The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-12-09

ture. l have authorized the Secretary Of
, the Navy to put our navy on war footing
To the extent at least of the entire annual
! appropriation for that branch of the ser.
, vice, trusting to Congress and the public
opinion of the American people to justify
, my action.
THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT BY THE PRo-
PIE.
Assuming from tho action Of the last
Congress in appointing committee on
privileges and elections to prepare and
report to this Congress a constitutional
amendment to provide better method
of electing President and Vice President
Of the United States, and also from the
necessity of such an amendment that
there will be submitted to State egisla.
lures for ratification such an improvement
in our constitution, I suggest
TWO OTHER CONVENTIONAL AMENDMENTS
for your consideration to authorize
the Executive to approve Of SO much of
any measures passing the two Houses of
Congress as bis judgment may dictate
without his approving the whole Of it. the
disapproved portion or portions to be sub.
jected to the same rules as DOW, to wit,
"to be referred back to the House 10
which the measure or measures originated.
and if passed by a thirds vote OF the
two houses. to become law without the
approval of the President" would add
to this provision that there should be
no legislation by Congress within the last
twenty-tour hours of its adjourning, ex.
, cept upon vetoes, in order to give the ex.
ecutive an opportunity to examine and
, approve, or disapprove, bills, understand
, ingly: second to provide by amendment
that when an extra session of Congress is
. convened by the executive proclamation,
r legislation during the continuance of such
3 extra session shal! be confined to such
. subjects as the executive may bring be.
fore it from time to time, in writing. The
J. advantages to be gained by these two
D amendments is obvious. One session in
4 each year is provided for by the Consti.
Q tuition, in which there are no restrictions
. as to the subjects Of legislation by Con.
e gress. If more are required. it is always
=. iu the power of Congress, during their
. term of Office, to provide for sessions at
. any time. The first of these amendments
D would protect the public against the many
r abuses and wastes Of public money which
= creep into appropriation bills, and other
Z important measures passed during the ex.
: piriug hours Of Congress, to which other
9 wise due consideration cannot be given.
THE STATE OF OUR FINANCES
Treasury Department.-The receipts
of the government from all sources, for
the last fiscal year, were 1898, ,73S, ,204
= and the expenditure on all accounts,
S290,345,245. Thus showing an exces:
Of receipts over expenditures..of s43, 1892,
G $50. But it is not possible that this fav.
'. ora6e exhibit will be shown for the pres.
ent fiscal year. Indeed it is very doubtful
! whether, except with great economy Oh
J., 'the part of Congress in making appropri
!. ations, and the same economy in admins.
tering the various departments of the gov.
t ernment, the revenues will not fall short
: Of meeting the actual expenses including
i interest on the public debt.
WHERE TO ECoNoMIzE.
| commend to Congress such economy
and point out two sources where it seem,
to me it might commence-to wit in ap
preparations for public buildings in many
, cities where work has Dot commenced
in appropriations for river and harbor i'm
y provements in those localities where the
improvements are of but little benefit tc
general commerce, and for Notifications
There is a still more fruitful source of ex
/. penditures, which will point out late
J. in this message. refer to tho easy
). method of manufacturing claims for osse
r incurred in snppressiug the late rebellion
/. | would not be understood here as oppos
n ing the erection Of good, substantial ano
D even ornamental buildings by the Govern
If ment whenever such buildings are needed
o 10 tact,I approve of the government own
% ing its own buildings.
y THE PANIC AND THE REVENUES.
'i The revenues have materially fallen of
n for the first five months of the presen
r. fiscal year from what they were expeote,
le to produce, owing to the general pani
now prevailing. which commenced abou
the middle Of September last. The ful
" effect Of this disaster, if it should no
:. prove "blessiug in disguise" is yet t
:. be demonstrated. In either event it
70 70 your duty to heed the lesson. and provid
:; by wise and well considered legislation q
n tar as it lies in your power against its re
10 currence, and to take advantage Of a
10 benefits that may have accrued. Nj
ID judgment is that however much individ
81 81 uals may have suffered,
Of ONE LONG STEP HAS BEEN TAKEN TowAR
te SPECIE PAYMENTS
og that we can never have permanent pro
be perity until a specie bssis is reached, an
It's maintained until our exports, exclusive
ed gold, pay for our imports, interest dr
se abroad, and other specie obligations ; (
D. so nearly as to leave an apprcciable a
N. cumulaton of the precious metals in tn
tie country from the products of our mine
he CONTRACTION OR INFLATIoN.
a. To increase our exports sufficient Gu
of rency is required to keep all the indu
bv b tries Of the country employed. Witho
~ this national as well as individual ban
T, ruptcy must ensue. Undue imitation, (
- - the other hand, while it might give tel
Il. M porary relief would only lead to iLAati'
~, VS. Of prices.
"a, THE THING DEsIRrp.
ed i"A '"i'' D"'AD
re. Just enough circulating medium
transact the legitimate business of 4
country and to keep all industry employ
is what is most to be desired. The exa
!hs medium is specie, the recognised mediu
'on of exchange the world over. That o