The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-17
THE EXTRA SESSION.
FULL TEXT OF THE PMEsIWgNT's
MESSAGE.
GsveFnnsent Appropriations Nssded-I'The
French ES position. ma the swed.
tsh Prison Congress.
WASH gMf,Tf,u .Oct. he.

1bepfeSeHHIshHes-lH H6 AlJDHTnMlGnb CE the IAN
Congress without making appropriations for
the support OF the army for the present fiscal
year has rendered necessary g., fS,SllspenSiOn ~
the payments to the officers and men Of the
sums due them for services rsndered after
the 30th day Of June last The army exists;
by virtue Of statutes which DrescfiJns its;
number, and regulates its organisatiort and
employment. which fix the pay of its officers
and men, and declare their right to receive
however, do not authorize the oayrnent of
troops In the absence Of q special appropria-
tion therefor.
The constitution has wisely provided that
| money shall be drawn from the Treasury
only In consequence Of appropriations made
by law, and 1t has also declared liy statutes,
that no department Of the government shall
expend, IN any one fiscal year, tmly sum, in
| excess on the appropriations made by Com
gress for that fiscal year. We have, there
FORE an army in service althor ed by law
and entitled to be paid. but no furels availar.
BILE for that purpose. It may also lns said. as
an additional incentive to prompt action by
Congress, that, since the commend sment of
the fiscal year, the army, though witbort
pay, has been constantly and actively en- !.
ployed in arduols and dangerous ssryice. irb
the performance OF which both officers and
men have discharged their duty With fidelity
and courage, and without complaint.
The circumstances, in my judgme mt, con
stitue an extraordinary occasion requiring
that Congress be convened in advance of the
time prescribed by law for your meeting in
regular session. The Importance of speedy
action upon this subject on the part Of Con-
gress Is SO manifest, that ! venture to ssggest
that on the part Of Congress 1t Is necessary
that an appropriation for the suppors OF All
army for the current year, ut its present
niaSinuin numerical strength Of ,25,O6s men,
leaving for future consideration all questions
relating to an increase or decrease Of the
number enlisted. In the event of o. reduction
Of the army by subsequent Legislation during
the fiscal year. the excess of the apprepria-
tion could not bs expended, and in ths event
of the enlargement the additional sum re-
uuired for the payment of an extra force
could be appropriated in due time.
1t would be unjust TO the troops n sw in
service, and whose pay ls already largely in
ther postponed until after Congress shall
have considered all the questions lksly to
arise in the effort to fix the proper Limit to
the strength Of the army. The estimatss Of
the appropriation for the support OF th34nili
tary establishment for the fiscal year ending
june 80, 1876 were transmitted to Congress-
by the former Secretary of the Treasury at
the opening OF Its session In December hast;
these estimates, modified by the present Sec
retary, so as to conform to the present re-
quirements, are now renewed, amounting to
sS2, ,496, ,7s4 94s aud have been transmitted to
both houses Of Congress.
Estimates are subIn ttted by the Navy Dspart-
ment for 90, DO8, ,s6l n. This sum IL made up
of 81 ,ass t6 due to the officers and enlisted
men for the last quarter OF the last fiscal
year, s2f1 ,g58 10 due for advances mtgas by
fiscal agent Of the government in Ionelpn for
the support Of the foreign service. S5OgRO due
for the aIreaFages OF pay to office1s,s. and
,43,278 So for the support oil the marinaeerps.
There will also be needed an appropriation OF
$262, ,5g5 225to defray the unsettled e7apenses
Of United States courts for the flseal year
ending June 30 last, now due to attorneys,
clerks, commissioners and marshalis ssld for
bhe rent of court rooms. the support Df PEN
si0ners and other deficiencies.
A part of the building Of the Interior De-
part1nant was destroyed by fire on the 24th
Of last month, and it's tmmedtate repair Ia ns-
eessary, and temporary structures have In
consequences become necessary, es stimates spr
which will be transmitted to Cong .ress imras-
diately. An appropriation Of the requisite
funds is respectfully rscorn1nsndsd The Sec
rsttIy Of the Treasury will com III anicate to
Congress-, in connection wish the estimates
for appropriations for tho. support of the
army for the current fiscal yfaa, and es-
Inmates foF such other deficiencies in the diff
gtjre immediate ae4ion and cannat, without
Inconvenience, EspNstponad until ehe regular
session..
/ taks this opportunity to attract yenr at
tentiont to the proFriety Of adopang, n your
present SessiOIb the necessary l9gislation to
enabls the people Of the United States TO par
ticipats in Che advantages of the tnteHuation-
al Exhibition Of agrie ulture, industry and
the fine arts, which is 10 be held at Paris in
1878, and in which this Government ssas been
invited by the Government Of. France to
take part This invitation WAS communicated
to this Government ins May 1875, by the Min
istsr Of France, at this capital asad copy
thereof was. submitted to the preper com.
mbttses of Congress at it's last session, bit
no. action Was taken Upon it.
lghe Secretary OF State has received lettl4s
from variogs parts OF the colu,try expressing
desire to participate In this exhibition and
namerouss applications OF similar nature
have also been made at the United States
E4egationat Paris. II our citiaens are to SHARE
/ the advantages OF this International competi-
\ ton for the trade Of nations4the necessity OF
immediate action is apparent 10 enable the
| United States to cooperate, In the inberna-
| tional sxhibiticn which was held at Vienna In
| 1878 Congress passed joint resolution max
/ ing an appropriation Of S2D0,900 and author.
izing the President to appoiDt a certain mum
Der of artisans and scientific men who should
attead the exhibition and report taer pro.
ceethngS and observations to him, and pro
| vision was made for the appointment OF @
number OF honorary commissioners,
! The Department OF State has received Off
the French government that the United States
should participate i'll this enterprise, and
space has hitherto been, and still is, reserved
In the exhibition building for United States
exhibitors. to the exclusion Of other parties
who hbve beeft applicants therefor. II ord.
that our industries may be properly repre-
sented at the exhibition an appropriation vii
be needed for the payment Of ahe salaries anc
expenses OF commissioners, for the transgor
connection with the object In Wow; and a.
next May Is the time fixed, / have felt tina
prompt action by Congress in accepting TIN
invitation Of the government OF France is o
50 much interest to the peOple OF this country
and so suitable to the cordial relations he
tween the governments Of the two counties
that the subject might properly be presented
for attention at your present session.
The government OF Sweden and Norwa.
has addressed an oaicial invitation TO thi
government to take part In the internationa
prison congress to be held at Stockholm nsx
year. The proposition which the congEes
proposes to study, viz: How to diminis
erime--is one in which all civilized nation
have an interest in common, and the congress
OF Stockholm seems likely TO prove the mos
important convention ever held for the stud
Of this grave question. Under authority Of