ses occasioned by the Indian aggressions in 1832, have been, for the most pari paid in this year. These three items amount to nearly two millions of dollars. But when this sum is deducted from the whole annual expenditure, it shows that more than twenty millions of dollars have been expended, during The present year, for the various other objects authorized by law, exclusive of the amount set apart for the reimbursement of the four and a half per cent. stock. The pens ons for life, granted under the acts of 1818 and 1832, to the officers and soldiers of the revolution, have increased considerably the annual expenditure. More than four millions of dollars have been already paid, on that account, during the present year. There is, indeed, no item in the list of appropriations, which our citizens generally more cheerfully contribute to pay, than the one last mentioned; but, in the order of nature, it must be annually decreasing; and in the estimates of the coming year, tho e payable under the act of June, 1832, are set down at three millions of dollars. The different sums, above mentioned, therefore, show six millions of dollars paid for purposes which cannot be considered as entering into the ordinary and regular expenses of the Government, and form no rule by which its future annual expenditure ought to be estimated. The receipts of 1834 must be very much below those of the present year. A large portion of the receipts from customs, as already stated, has been derived from the importations of previous years. But, from the change in the system of credit, only a small part of the duties accruing in this year will go into the receipts of the next; and the diminished rate of duties, which take effect on the Ist of January next on some of the most productive articles, and the entire exemption of others, will contribute still more to reduce the receipts of the coming year, as compared with the present. In estimating the receipts from customs for the year 1834 at fifteen millions of dollars, I have assumed that the imports of that year will nearly equal those of 1832. This estimate is higher than the average of the last five or six years, but i is believed to be a safe one; for although the importations of each of the two last years were unusually large, yet the imports of the present one have gone still higher, and the general state of our commerce and the situation of the country justify the belief that there will be no serious diminution in the coming year The condition of the mercantile classes does not ind cate any excess of importations; indeed, the short credits and cash duties will be found to contribute greatly to prevent overtrading in that respect Moreover, many articles in common use are admitted free from d ty. This will produce an increased ability in the community to buy those which pay duty, and consequently a greater consumption. There appears, therefore, to be no reason to apprehend any serious diminution in the importations of 1834, and it will be safe to estimate is receipts by the standard bove mentioned. Yet any material excess beyond that estimate cannot, I think, be counted ou. The poduce of the public lands can hardly fall short of the sam at which it has been stated, and will perhaps exceed it. v In this view of the receipts of 1834, the income of the year will about equal the estimated expenditure; and, with the aid of the balance in the Treasury on the 1st of January next, it will be sufficient for all the wants of the G ernment, includ ng the amoun necessary to pay off the residue of the national debt. It must, however, be observed that, in addition to the appropriations now asked for, there will be an unexpended balance of former appropriations mounting to the sum of $5.190,287 62, which will probably be required, in the course of the ensuing year, for the objects for which it has been appropropriated And if the entire amount of appropriations, proposed in the estimates fo: 1831, were also to be required within the year, here would not be money enough in the Treasury to meet them, after satisfying the balances above stated, and paying off the public debt. But the experience of former years shows that a portion of the appropriations may always be expected to frema n unexpended at the end of the year; and the average of these unexpended balances for the last four years is about $5,300,000. In estimating Le balance in the Treasury at the close of 1834, I have therefore assumer that a portion of the estimates of expenditures, herewith submitted will BO be used during the year; and that balances of appropriations, equal to the amount at the close of the present year, will in lik manuer remain in the Treasury at the end of the year 1834, and go into the expenses of the succeeding year; and it is not necessary to raise money for the public use sooner than it will probably be needed. But the balance stated at the end of 1834 is not to be considered as a clear surplus. It will still be chargeable wib the amount of appropriations estimated to remain unexpended at that time From this state of the finances, and of the proposed appropriations, it is ev dent that a reduction of the revenue cannot at this time be made, withou injury to the public service. Under the act of the last session, the receipts of 1835 will be less than those of 1834, as a further reduction in the rate of duties will take effect on the Ist of January, 1835; and if the appropriation should be kept up to the amount authorized for the present year, the charge upon the Treasury in 1835 would be more than it could probably meet. But the debt will then have been entirely paid; and if a guarded rule of appropration is at once commenced, there will be no difficulty in bringing down the expenditure, without injury to the public service. If the revenue is not to be reduced more than the existing laws provide for, there seems to be no sufficient reason to open at this time the vexed question of the tariff. The manner in which duties are now apportioned on different articles, would be bable to insuperable objections, if i were to be considered as a settled and permanent system. But the law is temporary on the face of it, and was intended as a compromise between conflicting interests; and unless the revenue to arise under it should hereafter be more productive than is anticipated, it will be necessary in two years from this time to impose duties on articles that are now free, in order to meet the corrent expenses of the Government. There would seem, therefore, to be no advantage in agitating the question at the present moment. Yet, some modifications of the existing laws will be necessary, in order to carry into effect the intentions of the Legislature, and to guard against attempts to evade its provisions, without, in any degree, affecting its primciples. It is, however, respectfully recommended that the appropriations for 1834 should be regulated by a proper regard to economy. Heretofore, the receipts to be expected could be ascertained with some degree of certainty, because they were principally derived from the imports of previous years; and the bonds taken for the duties on such imports showed the amount of receipts which might safety be counted on. But, under the new system of cash duties and short cred ts, each year must mainly depend for its income on its own imports. Andas commerce is always more or less liable to fluctuations, the public interest requires that there should be at all times in the Treasury a sufficient sum to provide for unforeseen contingencies, and to guard against disappointment in the estimated receipts. The calculations on the income of a succeeding year are necessarily more uncertain under the present system, than under the former one of long credits. And if the anticipations of the receipts of 1834 and 1835 should be fuily realized, there will not be more Phan ought to be provided in the estimated scale of expenditures. At the last session of Congress, the appropriations exceeded twenty one million Gve hundred thousand dollars, being nearly three million five hundred thous and dollars above the estimates presented at the beginning of the session similar amount of expenditure, authorized at the present session, might render it necessary to provide additional revenue earlier than is now contemplated It is understood to be conceded on all hands that a tariff for protection merely is to be finally abandoned, and that the revenue is to be reduced to the necessary wants of the Government. Various causes have contributed to enlarge the pro osed expenditures for 1834, as will be seen by the parPricular estimates from the different departments. But it is believed that all the objects for which this Government was established, can be effectually attained at much less annual expense here fter; and the harmony and mu ua good feeling of this extensive country will be best secured and perpetuated by rigidly confining the operations of the General Government to its appro priate sphere. If thi is cone, and ts expenditures are regulated by a striet economy, the burdens it imposes will scarcely be felt by our citizens, white its blessings are inestimable. As the public debt will soon be extinguished, it is proper that the booksand papers, which belong to the various loan officers, should be transmitted to the seat of Government, and placed among the archives of the nation. It is be lieved that the outstanding debt can be purchased on favorable terms, in the course of the ensuing year, and that it an be most conveniently purchased at the Treasury. It appears, therefore, desirable that provision should be made by law for mimediately transmitting to this department all the books and papers relating to the national debt The money can readily be remi ted to the public creditor, without charge to him, or to the Government, and he cau be paid at any place where he may wish to receive it. The act of March 3d, 1817, abolished the office of Commissioner of loans, and transferred the duties to the Bank of the United States. The money necessary to pay the public creditors has, from time to time, been advanced to the Bank by the Treasury; and it a pears that large sums have remawed for a considerable time in the Bank, without being applied to the purposes for which they were intended. The amount has been reduced within a few mouths past. But the statement from the Register's office, herewith presenred, will show that $773,111 98 still remained in their hands on the 1st of October last A portion of this sum, as appears by the paper referred to, was advanced some years ago; and there is no reason why this money should continue in the bands of the Bank, where it is useless to the Government as well as to the creditor. The delay in the payment has probaby, in some instances, been caused by the death of the party entitled, and the ignorance of his representatives as to his claim on the United States. The situation of these outstanding claims renders it still more necessary that the books and papers relating to the public debt should be forthwith transmitted to this de partment, where the proper inquiries could be made as to the cause of the delay, and measures taken to ascertain who is entitled to receive the money As the amount is justly due from the United States to some one, and may belong to persons who are ignorant of their rights, justice seems to require that the Government should take measures to apprise them of their claims, and of the readiness of the United States to discharge them. The destruction of the buisding occupied by the Treasury Department has occasioned the loss of some valuable papers. But it is believed that none have been destroyed, that can materially affect the public interest It will become necessary to provide another building, and the loss already sustained in the documents and records of this office shows the propriety of erecting it upon a different plan from the former one, and of placing the archives of the Government in a situation less exposed to danger. The inconveniences which are felt from the present situation of the offices connected with this department, as well as the more exposed condition of the papers, induce me to invite the early attention of Congress to this subject. The report from the Commissioner of the General Land Office is herewith presented, showing the condition of that branch of the public service, and containing suggestions for its improvement. All of which is respectfully submitted, Hon. ANDREW STEVENSON, R. B. TANEY, Secretary of the Treasury Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States. A statement exhibiting the values and quantities, respectively, of merchandise on which duties actually accrued during the year 1832, (consisting of the diffecence between articles paying duties imported and those entitled to drawback e-exported,) and also of the nett revenue which accrued that year from duties on merchandise, tonnage, and light money. Merchandise paying Duties ad valorem. 44,133 dolls. at 12 per cent......$ 2,502,454..do...12....do........ 5,138,716..do......15....do.......... 8,105,905..do20...do... ...... 5,295 96 312,806 75 770,807 40 1,621,181 00 21,984,290..do......25.....do.......... 5,496 072 50 4,069,513..do......30......do.......... 1,220.853 90 596.409..do.33.do........ 1,132 612..do35...do.......... 198,803 00 396,403 70 394.045..do......40.....do........... 157,618 00 5,344,821..do......45 ....do.......... 2,405,169 45 461,137..do ...50.....do.......... 230.568 50 49,774,035.......av. 25.7............... 12,815 580 16 12,815,580 16 1. Wines, 2. Spirits, Duties on specific articles. 5,326,094 galls. at 15.7 cts. av. 837,249 83 2,339,928...do... 60..do Molasses, 16,354,788 ..do......5..do.. 3. Teas, 8,826,905..lbs. .14.1 do.. 4. Coffee, 41,603,576...do.............. 15. Sugar,. 48,465,838 ..do......3.4 do.. 16. Salt, 3,823,811 bushels.......... 7. All other articles,.... 1,404.332 77 817.739 40 1,243,597 70 From which deduct duties on merchandise refunded, after deducting therefrom duties which accrued on merchandise imported, the particulars of which were not rendered by collectors, and difference of calculation, To which add 10 per cent. extra duty on 363,492 21 1,486.685 54 382,284 45 5,151,643 79 11.677,025 69 24,492,605 85 1,086,002 46 $23,406,603 39 Nett revenue, in 1832,................... $22 178,735 30 1,278,674 38 |