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shall never be stained by at apology from me, for The statement of truth and the performance of duty nor can give any explanation ot my official acts, except such Is due to integrity and justice, and consistent with the principles on which our instu- tions have been framed. This determination will, l am confident. be approved by my constituents. l have indeed studied their character 10 but little pur pose. if the sum oftwcnty-tiye millions of francs will have the weight of a feather in the estimation Of ; ., 1.rrc-.eias .e their ast.e- adeaeadence and If nnhanas2sss s ~ different impression should al any time obtain, Ill any quarter, they will am sure, rally round the government of their choice, with aacriy and unauimity and silence for eyerthe degrading imputation.

 Having thus frankly presented to you the cir cumstances which, since the last session ot Con sress have occurred iii this interesting and ipor tant matter. with the views Of the Executive n re- gard to them, 1t is at this time only necessary to add, that whenever the advces, now daily expected from our Charge d'Aaaires, shall have been re. ceved, they will be made the subject ot special communication.

 The condition of the Public Finances was never more flauering than at the present period.

 Since my last annual communication, all the re- mains of the Public debt have been redeemed, or money has been placed in deposite for tlls purpose whenever the creditors choose 10 receive it. All the other pecuniarY engagements ofthe government have been honoraby and promptly fulfilled; and there will be balance in the Treasury, at the close of the present year. of about nineteen millions of dollars. It is believed that after meeting all out standing and unexpended appropriations, there will remain near eleven millions, to be applied to any new objects which Congress may designate, or 10 tho more rapid execution Of tho works already in progress. In aid of those objects, and to satisfy the current expenditures Of the ensuing year, II is estimated that there will be received, from vari- ous sources, twenty millions more in lS36

 Should Congress make new appropriations, in conformity with tho estimates which will be sub intted from the proper departments amounting to about tweny-our millions, still the available sur plus at the close of the next year, after deducting all unexpended appropriations, will probably be not less than six millions. This sum can, in my iudg ment, be now usefully applied to proposed improve ments in navy yards, and 10 new national works, which are not enumerated in the present estimates, or to the more rapid completion of those already begun. Either would be constitutional and useful, and would render unnecessary any attempt, in our present peculiar condition, to divide the surplus revenue, or 10 reduce any faster than will be ef ieetsa by the existing laws In any event, as the annual report from the Secretary of he Treasury will enter into detai!s, showing the probability of some eecrease in the revenue during thenext seven years, and very considerable deducon in 1872 IL IS not recommended that Congress should under take to modify the present tariff, so to disturb the principles on which the compromise act was passed. Taxation on some of the articles of gene- raj consumption, which not in competition with our own productions, may be, doupt uiinln-

 

 this revenue, and the same object also be assist. ed by more liberal provisions for the subjects of public defence, which, Tn the present state of prosperity and wealth, may be expected to engage your attention. if however, after satisfying all the demands which can arise from these sources, the unexpended balance in the Treasury should still continue increase, it would be better 10 bear with the evil nniilthe great changes contemplated in tariff laws have occurred, and shall enable us to revise the system with that care and circumspec- fion which are due to so delicate and important subject.

 It is certainly our duty to diminish as far as we can the burdens of taxation, and 10 regard all the restrictions which are imposed on the trade and navigation of our cltlzens as evils which shall mitigate whenever VIC are not prevented by the ad. verse legislation and policy of foreign nations, or those primary duties which the defence aud nde. pendence of our country onioin upon us. That we have accomplished much towards the relief of our citizens by the changes which have accompanied the payment of the public debt and the adoption of the present revenue laws, is manifest from the fact that compared with 1885, there is diminuton of near y-ligc millions 1T si, last Two ycars and that our expenditures, Independently of those orthe public debt have been reduced near nine millions during the same period. Let us trust, that by the continued observance of economy, and by harmo- 'iixng tho great interests of agriculture, nlanuac- lures, and commerce, much more may be accom- plished 10 diminish the burdens of government and

 

 otlc affection of all classes of our citizens and all the members ot cur happy confederaey. As the data which tho Secretary of tho Treasury will lay

 s ;s i;s financial siest,ts es, ate full and extended, and will afford safe guide in your future calculations think it unnecessary to offer any farther observations on that subject here

 Among the evidences of the increasing prosperi- y ot tho country. not the least gratifying Is that af- forded by the receipts from the sales of the public iands which amount, n the present year, to the unexpected sum of $ll,000.000. This circum- stance attess the rapdity with which agriculsure, the hrst and most important occupation of man, ad- vances, and contributes to the wealth and power of our extended territory. Being still of the opinion that it is our best policy af as we can consist eniy with the obligations under which those lands were ceded to the United States, to promote their speedy settlement, beg leave to call the attention 'of the present Congress to the suggestions I have offered respecting 1t, nmy former messages

 The extraordinary receipts from the sales of the pubic lands invite you to consider what improve 'ments the land system, and particularly the condi. ton oi the General Land-oiiice, may require. At the time hisinstitution was organized near quar- ter ot a century ago, it would probably have been thought exirayagant to anticipate, for this period such an addition to its business has been produced by the vastincrease of these saes during the past and present years. It may also be observed, that, slnce the year. lSl2 the land offices and surveying districts have been greatly multiplied, and that n,i- merons legislative enactments, from year to year, since that tune, have imposed great amount of new and additional duties upon that ofiee, while the want oi timely application of force, coinrnensu- rate with the care and labor required has caused the increasing embarrassment of accumulated ar rears ,n the different branches of the establishment

 These impedlmcnts to the expedition of much duty h the General Land-oflice, induce me to sub n xr1t kv4,o ot,f .larsl