American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-12-14

vent new incursons across the border
The act passed at the last session for
the encouragement of immigration has, as
far as was possible, been put into opera
ton. 1t seems TO need an amendment
which viii enable the officers Of the gov
ernment to prevent the practice of frauds
against the immigrants while on their
way, and on their arrival in the ports, SO
as TO secure them here free choice of
ayocations and places Of settlement. A
liberal disposition towards this great ma
tional policy is manifested by most of the
European States and ii ought to be recip-
rocated, on our part, by giving the immi-
grants effective national protection. | re-
gard our immigrants as one of the princi-
pal replenishing streams which are ap-
pointed by Providence to repair the rava-
ges u internal war and its wastes Of ma
tional strength and health.
All that is necessary is to secure the
now Of that stream in its present fullness,
and to that end the government, must in
every way, make it manifest that it nei
thor needs or designs to impose inyolun-
tary military sclviceupon those who come
from other lands to cast their lot in our
country.
The financial affairs of the government
have been successfully administered dur
ing the last year The legislation Of the
last session OF Congress has bene6cially
affected the revenue, although sufficient
time has not yet elapsed to experience the
full effect of several of the provisions of
the acts Of Congress imposing increased
taxation.
The receipts during the year, from all
sources, upon the basis Of warrants signed
by the Secretary Of the Treasury, includ-
ing loans, and the balance in the treasury
on the first day Of July, 1868, were 81
94,796,Uy7 62 and the aggregate dis
busements upon the same basis, were
1.29S, ,05G lUl S9-leaving balance in
the treasury, as shown by warrants, Of
S96, ,739, ,9U5 70. Deduct from these
amounts the amount Of the principal of
the public debt redeemed, and the amount
of issues in substitution therefor, and the
actual operations of the treasury were
receipts SSSi,O7G,6lG 81; disbursements,
1854, 4,234,gS7 S5--which leaves a cash
balance in tho troasuary Of 8l8,S42,5
II.
OF receipts there were dea~cd from
customs, slp2, 2,3l6152 90; from .euj
5ss,338 20 from direct taxes, si75,6+S
90; from internal Revenue, SlOg.74l, ,l3I
10; from miscellaneous sources, Sl7,5l1,
ll3 10 and from loans applied to ac-
tual expcni.tu,os, including the former
balance SG23, 3,4l3,G2y 13.
There were disbursod for the civil SER
vice 81 ,jO5.5g9 iG; for pensions and
indians, S.547 $50 81 for the War De
pmment, S6.79l,Sl2 81! for the Navy
Department, SSj, ,733, ,292 10; for inter
estof the public debt, sj3,GS5 l21 Co
making an aggregate of $3.50, ,23l,087 sc;
and leaving balance in she treasury of
sis, ,S42, ,55S II, as before stated, for the
actual receipts aud disbursements for the
first quarter, and the estimated receipts
and disbursements for the three remain
ing quarters of the current fiscal year.
For the general operations of the treas
ury in detail, | refer you to the report of
the Secretary OF the Treasury. | concur
with him in the opinion that the proper
ton Of the moneys required to meet the
expenses consequent upon the war, de-
rived from taxation, should be still fur
ther increased, and | earnestly invite
your attention 70 this subject, to the end
that there may be such additional egis-
lation as shall be required TO meet the
just expectations Of the Secretary. The
public debt on the first day of July last,
as appears by the books of the Treasury,
amounted to one billion seven hundred
ami forty millions six hundred and ninety
thousand four hundred and eighty-nine
dollars and forty-nne cents Probably,
should the war continue for another year,
that amount may be increased by not far
from five hundred millions. Held as it
is for the most part by our own people, it
has become a substantial branch of ma
tionai, though private property.
For obvious reasons, the more nearly
this property can be distributed among
all the people, the better. TO favor such
general distribution, greater inducements
to become owners might, perhaps, with
good effect and without injury, be presen-
ted to persons Of limited means. With
this view suggest whether it might not
be both expedient and competent for Con-
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