Norwalk Gazette, Tuesday, December 12, 1826 · page 2

 

I
V

- .-A...-s,. -, , . -.

i’

 

’ peiice without, and tranquility within, oiri

.- sidcratioii of Congress at their last Session,

. later recognizing’ the independence of our

’i':ave*had the most satisfactory assurances,that

I of both.

.110 less than by print.-iples of fair and liberal

criiguiiration, so far. as was found-attainable, it

 

.~~. .. _J_-, . _. -__-3
CONGRESS.

The 2d session of the 19th Congress com-
tneuceil on Monday, 1th ll'lSlafll‘i. The" Vice
President look the chair and ‘called the Sen-
tale. to orderiat I2 o’i-lock, when it appeareil
that near 40 iuembers were present. ‘The
Speaker ofthe House, Mr. Taylor, took his

' seat at 12,aird upon callirrg the roll 170i-nein
bers answered to their names. The Senaii
ailupti.-rl l’eSr)llJll0llS to wear crape 30 days in
respect to the ineiuories of M r. Van Dylie, of
Del. and"M_r. M'Ilvaine, ‘of N. Jersey, both
deceased during the recess. The two houses

'in_teichanged messages, and appointed a joint
committee to wait irpon the President to in
form him that they, were ready to proceid
«'l0'l'-llSlflt‘SS., Mr.‘IrIa‘yne, of S.Ca‘rolina gave
not‘ti:r- that on Wednesday he should brhrg a

‘cease wllriile the Convenfion should‘ continue
in force. ‘By the effect of this stipulation.
three fuiirths 'ofthe'diseriininating duties that
had been levied by each party upon the ves-
sels ofthe other in its ports,have already been
removed; and on the [st of next October.
should the Convention be still in force, the
remaining fourth will be discontinued. Fr.
vessels, laden with French produce, will be
received in our ports on the sanre terms as
our own ; and ours, in return, will enjoy the
saute advantages in the ports ofFrance. By
these approximations to an equality ofduties
not only has the commer'ce of the two coun-
tries prospered, but friendly dispositions have
been promoted. They will continue to be
tzherished and cultivated _on the part of the
United States-. It would have been gratify;
‘mg to have had it in my power to add, that
tl~.e claitns upon the justice ofthe French gov-

bill betore the Senate for a uniforiu system of ethmhnt. lt‘-V0lVing the property and thecom-'

barrltrirptcy. The usual orders for furnishing

“the members with papers were adopted, after
which both houses atljouriied.
On 'I‘ues-day the President commuriidated

. to the two _houses the following

MESSAGE;
ofv-lricli 8000 ct r.ii'~s, with its accontparrylng
documents, were t‘»rder'ed to beprinted for the
use of flit: Senate. and 6000 for the -house.

Fellow citizens of the Senate
and qf the House of Representatives:
The assemblage ol the Representatives of
our Union in both Houses of Congress at this
time occurs under circumstances calling for
ihe renewed homage of our grateful acknowl-
edgements to the Giver ofall Good. With
the exceptions incidental to the most felicitous
.§;'On(.llll0ll ofhuinan existence, we cuntinueto
be highly favoured in all the elements which
contribute to individual comfort and to na-
tional prosperity. In the survey ofour ex-
tensive country, we have getierally to observe
zrbodes ofhealth and regions of plcirty. In
our civil and political relations, we have

borders. We are, as a people, increasing with
nziabated rapidity in population, wealth, and
national resources; and, whatever differences
ofopinion exist among us, with regardto
the tiiode and the means by which we shall
turn the beneficeiice of Heaven to the im-
provenrent of our own condition, there is yet
a spirit, animatiirig its all, which will not suf-
fer the bounties ofProvidence to be shower-
ed trpon us in vain, but will receive them
with grateful hearts, and apply them with
unwearied hands, to the advancement ofthe
general good. _

Oftlie subjects recoirimended to the con-

sonte were then definitively acted upon.——
Others left unfmislied, but partly tnatiried,wil|
recur to your attention, without needing a re-
riewal of notice from me. The purpose of
this Ct-‘fl‘llDUl),lC3l.lOt) will be, to present to
your view the general aspect of oitr public af
fairs at this moment, and the nieasirres which
have been taken to carry into effect the inten-
tion ofthe legislature as signified by the laws
their and heretofore enacted.

In our intercourse with the other nations of
the earth, we have_still the happiness ofou-
:,oying peace and a general good understand-
ll)g—.,-—(]t]itllfi8(l, however, in several iinporiani
iU5l"m'95. by C0lllSl0ns.0finterest, and by irri-
.-;-itixfié ct claims ofjusticc,to the settlement of
'r'~lll(.ll,l.l'iC constitutional interposition ofthe
icgislutive authority may become ultimately
izidisjrciisable.

By the decease ofthc Emperor Alexander
nfltussia, which occurred coteniponineoiisly
with the conriiienceiticnt of the last Session
0fC0ngress., the U. 8. have been deprived of
ti lonii, tried, steady, and faithful frieiitl. Borir
tothe iulreritatrcc of absolute power, and
trained in the school ofadversity, front which
po power on earili, however absolute, is ex-
entpt, that monarch, from his youth, had been
ti_ruglrt tt1_feel the force and value of public
opinion, and to be sensible that the interests
ofhis own government would best be pro-
l_’tl0l8d by a frank an_d frieirdly intercourse
with this Republic, as those of his people
would be advanced by a liberal commercial
intercourse with our coirntry. A candid and"
confidential interchange‘ of sentiments be-
tween him and the government ofthe United
States. upon the affairs ‘of Southern America,
took place at a period not long preceding his
tieinisr-, and corriribiited to fix that course of
policy which left to the other governments of
Europe no alternative but that ofsooner or

southern neighbors,ofwliiclr theexatnple had,
by the U. States, alréady been set. The or-
dinary diplomatic communications between
his sttccessor, the Eiriperor Nicholas, and the
U. States, have suffered some interruption
by the illness, departure, and subsequent de-
cease ofliis minister residing here, who en-
joyed, as he merited, the entire confidence
of his new sovereign, as he had emiirently re

spondnd to that of his predecessor. But we

the scirtinrents ofthe reigning Emperor to-
wards the U. S. are altogether conformable
ti) those which hnd so long and constantly
aniui:rteil' his imperial brother ; and we have
reason to hope that they trill serve lo cement
that harmony and good undt,-rstairding be-
tween the two tiatiuirs, which‘, founded in
congenial interests, cannot but result in the
advunccmciit of the welfare and prosperity

Our relations of commerce and navigation
with France are, by the operation of the
Convention offlrith June, 182:2, with that tia-
tiou, in a state of gradual and progressive im-
provement. Convinced,by all our experience,

reciprocity, which the United States have
constantly tendcreil to all the nations of the
emtlnasthe rule of coiiimerci:-rl intercourse
which they would universally prefer,tliat fair
and equal competition is most conducive to
the interest of both parties, the United States,
in the negotiation of that Convention, ear-
Vnestly contended for a uiiittial renurrciatiori of
discriminating duties and charges in the ports
of the tivocounrries. Unable to obtain the
inirrrediatc recognition of this principle in its
full extent, after rcducing'the duties of dis-

it‘-..s agreed that, at the expiration oftwo years-
from the lstofOctober, race, when the Con-
vorizioir was to go into effect, unless a irotice
ofsix tuuiiths on either sidelshould be given .
in the other, that the Convention ‘user! must
t_,eriuinatc, thosegdutice should be reduced" by
one fourth; and that this reduction shoiild be ‘

fortahle subsisteir-:e of many of our fellow
citizens, and which have been so long and so
earnestly urged, were in a more promising
train of adjtrstinent than at your last meeting;
hirt their condition remains unaltered.

With the government of the Netherlands,
the mutual abandonment of discriminating
duties had been regulated by Legislative acts.
on both sides The act of Congress of the
‘.’0th April. 1818, abolished all discrittiimiiia-
ting duties ofinrpost and tonnage, upon the
vesselsancl produce ofthe Netherlands in the
ports ofthe United States, upon the assurairce
given by the government of the Netherlands,
that all such duties operating against the ship-
ping and cirmnierce of the United States, in
that kingdom, had been abolished. These re-
ciprocal regulations had contiiitied in force
several years, when the discriminating prin-
ciple was resumed by the Netherlands in a
new and indirect form, by a bouirty of ten per
cen . in the shape ofa return ofiluties to their
national vessels and in which those ofthe U-
nited States are not permitted to pmticipate.
By the act ofCongress of 7th January, 1824,
all ilisciiininating duties in the United States
were again suspended, so far as related to the
vessels and produce of the Netherlands, so
long as the reciprocal exemption should be
eztetide'd to the vessels and produce of the
United States in the Netherlands. Brit the
same act provides that in the event ofa res-
toration of discriminating duties, to operate
against the shipping and commerce ofthe U.
States, in any ofthe foreign countries referred
to therein, the suspension of discriminating
duties in favor of the navigation ofsiich for-
eign country should cease, and all the provis-
ions of the acts imposing discriminating for-
eign tonnage and iinpost duties in the United
States, sliouldrevive and be in full force with
regard to that nation.

-In the correspondence with the government
ofthe Netherlairds upon this subject, they
have contended that the favour shown to their
own shipping by this bounty upon their tou-
nage, is not to be consiileted as a iliscrituina-
ting ditty, Butitcaiinnt be denied that it
produces all the same. effects. Hail the inti-
tiial abolition been stipulated by treaty, such
a bounty upon the national vessels could
scarcely have been granted consistently with
good faith. Yet. as the act of Congress of
7th January, I824, has not expressly author-
ized the Executive authority to determine
what shall be coirsidered as a revival of dis
ciiminating duties by it foreign Goveririirent
to the disatlvaiitage ofthe United States, and
as the retaliatory measure on our part, how
evcrjiist and necessary, may tend rather to
that conflict oflegislation which we deprecate
than to that concert to which we invite all
commercial nations, as most conducive to
their interest and oirr own, I have thought it
iuore consistent with the spirit of our institu-
tions to refer the subject again to the para-
mount authority ofthe Legislature to decide
what measure the eiriergericy may requ re,
than abruptly, by proclaination, to carry into
effect the iniuatory provision ofthe act ofl8.°2l.
During the last session of'Congress, Trea
ties of Amity, Navigation, and Cotnnrerce.
were negotiated mil signed at this place with
the Governtnent of Denmark, in Europe, and
with the Federation of Central America, in
this liemisphere. These Treaties thcu rec’d
the constitutional sanction ofthe Senate, by
the advice aiiil consent to their ratification —
They were accordingly ratified on the part of
the U. States, and, during the recess of Coir
grcss..have also been ratified by the other re-
spective contracting parties. The ratificatious
have been exchanged, and they have been
published by Proclainations, copies of which
are herewith communicated to Congress.-
These Treaties have established between the
contracting parties the principles of equality
and reciprocity in their broadest and itrost lib-
eral extent: Each party admitting the ves-
sels of the other into its ports, laden with car-
goes the produce or manufacture ofany quar
ter ofthe globe, upon the payment ofthe same
duties oftoniiage and impost that are charge-
able upon their own. They have further sti-
pulated, that the parties shall hereafter grant
no favour of navigation or commerce to any
other nation, which shall not, upon the same
terms, be grained to each other; and that
neither party will impose upon articles of mer-
chandise, the produce or manufacture of the
other. any other or higher duties than upon
the like articles, being the produce or manu-
facture ofany other country. To these priti
ciples there is, in the Convention with Deir-
mark, an exception, with regard to the Colo-
uies ofihat Kingdom in the Arctic Seas, but
none with regard to her colonies in the W. I.
In the coitrse of the last sumtuer, the term
to which our last Commercial Treaty with
Sweden was limited, has expired. A coir-
tinuation of it is in the contemplaii-on of
the Swedish Governirrent, and is believed to
be desirable on the part of the United States.
It has been proposed by the King of Sweden,
that, pending the negotiation of renewal, the
expired Treaty should be mutually consider
ed as still in force; a measure which will re-
qirrre the sanction of£'ougress to be crtrried
iirto effect on our part, and which I therefore
recotnmend to your consideration.

With Prussia, Spain. Portugal, and in
general all the European Powers, between
whom and the U S. relations of friendly in-
tercourse have existed, their condition lid’!
not materially varied since the last session oz’
Congress. ‘ [regret not to be able to say the
satire of our commercial intercourse with the
Colonial Possessions o-fGreat B7ll;|Ill, in A-
-nerica. Negotiations ofthe highest iiupnri-_
--nce to our comtnoii interests have ".»eett-for
several years in discussion, betwr-_w.~;:_ the tri-
Gov-rrnnreuts; and on the part ofthe Uni.»--71

I

.. -- .~‘;_ .‘ ' Y’
spirit of‘ candor and coi‘ibrlriitio’n. interests
of great magnitude and delicacy had been
adjusted by the Conventions of 1815 and ’l8,
while that 'ufl822, mediated by~the‘l-are Em-
peror Alexander, had promised a satisfactory
compromise of claims which the government
of rhe United states, in justice to the rights
of a numerous class of their -citizens, was
bound to sustain. But with regard to the
commercial intercourse between the Uirited
States and the British_Coloni'es in America,"
ithas been hitherto found impracticable to
bring the parties to an understanding satis-
factory to both. The relative geographical
position, and the respective products of nature
cultivated by human industry, had constituted
the elements ofa coninrercial intercourse be-
tween the U. States and British America, in-
stilar'aiid continental, important to the inhab-
itants of both countries. But it had been in’-
terdicted by Great Britain, upon a principle
heretofore practised upon by the colonizing
nations of Europe, of holding the trade of
their colonies,each in exclusive monopoly to
herself. After the termination of the late
war, this interdiction had been: revived, and
the British Government declined including
this lJOI'tl0n of our intercourse with her pos-
sessions in the negotiation ofthe Convention
of 181.5. The trade was then carried on ex-
clusivelr in British vessels, till the act _ofCon
gress concerning navigation, of 1818, and the
supplemeirtal act of 1820, ' tnet the interdict
by a corresponding tneasure on the part of
the United States. These measures, not of
retaliation, but ofnecessary sell-defence, were
soon succeeded by an Act of Parliament, 0-
pening certain colonial ports to the vessels of
the U. States, coining directly from them,and
to the importation from them ofcertain artic-
les of our produce, burdened with heavy du-
ties, and excluding some of t_he most valuable
articles ofour exports. The United States
opened their ports to British vessels from the
Colonies, upon terms as exactly correspond-
ing with those ofthe Act ofParlianrent, as,in
the relative position ofthe parties, could be
made. And a negotiation was commenced
by mutual couseirt, with the hope, on oirr
part, that a reciprocal spirit of accomrrioila-_
lion and a common sentiment of the import
once of the trade to the interests ofthein-
habitants ofthe two countries, between wltoin
it nrust be carrieil on. would irltiiirately bring
the parties to a compromise, with which both
might be satisfied. With this view, the Go-
verninent ofthe United States had determin-
ed to sacrifice something ofihat entire reci-
pl‘Of‘ll}’ wliichiu all commercial arrangements
with Foreign Powers they are entitled to de-
tllfltttlr and to acquiesce in some iiieqitzrlities
disailvantageous to ourselves, rather than to
forego the benefit of a f-iiral and perinaueut
adjiistiirent of this interest, to the satisfaction
of Great Britain herself. The negotiation.
repeatedly suspended by accidental circtnn-
stances. was, however, by lfltllllal agreement
and express assent, considered" as pending,
and to be speedily resumed. In the mean

time, another act of Parliament. so doubtful

:.-rid anibiguous in its iiuport as to have beeir
inisirnderstood by the officers in the Colonies
who were to carry it into 8X(_‘Clll.lOfl, opens a-
gain certain Colonial ports. upon new condi--
iions atiil terms, with a threat to close them
H.‘.’.'-tins! any Nation which may not accept
these terms, as prescribed by the British Go-
Vrtfllfllellf. 'l‘liis act passed in July, 1825,uot
coiiiinuiiicated to the Government of the U.
States, not understood by the British Officers
of the Cirstoins in the Colonies where it was
to be enforced, was nevertheless siihinited to
the consideration of Congress, at their last
session. \Vith the ltirowledge that a negotia-
tion upon the subject had long been in pro-
gress. and pledges given of its resumption at
an early day, it was deemed expedient to a-
wait the result of that negotiation, rather
than to subscribe implicitly to terms the im-
port of which was not clear, and which the
British authorities themselves, in this heuris-
phere, were not prepared to explain.

Inriuediatelyafter the close uftlie last session
ofcopgress, one ofunr mo 1 distinguished cit-
IZI‘-nttjtvas despaiched as Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary to great Brittain.
furirislied with instructions which we could
not_.tlotibt would lead to a conclirsioii of this
long coutroverted interest, upon terms accept-
able to Great Britain-. Upon his arrival,
and before he had delivered his letters of cre-
dence, he was met by an Order ofthe British
Council, excluding, from and after the first of
December now current, the vessels ofthe U.
S. from all the Colonial Briiisli ports, except-
ing those immediately bordering tipou our
Territories. In answer to his expostulations
upon a measure thus unexpected, he is in-
forinegl that, according to the ancient maxims
of policy of European nations having colonies.
their trade is an exclusive possession of the
mother country. That all participatiotr in it
by other nations, is a boon or favor not fortn-
mg a subject ofnegociatiou, birt to be regula-
ted by the Legislative acts ofthe Power own-
ing the colony. That the British Government
therefore, declines negotiating concerning it ;
81. that as the United States did not forihwitlr
accept purely and simply the terms offered by
the Act ofParliament, of July, 1395, Great
Britain would not now adnrit the_ vessels ofthe
United States, even upon the terms on tvfiich
she has opened them to the navigation of other
nations.

We have lreen accustomed to considerthc
trade which we have enjoyed with the British
Colonies, rather as an interchange ofuruiual
bBflefil.S,__lllall as amere favor received ; that,
under every circumstance, we have given an
ample equivalent. We have seen every other
natioir, holding Colonies, negotiate with oth-
er nations, and grant tlieiir, freely, admission
to the Colonies by Treaty ; and, so far are
the other colouising nations of Europe now
frorn-refusihg to negotiate for trade with their
Colonies, that we ourselves have secured ac-
cess to the Colonies of more than one of
them by Treaty. The refusal, however, of
Great Britain, to négotiate, leaves to the U.
States no other alternative than that of reg-
ulating or interdicting, altogether, the trade
on their part,acc'ording as either measure may
affect the interests of our own country ; and,
with that exclusive object, Irvoulil recom-'
mend the whole subject to your calm and can-

'did deliberations.

It is hoped that our unavailing exertions to
1-'!CC0lIlpllSlI a cordial good understanding on
this interest, will not have an unpropitious ef-
fect upon the other great topics of discussion,

l‘it~‘t§V>?el) the two governments. Our North-'
Eastern and North-Western boundaries are
--tillnuagjusted. The Cominissiotrers, under

ifiarly repeated until, all discriiaitratiop shoulti at

Stat_e§ have beéii invariably pursued in the

the 7th_ Article’ of the Treaty of Gltent,'have‘-

' \

ri'e:rriy”t:on‘ie toihe close oftlieir ‘labours’; nor
can we renounce the expectatiou,enfeebled
as it is,‘that they may agree upon their report,
to the satisfaction or acqtiiescence of both
parties. ’ The Commission for liquidating the‘
claims for slaves carried away after the close
of the war, has been sitting, with doubtful
prospects of success. Propositions of com

promiseliave, however, passed between the
two governments, the result of which, we flat-'
ter ourselves, may yet prove satisfactory. Our
owir dispositions and purposes towards Great
Britain are all friendly and conciliatory ; nor
can we abandon, but with strong reluctance,
the hope that they will ultimately meet a re-
turn, notoffavors, which we neither ask HOT
desire, but of equal reciprocity and good will.

With the American governments of this
hemisphere, we continue_ to maintain an in-
tercourse altogether friendly, and between
their nations and ours that commercial inter-
change" of which mutual benefit is the
source, and mutual coirrfort and harmo-
uy the result, is in a continual_ state of iiu-
provement. The war between Spain and
them, since the total expulsion of the Spanish
military force from their continerital territo-
rics, has been little more than nominal ; and
their internal tranqiiility, though 0.CCaSl0tl3ll.l’
menaced by the agitations which civil wars
Itever fail to leave behind them, has not’ been
affected by any serious calamity.

The Congress of Ministers from several of
those nations which assembled at Pantrma,af-
"ter a short session there, adjourned to meet a-
gain, at it more favorable season, in the vi-
cinity of Mexico. The decease ofone of our
Ministers on his way to the Isthmus, and the
"impediments ofthe season, which delayed the
departure ofthe other, deprived us of the ad-
vantage of being represented at the first meet-
ing ofthe Congress. There is, however, no
reason to believe that any ofthe transactions
ofthe Congress were ofa nature to affect in-
juriously the iirterests ofthe United States, or
to require the interposition of our Ministers.
had they been present. Their absence has
indeed deprived us of the opportunity of pos-
sessing precise and authentic inforination of
the treaties that were corrcliiiled at Panama;
and the whole result has cotifiriued me in the
conviction of the expediency to the U. States
ofbeing represented at the Congress. The
surviving itreniher of the mission, appoi-ited
during your last session, has accordingly pro
ceeded to his destination, and a siiccessor to
his distiiigirished and lamented associate will
he nuininated to the Senate. A treaty ofam-
ity, uavigatioir, and comnrerce, has, in the
course of the last stiinmer, been coiicluded by
iriir Minister Plenipotentiary at Mexico, with
the United States of that Confederacy, which
will also be laid before the Senate for their
advice with regard to its ratification.

lu adverting to the present condition of our
fiscal coircerns, and to the prospects of our
revenue, the first remark that calls our atten-
tion, is, that they are less exuberairtly pros-
perous than they were at the corresponding
period ofthe last year. The severe shoclt so
extensively sustained by the coiirnrcrcial and
uranufacturing interests in Great Britain,
has not been without a perceptible recoil up-
on oursclves. A reduced importation from
abroad is necessarily succeeded by 2! reduced
return to the Treasury at borne. The net rev-
enue ofthe present year will not equal that of
the last. And the receipts ofihat which is to
come will fall short of those in the current
year. The diminution, however, is in part
attributable to the flourishing condition of
some of our domestic rnariirlactures, and so
fair is compensated by an equivalent iuore
profitable to the nation. It is also highly grat-
ifying to perceive that the deficiency in the
revenue, while it scarcely exceeds the antici-
patiuits ofthe lastyear’s estiinirtes from the
Treasury, has not interrupted the application
of more than eleven millions during the pres
ent year, to the discharge ofthe principal and
interest ofthcdebt, nor the-reduction of up-
wards ofseve I millions ofthe ca ital debt it-
self The balance in the treasury on the first
of January last, was 85,201,650 43. The
re ceipis from that time to the 30th September
last, were 819,585,932 50. The receipts of
ilie current qirarter, estimated at six millions
oftlullars, yield, with the sums already rec’d,
El revenue of about twenty-five millions and a
half for the year. The expenditures for the
first three quarters ofthe year have amounted
to 818,714,226 66. The. expenditures of the
current quarter are expected, iuclniling the
I‘-V0‘fnllllUflS ofthe principal debt to be paid,
to balance the receipts. So that the expenses
ofthe year,amounting to upwards ofa inillioir
less than its income, will leave‘a proportional-
ly increased balance in the Treasury on the
first ol'January. 1827, over that of the first of
January last. Instead of five millions two
liirndred thousand, there will be six millions
four hundred thousand dollars.

The amount of duties secured on merchan-
digae imported from the corniiieiicement of
the year until the 30th of September, is esti
mated at twenty-one millions two hundred 81.
fifty thousand dollars, and the amount that
will probably accrue during the present quar-
ter, is-estimated at fotir millions two hiniilred
and fifty thousand, makihg for the whole year
twetity-five millions and a half‘, from which
the drawbacks being deducted, will leave a
clear rcveiiire from the customs, receivable iii
the year I817, ofabuirt twenty iriilliuiis four
li'unt,lr'eil thousand dollars, which, with the
sums to be received frotn the proceeds of pub-
lic [a'dIl(lR, the Batik Dividends, and other in-
cidental receipts, will form an aggregate of
about twenty-three millions, #1 sum falling
sliortofthe whole expenses of the present
year, little more than the portion of those
i:xpenfllllll'8S applied to the discharge ofthe
Public Debt, beyond the annual appropriatioii
often millions, by the act of3d March, 1817.
Atthe passage of that act, the public Debt
amounted to-one hiindreil aird twenty-three
millions and a half. On the first ofJanuary
next, it will be short ofsevcnty-four millions.
In the lapse of these teti years, fifty Iirillions
of public debt, with the annual charge ofup-
wardsufthree millions ufinterest upon them
have been extinguished. At the passatze of
that act, ofthe annual appropriation oflltc
ten millions, seven were absorbed in the pay-
iirent ofinterest,aud not more than three mil-
lions went to reduce the capital of the debt.
Ofthe same ten millions, at this time scarcely
four are applicableto the interest, Stytlptvilrfls
of six are effective in melting down-the capi-
tal. Yet our experience has proved that a
revenue consisting so largely of" impdsts and
tflflllilge, ebbs and flows to an-extraoriiiirary
extent, with all the fluctuations tncideiit to

p

within our recollection that even in the can‘;-
pass ofthe same lastteti years. the receipts
of the Treasury were not adequate to the ex-
pendituresof the year ; and in two successive
years it was found necessary to resort to loans
to meet the engagements of the nation. The
returning tides ofthe succeeding years replen-

ished the public coffers, until they have again

begun to feel the vicissitude ofadecliue. To
produce these alterations of fulness and ex-
haustion, the relative operation of abundant
or of unfiuitful seasons, the regulations of
foreign Governments, political revblutions,tlie
prosperous or decaying condition of manufac-
titres, commercial speculations, and -many
Othet CIIIISGS. not always to be traced,variously
combine. VVe have found the alternate swells
and diminutionsembracing periods offrom
two to three years. 'l‘he last period ofde-
pression to us was from 1819 to 1829. The
corresponding revival was from 1823 to the
commencement ofthe present year. Still we‘
have no cause to apprehend a depression,-
comparable to that of the former period, or
even to anticipate a deficiency which will in--.
trench upon the ability to apply the annual
ten millions to the reduction ofthe debli It.
is well for us, however, to adiiionislietl of the
necessity of abiding by the inaxims of the’
most vigilant economy, and ef resorting to alt
honorable and use-fu_l expedients, for porsuidg
with steady and inflexible persevcraiice the
total discharge ofthe debt.

Besides the sevenirrillions of the loans of
l8l3,which will have been discharged in the
course ofthe preseirt year, there are nine mil-
lions which,‘ by‘ the terms of the contracts,
_would have been, and are now, redeeuiable.——
'I‘hirteeii millions more of the loan of 1814
will become redeemable now and after the
expiration of the present iuoiith; and nitre
other millions from and after the close of the
ensuing year. They constitute a mass of
ilrirty one millions of dollars, all bearing an‘
uteiest of 6 per cent. more than twenty mil-
lions of which will be ininfediately redeema-'
ble,and the rest within little more than a year.
Leaving of this amount fifteen millions to
continue at the interest ofsix per cent, but to
be as far as shall be foiiud practicable, paid off‘
in the years 1827 antl I828, there is scarcely
ii doubt, that the rt.-nraining sixteen millions
might, within a few months, be discharged by
it loan at not exceeding five per cent. redeem-
able in the years 1829 and 1830. By this op-
eration, a sum of nearly halfa million dollars
may be saved to the nation; &. the discharge
ofthe whole thirty one millions witliiir the
four years, may-be greatly facilitated, if not
wholly accomplished.

By an act ofCongress of 3:} March, 1895,21
loan, for the purpose now referred to, ‘or a
sirbs_criptiou to stoclr,was autliurizcd, at an iii-
teréfi not exceeding four and a half per cent.
Biit,at that titne, so large a portion of the
floating capital of the country was absorbed
in commercial speculations, and so little was
left for investmeirt in the stocks,that the meas-
rrre was btrt partially successful. At the last
session ofCongre.ss, the condition ofthe funds
was still uirpropitlous to the measure; bill the
change so soon afterwards occurred, that had
the authority existed to redeem the iiine'-inil-
lions now redeemable by an exchange ofstocks
or a loan at five per cent. it is morally certain
that it might have been effected, and with H.
yearly saving ofirinety thousand dollars.

With regard to the collection of revenue,
or imposi, certain occurrences. have, within
the last year, been disclosed in one or two of
our principal ports, which engaged the 8lleIl°
tioti of Congress at their last sessl0n,and may
hereafter require further consideraiiorr. Until
withiir a very few years, the execution of tilt)‘
laws for raising the reveirue, like that ofalt
oiir other laws, has been ensured more by the
moral sense ofthe coinmunitv,- than by the
rigors ofa jealous precaution, or by penai
sanctions. Confiding in the exenipl try punc-
tuality and unsullied integrity of our iiiiport-
ing merchants, a grathral relaxation from the
provisions ofthe Collection Laws, :1 close ad -
llI:'l’8flC6' to which would have caused incorr-
venience anti expense to tlien_i,,lriid long be-
come habitual; and indulgenceshad been ex‘-
tended universally, because they had never
been abiiseil. It may be worthy of your se-

gislative provision may not be ireizessaryto
come in aid ofthis stateufutigiiardetl SP-‘-‘U“lY-
‘From the -reports herewith corniitunicaied
ofthe Secretaries of War and of the Navy,
81. the subsidiary documents auiiexed to them,
will be discovered the present couditioii and
aditrinistratiou of our Military establishments
on the land and on the sea. he orgatrtziv
tion of the Army haviirg undergone Ht
change since its reduction to the present.
Peace Establishment in 18%|, it remains only
to observe, that it is -yet found adequate to‘
all the purposes for which a permanent arm-
ed force in time of peace can be needed, or
useful. It may be proper to add,tliat, froma
ilifierence of opinion between the late Presi-
dent of the Uirited States and the Senate,-.
with‘ regard to the construction of the act
ofCpngress offld March, l8-ll, to reduce and
fix t,he'Naval Peace Establishment of the U.‘
States,it remains hitherto so far without exe-
cution, that no Colonel has been appointed to
command one of the Regiments of Artil_lt.-1y.»
.~\ supplementary or cxplaiiatory act of ‘the
Legislature appears to be the only expedient
practicable for removing the difficulty ofthis
appointment.

lo a period of profound peace, the C,(.lll(ltl(‘E.
ofthe inere- military 8S[‘¢ll)llSllll)t‘f|l forms but
a very incoiisiderable portion ofthe dtities dc-
volving upoti the adiuinistration of the Dc-
partnient of War. it .uill be seen by the re-
rurrrs from the Departinents ofthe Army, thi.-r.
every branch of the service is marked with:
order, regularity and discipline. That from‘
the Comi-uautti_irg General through all the
gradations of superintcntlcnci-,the otiici.-rs fee-3
themselves to have been citizens before Hit;-'
were soldiers, anti that the glory of a lieltullr
licau Army iuirst consist in the spirirof free-
dom by which it is auirnated, and of patriot-
lstll by which it is itnpclletl. ‘It may be con-
fidcntly stated, that the moral Cll?ll’i‘tClel' t)flll0.'.
Army is in a state of coiriiuuai irnproveitrent.
and that all the arrangemeiits for the disposal
ofiis parts have a constant reference to that
end. But to the War Departiiieitt are
attributed other duties, having indeed rclét
tion to a future possible condition, of war, but
being entirely def'ens'r.ve, and in their tendon.-
t:y contributing rather to the security St. p_er-q
maireucy of peace: The'erectiou of the for-
tifications provideil for by Congress and 8-
dapted to secure otir shores front ltusrile iuva.-,
.-ion : The distribution of. the fund of public.

 

the general commerce‘ of tbcwvorld,‘ it is

graplude and justice to the pcirsipners of.t_lu_a_.

/

 

rious consideration, whether some further le- ‘

3

‘sh. .» -. .. ‘