Jamestown alert., 1880-11-30

clusion Secretary Ramsey recommends that
provision bo made by law for the appointment
Of an assistant secretary of war.
Condition of the U. 8. Treasury.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.--Fr ON the annual
report of the United States treasurer it ap-
pears that tho receipts of the government
compare very favorably with those of the
previous fiscal year, show an increase from
customs, internal revenue and sales of public
lands of $59.811 sos, and decrease in those
from miscellaneous sources of only $112,-
O79. The expenditures show slight in
crease of $685., ,074 in the aggregate as COM
pared with the previous year, caused by
the increase of So, ,39o,o4 in payments on
account of the interior department., but
show decrease of SS21 ,G99,965 in expendi-
lures for interest and Uranium on tho pub-
lie debt, on civil and miscellaneous
accounts. and for the wer and navy depart
ment. The balance of the public money on
deposit in the treasury, and subject to dra #
at tho close business, s,J one 80, ,1879,was $417,-
223,767. The receipts during the year from
all sources amounted to $474,O7S, 244, and
the drafts paid $7OS, 100000. After deduct.
ing the receipts properly ref landed and out
standing drafts, there was subject to draft at
the close of business June 80, 1880, $2O4,-
6S3, 1886, which differs from the debt state
,nent balance by 1886, ,2l3 which is ex-
planned in the appendix. The business of
the government involved transfers dur
ing the year of $l1 1,043,357, ,02S, the greater
portion through the medium Of accounts
Of this Office, and the remainder by actual
transportation of funds. Fifty eight national
banks were organized during the year, five
failed and twenty one went into voluntary
liquidation, leaving 2,102 doing business.
The amount collected from national banks
by the treasurer OF the United States for
semi annual duty aocruing during the year
was So, ,591 no. The total amount collected
during the national bank system is $780,
361, ,419. The reports embodied in the state
ment of liabilities and assets of the treasury
for the years 19.7-79-79 and 1880, from
which it appears that gold and silver coin
and bullion ranged from $l14, ,464,392 in
1877 to $1G3, ,9G9,444 in 1878, to $222, ,8O7,-
1868 in 1879 and $214 1903, ,2l5 in 1880.
The decrease of $8,5O0,O00 between 1879
and 1880 is represented by the restriction in
the gold balance of $34 100000 and the in
crease in silver coin and bullion on hand.
The influences tending to the decrease of the
gold balance have been primarily the scarcity
of notes compelling payments of the daily
balance to the New York clearing house in
gold coin. There has been but small
amount of United States notes and gold GER
tifcates presented for redemption in gold
coin. There has been during
the year an increase in silver coin of
$15,977,970 in standard dollars, and of ST.
S49,994 in fractional silver coin. Note
The assets, including balances due from de-
pository banks, have decreased from $107,-
G64,2S7 in 1877, to $93,417,292 in 1873, to
$G3.926,G53 in 1879, and to $42,402,348 in
1880. The steady decrease, the treasurer
says, is due in great measure to the with
drawal of notes caused by the presentation
of clearing house certificates for redemption,
the amount of these certificates outstanding
having been reduced from $3l 1850
in 1879 to $9,975,o0O in 1850. Another rea-
son for the smal!ness of the notes balance,
Mr.. Gilfllan adds, may be found in the fall
ing off in note receipts, the revenues Of
the government being now largely paid in
coin and silver certificates. From the tables
of assets and liabilities of the government
for Nov. /, 1880, it is shown that on Nov. l,
1879, there were $151, ,O41 O44, and on Nov.
l, 1880, there were $l4l ,597 ,013. Gl available
for resumption. The amount of gold
coin and bullion in the treasury Jan. l,
1879, the date of resumption of specie pay
ment was $135, ,3S2 ,639, and this date, Nov.
l, it is $40, ,352. and in addition there
have accumulated in the treasury $47,OS4,-
459 in standard silver dollars. The redemp.
tion of United States notes in gold since tie
resumption of specie payments have aggre-
gated $1l 1868, 1886. Since the order of the
department of January, 1879, authorizing
the receipt of United States notes for Gus
tom duties, there have been received on that
account $l42,323,6O1.
The total coinage of standard silver dol
lars under the act of February 28, 1878, has
been $72,S47,75O. Of this amount SAT $685.
JOG are in the treasury and in the rnints, and
S25, ,253,G44, being more than 81 z; per cent.
of tho coinage, are in circulation. The
treasurer instances banks which have re-
duced and forthwith increased their circula-
tion to the former amount, with tie
avowed object of relieving themselves
from the trouble and expense of redeening
their bonds through the redemption agency
as required by law, and says it is plain that
such transactions as these are not within the
spirit of the act of June 90, 1874. That act
authorizes the deposit of legal tenders by
any national bank desiring to withdraw its
circulation in whole or part. A wish to sur
render circulation with the reserved intention
of taking out more at once or taking out
as soon as the fall in the price of bonds
shall make the transaction profitable is not,
it is submitted, such desire to withdraw
circulation as the law contemplated. It
could neither have been intended nor ex.
pected that the law would become means of
enabling the banks to operate in seoureties
of the governmental designed to secure the
redemption of their notes, or to throw upon
the United States or other banks of the coun
try tho expense of redeeming their notes,
while maintaining and enjoying the free cir
cula.ion to which the law entities them.
PENSIONS.
The annual report of tho committee on
pensions shows that on the 30th of June
there were 25,082 persons receiving pensions
from the government. The animal pensions
average $103 an aggregate for all of $685.
271, ,906, exclusive Of arrears. Payments for
the year amounted to S37, ,046,lS of which
81, ,46S,19 was accrued pension in new
cases. The total amount paid out for ren-
sions during the year was $751;
O26,994. Commissioner Bently estimates
it will require upwards of
$50,oO0,G0O to pay pensions for the current
year. The number of cases in which arrears
of pensions have been allowed up to Novem-
Der L, the date of the report, is 43,907. The
average in each case is $500. A table is
given showing the number of pensioners
gone on the rolls at the end of each fiscal
year, 1861 to 1880, and the amount paid out
for pensions each year. The total amount
for twenty years is $455, 718, sos.