has produced such baneful consequences should be abrogated, or else made to conform to the genuine principles of Republican Government.

"THE TENURE OF OFFICE BILL.

"Under the influence of party passion and sectional prejudice other Acts have been passed not warranted by the Constitution. Congress has already been made familiar with my views respecting the Tenure of Office Bill. Experience has proved that its repeal is demanded by the best interests of the country, and that while it remains in force the President cannot enjoin that rigid accountability of public officers so essential to an honest and efficient execution of the laws. Its revocation would enable the Executive Department to exercise the power of appointment and removal in accordance with the original design of the Federal Constitution.

"THE FINANCES.

"The condition of our finances demands the early and earnest consideration of Congress. Compared with the growth of our population the public expenditures have reached an amount unprecedented in our history.

"The population of the United States in 1790 was nearly four millions of people. Increasing each decade about 33 per cent. it reached in 1860 thirty-one millions-an increase of 700 per cent. on the population in 1790. In 1869 it is estimated that it will reach thirty-eight millions, or an increase of 868 per cent. in seventy-nine years.

"The annual expenditures of the Federal Government in 1791 were $4,200,000; in 1820, $18,200,000; in 1850, $41,000,000; in 1860, $63,000,000; in 1865, nearly $1,300,000,000; and in 1869 it is estimated by the Secretary of the Treasury, in his last annual report, that they will be $372,000,000.

"By comparing the public disbursements of 1869, as estimated, with those of 1791, it will be seen that the increase of expenditure since the beginning of the Government has been 8,618 per centum, while the increase of the population for the same period was only 868 per centum. Again, the expenses of the Government in 1860, the year of peace immediately preceding the war, were only $63,000,000, while in 1869, the year of peace three years after the war, it is estimated they will be $372,000,000-an increase of 489 per centum, while the increase of population was only 21 per centum for the same period.

"These statistics further show that in 1791 the annual national expenses, compared with the population, were little more than one dollar per capita, and in 1860 but two dollars per capita; while in 1869 they will reach the extravagant sum of $9 78c. per capita.

"It will be observed that all these statements refer to and exhibit the disbursements of peace periods. It may therefore be of interest to compare the expenditures of the three war periods

-the war with Great Britain, the Mexican war, and the war of the rebellion.

"In 1814 the annual expenses incident to the war of 1812 reached their highest amount, about $31,000,000, while our population slightly exceeded 8,000,000, showing an expenditure of only $3 80c. per capita. In 1847 the expenditures growing out of the war with Mexico reached $55,000,000, and the population about 21,000,000, giving only $2 60c. per capita for the war expenses of that year. In 1865 the expenditures called for by the rebellion reached the vast amount of $1,290,000,000, which, compared with a population of 34,000,000, gives $38 20c. per capita.

"From the 4th day of March, 1789, to the 30th of June, 1861, the entire expenditures of the Government were $1,700,000,000. During that period we were engaged in wars with Great Britain and Mexico, and were involved in hostilities with powerful Indian tribes; Louisiana was purchased from France at a cost of $15,000,000; Florida was ceded to us by Spain for $5,000,000; California was acquired from Mexico for $15,000,000, and the territory of New Mexico was obtained from Texas for the sum of $10,000,000. Early in the spring of 1861 the war of the rebellion commenced, and from the 1st of July of that year to the 30th of June, 1865, the public expenditures reached the enormous aggregate of $3,300,000,000. Three years of peace have intervened, and during that time the disbursements of the Government have successively been $520,000,000, $346,000,000, and $393,000,000. Adding to these amounts $372,000,000, estimated as necessary for the fiscal year ending the 30th of June 1869, we obtain a total expenditure of $1,600,000,000 during the four years immediately succeeding the war, or nearly as much as was expended during the seventy-two years that preceded the rebellion, and embraced the extraordinary expenditures already named.

"These startling facts clearly illustrate the necessity of retrenchment in all branches of the public service. Abuses which were tolerated during the war for the preservation of the nation will not be endured by the people now that profound peace prevails. The receipts from internal revenues and customs have during the past three years gradually diminished, and the continuance of useless and extravagant expenditures will involve us in national bankruptcy, or else make inevitable an increase of taxes, already too onerous, and in many respects obnoxious on account of their inquisitorial character. One hundred millions annually are expended for the military force, a large portion of which is employed in the execution of laws both unnecessary and unconstitutional; $150,000,000 are required each year to pay the interest on the public debt; an army of tax-gatherers impoverishes the nation; and public agents, placed by Congress beyond the control of the Executive, divert from their legitimate purposes large sums of money which they collect from the people in the name of the Government. Judicious legislation and prudent economy can

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alone remedy defects and avert evils which, if suffered to exist, cannot fail to diminish confidence in the public councils and weaken the attachment and respect of the people towards their political institutions. Without proper care the small balance which it is estimated will remain in the Treasury at the close of the present fiscal year will not be realized, and additional millions will be added to a debt which is now enumerated by billions.

"It is shown by the able and comprehensive report of the Secretary of the Treasury that the receipts for the fiscal year ending the 30th of June, 1868, were $405,638,083, and that the expenditures for the same period were $377,340,284-leaving in the Treasury a surplus of $28,297,799. It is estimated that the receipts during the present fiscal year ending the 30th of June, 1869, will be $341,392,868, and the expenditures $336,152,470, showing a small balance of $5,240,398 in favour of the Government. For the fiscal year ending the 30th of June, 1870, it is estimated that the receipts will amount to $327,000,000 and the expenditures to $303,000,000-leaving an estimated surplus of $24,000,000.

"THE PUBLIC DEBT.

"It becomes proper in this connexion to make a brief reference to our public indebtedness, which has accumulated with such alarming rapidity and assumed such colossal proportions.

"In 1789, when the Government commenced operations under the Federal Constitution, it was burdened with an indebtedness of $75,000,000, created during the war of the Revolution. This amount had been reduced to $45,000,000 when, in 1812, war was declared against Great Britain. The three years' struggle that followed largely increased the national obligations, and in 1816 they had attained the sum of $127,000,000. Wise and economical legislation, however, enabled the Government to pay the entire amount within a period of 20 years, and the extinguishment of the National Debt filled the land with rejoicing, and was one of the great events of President Jackson's administration. After its redemption, a large fund remained in the Treasury, which was deposited for safe keeping with the several States, on condition that it should be returned when required by the public wants. In 1849-the year after the termination of an expensive war with Mexico-we found ourselves involved in a debt of $64,000,000; and this was the amount owed by the Government in 1860, just prior to the outbreak of the rebellion. In the spring of 1861 our civil war commenced. Each year of its continuance made an enormous addition to the debt; and when, in the spring of 1865, the nation successfully emerged from the conflict, the obligations of the Government had reached the immense sum of $2,893,992,709. The Secretary of the Treasury shows that on the 1st day of November, 1867, this amount had been reduced to $2,491,504,450; but at the same time his report exhibits an increase during the past year of $35,625,102; for the