The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-12-07

= HNappS3 VI. w aliE Oh the ASSISTANT Urea
surers Of the United States, at the option o
the holder of the bond. ! suggest tbi
subject for the consideration of Congress
and also simultaneously with this the pro.
prlets Of redeeming our currency, as before
suggested, at its market value al the time
the law goes into effect. increasing the rate
at which currency will be bought and sold
from day to day or week to week. at the
same rate Of interest as the Government;
pays upon its bonds.
The subject Of tariff and Internal TAXA
non VIII necessarily receive yotlr attention
The revenues OF the country are greater
Than the requirements, and may, wiz,
safety, lie reduced but as the funding .
the debt IN a four or four and half per cent
loan would reduce the annual current tx.
pcnscs largely, thus, after funding j,istifyin%
4 greater reduction Of taxation than wOulc
ment Of this question until the next meetin
Of Congress.
TARIFF.
It may be advisable to modifr taxatit d,
and tariff III instances where unjust or bu.
dsnsome determinations are made by t.,
Pre- 9ent laws but of a general revision
the laws regulating this subject l recon-.
mend tuo poStponement for the present.
1LG lNIC-dE TAN.
also suggest a renewal Of the tax on !"
comes, hut ut reduced rate, and this l.
to expire il three years.
CUSTOMS.
With the funding Of the national debt,
here suggested, | feel safe in saving tn
the taxes and revenue from imports NAV
reduced safely from sixty to eighty millior
per annum ut once, and may be still furth
reduced from year to year as the resourc
OF the country are developed.
FISCAL STATEMENT oP THE GOVERNMENT.
The report OF the Secretary Of the TIE!
Surp shows the receipts OF the GovernmcAt
for the fiscal year ending June Both, S37r,.
943,14f, and expenditures, including bou..
ties, &C., 1921, AGE, J9I. The estimates f
the ensuing year are more favorable to IT,,
Government, and VIII no doubt show a
much larger decrease OF the public deb;
The receipts in the Treasury beyond TIL?
expenditures have exceeded the amour
necessary t. be placed to the credi
of the sinking fund. IS provided b.
law. 10 lock up the surplus in the Trcasur,
and withhold ii from circulation would lea
TO such a contraction ofcurrency az to Cripp'.
trade and seriously affect the prosperity
the country. Under these cTcunstanc,
the Secretary o.! the Treasury and mysc
heartily concurred i'll the prOprioty Of uSin
all the surplus currency in the Treasury /.
the purchase of Government bonds, thu
reducing the inte:e st-bearing indebtedness
the country. and Of ~uhmittin%'o g
the question VI !
the bonds 90 purchased. 14v 0u...!S now
held hy the Treasury amount to $40, 0U0,U 900
including those OF the sinking fund. / re-
commend that The whole be placed to tho
credit OF the sinking furd.
Your attention is respectfully invited tC
the recommendations OF the Secretary OF The
Treasury for the creation OF the office O
Commissioner OF Customs and Revenue, tol
the increase OF the salary OF certain clasSc
Of officials, and the substitution of increased
national bank circulation to replace out
standing three per cent. certificates, ant
most especially to his recommendation 20
the repeal of laws allowing shares Of iiucs
penalties, fortciturcS, etc, TO the officers o
Government or TO intormers.
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE.
The Office of Commissioner of Intcrna
Revenue is one of the most arduOus Hni
responsible under the Government. an(
falls but litIlc short OF 4 Cabinet position il
its Importance and responsibilities. 1woult
ask for it. therefore, such legislation rs il
vour judgment will place the Office upon
footing OF dignity commensurate with II
Importance and with tn" character ant
qualifications Of the class OF men required
to I'LL il properly.
CUBA.
As the United States is the freest Of al
nations. 20 do its people Sympathize witt
all people struggling for liberty and sell
government. But while so Sympathizing i
is due To our honor that we should abstain
from enforcing our views upon unwilling
nations, and from taking an Interested par
in Guarrcls between different nations, 0
between Governments and their subjects
Our course should always be in contormit,
with strict justice and Notwithstanding
and local. Such has been the policy Of thi
Administration il dealing with these Qucs
tons for more than year. valuable pro
vince Of Spain, and near neighbor OF ours
in whom all our people cannot but feel deel
interest, has been struggling for independ
euce and freedom. The people and Govern
ment Of the United States entertain the sam
warm feelings and sympathies for the peopl
Of Cuba in their pending struggle that the,
manifested throughout the previous strug
gles between Spain and her former colonie
IL behalf Of the latter. The contest has Il
no time assumed conditions which amour
to war in the sense of international law, o
which would show the existence Of d
fdcto political organization of the lnsurgent:
sufficient 10 justify q recognition OF Delll
gercncv. The principle Is maintained, how
ever, that this nation is its own Judge Q
when TO accord the rights Of bclligerenc.
either to people struggling to tree them
selves FROM a Government they believe t
be oppressive or to independent nations a
war with each other. The United State
has no disposition to interfere with the eX
isting relations Of Spain to her colonla
possessions on this continent. They belleY
that III due time Spain and other Europeal
Powers will find their interest in termlna
ting those relations and establishing thel
present dependencies as independent Pow
ers. These dependencies are no longer re
garded as subjects OF transfer from one Eu
ropean Power TO another. When the pre-
sent relations of colonies ceases they are Il
become independent Powers, eXercisln!
the right of choice and Of self-cOntrOi IL
the determination Of their future con
dition and relation with other Powers.
The United States, in order to put stol
to the bloodshed i'll Cuba, and III the int
rest of the neiohboriu@ people, proposed
its good offices to bring the existing contes
TO 4 termination. The offer, not being ac
cepted by Spain on the basis which we be
lievcl could be received by Cuba, wa
withdrawn. 1t Is hoped that the good Office
Of the United States may prove adVan
taoeous for the settlement OF this unhapp,
strife. In the mean while, number Q
illegal expeditions against Cuba have beel
broken up. 1t has been the endcavor OF tn
Administration to execute the ncutralit.
laws. no matter how unpleasant the task
made 50 by the suffering we endured from
the lack of like good faith towards us b.
other nations.
SPANISH SEIZURE OF AN AMERICAN VESSEL
On the Goth Of March last the unltet
States schooner Lizzie Major was arrested OF
the high seas by Spanish frig.te, and tW'
passengers taken and carried prisoners T.
Cuba. Representations OF these Iacls were
:: I, 90 &c, Goa u