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


each Of the two companies mentioned for PIE.
pairing one set OF plates for every Issue Of !
r. 9'ssr ss
upon every obligation OF the dovefnmett'
agent at the mills and Its receipt BY each Of
the several Offices. OF the deliveries therefron
to the sealing bureau In the Treasury DepaN
ment, and also Of deliveries to the fteasunt
OF the United states, 10 given each day by ri.
egram or by letter, and on the following dly
the accountants In the Treasury Depaftmtt
every sheet OF paper manufactured. In lie
month OF November the paper At the mill Nd
IN each Of the several printing e., sss'.ellg,,
compared with the accounts 10 The Treasury
DepaItment, In an aggregate OF about y@.
U % o. s found ~ he ss,Ss
Of sixty sheets Of fractional currency paper,
and for the money value Of which thc CON,
believed that these arrange ments furnish be,su
ter security than has heretofore existed
against the fraudulent issue OF currcpoyu
use Of the original dies or plates, and the sJL
ten Of frequent examinations Of the seveil
establishments entrusted with the work W..
disclose at once any discrepancies In the &C. /
countS. 1t is not probable that the changet
made will diminish the expenses Indeed, ths \
cost is create, than It would be q the york. work 10
Department In my judgment, however, the
dditional security 10 Of more consequence to
the government IMAM tne mere economy Of
money In the expense OF engraving and pint
fhe marine hospital service OF the country \
tion. Several hospitals have been erected at
points where at present they are not neessal
while the great commercial! cities Of New
hospital accommodations for sick and disabled
seamen. Duripg the past season carefulex.
sm H. o. these ios,u, ~ rs hss been male
partment, and by DR.. Billings, OF the Tuntl /
States army. The result OF their examinatop.
periy managed, that Others should be ciosJ,
and that hospitals should be erected at Nns1
York, Baltimore aud Philadelphia Mest
the hospitals at several places where they IrN
not needed. The hospital at New Orleans
represented as unsuitable from bad loeatin
New New orleans s'i and New YORK, Which, as / AZ
X. ap%S eGnsfy Ss ss
be transferred to the Treasury Department.
The revenue marine system 10 an importaa
service. There are thirty.six vessels belong
Ing to the Department, of which twelve ar j
sailing vessels and twenty -four are steamer. /
They ysIy 10 size from forty TO four hundrel
One hundred and seventy.thrce officers All
eight hundred and twen,y.four men are n.
expenses amount to about ts65 900 q yer
Five of these vessels-side.whcel steamers =
commission. They are rapidly diminishing 10
value, while the care Of them involves an
annual expense Of about t7o,ooo. The vessels
now In the service have been purchased and
built at various times, and, as far as l can
ascertain, without special reference to the
nature Of the duty to be performed, and cciN
tainly without any insured plan. From one.
half 10 three fourths of the whole number are
not adapted to the business. Congress recentG J
appropriated 100000 for the construction
four additional vessels, and proposals weR
issued and bids received under the AUTHORITY
thus conferred upon the Secretary of Tia
Treasury, but no contracts have yet bee
made. An examination of the subject hs
forced the conviction upon me that tits ineL
pedient to incur tho expenditure until thu
and complete Information. Ishall, therefor /
| take the opinion OF a board Of competed
| oflcers. upon the following points, /: Tie
| sire and character OF vessels required by he
nature OF the service that they are to periots.
| 2. Whether they should he constructed II
iron or wood, or of a combination OF thee
| shall have been received, proposals will n n
issued for the construction Of four vessels Il
| authoriz
In addition to the parent mint at PhlladL \
phis, six branch minis have been esfablishA
| at various times In different parts OF tt
orleans, oss at Charlotte, North Csroiin,
| one at Dshionega, Georgia, one at Denver,
Colorado, and one At Portland, Oregon. Sine.
| New Orleans, Dahlonega and Charlotte have
been closed. An assay Office, Il 10 believed,
teIests 10 colorado, and for the present only
a LIMITED business will be done at the Portland
mint Indeed, with the construction OF rail
ties for communication, l AN OF opinion that
the business Of coming wi be chiefly at one
mint the peS s1a At Tst
passed J uly %, 1855, preparations nre making
Tor the sale OF the mints at Charlotte aud
precious metals is now so Large a rational
interest that 1t deserves more attention than
| 1t has hitherto received. At present there is
no bureau or oifieer In the Treasury Depart
ment at Washington charged specially with
the management OF this great interest.
therefore recommend that provision he made l
for the appointment Of a proper officer to We :
Entrusted with this branch Of the public bust.
ness under the direction OF the Secretary Of
The cniusge of the country is DIMINISHED
by the fact that In England and France the
mint expenses are much less than with us. II
| would no doubt HAYES tendency to prevent
! the export Of the precious metals In the form
OF bullion II the mint charges were to be re.
duced or altogether abolished.
| An agreement was made on the nth day of
| February, 1850, between the Secretary of the
Treasury, on behalf OF the United States, and
land In San Francisco, known as " the custom
house block ior the period o. twenty-five
that IT shall he void II Congress, on or before
the LIST day OF January, 1870, shah take adverse
action In reference thereto. In view Of the
fact that the lease Is for n long period OF time,
and being OF the opinion thatth Government
should retain control OF property that may be
needed ior public purposes, ! think 1t eHpe'
| dent Tor Congress to annul the lease,
Considerable progress has been made upon
the foundations Of the postoillc building In
the city Of New York, and OF the post office
Of Boston. TN Supervising Architect t Of The The
the walls. and roofs of the buildings may be
completed during the next year, II sufficient
appropriations are furnished. The works hav.
lag been undertaken am OF opinion that II
20 annesy ,re neiSey appto
During the month Of December, the Depart
nient Will be prepared to submit report upon
That report will show that the navigation in
terest OF the country has not recovered from
the losses sustained during the war, aud also
that efficient measures are necessary for Its
restoration.
Icannot omit to call the attention OF Con.
gress to the inadeguacy OF the salaries paid to
oficers 10 the Treasury Department who
exercise discretion and whose acts bind tn =
Government or affect directly Its expenditures
or revenues. Some OF the salaries were fixed
when the Government was organized, others
when new Offices were added, and but few of
them have been increased recently. 1t lie I'm.
questionably true that persons having equal
ability and clothed with similar responsibility
receive much larger compensation from, in.
dlviduas aud corporations and although
many OF the officers now in the public service
are likely to continue, from the cifcumAtancC
that their vocation has led them aside IRON
the ordinary channels Of business, yet, as an
act OF justice to them, and In the interest Of
the Government, l earnestly recommend an in
crease OF their pay. Speaking generally, this
Increase Of pay should be extended to revenue
officers In the customs service, such as col
lectors, surveyors, naval officers, and especi'
ally to appraisers and examiners In the APP
praiseT's department. Should the recommend.
alton to repeal the laws granting shares OF
penalties, fines and forieitures to public of
hccrs be adopted, II will be necessary to in-
crease the salaries Of collectors, naval officers
and surveyors at all the principal ports Of the
country.
1t 10 n plain truth that the Government has
no right to expect the services Of competent
men as appraisers and examiners at the pres
. ent inadequate salaries, In the larger cities
they Are insufficient for the support OF a fam
lily, and under such circumstances the Govern
ment 10 not without responsibility when II
places its officers in such position that they
are compelled to choose between dishonesty
on the one hand and penuIy on the other. The
salaries OF the Assistant TTeasurers and their
principal officers should also be increased, and
= for substantially the same reasons. 1t has been
found impossible for the last few years to
retain the services OF the most efficient clerks
10 the Treasury Department, except by addi-
/ tons to their lawful salaries, through an ap
Y prOpTiatlon placed In the hands OF the Secre.