Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-12-03

ding S25,5( O,OOO for kounties 12O,OOO, 600 90
For the Navy Department. $4,000, 600 90
For the interest on the public
debt. .................. 10000, 600 90
S312.OOO,OOO %
Leaving a surplus Of estimated
receipts over estimated expen- ..
ultufes of..... S9,W0,O0O 90
The foregoing estimates are made on the
general average Of he receipts and expendi-
lures for the past nine months. The Secretary
Is hopeful, however. that Congress will take
measures to largely reduce expenditures in all
branches OF the service, so that a steady reduc-
ton OF the debt may be continued.
Ia regard to the nation a debt, and the neces-
sity of com mencinE at once the psyment of 1t,
the secretary, In his report of lo65, remarked:
"We need not be anxious that future gen.
erations shall share the burden with us. w airs
are noe at an end. an d pcsteIity will have
enough TO do TO take care Of the debts OF their
own creation
''In matter OF so great importance as this,
experiments are out of place. The PLAIN,
bea'en path OF experience is the only safe one
to tread
cit is OF the greatest importance. in the man
agement OF q matter OF so SURPRISING interest.
that the right start should be made. othing
but re venue will sustain the national credit
and nothing less than a liked policy for the
reduction of the public debt will be likely to
prevent Its increase"
he right start III the direction suggested has
been II ade. Since the first dag OF September,
1855, the debt has been reduced S263, is5 III -
Now. If such "a reduction could he N ade " Tile
the industry oil one-third part of the county,
ny reason OF the war and the unsettled state
OF It's political affairs, has been exceedingly
depressed, and the other Lwo- birds have. by
no means. exerted their full productive power;
If such reduction could be made, notwith.
staading the liberal miscellaneous appropra-
lions by Congress, the payment OF bountles.
and the great expense of maintaining large
military forces upon the frontier and in the
states. rpaS
why the reduction. SO successfully ommenced
under me most lnanspiciOus circumstances.
interruption until every dollar OF IL L. extin-
gutsbed! The Secretary INDUCES the hope that
the policy which has been inaugurated. and
which, in his judgment, is so essential to the
natlonAl credit II not 10 the presery alton of
publican Institutions, will not be abandoned
Old debts are hard debts to pay. The longer
come. If the present generation should throw
The burden Of this debt upon the next il will
be quite likely to be HANDED down from one
generation 10 another-a perpetual, If not
constantly increasing burden upon the peo.
pie. Our country l. full OF enterprise and re-
sources. The debt will be lightened every
year with great rapidity by the increase of
wealth and population. With proper re.
ductIon i'll the expenses OF the Government,
and with a revenue system adapted to the in
dusry OF the country and not depressing IL.
the debt may be paid before the expiration Of
the present century The wisdom of a policy
which shall bring about such q result is vim
oicated in advance by the history of nations
whose people are burdened with inherited
debts, and with no pros pect OF relief for them
selves or their posterity.
The Secretary recommends that ne laws re.
lating TO the foreign and coasting trade should
ne so systematlzsd that the rights nd duties OF
the Glasses whose interest are most directly
affected by them may be clearly apparent
The Secretary recommends the reoresniZa-
ion of The accounting Offices Of the Treasury
Department, SO as TO place this branch OF the
public seryiCe under one responsi Bile head.
according TO What seems 20 have been de- igned
in the original organization of the Department.
and followed until the increase OF business
leo TO the creation OF the office Of Second
Comptroller, and subsequently TO that of Com
missioner OF Customs Ii is recommended
that the office of Chief Comptroller bs created,
having general supervision OF the accounting
officers, and appellate jurisdiction from their
decisions; 10 which should be transferred the
duty of examining and countersigRIng war
rants on the Treasury. and OF collecting debts
due the Government, now constituting a part
OF the duties OF the First Comptroller: and that
The adjustment Of accounts pertaining TO the
customs be restored to the latter Offics.
The secretary also ren6ws the recomm en- da.
ton contained in his last annual report, of q
reorganization of the Bureaus of the Depart.
ment, and mos' respectfully and earnestly
soliciis for II the favorable action of Congress
The compensation now paid Is inadeQ u&te to
the services performed, and simple Justice to
gentlemen OF the ability and character OF
those employed in the Department, req uires a
liberal 40 ition to their present ompensation.
Since the rates OF compen sation no " allowed
were established. the duties, labors, and re-
sponsbilities OF the Bureaus have been largely
increased. and the necessary expenses of Iiv-
ing In Was hington have been more than dou-
bled.'
The report of the Director OF the Mint con.
tains the usual Information relative to the
coinage for The past year.
A valuable site tor n branch mint in San.
Francisco has been purchased during the past
year. and an additional appropriation will be
required Tor the purpose of erecting a mint
binding complete In all its appointments upon
the Pacific coast. ..
The Director OF the Mint recommends the
opening OF the branch mint 1t New Orleans,
upon On economical basis, for the coinage of
nIckel-copper pieces The branch mint q.
Charlotte, North Carolina, is being repaired
and placed in condition tor melting and assay
ing the precious metals. 1t will be unneces.
sary ever to execute coinage at Denver or
Charlotte, and the branch minis at those points
should be converted INTO assay offices, and
thus expenses reduced
The Director also recommends the repeal OF
the coinage charge. the tax on bullion, aad the
redemption Of the cent coinage.
An appropriation OF ten thousand dollars
was m ade by Congress ON the 18th July, 1856
to enable the Secretary Of the Treasury to col
lect reliable statistic inform alton CONCERNING
the gold and silver mines OF the Western
States and Territories. Under the authority
thus conferred upon this Department, Mr. J.
Ross Browne was appointed special commits.
sioner tor the mineral regions west of the
Rocky Mountains. Ills preliminary report
was submitted to Congress on the Sth OF jan.
uary, 1857 The districts OF New Mexico.
Colorado, Montana, Dakota. and Minnesota
were assigned to Mr.. James w Taylor. whose
report was submitted on the 18th OF February
1867 No detailed Information respecting onr
mineral resources, the nature and extent a :
the metalliferious VEINS, the mode and cost n,
working the mines, or the yield of bullion, had
previously appeared in an official form Lit
tie v a. InoW n OF the local rules and regula
tons or the practical effect of federal Ieeisls.
ticn on the SUBJECT OF the miReral lands Ths
value of the Information contained in ,bess
reports have been attested in marked desrss
by the public favor with winch they ha %
been received throughout the Atlantic and
Pacific States.
- While the prospect is generally favorable.
and he perman ency OF the mineral deposits
attetted by tndisputable evidence, the loss sn,-
tain ed in the treatment OF the ores is ranrs-
81 nted as serious dra " back to the prosperitv
Of this great interest
The Special Commissioned recomsn is, As IN