The Hickman courier., 1877-12-14

of frauds and smuggling. This can best be done bl
Judcious provisions that Will induce the disciosur
smuggling Al revenue laws should be simple il
pis ana ta I9 nil & 80 ia ii e
6Bifing the iudgi.ent of experienced men 10 es-er
tion Of fraud. My attention has been called duEiue
the recess Of congress 70 the abuses existing ia Oh,
the tteasury by commission appointed % s4a ttiut
Wv, 4rs 1r1taiH nrIs ,1,egestiens f5r fbe Tsois
Of customs laws - wh'@h the att ntloa ofcougTcs-
! i|ssd ta| h.. De war the pullic f,ith viii III
this policy ti9 rnlIie credit has continuously
| With the highest isyor in the .l.aTfs:s Il tho
! world. trust that 10 act Of the government will
cast shadow uPon its credit The progression o
refund.n@ the public ceot has been rapid and sat:
/ entered frrn fila discharge Of the. dutcs OF
! my Office 'he IDS beSrina- interest ~ tie
ied o 9P these 9n Sdhds had sres feaoed the fS
the treasury entered ia contract Tor the sale
20 per cent bonds and within tliTiy days after
suhsGtiC 'ons were had euioununS 70 s55 81, ,55o,
Tlh1t ~eEe PAID Jog within .hrty days atief ihe
little more han oue ear. the ann oa ntstest ~ the
public debt was reduced in the sum y sa,fs COZ I
i tb ~ aSis i,a i 10 s % ,sSs i - ~
ernnent securities the best mode in which small
savings may be secured andyield interest. ltis the
o6le9i Of g;sl,f p3eg to reiti s3ns oq5 9T & Peo
orr cc ry d staLd,H ssAi'.st iilsIf Sliae et q
| from ioreiea 'oTrtries, eansed by ~gr or
/ The. commerce Of the United state5 vth
| ( reign nations, and especially the expo OF
~ It fim 1.e m 'Ifae m n, ~ Ilis 81
and speedy Interchange with c0Lnte'-s n this con
tuent, caunot be oyerestimatel 9nd Il tis matter
should receive to the utmost practical extent the
benefit Of our commerce with other lands. These
considerations are torcibly urged 10y al the large
cities of the country and public attention gea-
The he'' solution of the problems my
Congress y, m lake ihom II m sire tfsad5st spirt n
Hb-rality and respond 10 thespu Bile and - prgc
the secretary II var shows that the army has been
actiTey eupioye during the year and has rendered
the Indian country; te preserving peace ami pro-
tecting life and property ia the interior As w"ll
ress sgaiu-t portion OF the ez Perces mi a. IN
ioGnd iu the rrport the general Of the army, u
fought. iu which number "f valiant offcors and
meu lost their lives join with the fecretasj 70 s'
GERS and employ Cd IN the long and tsilsome rur
h9nor ana praise Whi- l7 5" Justly tteiF que zee
very serous riots which occurred in several Of the
meat OF considerable portion ot the army 10 pre-
Serye the peace and maj ntain order IN 'he states
Isfy tbe Ie-si ana sf,l atba{iti3s ana ~ " 80 ~
yIed fy the constitution and la We 10 furnish riIf
iary Aid. And ana eratiaed at being able to state
that the troops ,eut IA Isspou-o - these calls for
aid Iu the suppression Of domestic violence were
able BY the influence Of their presence N the dis
turhed reeionsi 70 preserve che peace and rostore
this delicate aud important duty both officers and
men acted with great prudence and courage and for
pistursauees along the no Grande, in Texas, to
which ! have alroady reierredS have rendered
torce in that country fun REPORT Of all recent
military operations IN that quarter hos been
{ e a q -
in answer to 81 resolution OF that body, and
it will not, therefore, be necessary to
enter into details. l regret to say that
these laWless incursions into our territory
bg armed bands from the Mexican side
OF the line tor the purpose Of robbery
have bees OF frequent occurrance, and in
spite of the most vigorous efforts Of the
commanders of our forces the marauders
have generally succeeded in csca ping into
Mexico with their plumber. In my last I
gave orders for the exercise Of the utmost
vigilance on the part of our troops for the
suppression Of these raids and the
punishment OF the guilty parties rs well
as the rec3ptHre of tho property stolen
by them. Gen. Ord, Commanding in
Texas, was directed to invite the co-Ope-
ration of the Mexican authorities in an
effort TO this end, and to assure them
that [ was anxious to avoid giving the
least offense 10 Mexico; at the same time
he was directed to give notice of my de-
termination to putan end to the invasion
of our territory by lawless gangs intent
upon the plunder Of our citizens and the
effectual punishment of the outlaws, and
should make the crossing Of the border
by our troops in their pursuit necessary.
It is believed that this policy has had the
effect to check somewhat these depreda-
tions, and that with a considerable in
crease of our force upon that frontier,
and the establishment of several addition
al military posts along the Rio Grande,
so as most efectually to guard that ex-
tensive border, peace may be preserved
and the lives and property 4of our citi-
zens in Texas fully protected. Prior to
the first day of July last tie army was,
in accordance with law, retuced to the
maximum of 25,000 enlisted men, being
a reduction of $500 below the force pre-
yiously authorized. The reduction was
made as required by law entirely from
the infantry and artillery branches of the
Pacific without any reduction OF the
cavalry. Under the law as it now stands
it is necessary that cavalry regiments are
recruited to 100 men in each company
for service on the Mexican and Indian
frontiers. The necessary effect of this
legislation is to reduce the infantry and
artillery arms OF the service below the
number required for efficiency, and
concur with the secretary of war in rec
ommendiIg that authority be given to
recruit all companies of infantry TO at
least 80 men, and all batteries of artil-
lery to at least 75 men, and power, in
case of emergency, TO increase the former
to 100 and the latter to 125 men each.
/ invite your attention to the following
recommendations of the secretary OF
war: First, that provision be made for
supplying the army more abundant
and better supply of reading matter.
Second, That early action be taken by
congress looking TO a complete revision
and publication of tie army regulations.
Third, That section 1928 of the revised
statutes, limiting the number OF officers
on the retired list be repealed. Fourth.
That the claims arising under the act of
July 4, 1864, for supplies taken by the
army during the war, be taken from Off
GERS of the quartermaster and COM
missary generals and transferred to
the southern claims commission, or
some other tribunal having more time,
and better facilities for their prompt in
vestigation and decision than are pos
sessed by these officers; heEce that
congress provide for an annuity fund for
the families of deceased soldiers as
recommended by the paymaster general
of the army.
The report of the secretary of the navy
shows that we have six squadrOns now
engaged in the protection of our foreign
commerce and other duties pertaining to
the naval service, the condition and
operation of the department also show
the total expenditures for the fiscal year
ending June so, 1877, were $5, ,607, ,707,-
454. There are unpaid claims again,
the departments chargeable LAST year
which are presented to the consideration
of congress by the report of the secretary.
The estimate for the fiscal year, com
mencing July l, 1873, are 81 ,623, ,234, 40,
exclusive of the sum OF $2,314 23l, sub
mitted fer new buildings, repairs and
improvements at the several navy yards
The appropriations for the present fiscal
year, commencing July 1877, are 81,
359, 293, $50 The amount drawn from
the treasury from July l, to November
1, 1877, is So, ,343, ,037 40, of which there
is estimated to be yet available s., ,029,
52S 80 showing the amount of actua
expenditures during the first four months
of the present fiscal year TO have beer
s., ,313, 500 10.