The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-12-04

trenchment and wiss eccncmy, with no ex>
ceptional nor unusual expenditures. The op
tPsssBire hdt1ysyM tA3Ali6n 3a4 ~ 1ee6sned
aby such mc6i6cssion Of ouf fevenue laws al
will be consistent with the public faith
and the legitimate and necessary wants Of
the Government. The report presentsa q much
more satisfactory sondnioa Of our finances
than one year ago the most sanguine autici.
pated. During the fiscal year ending the 30th
1 lcf. Juse, 1856, the, Mt yssr of the war, the
1 public debt vas increased sS9Al ,902, ,637, end
on the 3lst Of October, 1865, 1t amounted to
/ 81, TAO, ,s54, 100. On the 8lst day of October,
1885, il had been reduced to 81, ,56i BIG, ,006,
the diminution being period of fourteen
| months, commencing September lst, 1865,
I and ending October 3lst, 1865 Having been
| $500, ,S79, ,365, in the last annual report on
the state of the finances, itwss estimated that
during the three quarters of the fiscal yess
ending the 30th of June last, the debt veuld
be increased $1l2, l94,S47. During tht Pc
rod, however, Il was reduced Ssl. 1876 3s7,
the receipts efths yeer having bssa 81, ,eo5, )
pos more, and the expenditures SOC, ,529, :
235 less than the estimates. Nothing could
more clearly indicate, than these statements,
tths extenE and ability Of the natioAal sre
sources, and the rapidity aud safety with
which, under our form Of Government, great
military and naval establishments can be dis
banded, and the expenses reduced froma war
to peace footing During the fiscal year
ending the 30th OF. June, 1866, the reseipts
were $55s, 0S2, go, and the expenditures we're
| $500, 760, $40, ls4ving an available surplns Of
| S37, ,28l,oQ0. 1t is estimate f6at the receipts
for the 6scal year ending the 3osh Of June,
1867, VIII be S476, ,06l 1856, and that the ex
penditures will reach the sum d 93l6, AS,
07s, leaving in the Treasury a surplus fund Of
S15s, ,6a8. s0s. For the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1868, 1t is estimated that the re~
ceipts will amount to e4S6 600, 600
and that the expenditures will be $3.50 247, :
GIL, showing an eacess of S65, 81, ,359 in
favor of the Government. These estimated
receipts may be diminished by reduction Of
excise and import duties, but after all necess
sary reductions shall have been made, the
revenue q the present and of the following
years will doubtless be sufficient TO cover all
Legitimate charges upon the Treasury, and
leave q lnrge annual surplus to be applied to
the payment of the principal Of The debt.
There seems now to be no good reason Why
taxes may not be reduced MS the copntry ad-
vances in population and wealth. and yet the
debt be extinguished within the hext quar-
ter OF acentury.
The report Of the Secretary of War
furnishes valuable and important information
inTeierence 10 the operations of his depart
ment during the past year. Few volunteers
now remain in the service, and they are be-
/ ing discharged as rapidly as they can be re-
placed by regular troops. The army has been
promptly paid, carefully provided with medi-
cal treatment, we'll sheltered and snbslsted,
and is TO be furnished with breach loading
small arms. The military strength Of the ma
tion has been unimpaired by the dipcharge Of
volunteers, the disposition of unserviceAble
or perishabe stores, aud the resrenchmen, Of
expenditure. Sufficient war material TO meet
any emergency hns been retained, and from
disbanded volunteers, standing ready to re-
spond TO the national call, large
armies can be rapidly orr
ganized, equipped, and concentrated.
Fortifcations on the coast and frontier have
! received. or are about being prepared for
more powerful armamen,s. Lake surveys,
and harbor and river improvements, are in
course OF prosecution.
Preparations have been made for the pay
, ment OF the additional bounties authorized
during the recent session of Congress, under
such regulations as will protect the Govern
ment from fraud, and secure to the honora>
bly, discharged soldier the well-earned reward
Of hrs fnithfuiness and galansry. More than
six Thousand married soldiers have received
artificial limbs and other surgical apparatus,
and forty-one National Cemetaries, contain
ing the remains Of one hundred and four
Thousand Eve huudred and twenty sig Union
soldiers, have already been. established
The total estimate Of military appropria-
tions is twenty-five million twenty five thou>
sand four hundred and thirty nine dollars.
1t is stated in the report of the Secretary OF
the Navy, that the naval force at this time
consists of two hundI ed and seventy eight
vessels, armed with two thousand three hum
dred aud hfty, one guns; of these, one hun
dred and fifteen vessels. carrying one thou
sand and twenty-one guns, are in commits
sion, and distributed chiefly among seven
squadrons; aud the number Of men in the
/ service is thirteen thousand and six hundred.
Great activity and vigience have been dis
PLAYED by all the squadrons, ard their move
menfs have been judicionsly and efficiently
arranged in such manner rs would best pros
mote American commerce, and protect the
rights and interests Of our eountrymen
abroad. The vessels unemployed are UNDER
going repairs, or are laid up until their
services may be required. Most of the IRON
clad feet is at League Island,
in the vicinity Of Philadelphia,
place which until decisive action should be
taken by Congress was selecied By the Sec
retary Of the Navy as the most eligible loca>.
tion for that class OF vessels. It is important
that suitable public station should be proyi
ded for the iron>clad feet. 1t is intended
that these vessels shall be in proper condi-
ton for any emergency, and it is desirable
that the bill accepting League Island for ma
val purposes, which passed the House OF Rep.
resentatives at its last session. should receive
final action at near period. in order that
there NAV be suitable public station for this
class of vessels, well as navy yard of area
sufficient for the wants of the service of the
Delaware river
The Naval Pension Fund amounts to Sl1,>
$50, 600, having been increased S2,75o, o01
during the year. The expenditures of the
department for the fiscal year ending 3oth OF
June last we're S433 ,265 26, and the est.
mates for the coming year amount to $685.,
684 So,
Attention Is invited to the condition of our
seamen, and the importance of legislative
matters for their relief and improvement
The suggestions in behalf of this deserving
class of our fellow. citizens are earnestly res
commended to the favorable attention Of
Congress-
Thereport Of the Post Master General pre-
sents most satisfactory condition of the Pos
tai service aud submits recommendations
which deserve the considerasien Of Congress.
The receipts of the department for the year
ending June 30, 1856, we're $l4 1886, 1856, and
the expenditures SIC, 81, ,079, sho~ing an
excess Of the latter Of S965,093. In antiei>
patton of this deficiency, however, special
appropriation was made by Congress in the
Acs approved July 20, 1855, includ,ng ne
skan5isg appropriation Of $7e0,O00 for
nee mail matter Is legitimate portion
of revenues yet remaining unexpend-
ed. The actual deficiency during the past
year is only S265,0e3, sum within $5l,i4l
OF the amount esumated ln The annual report
Of 1864. The decrease ofrevenue, compared
with the previous year, was one and one fifth
per cent, and the increase of expenditures,
| owing principally to the enlargement Of
the mail service in the South, WAS IL per
cent On the Both of June last there were
in operation 693 mail routes. with an aggre.
gate kngtt a. 1S0. .s2l niiss; ard an aegre-
gate annual cost. including all expenditures,
| Of So, 4l0, ,l84. The lenslh 6f sAilruad route
| is 81, ,O82 miles, and the annual trsnsportas
tion $4,000, 467 miles. The length OF steam.
boat routes ID IA ,346 miles, aud the annual
lN@sPorptipns8s4i ks01 uaeg .1Eg FsE
The mail service Is rapidly increasing
throughout the whole country, and its steady
extension in Southsyn. S&ates iadiesses their
constaatly inprovia1 ise0disSoaA SsA
| The growing impOrtance Of the foreign SER