The Portland daily press., 1865-12-06

The revenues of the past year from the leyal
States alone exceeded the maximum annual
receipts from all the States previous to the re-
bellioD, in the sum of $6,0SS,091; and the an
nual average increase of revenue during the
last four years, compared with the revenues oil
the four years Immediately preceding the rebel
lion, was S3,?t3,845. The revenues of the
last fiscal year, amounted to S14556,1 1853
and the expenditures to $13, 1914, 72S, leaving a
surplus of receipts over expenditures of $751;
430. Progress has been made in restoring the
postal service in the Southern States, The
views presented by the Postmaster General
against the policy of granting subsidies to
ocean mail steamship lines upon established
routes, and in favor Of continuing the present
system, which limits the compensation for
ocean service to the postage earnings, are re-
commended to the careful consideration of
Congress. . r ,--qs .....
NAVY DEPARTMENT..
1t appears, from the report of the Secretary
OF the Navy, that while, at the commence
ment OF the present year, there were in COM
mission $50 vessels of all classes and descrip-
tons, armed with 5000 guns and manned by
$1,000 men, the number of vessels at present
in commission is III, with $50 guns and 49,
12S men. by this prompt reduction of the
naval forces the expenses of the Government
have been largely diminished, and number
of vessels, purchased for naval purposes from
the merchant marine, have been returned to
the peaceful pursuits OF commerce. Since the
suppression OF active hostilities our foreign
squadrons have been re-established, and con-
slst OF vessels much more efficient than those
employed on similar service previous to the re-
belion. The suggestion for the enlargement
oil the navy-yards, and especially for the es-
adjustment OF one in fresh water for iron clad
vessels, is deserving of consideration, as is al
so the recommendation for different location
and more ample grounds for the Naval Acad-
envy. ag ,5-
WAR DEPARTMENT.
In the report of the Secretary of War, a gen.
eral summary is given of the military cam
paigns of 1864 and 1865, ending in the sup
preston OF armed resistance to the national
authority in the insurgent States. The oper-
ations OF the general administrative Bureaus
OF the War Department during the past year
are detailed, and an estimate made of the ap-
preparations that will be required for military
purposes in the fiscal year commencing the
30th day of June, 1856. The national militia
~ force on the LIST of May 1865, numbered
1,000,516 men. 1t is proposed to reduce the
military establishment to peace footing.
comprehending fifty thousand troops of ali
arms. organized so as to admit of an enlarge
ment by filling up the ranks to eiehty-tWo
thousand six hundred, if the circumstances of
the country should require an augmentation
OF the army. The volunteer force has already
been reduced by the discharge from service of
over eight hundred thousand troops, and the
Department is proceeding rapidly in the work
of further reduction. The war estimates are
reduced from $516,240,131 to S33,S14.4 61,
which amount, in the opinion of the Depart
ment, is adequate for peace establishment.
The measures of retrenchment in each Bureau
and hIanal, Of Inn
economy worthy of commentator. Reference
is also made in the report to the necessity of
providing FOR uniform militia system, and to
the propriety of making suitable provision for
wounded and disabled officers and soldiers.
THE REVENUE SYSTEM.
& The revenue system of the country is SUBJ
ject of vital interest to its honor and prosperi-
ty, and should command the earnest consider
alton OF Congress. The Secretary of the
Treasury will lay before you full and detail
ed report of the receipts and disbursements of
the last fiscal year, of the first quarter of tha
present fiscal year, of the probable receipts and
expenditures of the other three quarters, and
the estimates for the year following the seth
of June, 1865. might content myself with a
reference to that report, in which you will find
all the information required for your delibera-
tons and decision. But the paramount i'm
portance of the subject so presses itself on
my own mind, that L cannot but lay before
you my views of the measures which are re-
CURED for the good character, anG, might al
most say, ior the existence of this people.
The life Of republic lies certainly in the en-
ergy, virtue, and intelligence of its citizens;
bnt it is equally true that good revenue sys-
tenn IS the life OF an organized government.
Inject you at a time when the nation has vel
UNFAIRLY burdened itself with debt unprece-
denied in our annals. Vast as is it's amount,
1t fades away into nothing when compared
with the countless blessings that will be con-
ferred upon our country and upon man by the
preservation of the nations life. Now, on
the first occasion Of the meeting of Congress
since the return of peace, it is of the utmost
Importance to inaugurate just policy, which
shall at once ba put in motion, and which
shall commend itself to those who come after
us for its continuance. We must aim at moth
ing less than the complete placement of the
financial evils that necessarily followed state
of civil war. We must endeayop to apply the
earliest remedy to the deranged state of the
currency, and not shrink from devising pol
icy which, without being oppressive to the peo-
pie, shall Immediately begin to affect reduc-
ton of the debt, and, if persisted in, discharge
it fully within definitely fixed number. of
years. d, FaFftffE Is elffF. irnkF
THE PUBLIC DEBT,
1t is our first duty toprepare in earnest for
our recovery from the ever-increasing evils of
an irfedeemable currency, without sudden
revulsion, and yet without untimely procrasti-
nation. For that end, we must, each in our
respective positions, prepare the way. I hold
1t the duty of the Executive to insist upon fru-
gality in the expenditures; and sparing
economy is itself a great national resource
Of the hanks to which authority has been Civ
en- to issue notes secured by bonds of the Uni
tod States, we may require the greatest mod
Grafton and prudence, and the law must, be
rigidly enforced when its limits are exceeded,
We may, each one of US, counsel our active
and enterprising countrymen to be constantly
on their guard, to liquidate debts contracted
in paper currency, and, by conducting bust
ness as nearly as possible on system Of cash
payments or short credits, to hold themselves
prepared to return to the standard of gold and
silver. To aid our fellow-citizens in the pr,l-
dent management Of their monetary affiirs,
the duty devolves on us to diminish by law
the amount OF paper money now in circula-
ton. Five years ago the bank-note circula-
ton OF the country amounted to not much
more than two hundred millions; now the
circulation, bank and national, exceeds seven
hundred millions. Tho simple statement of
the Tact recommends more strongly than any
words of mine could do, the necessity for our
restraining this expansion. The gradual re-
duction of the currency is the only measure
that can save the business ofthe country from
disastrous calamities; and this can be almost
tmperceptibly accomplished by gradually fund
ing the national circulation in securities that
may be made redeemahle at the pleasure of
the Government
Our debt is doubly secure-first in the actual
wealth and still greater undeveloped resources
Of the country; and next in the character of
our institutions. The most intelligent obser-
-yers among political economists have not failed
to remark, that the public debt of country
is safe in proportion as its people are free; that
the debt Of a republic is the safest of all. Our
history confirms and establishes the theory, and
is. firmly believe, destined to give it still
more signal Illustration. The secret of this
superiority springs not merely from the fact
that in a republic the national obligations are
distributed more widely through countless
numbers in all classes of society; 1t has its
root in the character of our laws Here all
men contribute to the public welfare, and bear
their fair share of the nuhlo hurdanc Durinn