Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 6, 1876, Page 9

HE CHICAGO U e e v THE NATION. president Grant's Eighth and Last Annual Message. Ono of the Most Interesting Doc- nments of His Adminis- tration. No Direct Reference to the Present ftate of Political Exocite- ment, A Necessity for New Safe- guards Over Future Presidential Elec- tions. rhe San Domingo Annexa- tion Project Again Warmly Advo- cated, A Fine Financial Showing Made by the Becretary of the Treasury. Plain Expression of Views on the Subject of Specie Re= sumption. gecretary Chandler Discusses the Indian Question at Some Length, .ne Postmaster-General Puts in a Word for the Fast-Mall Service. Various Subject of Interest Conneoted with the Post-Office Depart- msnt, 'THE MESSAGE. RETROSPECTIVE. RECAPITULATION. WisgiNgToN, U. C., Dee, 5.—The aunual mesago of President Grant was read in bolh bouses of Congress to-dny. Following s the full text of the document: To the Senate and House of ' Representatives : Tn whmitting my elghth and last aunual message to Congreas, It secms proper that [ should refer (o, 20d in some degree recapitulate, the cvents and ofllclal acts of the past cight years, It was .y fortune, or misfortune, to be called to the oflice of Chuof Exocutive without auy provious politleal tzafning. From the age of 17 I hat never even witnessed the excliement attending aPresidentinl campaign but twice antecedont fo my own candidacy, and at but ono of them .was I cligible as & voter. Under neh dreumstances, it {s bub ronsonable to suppose that errors of judgment must have oxurred. Tven had they not, differences of opision between the Exccutive, bound by an ath Lo the strict performance of his dutles, and witers and debaters must have arisen. 1tis oot ecessardly evidence of blunder on the part, of the IExceutive beeausc there are these diifer- tozes of views. MISTAKES ITAVE BEEN MADE, sl can see, and I admit, but it scems to me dtener in sclectiuns miade - of assistunts ap- wined to ald fu cariying out the various duties o adminlstering the Government, In nearly ereryease selected witliout a personal acquaini- ane with the appointee, but upon recommenda- tlons of the rqlurcacunums cioseu dircetly by the yeople. It s finpossible, where wo many trust8 arc fo he allotted, thet fhe ‘right parties should be chosen i erere lugtance. lstory shows that no Admin- btrition from the tinio of Washington to the present has heen free from these mistakes. But Lleave comparisons to history, claiminz only that I haye ucted in every instinee from a con- tdentlous desiro to do wiint was right, constitu. tonal witlin the law, for the Very. bust inter- eitaof the people. Fallurcs have” been errors of judgment, not of Intent, y ¢lvil career comimnenced, too, at A MOBT CRITICAL AND DIFFICULT TIME, Less than tour years before the country had twerged from u contlict such ns no other nation bad ever survived, Nearly onc-balf of the Btates had revolted oguinst the Government, and of those remuduing falthful to the Unlon s latge pereentage of the poputation sympathlzed wita the Rebellivn, and made an encmy in the rear almoat as dangerous as tlie more bonorable ¢memy in the frant. ‘The hiter commlitted errora of Judgment bt they " mufutained themn openly an courageously. The former recelved the protee- tlon of the Government they would sco de- stroyed, and rveaped all the pecuniary advantage fobe gulned vut of the then existing state of af- falrs, many of them by ubtaining contracts and mmxmug the Government in the delivery of 8, Inmediately on the cessatfon of hostilities, the then wobls President, who had carried the cuntry so far through its perlls, fell a martyr tolis {atriotlem at thio liands of au ussasin, The Intervening timo to my first {nauguration s fllled up with wranglfugs botween Cone fresé and tho now Exeenitive as to the LEST JODE OF RECONSTRUCTION, on to awukplnlnly, a8 to whetlier the control ol the Goverument should he thrown hmmedi- Hiely Into the hianda of those who had so recent- Ihlnd renhuntly tried to destroy it, or hether the victors should contlou to “have nu #ual volee with them fn this control, Recon- Wruction, us finall d ouly this, axccp{ thut the late slave was cu- o nchised, giving an incrense, 88 was supposed, mllc Union-lo7ingand Unjon-supporting votes. ree in the full stnso of the won, they NOULD NOT DISAPFOINT Tuls EXVECTATION, ence at the beginning of my lirst Adminlstra- nthe work of reconstruction, wtch sibare fused by tho long delay, virtually commenced, B was' tho work ~of tho Legisluti ";‘“flw of the um-m-mm:m.K uai’; auflnu'hml wllmlly dln lpp{uvln.? their “"l"nx R mos| eartily, al slatures of States that bad uot dnn% S0 ta ratify tho Fifteenth Amendment to nc onstitution, The vountry was laborlng ch‘; su enormous debt contracted in the sup- EBE o lgecuria meodioton. Anettie . e uger nlag thmatuund‘\fte.pm I, A FOLURION WAH. Tlmul diMculty had to be sdjusted, and was hmr‘:bu witliout a war, and in & manuer highly bave o 16 to all the partics concerned. ‘Taxcs e e reduced within the last soven years M“l 230,000,000, and the national debt has Byr ;educev.l 1u the samo time over $435,000,000, hme l'l)mllng the G-per-cent bonded debt for lmt?y.fi;m‘ 5 and 43¢ per cont interest, ru- THE ANKUAL T H ITEHEST I1AB DERN REDUCED "fa&er $150,000.000 I 186, to but lttle vyer Beer "Ms:Jml‘nd:;lg. 'l‘ln; I;ifl 000&&)‘6‘ trado has 3 over sgainst the lied Staites In 1803, to tnoro tlan $160,000,000 i (hahfavor {n 1870, "It Is conf lently Lelicved }:&; 'Hl!nulx!ut. not diminish, and that the ot Couy, resulie specie-puyments 1550 will bu efifi' Socorplished cven Ty wm‘:flfim{‘mu‘:w eaired further legislation TUB PEACE I'OLICY, 40y bas boun adopted towards the Indisn of the Unbluu # @ largo portlon of the territory eageg § nitcd States Which has substantially el iy udlan hostilities in tho whole fand, ex- lI portion of Nebrasku and Dakota, the Black g 1 0. Hostili- Whitg gy 1o BTOWH vUL Of the avarice of the thuny g ;‘\l who “has violated our treaty stipula- Wked 3 aeudx for pold. Tho question might Obedfoncy | oY the Govirunient bas not enforced 1hg oS to1ho tering of the uut{ probibiting whley hgion of the Black Hiils seglon by el dhave i, oo e g s Wero remove 1r00) Tumors et “fresh discoverics 3: ‘2&2 took tnto that reglon ncreased numbers, Gold has aetually heen fond In paying quantities, and an elford lo retnove the mbiers would onty reault in tho desertion of the bulk of the troopa that nfubt be eent there to remove them, All difticulty n this matier has, howeyer, been re- moved, subject to the approval of Congress, by n treaty ceding tho Black 118 and appronchos towettiement byeitizens. ‘) he subject of Tndian Eollcy and treatment 18 so fully set forth by the jecretary of the Interfor aml the Commiesloner of lmllan Afwirs, and my views ao fully ex- pressed thereln, Lhat I refer to the mere reports and recomniendntions as in Y OWR, —— STATE DEPARTMENT, AT PEACE WITIL ALL TNE WORLD. The relations of the United States with for. elgn Powers continue on a. friendly footing, Questions hnve arisen from timo to timo In the forclzn relations of the Governinent, but the United 8tates have been happily free during the past year from the complentionsand embarrans- ments which have surrounded some of tho for- efgn Towera, The diplomatie correspondence submitted herewlth contalns iuformation as to certain of the matters which have unculxlcd the Uovernment, Tha cordiality which at- tends our relations with ~ the Yowers of the earth has Dheen plainly shown by the_goneral partlcipation of forcign natlons I the Exhibition which has just closed, and by cexertions made by distant Powers to show their interest in and fricndly feclings loward the United Btates in commemoration of the Centen- nial of the natfon. The Government and peo- ple of the United Biate have wot only fully ap- preciated this exhibition of kindly fecilng, but it may be 1unlly and fairly expected that no sl beneilts will result both to ourselves and otlier nations from a better acqualntance and a better appreciation of our mutual advantages and mutual wants, HEDUCED AFPROFIIATIONS. Congress at its Jast. scsslon saw 1t to reduce the minount usually approprinteds for foreign intercourse by withholding appropriations for representatives of the United States fn certain forelgn countrles and for certuln consular ofllves, and by reducing the amounts usually ap- pu\;‘prlnwd for certain other diplomatic posts, and thus necessltating a change in grade of representative. For theso reasons, immediate- 1y upun the passaze of the bill making appro- vriations for diploniatic and consular service for the present foree, Instructlons were issued to the representatives of the Unlted States ot Bolwla, Eenador, and Colombia, nnd to the consular oflicers 101 whotn no approprintion had been made to close their respectlve legations and consulates, and vease from the perforinance of thelr duties, and in Hke manner steps were {mmedlately tuken to substitute ¥ CHANGE D'APPAIRES for Ministera Resiclent in Portugal, Denmark, Ureece, Switzerland, and Paraguay. ~ While thoroughly impresscd with the wisdom of sound ceonomy I the foreign service na in other Lranchies of the Government, I cannot cscnpo the conclusion that 1t sone fnstances the with- lolding of appropriations will prove AN EXPENSIVE ECONOMY, and that the smnll retronchiment secured by a chango of grade in certain diplomatic posts is not an adequate vonslderation for the loss of fntluence and fportance whicn will attend our foreign vepresentatives under this reduction. I wm ot n[)lnl(m that a re-cxamination of the sub- Jeet whil cause a change in somu instances in the tunclusions reached o these subjects at the lust sesslon of Congress. The Court of Commissioners of TIE ALABAMA CLAIMS, wlose functions were continued byan act of the last scesion of Congress until the lst day of Junuary, 1877, has carrled on its labors with dlligente and geoerat satisfaction. By a report from the Cierk of the Court, transmitted hore- with, buaring dato Nov. 14, 167, it appuars that during the time now allowed by law tho Court, will have dispused of all the cluims presented for adjudleation. This report ulso contuins n statenient of the_general results of the labors, of the Court to date thercof. It Is cause for satislnction that the mnethod adopted for the satisfaction of the cinssce of claims submitted to the Court, which ure of long standing aud ustly - entitled to carly conshicration, should have proved successful and acceptable. It is with eatisinctlon that I nin enabled to state that the work of the Jolnt Commission for determining the LOUNDANY LINE NETWEEN TNE UNITED STATES AND BRITISI PROVINGES, from the northwest anglo of the Lake of the Wouds to the Rueky Mountains, commenced in 1872, hns been compled Tha final ngreements of the Commissioners with tho maps have been duly algned, and the work of the Commisslon is complete. The fixing of the boundary apon the Pucitic Coast by the protocol of March 10, 1873, " pursuant Lo the award of the Emperor of Ger- many, by Art. XXXIV, of the treaty of ~ Washington, with the tormiua- tion * of the -work of this Commission, adjusts nnd fixes tho entire boundary betweon the United States and tho Britlsh posscasions, except us to the portion of” territory ceded by Ruesin to the United Btates under, the treaty of 1867, The work Intrusted to the Commissioners and the officers of the army attached to the Cominission lus been well and satlsfactorlly performed, The final agrectnont of the Coin- missioners waa signed upon the 20thof May, 1870, with the original llst ot nstronomical siations observed, The original oflivial list marking thoe futernationnl boundary lines, and maps, records, and general reports relatlng to the Connntsston, have been deposited in the Departnent of Btute, Theoflicial report of the Commissioner on the part of the Unlted Statee, with the report of the Chfef Astranomer of the United States , will agreed upon, means tois, | e balance of ‘trade In favor of the United |- be subinitted to Congress within a short time, RECIPROOITY. T reserve for @ scparate communication to Congress o statcment of the conditlon of the queations which Iattly arose with Great Britaln respecting the surrender of fugltive crlminals under the treaty of 1842, ‘The Ottoman Goverument gave notice, under date of Jan. 15, 1874, of its desire to terminuty the treaty of 1802 concerning vommerce und navigation, pursuant to the provisious of the twenty-second carticle thereof. Under this notice the treaty terininated upon the Bth duy of June, 1870, That Government has fovited negotiutions towarda tho couclusion of A NEW TUEATT, Dy the net ot Congress of March 25, 1874, tho | President was authorized, when le should re- celve sutisfuctory Information that the Ottoman Government or that of Egypt had organlzed now tribunals likely to eccure'to citizens of the United States tho samo impurtial justlco en- Loyml under the exerclso of judiclal functions v diplomatic and consular officers of the United Btutes, to suspend the vperation of nct ol Juna 22, 1860, and to nceept for citlzens of the United Stutca jurlsdiction of new tribunals. Satlsfactory Information having heen rezelved of the organlzation of such uew tribunals in Egypt, I caused & proclunation to be issued on the %th of Mardi last suspending tho operatfon of tho act of 2ith of June, 1860, n Egypt, nccording to the provisions of the act, Auu'i)y of the vroclamation gccomponics this messugze, The United States has united with othier Powera In the organization of thosc courts. Itis hoped that the jurisdictional questions which huve arlson muy be veadily adfusted, and that this advauce in fnternational jurisprudence muy bo hindered by no obstacles, = THR HAWAIIAN TREATY, . Tho necessury legislution to carry into effect the conditton respl:cllnf! the commercinl re- clprocity canctuded. with the Hawallnn Islands 1 1875 "having been had, the proclamation to carry into effcet the conventfon, s provided by the dct approved Aug, 15, 1670, was duly {ssucil upun the tirst Tuesgay of September lnst. A copy thercot accunianles this ueesage, 5 MEXICO. ‘The commotlons which have been prevalent In Mexleo for some time past, and which unbap- ylly seen 1o bo not yet wholly quicted, have led 0 complaints uf citizens of the United States of {ujuries by persons fn authority. Jt s hoped, however, that these will ultimately be adjuste to thu satisfaction of both Goveywments, The frontier of the United Btates wthat quarter hias not been exempt from acts of violence by citl- zeus ol one ](c[\ubllu or those of the other. The frequeney of these are supposed to be In- crensed und thejr adjustmont " inude more ditl- culy by the conslderablo changes in the course of the lower part of the Rio Grande Riv- er, which river s a partof theboundary between the twa countries, Theso changes hava lesd on elther side of that river portions of land which b{ exlgting conventions, belong to the Juriadletion of the Uuvernient'on the opposity #ide of tho river. 'The subject of the nd[ustuent of this cause of difliculty 1s under couslderation between the two Republles. COLOMHIA. The Government of the United States of Co- lombia hus paid the uward 1 the cose of the steamer Montlfo seized by the suthoritios of that Uovernment some years since, and the smount s been transferred to tho claimants. It §8 with satisfaction that I am ably to un- nounce that the Jolnt Commission for the ad- ustinent of the clatma between the United tates and Mexico under the conventlon of 1508, theduration of which hus been severnl times ex- tended, hus brought Ita Jubora to a cluso, om the reportof theugent of tho Unlted States, which sccompanics the papers trunsinitted hore- with, it will be scen that within the time Hinfted b‘y the Comnlssion 1,017 claims un the part of cltizens of the United States agalust Mexleo were referred to tho Cowmlsslon. Of thesc clatws, 831 were dlmissed or disallowed, and in 186 cases nwards were made In favor of the cluimants against the Mexican Lepublic, anounting in tho skuregnte to $4,195,622.20, Witblo, the samo perivd 953 clalms on thoe purt 'of cltlzens of the Mexivan Republic nrnluat the United Btates wera referred fo the Commilssion, OFf theae clatme, B3 were dl+. misecd wnd disallowed, aid in 167 cases awails were mule fn favor of dalmants araiist the United Btates, amounting fn-the agrregate to #16,0841, By the terms of the Conventlon, the amonnt of these awards 1s to be deducted from the amount awaniled In favor of our citi- zena agalist Moxico, and the balance only to be ‘y!nhl ')Y Mexlvo to the United States, leaving the nited Btates to make provision for thelr pro- portion of the awards in favor of its own citl- zens, 1 fnvite your attentlon to the Ic;ilnlntlnn Illlt'l.l will fie necessary to provide for the pay- ment, ACRNOWLEDOMENT. In this conneetion Tam pieased to boable to cxpress the ncknuwledgments due to Blr Ed- ward Thornton, the umpire of the Commiasion, whao has glven to the constderation of the large number of claling submitted to him much time, unwearled patlence, and that falrness and fntel- ligenen which are well known to helong to the accomplished representativo of Great Britain, and which are likewise reconized by the repre- 3{‘“'{"""-‘ fu this country of the Hepublic of exleo, VENEZUELA. 5 Monthly payments of n very small* part of amount due by the Government of Venezuela to cltizensof the'United Btates, onnccountof claims of the Iatter arainat that Government, continue to he mada with reasonnble punctuality. That Government has vroposed to change the system which it Jina Bitherto pursyed in this respeet, by fesuing honds for part of the amount of the soveenl clabms. e proposition, however, coukd not, it s supposed, properly be aceepted, nt Jeast without the cousent of the holders o thecertifientes af the indebteduessof Venezucla, These are so much depressed that it woull he difiicult, It not Jmpossible, to ascertain thelr dispositlon an the subject, NATUNALIZATION, ETC. In former messoges L.have enlled the atten- tion of Congress to the necessity of legialation with regard to fraudulent naturallzation, andto the umim. of expatrintion and the election of natlonality, Thenumbers of persons of forelgn Dbirth secKing a home In the United Btates, the ease and faci [ty with which the honest emigrant may, after the lapse of a rcaronable time, be- come possessed of “all the privileges of citizen- ahipof the Unlted States, and the frequent oo caslons which Induce such adopted citlzens to returu to the country of their Lirth, render the subject of naturalization and the safeguards swhich expericuce has proved necessary lor tho protection of the honest naturalized citlzens of paramount fin- portance. The very simplleity in the require- ments of law on this question afford nrnortunl- ty for fraud, and thie want of uniformity in the procecdings and 1ceords of the varfous courts and in the forms of tho certiticates of naturall- zation fssucd afford a constunt source of difli- culty, Taugeeat no additlonal requirements to tho acquisitfon of citizenship beyond thoss now existing, but T invite the carncst attention of Congress to the necessity am! wisdom of some vrovisions rcgnrdlng uniformity fu the records and _certificates, and providing agalnet the frauds whnich frequently “tako place, and for the vacating® of @ recu of naturalization obtalned {u fraud. ‘These pro- visions are necded in ald and for the protection of the Lonest citizen of forelzn hirth, and for tho want of which Jie Is made to sufler not un- trcquentl{. ‘The United States hns nslsted upon the right of exputrintion, and hus obtaincd after alung strugele on admieafon of the principlo contend- ed for by requlescence thereln on “the part of mavy foreign Powers, and by the conclusion ol treaties on that subject. [t s, howevor, but justice to the Government to which such naturalized citlzens have formerly owed allegi- ance, as well as to the Unlted Statcs, that cer- tafn fixed and detinlte rules shonld be adopted governing.sutch cases, and providing 1OW EXPATRIATION AY HE ACCOMPLISHED. ‘While emfgrants in large nutnbers bocome cltizons of the United Statcs, it Is also trusthat persons, both native-born and naturalized, onge cltizens of the United States, either by formal atts or 88 an cffcet of aseries of facts ‘and cir- cumstances, abandontheir citizenship, and cease to be entitled to the protection of the United Btates, but continne on couvenient ocealons to ossert a clnim to protection in the absence of provisions oo thesc questions. And in this con- neetlon I again invite your attention to the nc- cessity of legislation ‘concerning the marrlages of Amcrican citizens contracted shroad, and concernin the status of Amerjean women who nay warry forcigners, aud of children born of "Amerltan parents in a forelgn coun try. The delieate and complicated questions continuallyocenrring with reference to naturali- zatlon, expatrintion, aud the status of such per- sona as I have above referred to, induce o to carnestly direct your altention sgain to these subjects, Inlike wanner I repeat my recommendation that sume means be provided for the hearing snd determination of the just clatms of allens upon the Govermnent of the United States within a veasunaole limitation, and of such as may hereafter arise. Whilo by existing provis- {ons of taw the Court of Claims may be In cor- tain cascs resorted to by an allen” claimant, the absence of auy general provisiona governing all_such cases, and the wunt of a tribunal skilled In the disposition of such cases upon recognized, tixed, and setticd principles, either provides no remedy In many deserving cuses, or comuels a conslderation of such elnfms by Con- gress or the Exceutive Devartmentsof the Gov- crontent, It is bolleved that other poverninents sre fnn advance of the United States upon this question, and that the practice nuw adopted s cntirely unsatisfactory. COLORADO. Congress, by an act approved the 8d of March, 1875, authorized the Inhabitants of the Territor of Colorado to form o State Government, with the name of the State of Colorado, and therein rovided for the udmiesion of said State, when ormed, into tho Unfon upon an equal footing with the original States. A Constitution hav- {ug been adopted uud rathled by the peaple of that 8tate, and the Acting Governor having cer- thiled to me the facts as provided by eald” act, together with o copy of such Couatitution and ordinances us }u-o\‘ldcd for In the sald act, and the provisions of sald act of Congress having heen duly complied with, I issued a proclama- tlon upon'the 1st of August, 1876, o copy of which {6 herto annexed. ARMY AND NAVY, HRCRETARY OF WAl The report of the Beeretary of War ahows that the ariny has been actively employed during the year In subduing, st the request of the Indian Bureau, certaln wild bands of the Sloux Indian Nation and in preserving peaco at the South durlug election. ‘The Commisalon constituted under the act of July 24, 1876, to vonsider and report on the whole subject of reform and reorganization of the wlhole army in August last, has collect- ed a large mass of statistics and oplnlons bear- ing onthe subject beforeit. These nre now unsler conslderation, and the report s progress- ing. _1am notificd, though, by the Prestdent of the Commisston, tuat it will be jmpracticable to coinply with the clause of the act requiring the report to be presented through me to Congroess on the first day of this session, us there has not yet been timo for that matnre deliberation which the Importauce of the aub%cul demands, Therefore, I ask that the tine of wuking the rtg"-;n bo extended to the 20th day uf Juuuary, pLIesy ) ARMY NEGULATIONS, In accordance with the resolution of Aug, 15, 1870, the army regulations prepared under the act of March® 1, 1835, bave not been promul- guted, but are hiekd until after the report of the above-mentloned Commission shall haye been recelved and acted upon, By act of Aug, 1876, the eavalry force of the” army was ’fnrrumd by 2,500 men, with o proviso toat they shoukl be discharged on the expiration of thehostilities, Undey tnls author- Ity the eavalry regiments have buch strength- | ened, aud a purtion of then, ure now in the fivld, pursuing the romnants of the Indians with whom they luve bren enguged duving thy sumner, ‘the catlinates of the War Department are wado upon the basls of the aumber of men suthorized by law, und thelr yequlrements us shown by lvm\rn of experlence, aud also with the purposool a part of the Burcau oflicers to pro- viue for all contingencles that may arise during the thne for which the esthmates are mude, ex- clusive of englneers” esttnates presented in ue- cordancs withi acte of Congress calhing for sure yeys und estimutes for improvements at varjous localitles, THE ESTIMATES now prescoted urs about $U,000,000 In excess of the nJ:}‘lrn rlatlons for the years 1814-'75 and 18151 ’Y‘hh fuvrease 18 aaked In order to pro- vide fyr the fucreased cavalry force should their services ba neceasary; to prosccute econoumical work upon the important publlc bulldings; to provide for the arnament of fortillcutions and the manufacture of swall arms; and to replen- sh the working stock in the supply depurt- mentas. The appropristious for thess last-named hiave for the past tow years been so Minited thay tho secumulations In tors will bo entirely ox- buausted during e present year, and it will be neceseary to at onee begin to veplonish them, i I inylte your special uitention to the follow- ug BECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: Hirst—Thut tho clatms under the act of 4th of July, 1884, for supplies taken h{v the army dur- ing the War, bo removed from tha office of the Quartermaster and Comulssary Generals, aud transferved to the Boutlicrn Claims Commission. ‘Thess clalms are of & preciscly slmilar natuce to RIBUNK: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER ¢, 1876—TWELVE PAGES. o - | thone now before the Kcnthe fon, ‘This Cominlzefon nod t ean have not the clerieal ¥o; Tatis Commie. Véar-Thebt T Tor tneie exiun- the luyalty of the clajments, Seoond—That Congress sanctlon the scheme of an annulty-fund for the henefit of the familics of deceased officera: and that It alao provide for Yermnmem. organization of the regular sery- fee, hoth of which weru recommended fn my Inst annual message, Third =That manufacturing operatlons of the Ordnance Depmrtinent be concentrated at three arsenals and an arniory, and thot the remaining arsenals be suld, and” the ]}mcudn applield to this object by the Ordnance Department. RIYERA AND HARBONS, The nnnrr)'prlnnnm for river and harbor fm- c\r]awmcnu or the turrent year were $5,015,000, Ith my approval, the Secretary of Wardlrected that ol this amount £2,000,000 should he ex- pedded, and no new worlke shonld be begun, and none proseciited which were not of natfonal im- portance. Subwequently this amonnt wus ine crensed to $2,217,600, and works nre now pro- gresaing on this basis, _"Fhe improvement of the Bouth Pass of the Misslssippl River, under Jumes B, Eads and his nseociates, s progreasing favorably, At the present thme there i a chan. nel of * twenty amd threedentlin feet depth hetween the jetties at the mouth of the pusses, aml elghteen and a half feet at the head of the pass, Nefther channel, hosever, has the wldth required hefore payments can be made by the United Btates, A Commisslon of Engineer otficers s now cxamining these works, and nllclrdrepom will be presented as soon as re- celved. THE HAVT. The report of the Secretary of the Navy shows that branch of the gervice ta be In a cori- dition as effective as L s possible to keep it with the ineans the approprintions gives the De- artment, It {s, of course, Imposaible to rival lie contly and progressive cstablishmients of great European Powers with the old material of our navy, to which no_increase has been authorized * since the \War, except the elpht small crufsers bullt to supply the {llll:!: of others which had gone to deeay’s yet the most hos been done that was possitile with the means at command, aud by substan- nlly rebullding some of our old ships with du- rable material, and completely repalring and re- fitting our monitor fleet, the navy has heen gradually so brought up that thougn It dues not maintain its relative positlon among the pro- esaive navies of the world, it Iy now In a con- ition more powerful und effective than it ever hus been in ume of peace, The complete re- pairs of our 4 . PIVE HIEAVY IRON-CLADS are only delaved on account of the fnadequacy of the appropriations made lest year for tho working burcaus of the Department, which were actually less fu amount than those inade before the War, notwithstanding the greatly eninnced price or]nbm- and materily, and the Increase In the cost of the naval scrvice, growing out of the unlversal use and great expenee of steam machinery, The money necessary for these re- atrs should be provided at once that they may he completed without further unnecessary de- Iny and cxpenee, \When this s done, afl the strength that there isin the navy will be de- veloped, and usefal to its full capacity, and afl will be powerful for the purpose of defense and also for offchsive action should necesaity for that arise within o rensonable distance fromn our shores, and the fact that our navy fs not more modern and powerful than it {s hus been made & cause of compluint ngatnst the Seeretary of the Navy by persuus who, at_the sume tine, critivieo and comptalo of his endeavors to bring the navy that we have to {ts best and most eflicient’ condition. [But the fiumj scnse of the country will understand that it'{s really to his practical action that we have at this time any effective nuval force jt command, — OUR POSTAL SYSTEM. POSTMASTEN-GENENAL'S REPONT. The veport of the Postinaster-General showa the cxcess of expengitures, excluding expendl- turcs on acconnt of prevlous years, over reeelipts far the fiscal year ended June 89, 1670, to he $4,151,988.60. The cstimated oxpenditures for the fscal year ending June 30, 1878, are $3,072,- 843,243 The estlmated revenue for same period 1 £30,615,165, leavivg an estimated cxcess of expenditure to be appropriated as a defleiency of $5,078,267.43. The Postinaster-General, ke his predecessor, is convinced that a chango inthe basls of adjust- {ng tho salaries of Postmasters of the fourth- class Is necessary for the good of the service, as well as for the fnterests of the Govern- ment, and urgently recommends that the compensation “of the claes of Toatmasters above mentioned he hased upon the business of thelr respective oflices as ascertalned from the sworn returns to the JAuditor of stamps canceled, ' TiE BULLDOZED, A few Postmasters lu the Southern States hive expreascd gredt appreheasion of <hefr per- -gonal safuty on secqunt of thalr connectlon with the postal service, and have specinlly requested thav thelr reports of spprehended danger should not be mude oublie lest it sliould resuit in the loss of thelr lives; but no positive testimony of interference hus buen submlitted except in the cnse of a il messen- ger at Bpartanburg, in South Corolina, who reported that he tod been violently driven away while in charge of the malls on actount of his politieal ailiMiations. An Assistant-Superiu- tendent of the Iinflway Muil Servive Investigat- el this case, and reported that the messenger had disappeared from his post, leaving his work 1o be performed by o substitute. The Postins- ter-Genernl thinks'this vase fs sufllclently sug- gestive to justify him In_recommending thnt n more severe pulshment should be provided for tha ulfense of nasauiting any person in charge of mails, or retarding or otherwlao obstructing them by threats of personal fujury, A very gratlfylng result 1s presented; in fact that deflcleney of this Department during the Inst flscal year was reduced to $1,051,700.18, ns against $0,160,038,88 of the preceding year, The difference can be traced to the lurge INUREASE IN 1T ORDINARY IECEIPTA, which greatly exceeded the estimates therefor, and u slight decreuse In its expenditures, The ordinary recelpts of the Post-Ofllee Department. for the pust seven flavnl years have fncreased at an aversgo rate of over 8 per ceut per aunum, while the fuercase of expenditures for the same period has been ubout 5 per cent per annuwm, and the decrease of deficlency on the revenues Lins beenat the rate of nearly 3 per cent per untum, \ AGRICULTURE, ADVANCEMENT MAUL, ‘The report of the Commisstoner of Agrival- ture, accompanylng this message, will be found one of great Interest, marking, as it does, the gront progress of the lust century in the vurety of products of the sofl, incrensed knowledie and skill in Inbor of produclng, saving, and manipulating the same to prepare them for the use of man; In the fmprovement ol machinery to ald the agriculturist in his labor, ond in o knowledge of scentiflc sub- jects nccessary to u thorough system in ceouomy in agricultural production, nume- ly, chemistry, botany, entomology, cte. A study +of this report by thoso futerested in ngrizulture and deriving thelr support from L whil ud ft o value I volnting ot those articles which are ralsed in greater quantity than the needs of the world require, sud must sell, therefore, for Jess than thevost of produc- tlon, and those which command a prolit over the cost of production, becauss there fs not un overproduction, T cull specinl uttention to the need of the De- partment tor a new ery dur the recention of the exiibits_retwned fgin the Centenntul Ex- hibltion, including the exhiblts donated by very many foreley natlons, and to the recommend.i- tlm‘»? of the Commussiuner of Agricultura gZen- ety 'I'In’u reports of Distriet Commissioners and the Bourd of Health aro fust receved,—too late toread them ol to maks recommendutions thereon, aud are herewlth subuntted, OUR CENTENNIAT. TIE CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION, The International hibltion held at Phila- delphia this year in commesioration of the one laundredth anplversary of American independ- ence lus provena great suceeds, sl will no doubt be of enduring advantage to the country, It has shown the great progress tn the art acfences, and inechunical skl made ina single century,mnd;demonstrated thut we are but Nitle Lehind the older nations In uny oune brauch, whils In somie wo scarcely have urival. It has served, too, not anly to bring the people and products of skill aud labor from all parts of the warld together, but In briuging together people trom all sections of our owu country, which must prove u great beuetit in the {uformation Imparted and PRIDN 0 COUNTRY ENOENDHNED. It has been suggested by scientists juterested {u und conuceted with the Smithsoman Institu- tion, fn & communication herewith submitted, that the Government exhibit be removed to the Capital and a sutable building Le erected or purchased for its accotnmodation as & permanent. cxhibit. I earnestly recommeud thls, snd, be- Jeving that Cougress would secoud this view, [ directed that all Govermineut exhibits st the Centenntal Exhibition should remuin where they arc, exeept such as might be Iojured by remain. - ¢ Ingina bufldini inatfon nor proper mackinery for investigating | not fntended s a rrmm!m fnclsment weather, or such as may be wanted by the Departinent furnishing then, until theques- tion of a permanent exhibition is acted on, — Al- though the moneys approplated by Congress to enable the participation of “the several Executlve Departments in the International Exhibition of 147 were not sufficient. to carey out the undertaking to the full extent atfirat contemsplated, it glves me pleasure to refer to the very efliclent and creditable manncr in which the Board appointed from thess several Departmenta to provile an exbibition on the part of the (Jovernment have dircharged thelr ilntles with the fund= placed at thefr command, wlll,muh%-rcccdcm to gulde them in the pre- parstion of such a display. TIIB AUCCESB OF TIRIR LANONN was nmply attested by the sustained attentlon whith “the eontents of the Government Building attracted durlng the perfod of exhibltion, from both foreign and native people. 1 am _strongly impressed with the valte of the collection made by the Government for the pirpuses of the Exhitition, IHustratingas it does the general reronrces of the country, the statistical and practical evidences of our growth as a nation, and the uscs of the mercantile arts, and the applications of appiled acience n the adminfstration of the affairs of Government, Many natlons have voluntarily contributed their exhibits to the United States to facrease the Intereat fn any permanent exhibition Congrens tay provide or, For thia act of generositys they should re- celve the thanks of the people, and I respect- fully suggest a resolution of Congress to that eflect be sdopted. —— PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. The attentlon of Congress cannot be too car- nestly called to the necessity of throwing some wreater rafeguard over the tncthod of choosing and declaring the clection of al’resident, Under the present system there seems to he no pro- vided remedy for contesting the election In auy one State. The remedy Is partially, no doubt, in the enllahtenment ot Eleclors, The com- pulsory support of the free school and the dis- iranchisement of all who cannot read and write the English language, altera fixed probation, would meet my hearty approval. 1 would not make this apply, however, to those alrcady voters, but 1 would to all becoming so after the cxpiration of . the probation fixed upon. Forcigners coming ~to the country to become citizens whe are cdueated fu their own language would acquire the requisite knowledge ol ours during the nec- crenry residence to obtaln naturalization. If they ¢id not take enourh Interest fn our lan- guage to acquire sullicledt knowledge of it to cnuble them to study tho institutions and laws of the country {utelilzently, I would not confer upon themn the right to muke laws uor to sclect thoso who do. SAN DOMINGO, RECOMMENDATIONS RENEWED. Tappend to this messaze for convenlent ref- ercnce o synopsls of administrative events, and of all the recommendations to Cougress made by me during the last seven years. Time may show some of these recommendations not o have heen wisely concefved, but 1 - belleve the larger part will be no diseredit to the Administration. One of these recommenda- tions, met with the united opposition of onc poiltical party in the Senate, and with a strong apposition from the other—namely, the treaty for the svoexatlon of Banto Domingo to the Unlted Btates, to which I alull specially refer, maintaining as I do that, if iny views had been concurred in, the country would be in s more prosperous conditfon to-day, both pulitically and fisanclally. Santo Domlngo is fertile, and upon its soll may be grown just those tropical products of which THE UNITED STATES use so_much, and which are Hrrodnwl OF pre- pared for market now by sluve lahor almost ex- clusively—namely, sugur, cof dye-woorls, malioguny, tropieal feulte, tobacen, ete. About 70 per ceut of the exports of Cubaare consumed {u the United States. A large percentage of the cxparts of DBrazll also fiud the same morket. These are pald for almost exclusively in coln, legisiotlon, particularly fu Cuba, belng anfavor- abie to a mutual exchange of the praducts of cach country. Flour, shipped by the Misalsslppl River to Havana, can pass by the very entrance totheclty on its way toa port in Spain, thean pay the duty fixed upon artlcles to be re-ex- oorted, transferred to a Spanish veszeel, and brought back almost ta the polnt of sturting, PAY A FECOND DUTY, A and still leave o profit over what would be re- cetved by direct shipment. Al that is produced in Cuba'could be produced in_Banto Domlugo. It befuiz o part of the United States, commens between the feland and the matnland would Lo free. There would be no export dutles on her shipments, nor fmport duties on those coming liere. There would be no import dutles upot the supplics of machinery, ete., thu: from the Btates, The effect that would have leen pro- duced upon, Cuban_ commeree ywith these od- vautages 4»nucued by arival {8 observahleata glance, The Cuban guestion would bave been settled tone sga in favar of free Cuba. Hundreds of American vessels would now be advantageously used in transporting the voluable Woods and other products of the | soil of the fsland to a market, aud fu carrylng supples and emigrants toit. The {sland {8 but sparsely seitled, while ft bas an area suflicient for the prafitable emyployment of several mill- fons of people. The soll wouid bavesoon fallen into the hunds of United Btatea capitalists. The products are 8o valuable fn commerce that eml- gration there would haye been enconraged, The ‘cmancipated race of the Suuth would huve found there A CONGENIAL HOME, where thelr civil rights would not be disputed, and _where their lubur would be much sought after, The poorest amonge them could have found the means to go. Thus, ln cuses of gront oppression and cruelty, such as hus been iracticed upon then fn many places within the ]nu eleven years, wholo communitics wonll have found refuge in Santo Domingo. 1 donut suppose the whole race would havs one, nov Is it destrable that. they should wo, Thelr lubor is destrable — indlspensnble almost—where they now are, but the posserslon of this territory would have lefe the newro master of the Altua- tion by enabling hita to demand his rights at Nome” on puiu of sending them elsewhere, Tdonot prescut these Views now as u reconi- mendation of the rencwal of the subject of su- nexation, but I refer tolt to vindicate my bre- vious actlon fu regard to i, With the present Congress my officnl Iite ter- minatea. It fs nol probable that public affatvs will ever agaln secure attention from me, fur- ther than ns n citizen of tho Republic always mk(nlfi ndeep hxl‘tcr«::llu lhl:: l‘mimr.l and fntegrl- ty, aud prosperity of the whole lund, Yy pacT! 4 U, 5, Gant, Expcutive Mansioy, Dec. 5, 1870, ittt THE TREASURY. RESOURCES. KECEIPTS AND EXPENDITUNES FOK TUR FISOAL YEAR, TreASURY DEPARTMENT, WasiiNGTON, Dec, 4, 1876=T the Honorable the Speaker of the ouse of Representaties—Sin: Complylug with the requirements of law, 1 have the hovor ta sub- mit the following report: The followlug are the recelpts and expenditures for the Gseal year ending Juue B0, 1876, The moneys received and covered futo the Treasury by warrants during the flscal year endlug June 80, 1876, were aa fol- Tows: TKCEIFTS. From cusioms..... From internal re ity 110, 500, From sulen of public lunds.... 1,120,400 From tax on clreulation and deporita = of Nuatlonsl Hanks... oooees o TU8,06T8 Frony repuyment of fnitsrest by | Hallway Companies...... . 715,170 Fromn customy’ ines, penaltics, 1k, 07 From labor, drayagy, storuge, ot 1,230 From sales of Indlan.trust land 100, Fiom fves~consular, lettors-patent, ” * und lund, eonneas crerenen 2,000, From procecds of saio of Government gt PEOPOILY 34 © LTI Frony maring hos) M5, U8 From steamboat B From protis on c Fron tux un sealakiue, From miscellancousson Totul ondiuary recetply. Premlum on aales of colu. Total net receipts, exclusive of loans Liesirran Trocceds of Londs of 1881 Genaf awurd o cienenn ‘Total net recefnts. Balance In 'freuur{ 5 fucluding depoelts of cuin United states notes represented by certldcates uuuundxn&....‘....... 144,700 410 Total available cash..ooveeeeses $188, 708, ' EXPENDITURES. The net expenditures by warrants drring the sawe perlod were: For civil capenses.... For forelgn intcrcourss For lndlai For pensions For milltary e cluding fortificatio harbor fmprovement scoals 287, 482,030 o,013,8 $201,005,803 Tor naval eetablishment, lnel;ldllng R ... 18,063,300,82 ncirding public_huildings, light-housce, _Drovemeonts At navy-vail For miaceliuneuns civil, and collecting the revennes..... 48,315,872%.46 or interenst on tha public debe, incinding interest on bonds is- mied 1o Pacific Raflway Com- PANICA, ovnvrererseans soeasnnres 100,243,271,93 Total net exyem)llnul, $358, 459, 707, 33 Redempiion of . puhlic deht..,. 851,880, 484.R0 dgmentn of it Court of Al bama Clsims,, Total net dishurrements, Balenco tn Treaniry dune Hith ... 0,641,287,20—~ 58,530, .08 ++.$10,000, 549, 30 . 171,807,732, 50 . 10010.8438, TOR, 781,09 TeventesTor the Prct weoe et gagz. 483,090, e o C €ar were,! 28 And thut the expendilivon were. . 558, 430, 767, Leaving & surplus revenue, ex- cluslve of provision forthe sink- 1og fund, of.....oui.e .$ 29,022,741,83 BRISTOW'S GOOD GUESA. In the 1ast annual report, page 6, the Secre- tary stated that (n the judgment of the De- partment the revenues for this fiscal yesr would reach the sum of 207,456,145 and the expendi- tures the sum of £205,447,543, showinz that thero would be eurplus revenue of §20,005,- 601.35. By the statement of actual recelpts and expenditures for this fixcal year it will be seen that-the revenues ylelded $287,482,03), or £9,- (174,105 less than the estimate, and that the net rfimmes amottnted to $258,459, 797, OLR X ers than wae autlcipated, exlifbiting surp revente of $2.@321, or §13,64 40 In excers of. the amount contemplated, It will thus be per- eeived that -the estimates, when taken s o whole, were temarkably rellable, varying from the actual results realized by the Treasury only to the cxtent of $13,040.4 RECEIPTS AND EXLENDITURES FOR TUE FISOAL - YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1847, +The receipts during the first quarte ere 7,554, 748 28, 81:1. 338 262,005 0,634,707 fi Irom consular, putent, and Frow_proceuds of asles of Govern: IEDL PEODErY vovetureee Frum miecellancoun eource Net ordlnary recelpt Premium onsafes of coln. Proceeds of award g o 2,400,445 Total net ordinary recelpts....... 27, 070 Balance In Treasury June 30, 1870., 121,807, 7 Totalavallable.uevueares consann 8107, The expenditures during the same period were: For civil and miscellancounexpenses, includiug_ public_ biildinee, Hghte houses, and collectinyg the reventies $ 15,037, 203 For Indiana. 1,434,705 For penslon. e B,UB2357 For militsry establishment. {ncinding fortieatfins, river anl harbor fin- provements, And Aracnale, .iciue s For naval establishment, including vesecls and machinery and improve- ) 661 menta at navy-ya 6,174,353 For Interest on_{ cludiug Paclfic Railway bonds 37,107, 550 Total ordinary expenditures... ..§ 78,751, 803 Redewmption of the public de i .+ $3,018,048.77 Judzzmenia of Court. of Alubama Claits, ... 2,35 Tota) expenditures Balance in ‘Ieasniry Sop Total .ooee For the remainiug three quartors U §s mated that the reeeipts will be From customs From fnternal From sale of public la; Trom tax on Natlonal Hanks. From reimbursement by Paclfic Itall- Froui customs' fines, penalties, and forfeltures. o e ¥rom Consular, patent and From proceeds of sal DIOPEILY.oi. vere 250,000 From iisceiiancon ing premium on coln.. ... 4,000,000 ‘Total net receipls «oevveveee o0 S1D1,INLO%H For the snme period it is estimated that the oxpeuditires wil be: For civil and mixcollancous, Ing pribite bulidin ForIndians, 4,000, 000 For pensio 20,000, 000 For military estabilshment, 20,500, 000 For navalestabliebment. For interest on the public debt. L 670, Total ordinary expenditures......$158, 870, 860 It will be observed from tho statement of setual receipts and expenditures fur the first quarter, that ending Sept. 30, and of the estimatcs of the samo for the remalning three quarters, based upon existing Jaws, that it is expeeted thut the revenues for the current fiscal year will ¥leld the sum of 8264202440 d hat the éxpenditures will amouut to §237, 753,85, which will leave a surplus revenue of £21,063,600.24 "The amiount which shoutd be applied to the sinking fund Is cstimated ot $33,705,500.67, The surplus revenues will full below that amount, in the opinfon of the Department, by not-less than 87,042,110.43. EBTIMATES FOR THE PISCAL TEAR ENDING . Juxe 80, 1878, 1t s esthnated that the recuipts for the fiseal yeur ending June 80, 1878, will be: From cusioms +.8130,000, 000 ¥From luternal 12, 000, 000 From eales of publjc k 1,200, 000 From taxon circalabion of Natlonal LRI TR TR TSy vee 7,350,000 From reimbursement of luterest by Paclfic Rallway Compunien. . 350,000 Frow customs' fuen, penaith = furfejture 150, 000 From coneul otlier fees. From proce ment proneety. From miecullantol 50, 000 3,500, 00U Total ordinary recelpte.. . .ue .., $270,050, 000 1t {s estlnnted that the ordinary expenditures for the same perlod will he— For civll pxpenren For forelmn Iuterc 0,000 |5, 000 For Indlans . I g Por penstons. . % 28, 100, 000 F'}r m‘IhIM‘y ch('fl‘l“lhml-xli. ln&lld‘('::z ortitications, river aud hurbor fm- provement, und areonals, . 40, 500, 000 For nl.\fll I.i! vewrela und ments athavy: 3 14,000, 000 For civil and nilvcellaneous, public buildings, lght-house: ectime revenucs, tuil-steamehip service, duflcieney i postal reve- nuea, public printlng, ete.. . » 42,000,000 For wntecest on the pubilic debtoc o 4,180,244 For jutercet on Pacitic tullway bonds; 3,877,410 Total estimsted cxpeoditnres, exclu- sive of the sinking fund account and principal of the public debt....$243, 350, 704 Upon the basis of thoss ecstimates, there will Be a surylus revenue for the flacal year 1678, ap- plieable T th sinking fund, of $20,009,200, The extimated amount required by luw fo be set upart for that fund s €35,801,006.00. If, there- fure, thest estimates shall prove to e upproxi- maf correct, there will bo a deficlency In this uevount of $3,001,800. ‘Tho_estimutea= received from the several Executive Departments aro as follows: Legialative catabllshment e 0,700 ixecutive establishment, o 15,000,189 Judicial extabllshmen . io11,400 Fareign Intercour 5 gnn: Military ostubiistment. ... . Nauval catablisiment, Treasury Dep War Depsrimet Navy epartment lnterivr Department. Deparinent o Agricul- tare,. . Depurtinent of Juetice... Ut DLLro! 391, 00U, 40 fur alnkiug 1und. Totalieeers PUBLIC DEBT. HEDUCTION OF TUX PUBLIO DENT, Principal of the debt July 1, 1575 .$2,232, 284,531 Tuterest due and unpaidl, and ac ceued futerest to date 38,647,550 £ 146,008,370 ,.$200, 011, 671 ‘T'otal debt. b in th ury.. . 68N, 720 Principal of the debt July 180,303, 087 Intescat due and unpald, sud sc crued Interest tadate.. 38,514,004 debt.... . 218,000, 071 Total Cash intho T bty the Treas- Y Dabe lean cash; 4f the Trote- o aoo, 480,541 Showing & rediction, "is "abova b ateds of .. " e 118469, 720 1t will be observed that the surpl us.mennu exclusive of provision for the ainking fund, as shown in tho statement of receipts and ex- penditures for the fiseal year, were $20,022,241, or 227,150 less thau the amonnt of the redue- tion of the debt as shown by the monthly state- ment of the same. @ ‘The difference hetween these two statements arlees from the difference of duten at which they nre madeup, a5 will bo seen by n comparison ot them aa reards the cash in the Treasury at the commencetnent aud slose of the fiscal year, and of the item of **interest ducand unpaid, and ancrued interest to date,” which, in the monthly debt statement, Is treated as s Hability of the Gavernment, precisely as s the principal of thn debt, but which s not so considered o the atatement of recelpts and expeniditurce. The caslh in the Treaenry Jduly 1, 1875, 88 shown by the munthly deht statemnent of that date, and which embraced only the monare oilielally reported to1he Departnient ot the tlme of {ta Jrene, waus. +.8142, 243,364 In the Treastiry Joly 1, shown by the Secoutit of tho reccljns anid cxpenditaren (the baoka from which It ia prepared wenally being kapt open for a juerlod of foriy-five dagx, 60 a8 to {nclude at the date of closing the account all the rovenues deposited at the differont places of deposit through- out tho country within_ the perlod covered by the snme, and which are nnarcertained at the time of the ::‘!m ¢ the monthly etatementl, 144,702,418 Shnwing a difference of. iap §By The carhiin the Treasury July 45,00 an shown by the manthiy doht stat nient of that date, was. ... ... $119, 400, 726 And an shown by thestatcment of (he recelpts and expenditures of Mme dnte,. sreeses 121,807,732 Showing a lifferenco of .. Tll! dillerence Jn these Lwo slate- ments of cash reported to the. Treasury, ns appenrs by the month-' Iy tatement. wund an necertalned by the atatement of recelpta and ex- pendituzes at the commencement and close of the fincal year, 16 Wil bo secn, in S121, 046,00, jess the sun) of £27.401, 14 patik on nceotnt of jnigments of the Courtof Alae hama Clafms In excess of the amonnt received doring that quer- r trom the proceeds of the anle of the bonda held In truas for that purnace, und which was teturned to he Treasury in the succweding quater out of the procecdn of saja of bonds In excers of payments tn thut quarter. The transactions in relatiun to these bands wers 1n no ecnae oo ordinary recelpt or ex- venulturs of the Uovern t, and were not a0 trented. e 8,867 o To wifeh add the re Itemof **interent due and nnpaid, and accrned interest 1o date™.... 133,551 Making tho sum of .evus seere & 8 It will, therefore, be perecived that, no differ- ence exigts in these two accounts, other than thet which grows out of the mnnuerof thelr preparation, 3 THE BINKING PUND. By the terms of the act of Feb. 25, 1862, {6 was provided that, after the 1st day of July, 1862, 1 per centwn of the cntire debt of the United States should be purchased or pald within each liseal year, to ho set apart as n eink- ing sund; aleo, tiat the Intercst on sald fund shoull In like manuer be appled to the pur- chase or payment of the debl. The sixth soe- tion of the wct of July 14, 1870, nleo requireid that, fuaddition to other amounts to be applied to the redemption or payment ot the public debt, anamount equal to the fnterest on ajl bonds betonglng to the aforesald sinking fund should be npitlud to the hent of the publie debt. From the th n tie act flrat named wos togo into el until Aug. B, 1 the de- mands ipan the Trensury for expensaa ncident tothe War were zreatly i excesa of the reve- nues of the Government, and therefore thern was o ghrplus inconie which conld be applied. tothe extiugnishnient_of the debt or the: cren~ tlon of aramking tund, and consequently the Iaw providing for that tund was durlng that perfod neeescarily rendered fnoperative. Itwill be wotived that. thu statute contem- plated that n certaln s sitould he upplicd within cach fiseal year to the account. ot the d. If the resources of the Treasury v fisenl _vear, commenclng with Juls 162, suiliciews, Lo hnve mude o literal comphanee with the conditions of the lnw prac- tieable, the secount would at the close af the Jast lsead year hisve uppeared upon the books of the Dopurtent.as follows: Amount for flscal Aumount for fixc Awmount for fixcal Feur 1800, Amouut for fecal year 18 Amount for flscal yeur Amuount for flse Awonnt for f: el Awount for fiscal year 18 Amonnt for flacal year 18 Amuonnt for flscal Fear 1876 August, the publie debe 24 represented upon the hoolkis of the Depart- tnent, and shown by the public-debt statemeut, réached fts highest polnt, vie.: Debt, less bonds lesuced to the varl- and lens caslt In e Treawury Ou June 0, 1876, the dubt, fnclud- ing sccrued intereat, lexs bonds faeued to the Pucile Hallroud panies, and less cash in the Treneury, Was.. crveenes 2,000,430, 344 Reductlon of the deht... ... $ 656,002,226 The terms of the law of Feb. 25, 18602, requir- ed by the operations of o sinklng-fund account, that’the pudblle debt should be reduced in the sun of #4i83,843,215 between July 1, 1862, and theclosoof the last flseal year.” A reduction Tug been effectend during thet perlod of §050,092,- 22}. u‘;‘ #22,144,011 wiore than was absolutely re- quired. } Hoean therefore be saldl, as o muatter of fact, 1but sl of the pledzes and obligatious of thu Governuent to make melun for the sluling~ fund and the cuneellation of the public debt have bren fully mot and earred out. REPUNDING THE NATIONAL DEUT, On the th of Auguat, 1876, the Sceretary en- tered futo u contract with Messrs. Aurust " gel- mout & Co., on hehalf of Messrs. N, M. Roths- ¢hild & Song, and usroclates, aud Messre, J, & W, Selieinan & Co., for themselves und asso- clates, and Mesars, Drexel, Morcun & 2, 75 , 431,571 ) and Messrs, Morton, s & Co, for themselves aud uszoclates, Tor the nerotlution of $40,000,000 of the 43¢ pefeent honds, authorized by theacts ofJuly 14, 1870, and Jan. 20, 1671, the contract- ing parties Lo have the exclusive right to sub- serihe for the remainder, namely, $200,000,000, or any portion thereof, of the suli 43¢ per cenc bomls, suthorized by the nfuresald ucts, t:{ notifylug the Secretary on ur before the 00 duy of June, 1877, the” Becretary reserving the right to terminato the contract at any time after March 4, 1377, by giving ten days’ notics thereof to the contructore, . The agreement provides that the Secrotary s to allow the purties vuined one-half of 1 per cent vomuisston upon the amount they may take, they to unsunie und pay all expenses which may be incurred in proparing, printing, transporting, and fesuing suld 43¢ per cent honds, and {or trausmitthig to the ‘Frensury Deparument, Wash- ington, D, L.y coin, United” Stutes 5-20 bonds, matured United States coin coupons recelved in payment for the 43 per cent bonda lssued, or which may bo lssued, to the contructors; and the Secretary agreed to fssue notlees for the vedemption of un_equal amount ol 8 por cente 52 hunds of the United Btates, upon the dates of subseriptfon bythe contracting Fnrllu for 41 :rlfi"‘um vouds, us provided by the act of July 70, “The subscribers agrea to pay for sald 43¢ per vent bonds, par und um«l’ dxlemt. ln}ffiold coln, matured United Btates coln coupans, 6 per cont 520 houds, or United Status gold certit cates, Against the subscriptions of the con~ tructing partiea for 43¢ per cent bouds, tho fotluwing-descrlbed notlces for the redemption of United States 5-20 bonds, st March 8, 1865, Tave been lssued, viz. ‘all dated Sept, 1, 1870, 1 dated Sept. 0, 1870, | dated Sopt. 122, 18 duted Sept. Call duted Oct. Total v eanranenan 1, 1876 4, 1474, Tasuos to tho extent of §35,674,550 o er ceut bouds have been mfi. dud rn!u’u{ ug operationg ure still ln progress, RESUMPTION OF BPECIM FAYMENTS. Tn March, 1569, by an wct eatitled Anact to strengthen the public credit,” tho falth of the United States wus ‘‘solemnly pledged to the payment In cofn or ite equivalent of all the obll- gatlonsof the United States not LeatIng fnterest, known as Tuited Stutes notus, aud of all the Interest-beariug obligatious of the United Stutes;" and, further, ¥to muke provisiou, at the earlieat practicable perlod, for tho redemp+ tion of the United States noted fn coln.” By the act of January, 1675, Congress des clpred the purpose of resumption of apecls-paye ments on Japuary, 1570, and to that cud, snd in ‘ rE ot e D S e