The Portland daily press., 1874-12-08
anything better can be done t.. direct the coun-
try into a c"urse of general prosperity, no enc
will BIZ more ready than | to second the plan.
Dislr.c Of Colu mhia AGai 9.

anything better can be done t.. direct the coun-
try Into a Course of general prosperity, no enc
will be more read, than | to second the plan.
Disir.ct Of collar bia AGsi g..
Forwarded herewith will be found the report
of the commissioners appointed under an act of
Congress. approved June 10th, 1874. to wind
up the affairs of the District government. 1t
will be seen fro n toe report that the net debt
of the District of Columbia, less securities on
haLd and available, is: Bonded debt issued
prior to July LIST, 1874, $685., 1874 043; 365 bonds
act OF Congress June Goth, 1874, S20S .816:873;
certificates of the Board of Audit, $477,O55,-
845; total, 81 574, 266, 76l-less special improve
meut assessments chargeable to private prop
erty in excess of any demand against such as,
sessments, Sl6l .4O5, 437; less Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal bonds, $4,000, and Washington q
Alexandria Railroad bonds, soy. 900. ln Inc
hands of the Commissioners of the Sinking
Fund are $174.805, 437, leaving the aetna debt,
less said assets, 1899 46l 1924. In addition TO
this there are claims preferred against the gov
eminent of the District amounting in the esti-
mated aggregate reported by the Board of Aud
it to $341, 77S,748, of which the greater part
will probably be rejected. This sum eau with
no more propriety be included in the debt ac-
account of the District government than can
the thousands of claims against the general
government be included as portion OF the
rational debt, but the aggregate sum thus
stated includes something more than the fund
ell 0PDt cnargedOie exclusively 10 tu6 LIS, llCI
of Columbia.
Tue act Of Congress of June 2Sth, 1864, con-
templates an appOrti0nment between the
United States government aud the District of
Columbia in respect of the payment OF the
principal aud interest of 1865 b0udS Therefore,
computing with precision the bond debt OF the
District, the aggregate sums above stated as
respects the 8 65 bonds now issued. the out
standing certificates Of the board of audit and
the unadjusted claims now peudiDg before
that board should be reduced to the extent OF
the amount 10 be apportioned to the United
States government.
In the matter of the act of Congress of June
Goth, 1874, especially invite your attention to
the report Of the commissioners OF the sinking
fund.- relative to the ambiguity of the act of
June 2Oth, 1874; the interest on the District
bonds and the consolidation of the indebted
ness of the District. L feel much indebted to
the gentlemen who consented to leave their
private affairs and come from a distance to
attend the business of this district, and for the
satisfactory and able manner in which it has
been conducted. J. am sure their services will
be appreciates by the entire country
twill be seen from the accompanying full
report of the board of health that the sanitary
condition of the District is very satisfactory.
Ia my opinion the District of Columbia should
be regarded as the ground OF the national
capital, ii which the entire people are inter-
ested. l do not allude to this to urge gener JUS
appropriations to the District, but to draw the
attention of Congress 10 framing law for the
government OF The Distric:, to the magnificent
scale on which the city was planned by the
founders of the government, the manner in
which for ornamental purposes, reservations of
streets and avenues were laid out, and the
proportion OF the property actually possessed
by the general government. think the pro-
portion of the expenses of the government
and the Improvements to be borne by the gen.
eral government, the cities of Washington and
Georgetown, and the county, should be care
fully and equtably defined.
Mississippi River.
In accordance with section of act approved
June 23d, 1874, appointed board to make a
survey of the mouth of the Mississippi river,
VIII h view to determine the best method of
obtaining and maintaining the depth of water
sufficient for the purposes of commerce, SC,
and in accordance with an act entitled ''An
to provide for the appointment of a commits
sion of engineers to investigate and report a
permanent Lao for the excavation of the al
luvial basin of the Mississippi now subject to
inundation," appointed a commission of en-
gineers. Neither board he's yet completed its
labors. When their reports are received they
will be forwarded to Congress without delay.
(Signed) U. S. GRANT,
Executive Mansion, Dec. z. 1874.