THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

in the treasury on the first date) have amounted || at all the custom houses of the United States from [No. 17 39,527,268 41 January to July, 1816, both months inclusive, amounts to the sum of

to

(2) And that the probable receipts at the treasury, from the 1st of August to the 31st of Dec. 1816, may be estimated at

Making the whole of the estimated receipts of the treasury, for the year 1816, exclusive of the cash in the treasury on the 1st of January, the sum of

(3) But from the foregoing statements it also appears that the payments at the treasury, from the 1st of January to the 1st of August, 1816, amount to the sum of

(4) And that the demands on the treasury, from the 1st of August to the 31st of December, 1816, are estimated at

26,332,174 89

12,413,324 33

Making the whole of the estimated payments and demands in the treasury for the year 1816, the sum of

And leaving an excess of the estimated receipts beyond the estimated payments and demands at the treasury, for the year 1816, (exclusive of the sum in the treasury on the 1st of January, 1816, amounting to

(6.) That the aggregate of the debentures paid during the same

19,876,710 40 period, amounts to the sum of

Leaving the amount of duties for the last mentioned period (subject only to a deduction for the expenses 59,403,978 81 of collection) at the sum of

38,745,499

21,354,743 74

1,829,564 33

19,525,179 41

20,658,179 59

A general statement of the sums paid monthly at the custom houses for duties on merchandises imported into the United States, and of the sums repaid monthly upon debentures, issued for the drawback of the duties on importation, has been prepared, embracing the period from March, 1815, to July, 1816, both months inclusive. From this document it appears:

Sd. Of the Public Debt.

In a supplement to the annual treasury report
of December, 1815, made to the House of Repre
sentatives on the 28th of February, 1816, it ap
debt, contracted prior to the late war, amounted
pears that the balance of the whole of the public
on the 12th of February, 1816, to the sum of
$38,335,832 58

reimbursed of the principal of the
The amount which has since been
old 6 per cent. and deferred stocks,
besides the payment of the interest,
is the sum of

(1.) That the aggregate of the duties received the whole of the public debt, conat all the custom houses of the United States, dur-tracted before the late war, amounts And at this time the balance of ing the above specified period, amounts to the sum to the sum of 28,271,143 50

of

(2.) That the aggregate of the debentures paid during the same period amounts to the sum of

Leaving the amount of duties for the above specified period (subject only to a deduction for the expenses of collection) at the sum of

556,558 26

25,646,721 84

(3.) That the aggregate of the duties received at all the custom houses of the United States from March to December, 1815, both months inclusive, amounts to the sum of 6,916,399 76

(4.) That the aggregate of the debentures paid during the last mentioned period, amounts to the

sum of

Leaving the amount of duties for the last mentioned period (subject only to a deduction for the expenses of collection) at the sum of

of South Carolina, ac-
1st. In six per cent.
cording to the contract
stock, to pay the bank
for a loan made to ge-
neral Pinkney under
the authority of the
War Department, the
amount being included

794,857 33 in the appropriations
for the military service,
2d. In six per cent.
stock, to pay the Union
Bank of Charleston, S.

6,121,542 43

$ 68,374,764 94

43,956 04

(5.) That the aggregata of the duties received duties which accrued during that period,

*This statement exhibits the amount of money netually paid into the Treasury at those ports, and not the amount of

Estimated amount of the whole of the funded debt at this time, contracted in reference to the late war, 73,096,414 23

In the same supplemental report it appears that the amount of the floating public debt on the 12th February, 1816, was estimated at the sum of

$16,920,115 41

27,400,000 00

tion: those obtained in Boston and Maine, ma king together 550,000 dollars, being the only loans for which the local currency could not be provided. It would have been desirable, indeed, to have employed some of the public funds in the purchase of the public stock, where it had fallen below par; but, upon examination, it was found, that the appropriation for the sinking fund did not admit of that operation:

For, the balance of the appropriation of the preceding year, applicable to the sinking fund, and remaining on the 1st of January; 1816, was

8,733,794 00 And the appropriation for the year

- 29,467,407 16

1816, was

4,630,381 42

8,000,000 00

12,630,381

4,218,360 00

-13,573,122

Another item will be added to the public debi, The balance of $8,793,794 00 exclusive of in- by the creation of the five per cent. stock, in payterest thereon, is still subject to reductions, for ment for the shares held by the government, in the amount of treasury notes in the hands of collec- the capital of the bank of the United States. And tors and receivers, not deposited in the Banks on it may be proper to bring into view the Mississip the 1st of August, 1816. There can, therefore, bepi stock, created upon the settlement of what are no doubt, that during the five subsequent months of the present year, the whole of the floating public debt in treasury notes, as well as in temporary loans, will be extinguished, agreeably to the anticipations which were expressed upon that sub-capital, producing, probably, a higher rate of in

ject.

From the preceding estimates it appears, that, at this time, the aggregate amount of the public debt is the sum of $120,159,482 55, consisting of the following items:

1. Funded public debt before the late war,

2. Funded public debt, contracted since the war,

3. Floating public debt, outstanding,

The aggregate amount of the public debt, as estimated on the 12th of February, 1816, being the sum of

37,779,274 32

73,096,414 23

9,283,791 00

123,630,692 93

123,630,692 93

The aggregate reduction since that period, amounts to the sum of 3,471,210 38

terest; and that the Mississippi stock bears no interest, and is only eventually reimbursable out of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands

For the payment of the interest both of the old and new debt, and for the reimbursement of the instalment of the principal of the old debt, due on the 1st of October next, provision has been made by the treasury. Remittances have, also, been made to the bankers of the United States in Lon don and Amsterdam, for the payment of the inter est on the Louisiana stock, payable at those places, respectively, on the 1st of July, 1816, and the 1st of January, 1817. And, so far as depends upon this department, funds have been supplied to meet

all the demands upon the government of the Unit
ed States, on the various general accounts, which
are open there.

For the interest on the Louisiana stock:
For foreign intercourse, including the diplom

tic fund.

and For the maintenance of prisoners of war: For the support of American seamen in foreign countries. 4. Of the Miscellaneous business of the Department. The several important objects confided to the department, independent of its merely fiscal duties, have received attention. Without entering into a minute enumeration of them, the following are proper to be selected for notice. 1. The survey of the Coast. The necessary in

The funded public debt will, unavoidably, be augmented as long as the disordered state of the currency shall compel the treasury to make any of its payments in small treasury notes, fundable at seven per cent.; and the necessity of issuing treasury notes, bearing interest, from the same cause, will also, in some degree, augment the funded debt, while it retards the extinguishment of the floating debt, for which the revenue is otherwise ample. To render the funds of the treasury as active as possible, however, they have been plied to pay off the temporary loans, by anticipa. been employed as the superintendent of the work,

Hassler bes

upon the principles and terms stated in his letter || of instructions dated the 3d of August, 1816.

2. The road from Cumberland to the Ohio. The course of the road having been confirmed by the President from Cumberland to Uniontown, thence to Brownsville, thence through Washington and Alexandria to Wheeling, colonel Elie Williams has been employed to survey and locate the road from Brownsville to Wheeling, as well as to examine the deviations which have been made by Mr. Shriwer, from the route originally proposed by the commissioners. Several plans have also been suggested for dividing the road into sections, and for expediting the work. But, the difficulties which have arisen, require immediate care and attention; and may be traced in the correspondence between the department and colonel Williams and Mr. Shriver.

3. The Custom house establishments. The 8th section of the act of the 30th of April, 1816, has appropriated $250,000 for custom house establishments, upon a suggestion by this department to the committee of ways and means, with a view to the accommodation of the five principal commercial cities to wit: Boston, N. York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Charleston. The only establishment previously owned by the government was the custom-house at New-Orleans. From the correspondence with the respective collectors, and reports which have been made to the President, it will appear,

That the purchase of a custom-house at Boston has cost $29,000 00 That a purchase has been authorized at New-York, at a price not exceeding 55,000 00 That a purchase has been authorized

at Philadelphia at a price, for the site and the buildings to be erected, which will probably amount to

65,000 00

149,000 00

70,000 00

50,000 00
269,000 00

250,000 00
19,000 00

Upon this statement, it is proposed to suspend the purchase at Baltimore, until an additional appropriation can be obtained; but to complete the purchase of the establishments in New-York, Philadelphia, and Charleston, upon an enlarged scale, more adequate to the growing commerce of those cities.

4. The Legislative calls for information.-Several resolutions were passed during the last session of Congress, requiring information at the next session upon various subjects; and arrangements have been made to enable the Department to report. The resolutions and correspondence on file will furnish the particulars.

5. The case of Hoyt vs. Gelstom et. al.-In consequence of instructions issued from the Treasury

Department, by authority of the President, the Collector and Surveyor of the port of New-York seized the ship called "The American Eagle," under the charge of being illegally armed and equipped within the United States, for the purpose of waging hostilities against a friendly foreign power. Upon a trial in the District Court of NewYork, the vessel was ordered to be restored, and the judge refused to grant a certificate that there was a probable cause of seizure. The owner brought an action of trespass against the seizing officers, in the State Court, and recovered damages to the amount of $107,369 43. The cause has been transfered by order of the President, from the court of errors, in New-York, to the Supreme Court of the United States, where it is now depending for a final judgment; and, probably, the judgment will be rendered at February term next. As the collector and surveyor acted in obedience to their orders, they appear to be entitled to an indemnity from the government. The subject was, therefore, submitted to the committee of Ways and Means, at the last session; and a report was made by the committee in favor of the proposed indemnity. It is important that the report should be taken up and decided, early in the next session. All the facts and proceedings in the case may be traced in the report of this Department to the Senate, during the session ending in 1815; and in the report made to the committee of Ways and Means, during the session ending in 1816.

6. The Direct Tax of Georgia.-The Legisla ture of Georgia assumed the quota of the direct tax, imposed upon that state for 1816; but the governor did not give notice of the assumption, within the period prescribed by law, although the amount of the tax was remitted to the Treasury in certain drafts, before the day fixed for paying it, in order to entitle the state to the abatement of 15 per cent. Under these circumstances, the gross amount of the quota has been paid into the Treasury, subject to the relief which Congress may hereafter provide.

All of which is repectfully submitted.
(Signed)
A. J. DALLAS.
Treasury Department, Sept. 20, 1816.

The resolution appropriating the sum of five hundred dollars to defray the expense of collecting Monday, Dec. 9.-The President of the Senate the public arms, being found to be wholly inade-made report of a plan to enforce the annual settle. quate to the object, we have thought it advisable ment of accounts. to refer the subject to your reconsideration.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the The resolution appropriating money for the pur-motion made by Mr. Varnum on the 20th inst. in chase of arms having been rescinded by the late the following words: general assembly, we are under the necessity of referring to you the claim of Mr. J. Joseph Henry, for rifles, delivered since the repeal of the resolution, under a contract entered into during its existence, with this department.