Arizona citizen., 1877-10-27
THE CITIZEN.
SATURDAY. OCTOBER 27. 1877.
Presidents Message tO Extra ses
 sion.


 making appropriations for ths support of the army for the present fiscal year, has rendered necessary suspension of payments to the officers and men of the sums due them for serYIces render. ed after the 30th day of June last. The army exists by virtue of statutes which prescribe its numbers and regulate its organization and employment, and which fix the pay of its officers and nen and declare their right te receive the same al stated periods. The stat
 utes, however, do not authorize the
 payment of the troops in the absence of specific appropriations therefor The Constitution has wisely provide that no money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in consequence of appro priations made by law, and il has al
 SO been declared by statute that na department of the government shall expend iu any one year any sum in excess of appropriations made by Con
 gress for that fiscal year We have, therefore, an army in the service, au
 tborized by law, and entitled to be paid but no funds available for that purpose. IL may also be said, as an additional incentive to prompt acton by Con
 gress, that since the commencement oi the fiscal year, tie army, though with out pay, has been constantly and act ively employed in arduous and dan
 gerous service, in the performance oI which both officers and men have dis charged their duty with fidelity and courage, and without complaint. This circumstance, in my judgment, consti tutes an extraordinary occasion requlr ing Congress to be convened in ad vance of the time specified by law for your meeting in regular session. The importance of speedy action upon this subject on the part of Congress, IS s0 manifest that 1 venture to suggest the propriety of making the necessary ap. propriations for the support of the army for the coming year at its present minimum numerical strength oi 25,00O men, leaving for future consideration all questions relating to an increase or decrease of the number of enlisted men. In the event of the reduction of the army by subsequent legislation, during the fiscal year the excess of the appropriations could not be expended, and in the event of its enlar argep.ant, the additional sIg: required for the paymeIt of the extra force could be provided in due time. It would be un- just 10 the troops now in servlce, ard whose pay is already largely in arrears, if payment to them should be further postponed until after Congress shall have considered all the questions like ly to arise in the effort 10 fix the prop CT limit 10 the strength of the army. As the estimates of appropriations for the support of the military establish ment for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, were transmitted to Congress by the former Secretary of the Treas ury at the opening of its session ill December last, these estimates, mOdI- fed by the present Secretary so as to conform to the present requirements, are now renewed, amounting to $32,- 435, ,S649S Having been transmitted to both Houses of Congress, they are presented for your consideration. There Is also required by the Navy Depart ment $20,3S6,127. This sum Is made up of $1.446,S ,SSs16 due to officers and enlisted men for the last fiscal year B, l95, ,3j0 due for advances made by the fiscal agent of the government in London for the support Of the foreign service; $50,000 due to the Naval dos- pital Fund: $l50OOO due for arrearages of pay of officers, and S45,2l for the support of the marine corps There will also be needed an appropriation of $262 ,56522 to defray the unsettled expenses of the United States Courts for the year ending June 30th last, now due to attorneys, clerks, Commission. CTS and Marshals, and for rent of court. rooms, the support of prisoners and other deficiencies; and part of the building of the Interior Department, which was destroyed by fire on the 25lh of last month, will need some i'm mediate repairs, and temporary struct- ures have in consequence become ne cessary, estimates tor which will be transmitted to Congress immediately An appropriation of the requisite funds is respectfully recommended. The Secretary of the Treasury will commu nicale to Congress, in connection with the estimates for the appropriations for the suppor, of the army for the current fiscal year, estimates for such other de ficiencies in the different branches ( f the pubic service as require immediate action and cannot, without inconve- nience, be postponed until the regular session.
 1 take this opportunity to invite your attention to the proprIety of adopting, at your present session, the necessary legislation 10 enable the people of the United States to participate in the ad- vantages of the Information l Exhibi ton of agricultural industry and fine arts. which Is 10 be held at Paris iu