Des Arc weekly citizen., 1867-07-20
BY TELEGRAPH!
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, July l6.-The following
 was transmitted to-day to the senate:
 I transmit herewith reports from the
 Secretary of war and Attorney General
 containing the information called for by
 resolution of the Senate of the Sd inst,
 requesting the President to communicate
 to the Senate copies of all orders, instruc-
 tions, circular letters, or letters of advice
 issued to the respective military officers
 assigned to command the several districts,
 under an act passed March 2d, 1867 and
 also copies of all opinions given by
 Attorney General, touching reconstruction
 and interpretation of said act, and all cor
 rcspondence relating to the operations,
 construction and execution efsaid acts, and
 such as may have taken place between
 himself and any commander, or between
 him and the general army, or between the
 latter or commander touching said subject also copies oforders issued by the comman- der carrying out the provisions of said act also, that he would inform the Senate what progress had been made in the matter of registration under said act and whether the sum of money appropriated for carry ing them out would probably be sufficient. In answer to that portion of the resolution as to whether the sum of money appro priated for carrying these acts into effect would probably be sufficient, reference was made to the accompanying report of the secretary of war. It will be seen from that report that an appropriation ofS5, 900 900 was made in an act approved March 30, '67 flor the purpose of carrying into effect, and provide some efficient govern ment of the rebel States, passed March 2d, 1887 and the supplementary act passed March 23, 1867, has already been expend- ed by the commanders of the districts and, in addition, the snm of S1 ,647 ,277 is required for present purposes. It is ex- ceedingly difficult, at the present time, to estimate the probable expense of carrying into full extent the two acts of March last and the bill which passed the two houses on the 18th instant If the existing gov ernment of the ten States out of the Union are to be deposed, and the entire machin- cry be placed under the exclusive control and authority of the respective district commanders, all the expenditures incident to the administration of such government must necessarily be incurred by the Fed eral Government He believed in addi- tion to the s2, 100, ,000 already expended, an estimate for the sum which will be re- quired will not be less than Sl4,000, 900 over the aggregate amount expended prior to the rebellion, in the administration of their respective governments by the ten States embraced in the provision of those acts. The sum expended, no doubt, will be considerably augment ed if the machinery of these States be operated by the Federal Govern ment, and will still be largely increased if the United States, by abolishing the ex- isting State Government, should be respon- sible for liabilities incurred by them before the rebellion in laudable efforts to develop their resources, and in no wise created for insuirectionary purposes The debt of these States thus legitimately incurred, when accurately ascertained, will, it is be- lieved, approximate s100, ,000, ,000, and they are held not only by our citizens, among whom are residents of portions of the country which have ever been by al to the Union, but by persons who are the subjects of foreign governments. It is worthy ot the consideration of Congress and the country whether, if the Federal Government by it's action were to assume such obligations, 90 large an addition to our public expenditures would not serious ly impair the credit of the nation or, on the other hand, whether the refusal of Congress to guarantee the payment ofthese States after having abolished or displaced their State governments, would not be viewed as violation of good faith, and a repudiation by the national legislature of liabilities which these States had justly and egallyincurred.
 (Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON.