against with all possible care. The profit on pleasing. The city of Washington is rapidly the rise of the value of our lands ought to be- improving; it must become a place of considerlong to the nation, or to those individuals by abfe importance. ts population is already whose settlement and improvement of the large; but the city shews to much disadvanCountry such rise may be caused-not to spe- tage from the scattered position of its buildculators. The president's attention to this ings, forming several smart towns, as it were, subject merits the thanks of his countrymen. The plan of the city requires that many vacat There is one thing, however, that some have spaces should be ieft these may beautify it thought might as well have been omitted---a and conduce to its healthiness, but will always declaration by the president of his intention to subject it to serious inconveniences for the put his veto upon any bill passed for internal transaction of business, and retard the grow tir improvements. "It is not contained," he says, of its population in the useful classes of socie among the specified powers of the constitu- ty. The public buildings, we hope, will be tion"where is the specified power to autho- completed as soon as possible; congress is verize the establishment of a bank? The one y badly accommodated at present; the house must be as lawful as the other, and events may of representatives is jammed into a room not shew that the straining of the constitution half large enough to permit the members to sit, about the bank, will be more productive of in-and pass and repass, at ease the "national li jury than the digging of canals or making of brary" is essentially lost to them---being distant roads can possibly be. But the resolution in-almost a mile and a half from their hall and in troduced by Mr. Tucker, on the 15th instant, the third story of the building occupied by the will cause the subject to be discussed at large General Post office, &c.the repairs and fitby the representatives of the people---and we ting up of those great piles, the two wings of rejoice to see such an expression of what we the capitol, are going on rapidly; the "presicertainly believe to be an honest difference of dent's house," now occupied by Mr. Monroe, opinion. though still unfinished, is in a much better state The other points of the message appear only than it was before its Gothic destruction, and to require to be read to be approved each sub- the other public offices that were burnt have ject is fully and plainly elucidated. The re- been rebuilt or repaired, with considerable incommendation about our manufactories we provements. Events shew, the waste of moshould have been glad to have seen enforced ney excepted, that the burning of this city by more strongly than it is. They are of immense the Goths, to destroy it, has done much for its -interest-many of them are exceedingly de- improvement. They consigned themselves to pressed, through the smuggling already men- the execration and infamy of ages without protioned, and by other deceptions and frauds of ducing any effect, except to rouse a feeling foreigners, especially in respect to those of they would have depressed, and to beautify the iron, the most important, perhaps, of them all. city of WASHINGTON that they would have The iron manufacture is one of those things destroyed, because of its "rebel" name. that immediately belongs to our independence The repeal of the inte nal taxes was expect as a nation: IT MUST BE PROTECTED. There ed---they If we are many of its items that we may refuse to to the teane vexatious, and produce a less sum than the examination of a few receive from abroad, without raising the home-hundreds of packages of British goods, per manufacture above its fair and honest value, annum, entering for duty, would do. Compared with the inferior foreign product; should want their proceeds, the people will and in every case of this sort the foreign arti- cheerfully pay them again. cle should be absolutely prohibited. Self inte- The message, in the whole, shews a sound rest requires this of congress---who will also intelligence faithfully devoted to the best insoon become sensible of the necessity of really terests of the republic, and will do much to › supporting our manufacturers generally. The rivet Mr. Monroe to the affection of his follow ideas of many as to competition in respect to citizens, and exalt his character, with that of them, are delusive and untenable. If the com-his country, abroad. merce of the world were free, and we could send our products to other countries on the payment of duties such as we ourselves impose on the products of those countries, there might be The house of representatives, it appears, some ground for the objections that are made to have refused to consider a motion made by Mr. the encouragement of domestic manufactures. Bassett, to fix the compensation of the memBut this is not the case--and, in this twisting bers, until further provided by law, as it was in world, we must sometimes do to others as they 1813-i. e. at six dollars per day. At predo unto us. The strictest morality does not sent there is no law on the subject, and it is require that we should extend an advantage to probable that a higher per diem will be fixed any one that refuses the like advantage to us. The president's observations about the pubfic buildings at the seat of government are upon. Compensation of Congress. The late famous compensation law was rather objected to an account of its manner than 57,515 13 151,144 77 208,659 90 Expenditures for the year ending Nov... 170,530 34 38,129 55 Deduct the appropriations for the amount of compensation which it al-Balance in the treasury, Nov. 1, 1816 due to the 1st Nov 1817, and then remaining un Journal of accounts for prepaid sent year 55,343 28 35,000,00 -90,343 28 52,213 72 96,564 18 be of use to them thereafter. If a man lives Probable demand on the 44,350 46 "at Washington as a gentleman should do---if he receives his friends there as he would do at Journal of accounts, 1818 35,000, 00 -135,776 94 Deficient his own house, and incurs his proportion of the numerous extra expenditures to which his situation renders him liable, a very small part of the 1500 dollars per annum heretofore allowed would be left for the support of his wife and family at home---though his business there might go to ruin from his absence. 91,426 38 It is thought that ten dollars per day may be closed on Saturday, the 29th of November last; and fixed upon as the amount of compensation that no receipts or payments have since been made at will be voted for. The sum is a reasonable one this office. From the impression that it will occa --the least that we can do is to support a man sion a shorter suspension of the business of the trea and his family, in moderation, for his public sury, and that it will be more convenient to my services. Cheap legislators should be as care- successor in office, as well as to myself, to retire from the station now, than at any future period, I fully avoided as cheap school-masters. But do hereby resign the office of state treasurer. their compensation ought never to be so great It has been ascertained by the auditor general, that as to make it an object worth contending for. the balance in the treasury is $191,862 56 Which I am ready to deliver to my successor, as soon as he is appointed, in the following manner, viz. 1. A check from the treasurer of the U. S. on the bank of the U S. receiv ed on Saturday last, for $30,000 00 2. A credit in favor of the Treasury department, Register's office, December 5, 1817. THE TREASURY. Deduct bounties and allowances, Duties which accrued in 1814, included in the statement of 1815, 338,555 59 1,811 74 Net revenue for 1815, 27,569,769 JOSEPH NOURSE, Register. 1816 32,673,610 76 471,764 99 16,006 00 1,650,671 91 11,800 00 4,787,588 47 84,976 89 28,284,610 39 714,840 681 1,811 74 36,708.693 46 405,462 02[(a)36,303,231 44 collection Expenses on Net revenue 71 (A.) issued on the exportation of Foreign Merchandize, and of expenses on collection during the years 1815 and 1816. Statement exhibiting the amount of duties which accrued on Merchandize, Tonnage, Passports and Glearances; of Debentures (C.) Statement respecting the direct tax imposed March 5, 1816. Amount of direct tax imposed on the respective states Add amount of direct tax imposed. on the district of Columbia $3,000,000 Computed expenses of collection, with the deductions made to assuming states, for the prompt pay. ment of their quotas, viz: on $781,133 73 assumed by the states of New York, South Carolina, Georgia and Ohio, on which a deduction of 15 per centum was allowed, On 2,223,865 47 collected or to be collected by the $3,009,999 20 117,110 05 9,999 20 3,009,999 20 107,545 95 224.656 Net revenue, $2.785,343 20 SAMUEL H. SMITH, ·Commissioner of the revenue. Revenue office, December 1, 1817. (D.) Statement of lands sold in the states of Ohio and Iuchana, and in the territory of Illinois, from the 1st October 1816, to the 30th Sept. 1817, shewing also the amount of receipts from individuals and payments made by receivers, during the same time, with the balance due both on the 1st of October 1816, and on the 1st October 1817. [ABSTRACT] (B.) Statement of the accruing internal duties, during the gear 1816, with the computed expenses of collection. Amount of accruing duties Computed expenses of collection $4 633,799 237,665 75 JOSIAH MEIGS, commissioner. Net revenue $4,396,133 251 General load office, 28th Now. 1817, دارد و 635.963 00 Statement of the stock purchased on account of the Cost. amount 332,984 60 at 105 51 354,561 89 Remain to be issued, subject to correction (a) 29,320.89) 31 04 |