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ILZIl' ' ' j fUli:; l! V1 Viji jiswU' 7fo?di
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' ' V 'Til v" n d i i ui wn vapi u rnc at9TTHE OU'ABDIANS OF ODTl lilBERTT' ;oi ,t;tyf
1 I T 11 1 '
- Thiitj-ninth CougrMt, . i . . t ,
Tht rrt ( tht Stereurj f 4h IbC
ritr tipUini the tMiitlm' of tWptibHc
ttidi, tht trinactinil tfthe Piteot Office
ttd tht PcmioB Bireti, the management
leer laditn afairvthe pngru made fa
the centnctiee -ef 'the Pacific rail read,
ltd fgraUhei' inform ati'4 in ft fere ce to
natters ef I ecfl interest in the Dittrict ef
Celeabit.' it atae pretenta evidence f the
aicceatfil nfltratita of the llomeatead Act,
eider the proiiene of which 1,1 GO ,5 33
acres ef the public lends were eetered du
ring the 6cal year ore than oae-feorih
ff the whete nernher of icrea aeld or oth
rwite diipsed of jiering that perieil. It
is estimated that the receipts derived frem
this towrce are stdleient to cover the el
pta.f iacidtat to the eervejr aid diipotai
tf Ike teidrentered eoder this Act, and
that pajents in ch to the client ef from
fortj to Cftjr per eett. will be made be set
ilsrs, who eaav tbis at aej time acqeire ti
tle before the etpiration of the pitod at
which it would otherwise vest. The home
etead policy was established onlj after lenj
nd earnest resistance', axperience proves
its wiedota. The lands, in the hand of
o'laitrious icttl?, whoie labor creates
wsaltb and contribute -to the public re
sources, are worth more to the United
Mtes thin if tUr lud btcn retried for
future psrehmrri.
The lamentable events' of the It fear
1 years, and the acn(ire made bv the gal
lant men of our Army and Nat v. have
swelled the reoml ot the Prnin Uurrai
o la anprvredraied eitent. Oo iho SOth
ity of June lat, the total number of pea-.
Viotf SS.Oiftr roifio fe lbitVo
aval pav, etcloie of fiprae, th sem
of S.O'i 1,443. The number l application
that hate been ullowed since that dts will
require a large lacreste f this ameant for
Ike nest fi.cal year. The means for the
payment of th stipends dot, under rsist'iaf
laws. io our disabled eldicrs and sailors,
and to the families of ouch is have pemli
ed in the strvice of the country, will ho
doubt be cheerfully "mt promptly granted.
A irattfsl ptspte will not heaitate to sane
lion any tneaiares having for their object
the relirf of lutdie re mutilated and familiea
sb'!e fatlierle s in the efforts to preserve
our natiunat etisteoce. .
' The report of the Pes:aaiter General
t reseats an rncouraf tc exhibit of the op
oratiurti of the Post UiUct Department du
ring the year. The revenuea of the past
year from thu total Stales alone eirreded
the maximum annual receipts (rem all the
State previu to the rebellion, ia the sum
f $6.038,091 1 sud the annual average in
crease ol retenoo atari; the last fur years,
. compared with the revenues of the four
yesrs I m mediately precidmjt the rebellion,
ae $3,333,813. I he rcvenae of the last
fiscal yar aatunoted to i 1 4,336, 1 3 8, and
she expenditure! to tl3.CU4,rt, leavine a
eerotua of receipts over espenditures of
usu 1, 43". I'rojre; lias been made ia re
otorin; the postal service in the Southern
States. The view presented by the Pot
enaster (teneral s;aiust the policy of grant
ing ssbiidies to ocean mad teamshipli4es
ipsa established route, and in ftor l
. eeotinuinz the prevent ay stem, which lim-
ita the compenatton for ocean scrnce to
the potas eaniPgs are recemmeaded to
the carctul connderatien otUonres.
It appears, from the report ef thu Secre
tary ot the N'nty.uhai while, at the cm
mearement of the prescot year, there were
ia comomsioa330 vcaaelsof all (leases ami
Rescript tool; armed with 3,000 guns and
aisnned by 31,000 taeo, the number of ves
sels at preieat in eommtssiea is 1 17, with
139 guns and 12,123 men. liy tais prompt
reduction of the naval forces the eipenses
of the uoverameot have beta largely di
aiinishcd, tad a naaibcr of-vessels, pur
abased for naval purposes frem the mar
ohaat nirine, have been retimed to the
peaceful pitrsttiti ef com merer. Since the
suppresses of active hostilities ear foreign
qutdreni bare beta rs-eitaUliiheJ, and
consist of vesse l,eajth more iScieat Chat
those em ployed ml similar, service pre.vJ-
oas to the rrfbellio8. r tlTie lujgestion.lor
tae enlargement or the navy-jrsrds, sad es
pecially Ter the establislvment far ooe ia
fresh water lor. ironclad; vessels, is deserv
tog, ef consideration, js is also the,recom
mendatiuQ foe a different locatiea and more
ample grounds for the Naval Academr..i
In the report of the Secretary of War1, a
general summary. ia given of the tailiUry
campaigns'of 1 864. and 18aJ,nd.ls in the
suppression of armed resistance, to the na
tional authority in thft insurgent .States.
The operations of the general administra
tive Bureaus of ihe .War Department dsr
ing the past year, are detailed, ;iid an es
timate made of the apprapriationa that will
be required for military"" purposes la the fis
cal year commencing Jhe SOth day of jane'
18C5. j Tle national military force an the
1st of May, 1165, numbered 1,000,516 man.
It ia proposed to reduce the military es
tablishment to "a peace footing, compre
hending .fifty, thousand truops of all arms,
organized ao as to admit of an enlargement
by fillinj up the racks to eighty-two thou
sand six hundred, if the circumstances of
the country should require an as 'menta
tion of the army. ,The vela ateer force has
slrsady beto reduced by the discharge
frem service of over eight hundred thou
sand troops, and the Department Is pro
ceeding rapidly ia the work of further re
duction. The war estimates are reduced
from $51 6,240. 1 3 1 to 133,8 1 4 .461 which
amouat, ia the opinion of the Department,
is adequate for a peace establishment Tne
measures of retreuebmeat in each Bureau
and branch of the asrvice exhibit a diligent
economy worthy of commendation Refer
ence is "alio made in the report to the ne
cessity of providing fur a Uniterm mil it u
jrtte9.oAto4ho prvpmiy if making suit
sble prO'ikiso for wounded and disabled of
ficers sad soldiers.
The revenue system of the country is a
subject of vital interest to its houor and
prosperity, and should command the earn
eat consideration of Congress. .The Secre
tary of the Treasury will lay before you a
full and detailed report of the receipt and
disbursements of the last fiscal year, of the
first quarter of the present fiscal year, of the
probable reccipta and expenditures for the
other three quarters, and the estimates lor
the vear following the 3plh ol June, 1866.
I might content myself with a reference to
that report, in which you will find all the
information tequired fervour deliberations
and decision. Bet the paramount impur
tance of the aebject so pi esses itsetf on ray
mind, that I cannot bat lay before you ray
view of the measures which are required
for the good character, and, I might almost
ay, for the existence of this people. The
hie of a republic lies certsinly in the en
ergy, tirfue, and iatelligeaee of its citi
zens, but it ia equally true that a good
revenue eyatem is the life of aa organized
Cotcrnmeot. I meet you at a time when
the nation has voluntarily burdened itself
with a debt unprecedented in our annals.
Vast ai is its amount, it fades away iato
nothing whta compared with the counties
blessings that will be couferrsd upon our
iuuntry and upon man hy the preservation
wl the nation'a life. Now, on the first wc
rssi'n of the meeting of Centres sinee the
return of peace it is of the utmost impor
tance to inaugurate a juit policy, which
shall at once be pet ia. tauten, and which
hall commend itself to those who come af
ter us for its continuance. We must aim
at nothing lest than die complete, efface
went ol the financial evils, (hat uecessanly
fullowcs a state of civil war. We must en
deavor to ipply the earliest remedy to the
deranged stale at the currency, ana not
shrink frem. devising a policy which, with
out being oppressive to the people, shall
immediately bei'i to effect v redurtion ol
the debt, and,! il persisted ia,' discharge it
(dly within a definitely fixed number of
years. ' g , . '"
It is aur duty to prepare in earnest for
our recuverr irorn the ever-increasing eviis
ef an irredeemable currency, without a
sudden retulsjsn, and yet without untime
ly pncrattinatien. For that cad we must.
''. 'fV tU vJ ny.;:f:.':. f
nwi.ia ur respect j to position, .preparo
h. way.'1Xh,fld It Ubt.duty of the Ejeea
live to ins'ist.upen frugality in the expen
ditures; and a sparing economy U-itself a
great national resource. Of tbe hisks to
which authority has been fivefl to issue
notes seeured byjbondsof tbe United States,
arcjaiy require the greatest eaodemtien
and prudfQce,aad the Jaw usuit;W rigidly,
enforced w hen its limits are exceeded. We
may, each cne of us, counael our actite and
enterprijng codiirymen tobe coesUntly
on their gear& te -liquidate dab ts c,tntract
etl in a paper, currency,, and, by deduct
ing busine'ss as peaclyai possible ao a sys
tem ol cash payments or short' credits, .to
bold themselves pre pa red, to return U the
standard ef gM and silftr, . To aid car
fcllow-citizeas in the prudent matfagemcat
el their monetary .affairs, the daty ;dve?es
oie as to diminih by; law tho .-amount ef
paper monsy, now in , circulatie.1. Five
r cars aeo the bank-note elrculatiea of ihe
country amounted, to not much more -than.
two hundred millions ; now the crcniaUon.
bank and national, exceeds seven itndred
kiiUions. , The simple statement of tbe fact
recommends mere stroogly; than any words
of mine could de, the citpessity of our, re
straining thia expaaaioa. ,,.Thegradu,sJe
daction. of tbe currency is tht.oatj reeis.
ire that can save the.businsss of ths coun
try from diustroos calamities r and .this
cm be almost imperceptibly accomplished
by gradually funding the national-circula
tion iu securities that may be aasde re
desmable at the pleasure of tne .Govern
mraU . : . ,
Our debt is doubly secure first in the
sctual wealth and still greater aodevelopod
resources of the country ; and next in the
character, ef our institutions The most
intelligent observers among political econ
omists have net failed tOMcdt&rkf-tfaat tho
public debt of a country is safe in propor
tion aa its people are free ; that the debt
of 4 republic is the safeat of all. Ouriiis
tory cua firms and establishes the theory,
asJ is, 1 firmly believe, destiaed to give it
a still more signal illustration. The secret
of this superiority springs nt msrelj from
the fact that in a republic the national ob
ligations are distributed more widely through
counties numbers ia all ctaisesot society;
it has its root ia the character of our laws.
Here til men contribute to tbe puajic wel
fare, aad bear ihir fair share of the public
burdens, i , During the war, under the im
pulses of patriotism, the men of the great
uody of the people, without regard to their
own comparative want f wealth, t'ironged
w oar armies aad filled oar Isets of war,
aid . held themselves ready to offer their
lives for the public good. , tSow, in their
turn, the property and income f the coun
try should bear their just proportion of the
eurdrn of taxation, while ia tor impost
system, through means of which increased
vitality is incidentally imparted t.all tbe
industrial interests of the nattua, the du
ties should be so adjusted as to fall most
heavily on aiticles ot luxury, leaving the
necessaries of lite as free from taxation as
the absolute wants of the Gorernotent, o
coaomically administered, will justify. No
favored class should demand freedom from
assessment, and the taxes should be so dis
tributed as not to fall unduly on the poor,
but rather on the accumulated wealth ot
the country..: We should look at the na
tional debt just as it is net as a national
blessing, but as a heavy burden on the in
dustry of the eouatrr, to be discharged
without unnecesssry delay.
U is estimated by the 'Secretary of the
Treasury, that the expenditure for the fi.
cat year ending the SOth ef June, 1866,
will exceed tho receipie $ir2,l94,47. It
is gratifying, however, to atate that it is
also estimated ahat the revenue for the year
ending ths 30th Juas, 18G7, will exceed
the expenditures in the sum of llt632,
818. This anoont, or so much as may be
ticemed sufficient for the purpose, may be
applied to the reduction ol the public debt,
which, on the 3lt d.iv of October,-18(53.
wa 12,740,854,750. t Eterv reduction it)
diminish the total amouat of interest to be
paid, tnd se enlarge the means of still. fur.
thsr redaetionl; oiibMhi whole shall bt
liquidated; and Cpmtttttym
mi ciiunir p. me aecreary pipf lrea
sury, may be accvaplhid by jpnual payJ"
menu ern wjirnqja pepQ not, exceeding
thirtv years, I havs faitK bst see shalLdo
all this within nl-easonablj.timat 'tJiat. aa
we have amazed, the world, Jypo Wpprea
sion of. t ci41 ;war svhich was .thought rta
b.f .beyond thexentrqtof anyoverament.
sowe shall eqaaUyahj?wthepeTiorityof -tur
institution! by the prompt and. faithful
discharge 4o our national oblitibha., (
.. The, pepartmeut of Agriculfursi, , under
its presen, direction, is, acniplislijipg
much in developing .and jrtillzing t&e tsii
airicultarat capabilities ef thc i couufrv.
and for ihfennation respec
ei iu managemeni reterenceqmadejtethe
agnail y epoyt of the Conimisstooer. ,4
,i I, hare ,d,f e)t thus felly f r domestic
affairs because of '.their, trinscendent im
poytface, , Undtrany c;4camstances,2enr
grrat extents ! tern tor, jind arie'ty (
piodacing aloesteverjrhuigjhat
ia necessary for tbt frajttiTnd'evenhe
comforts of man, make iingnUrlylnde
pendent of the yarytng 'policy of .foreign
towers, and protect as against eVerj tem p
Utien, to entangling aUiancsir,". whileja:
the .present mometha re-estabnshme nt
o(. hfrmpny, aad, ;the; strength that com. es
fro in harmony, wjll be. our Best, security
sgtjnst V nations who feilpower and for-
getixht.! For myself, it has beta, and
it p will be, my constant .aim to prs'mote
peace ,nd amity with all foraiga nations ,
and Powers; and I have every reason .'to
believethat jthej all, w itheat i exreptjon,
art aoimatod by the same disposiiioa. , Our
relations y ith the nserer, of .China,
rodent n their originMjre mostTrie'udly,
Oar,commerce wiih'his domioioa U re
ceiving new developments ; and it is very
pleasing. to find ht 4h, GjjfTg'rwt if
that; great Empire, manifests' satisfaction
wifh ur policy, and reposes, just confi
dence in the fairness wbich raac.kjjoeV.in
tercourse.. The unbroken harrouny be
tween tin United States and the Emperor
of Russia is receiving a new support from
an eaterprise designed to carry ttlegraphie
lines across the continent of ,Aia, throagh
his dominions, and so .to connect us .With
all Europe by a new channel ot intercourse.
Our commerce with South, America ii.a
bout to receive encouragement by a direct
line of mail steamships :io the rising. Em
pire of Brazil. Tbe distinguished party of
men of science who have recently left oar
country to make a scientific exploration of .
the natural history aud rivers .and mom
taia rangea of that region, have received
Iroa the Emperor thai generous welcome
which was to have beta expected from his
constant friendship t'r the United States,
and his well known cal in promoting, the
advancement ui kuoledge. A hope is
entertained thai, our commerce with the
rich end popj'ejs countries that border
the Mediterranean sea may be largely in
creased. Nothing will be wanting on the
part of this Government, to extend the pre
tec ion cf our , flag ever the enterprise of
our fellow-citizens. We receive from the
Powers in that region assurances of good .
will ; aad it is worthy of netavthat a special
envoy has brought us messages of condo
lence on the death of our late Chief Mag
trio from the Bey of Tunfs, whose rule
deludes the old dominions of Carthage, on
tiie African coast. s. ,
Our domestic .contest, now happily end
ed, has left some traces in our rsUtioas
with one at least of the great maritiaso
I'nwers. The formal accordance of belli
gerent rights to the insurgent States wis
unprecedented, and nas not been juaiioeu
br the issue. But in the systems. of neu
trality periaod by the Powers which made
wai concession, mere was a maraeu umt
renre. The materials ef war for tbe ioiur-
sent States were tarnished, in a reat asfa-
aire, from the workshops of Great Britain ; -and
BritisK.ships, manned 4iy Briliah sub
jects, ami prepared for recejvinj British
armaments, sallied from the ports of Great
Britain to make war on American com
merce, under the shelter of a commission
from the insurgent State. These ihips,
having escapsd front British pert
e
a '
" '