The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-12-07

be performed. The method by which postage
should be paid upon public matter 10 set forth
fully In the report OF the Postmaster Gen.
eral,
shows that the quantity Of public lands dis.
posed OF during the year ending the, 3oth Of
June, 1860, was T,OJ6,ij2 acres, exceeding that
Of the preceding year by loo 400 acres. Oi
this amount 2, 1854 acres were sold Tor cash,
and 2,i5T, 3d5 acres entered under the home.
steAd laws. The remainder was granted 70
aid In the construction OF works OF Internal
and SpP5oytsSa With Warrant.
scrip. The cash receipts from all sources
were ~ Ii2,ssO, exceeding those OF the preced.
61tIoe tRc last n seal year q, 1875 names were
added to the pension rolls, and 4,s76 dropped
thcrcfrom, leaving At rs close lsl,Vos. The
amount paid to pensioners, Including the com.
pensatiOn OF disbufslng agents, was t2s,t22sst,
40 Increase OF a. All po2 on that Of the previous
year. The munincence OF Congress has been
conspicuously manifested In Its legislation Tor
the soldiers and sailors who suffered 10 ther
cent struggle to maintain chat unity OF gov
eminent which makes US one people Inc
additions to the pension rolls OF each success
sye year since the eonein',2n Of no,,l sesps
ments Of the &C OF the llth OF July, lsO2
which extended Its ptovlGions to cases not
falling within It's original scope. Inc large
outlay which 10 thus ocoasionCd is further in-
creased by the more liberal allowance be-
slowed since that date upon those who In the
line OF duty were wholly or permanently dis.
abled. Public opinion has given an emphatic
sanction TO these measures Of Congress, and II
will be conceded that no part OF our public
burden 10 more cheetfully borne than that
OF this branch OF the service. II nccessi.
tates for the next fiscal year, in addition to
the amount justly chargeable to the naval
pension fund, an appropriation OF $50 900 900.
During the year ending the 30th OF Septem-
Der, 1862, the patent office Issued ,7O7 patents,
and Its receipts were t6sd, 3s9, being t2l3o26
more than the expenditures
would respectfully call your attention to
the recommendation of the Secretary Of the
lnterior for uniting the duties of supervising
the education OF freedmen with the other du-
ties deyolying upon he Commissioner OF Ed
ues,ion.
II II Is the desire Of Congress to make the
census which must be taken during the year
fore, l would suggest early action upop any
plan that may be agreed upon. AS Congress
at the last session appointed \ committee to
take into consideration such measures as
might be deemed proper In reiereuce to the
census, and report plan, desist from saying
more.
tion the claims OF the agricultural bureau for
liberal appropriations. In country so di.
versiiled In climate and soil as ours, and with
n population so largely dependent upon agri-
culture, the benefits that can be conferred by
properly fostering this bureau are incalculable.
l desire respectfully to call the attention Of
Congress- to the Inadequate salaries OF mum.
her of the most important officers OF the Gov.
crnnent. In this message will not enume.
rate them, but will specify only the justices OF
the supreme Court. No change has been made
In their salaries for fifteen years. within that
time the labots Of the court have largely In.
creased, aud the expenses OF living have at
least doubled.
During the same time Congress has twice
found II necessary to increase largely the CON
pensntlon Of Its own members and the duty
which " owes to smother department Of the
Government deserves, and will undoubtedly
receive, its due consideration.
There are many subjects not alluded to In
this message which might with propriety be
introduced, but abstain, believing that your
patriotism and statesmanship will suggest the
topics and the legislation most conducive to
the interests OF the whole people. Ga my part
| promise a rigid adherence to the laws, and
their strict enforcement.
wAsHISGroS. Dec 8. 1872
Report OF the Secretary OF the Treas
ury.
TRBAsURY DEPARTMENT. Dec 4, 1862
have the honor to submit herewith the an
nual report ofthe dolngs and condition OF tho
Treasury Department. In this report | nat.
urally treat, hrst Of alters Of administration,
and then Of measures Of public policy.
The officers IN charge OF the various bu.
! reaus and divisions Of the Treasury Depart
meni have faithfully performed their duties,
and commend their several reports to the
consideration Of Congress
| The Treasurer OF the United States has pre-.
pared an elaborate report. setting forth the
| present condition of the Treasury, and fur.
nishing resume OF the business OF the Treas.
urer's office from 1851 to the present time
The long and faithful services of the present
Treasurer entitle him to the gratitude Of the
| country.
The report of the Commissioner OF Internsl
| Revenue Is respectfully commended to the
| attention Of Congress. Since the appol ntmen
| tion OF the oiice has been constantly improv.
ing. The Increase Of receipts for the iirst Ave
months Of the present fiscal year In the sum
| ftli, l3i ,333 90 over the amount collected In
the frst i've months Of the last fiscal year 10
| satisfactory testimony to the ability and In.
tegrity OF the persons employed In that branch
OF the public service.
The amount paid by warrants for collecting
tho revenue from customs during the fiscal
year ending June 90, 1865. was sass 1855 ~, and
! for the year ending June 80, 1869, e5,3T6,T3s 10
showing decrease Of u DOL ,6i7 80. This de
creste In the cost OF collecting the revenue h a
not been attended by any loss OF efficiency In
| the service. On the other hand, 1t 10 believed
that the means tor the detection Of smuggling
are better than ever before, and that the Gus
| tom.house service Is also constantly i'm
proving. II ought to be understood that tn,
chief means OF collecting the revenue and en-
forcing the revenue laws must be found In tn,
ndministra'ion OF the appraisers department
| me FRAUDS and lusses arising from aatua
| smuggling arc unimpprtant when compared
with the losses sustained through incompetent
or dishonest examiners and appraisers. As
suming that honest men may be obtained fol
! these Important positions at the present sala
fies, It Ia yet true that an incompetent ,p
| prhIser or examiner may daily subject til,
| Government to losses far exceeding his annua
salary.
Under existing laws, certain revenue otiiceri
and other persons appearing as iniorneTs ar,
| entitled to shares In Hines, penalties, and for
| fixtures During the fiscal year ls55-'d9 the
| Treasury Department distributed the sum o
t2sd,0T3 OIL to such officers and to infOrmers IL
the various cases arising under the CUSTOM
revenue laws. A large additional sum wal
also paid through the internal revenue office
Tho reason on which the laws granting sucl
allowances are based Is that Officers OF tn,
| Government are stimulated to greater activity
In the discovery OF frauds. and In bringing
offenders to punishment. There can be nj
doubt such Is the effect of the policy; but tn,
experience have had In the Treasury Depart
ment has convinced me that the evils attend
ing tho system are greater than the benefit
derived from 1t. 1t often occurs that revenue
officers are led to assert claims in behalf o
the Government which have no just founda
ton In law or In the facts OF the respective
cases; and where real claims exist, II Is oftcI
the object Of the informeEs and officers VIII,
share In the penalties to misrepresent the cas-
to the Department, so as to secure the great
est advantage TO themselves. But n NOR
serious evil Is found in the practice, quite gen
eTal, III allowing persOns topursue a fraudu
lent course until result Is reached whicl
will inure to the benefit Of the officers an
iniormera, instead Of checking criminal prat
tees at the outset. 1t is impossible to sc
forth 10 exact language the Character Of tn
evils that grow out OF the present system.
am, however, clearly OF the opinion that tn
Government ought to rely upon public officer
for the proper performance of their dutiei
without stimulating them by any contingcn
advantages. | have elsewhere recommends
an increase of the salaries of custom.hous
ofhcersi aud the abolition Of the system q
giving to them share of fines, penalties, an,
iorfeitures will DO an additional reason for tn
increase Of salaries In the department Of tn
public service.
II has become a practice for clerks and othe
persons who have held office Ia the TTeAsur
Department to accept employment as Agent
or attorneys for parties having claims hgAins
the Department, aud there Is reason to beliey
that In some instances the Information oil
tained while In the public service has bee
used In aid OF the claimants, without detail
Ing all the objections to this practice, n
specially suggest that a law be passed bnrrin
persons from practicing before the Trearur
Department as agents or attorneys In behalf {
claims that were pending when such person
were officers Of the Department.
In March last there were employed 10 tn
Treasury Department Mt Washington asa
clerks, messengers, and labOrers, at a MONTH
cost Of t2s6, 02l5l. At present the whole nun
Der OF such employees is Al, and their MONTH
pay amounts to t23s, $50 81, showing decreAs
OF expenses at the rate OF t5Tl, 6ss. % per 81
mum. It was found necessary, however, dur
Ing the period mentioned, to increase the fore
10 the Internal revenue office OF the Fir
Comptroller. This increase, in the aggregate
Is At the rate Of ts0,ii0 per annum. This stat,
ment does not relate to the force employed
ni n uinU nd rIntl