Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-08-06

i oJ oJb vi lulCIudl TtNGuut Wnlcl
prevailed at the close of the war, taxation
may be said to have been all but universal
land, agricultural produce, uninanuiactured
lumber breadstulls and a few other forms
OF property or product only, being excepted.
An aggregate of ten thousand distinct arti-
cles or products, made available as sources
OF internal revenue in July, 1865, would
probably be an under rather than an over
estimate. At the present time, of all manu-
featured articles or products of industry,
the following only are subject to specific or
direct taxation distilled spirits fermented
| liquors, manufactured tobacco, gas, matches
and playing cards. Pcrfumery, cosmetics,
patent medicines and few other manufac-
tured articles are subjected to a stamp tax
proportoned to their selling price, since July,
1865; Furthermore, the additional tax OF ii We
per cent. on incomes In excess Of five thou
sand dollars has been repealed, and the ex-
cmption on all incomes has been increased
from 5000 to $1,000. The taxation formerly
imposed on the gross receipts accruing from
the transportation of mercL andisc has also
been entirely removed.
Coincident with the above reduction of
taxation, or from August 81, 1865, to June
30, 1865, the aggregate of the national in
debtedhess, including cash in the Treasury,
exhibits reduction in round numbers of
$3.50, 100000. On this abatement of the
debt the reduction of the interest, calculated,
at six per cent, would be $ij,0OO,00 per
annum.
THIRD. .-RXpENDlTuREs OF THE WAR DE-
PARTMRNT.
The aggregate expenditures made through
or under the direction of the War Depart
ment, from April lst, 1865, to June }Oth,
1868, inclusive, were $9l7,Il7,0l3 40. OF
Itsl., ,t, e.,
months, or from April lst, 1865, to December
3lst, 1862 as stated by quarters, were as
follows -
Fourth Is - ,....,...., GS I2254l G5
To'al.. ..s647, ,6ss. .O56 50
1t thus appears that of the above total ex-
pcndiiurcs of the War Department $6i7,-
6Ss,0 or 10 per cent. of tho whole was di-
rectly contingent upon the termination of
the war, and the disbanding of the army
and was disbursed in the nine months i'm
mediately succeeding the surrender of Lee,
In April. 1865.
The balance of expenditure charged to
the War Department ON the books of the
Treasury--yiz., $500, 42S, 1857 l0-covers
period of thirty months, or from January
], 1866, to June 80, 1868, and represents the
termination Of the war,--such as arrears OF
pay and transportation of troops, the regular
expenses of the military establishment, the |
expenses of the Indian war in the summer
and tall OF 1867, the payment OF bounties |
(S49, 9,3S2, $500 from July |, 1866, to June 80, |
1865, the payment for property lost or de- |
stroyed in the military service of the United |
States (Sll, ,000,000D the reimbursement of |
State claims in 1868, (S10330 oo0) river
and harbor improvements and the expenses |
OF forsifications, subsistence of Indians, |
Freedmen's Bureau, expenses of recon |
struction, etc.
FOURTH. TH.-ExpENDITUREs OF THE NAVY DE-
rARrMENT.
The expenditures of the Navy Department |
from April I, 1865, to June 80, 1868, were |
$l33, ll9, 29G. OF this amount $50, s47, ,Ss9,
or 45 per cent were disbursed within the |
nine months Immediately succeeding the
termination of the war in April, 1865. The
balance, $l3,27l ,407, covers the regular ex-
penses of the navy, for period of Mirfy
months ending July |, 1868, as well as the
disbursements on account of prize money,
and for the settlement of contracts entered
into prior to the end of the war.
FIFTH.-fRRhDMEN's BUREAU AND RECON-
kTRUCTloE.
According to the accounts of the Trea-
sury the expenses of the Freedmen's Bureau
since its organization have been $5,6l7 900.
Concerning the proportion of this expendi-
ture incurred by the bureau for the relief of
the starving and destitute of both races, and
Tor educational or other purposes, the Trea-
sury has no information.
According to the accounts of the Treasury
the expenditures contingent upon the acts Of
Congress regulating reconstruction have
been So, ,s44, 700 Sc.
COnctusion.-Th above statements are
derived from the hooks and accounts of the
Treasury Department, and believed to be
correct.
am yours, most respectfully,
fSigned) DAVID A. WELLS.
us. Special Commissioner of Revenue.