Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-10-19
THE MESSAGE.
FelLOa0- Citizens Of the Senate and House
of REPRESENTATIVES:

Of Representatives:
The adjournment of the last Congress
without making appropriations for the sup
port of the Army for the present fiscal
year has rendered necessary a suspension
of payments to the officers and men of the
sums due them for services rendered after
the Both day of June last. The Army ex-
lists by virtue of statutes which prescribe its
numbers and regulate its organization and
employment, and which fix the pay of its
officers and men and declare their right to
receive the same at stated periods. The
statutes, however, do not authorize the pay
ment of troops in the absence of specific
appropriations therefor. The Constitution
has wisely provided that ''no money shall
be drawn from the Treasury but in conse-
quence of appropriations made by law"
and it has also been declared by statute
that ''no department of the Government
shall expend in any one fiscal year any sum
in excess of appropriation made by Con-
gress for that fiscal year." We have,
therefore, an Army in service, authorized
by law identified to be paid, but no funds
available for that purpose. It may also be
said, as an additional incentive to prompt
action by Congress, that since the COM
mencement of the fiscal year the Army,
though without pay, has been constantly
and actively employed in arduous and
dangerous service, in the performance of
which both officers and men have dis
charged their duty with fidelity and cour-
age. and without complaint.
These circumstances, in my iudg-
ment, constitute an extraordinary oc
casion, requiring that Congress be
convened in advance of the time pre-
scribed by law for your meeting in
regular session. The Importance
of speedy action upon this subject on
the part of Congress is so manifest
that venture to suggest the propri-
ETY. of making the necessary appro-
priations for the support fthe Army
for the current year at It's present
maximum numerical strength of 25,
900 men, leaving for future consider
alton all questions relating to an in
crease or decrease of the number of |
enlisted men. In the event of the re-
duction of the Army by subsequent |
legislation during the fiscal year, the |
excess of the appropriation could not
be expended, and in the event of its
enlargement, the additional sum re-
quired for the payment of the extra
force could be provided in due time.
1t would be unjust to the troops now
in service, and whose pay is already
largely in arrears, if payment to them
should be further postponed until aft
er Congress shall have considered all
the questions likely to arise in the ef-
fort to fix the proper limit TO the
strength of the Army.
Estimates of appropriations for the
support of the military establishment
for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1878, were transmitted to Congress
by the former Secretary of the Treas
ury at the opening of the session in
December last. These estimates,
modified by the present Secretary so
as to conform to present require
ments, are now renewed, amounting
to $32,436, 1854 SO, and having been
transmitted to both houses of Con-
gress, are submitted for your consid-
Grafton.
There is also required by the Navy
$2,OO3,8 1861 81. This
sum is made up of 81, ,446, ,688 l6 due
to officers and enlisted men for the
last quarter of the last fiscal wear;
$91l,953 so due for advances made
by the fiscal agent of the Govern
ment in London for the support of
the foreign service; $50, 900 due to
the Navy Hospital fund; $I5O,OOO
due Tor arrearages of pay to officers,
and S45,2I9 58 for the support of the
Marine Corps. There will also be
needed an appropriation of $262.525
% to defray the unsettled expenses
of the United States Courts for the
fiscal year ending June 80 last, now
due to attorneys, clerks, Commission
ers, and Marshals, and for rent of
court-rooms, the support of prisoners,
and other deficiencies.
A part of the building of the In
terror Department was DESTROYED by
fire on the oath of last month. Some
immediate repairs and temporary
have in consequence be-
come necessary, estimates for which
will be transmitted to Congress i'm
mediately, and an appropriation of
the requisite funds is respectfully
The Secretary of the Treasury will
communicate to Congress, in connec-
lion with the estimates for the ap-
for the support of the
Army for the current fiscal year, es-
,imates for such other Deficiencies in
,he different branches of the public
service as require immediate action,
md cannot without Inconvenience