and Surgeon General 1t has
appeared impossible to make valuable sum-
mary Of this report, except such as would be
too extended for this place, and hence l con-
tent myself by asking your careful attention
to the report ITSELF
THE NAVY.
The duties devolving on the naval branch
of the service during the year, and throughout
the whole OF this unhappy contest, have been
discharged with fidelity and eminent success.
The extensive blockade has been constantly
increasing in efficiency. If the navy has ex-
banded, yet on so long line it has so far
been impossible to entirely suppress illicit
trade. From the returns received at the Navy
Department, it appears that more than one
thousand vessels have been captured since the
blockade was instituted and that the value of
prizes already sent in for adjudication amounts
to over thirteen millions of dollars.
The naval force of the United States con-
sists at this time Of SIS vessels completed and
in the course Of completion, and Of these 70
are iron-clad or armed steamers.