Total sum for the service of the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1856...... 92,850,117 47 The actual expenditures of the year were as follow: Civil, foreign intercourse, and miscellaneous........ $25,274,330 99 3,872,826 64 War.. 16,948,196 89 Navy..... 14,077,047 12 Redemption of public debt, interest and premium.. 12,776,390 38 72,948,792 02 Balance in the treasury 1st July, 1856, as appears in detail, per statement No. 1....... $19,901,325 45 In my last report the estimated receipts into the treasury, for the fiscal year ending the 30th of June, 1857, were as follow: From customs... From lands...... $64,000,000 00 7,000,000 00 Miscellaneous... 500,000 00 71,500,000 00 To this add the estimated balance in the treasury, July 1, 1856..... 15,623,863 36 87,123,863 36 This gave $87,123,863 36 for the service of the fiscal year ending the 30th of June, 1857. The estimated expenditures for said year were as follow: Balance of former appropriations to be expended during the year..... Permanent and indefinite appropriations to be ex pended during the year..... Appropriations asked for.... $16,696,689 99 7,639,910 14 45,114,765 45 69,451,365 58 Making the estimated expenditures $69,451,365 58, less $12,000,000 not expected to be called for during the year, and leaving an estimated balance in the treasury, on the 1st of July, 1857, of $29,672,497 78, without any estimate for the redemption of the public debt. The actual receipts into the treasury, for the 1st quarter of said year, viz: the quarter ending the 30th September, 1856, have been as follow: Making the actual receipts for the first, and the receipts for the remaining three quarters, as now estimated : And, with the actual balance in the treasury on the 1st of July, 1856, of....................... 19,901,325 45 Making the sum of.... 92,856,636 02 for the service of the fiscal year 1857. The actual expenditures for the first quarter of the fiscal year 1857, viz: the quarter ending the 30th of September, 1856, being..... the estimated expenditures for the remaining three quarters of the year, are set down as follow: In the second quarter. In the third quarter .. Ir the fourth quarter.... Making the actual expenditures for the first quarter, and the estimated expenditures, for the remaining three quarters..... Which leaves an estimated balance in the treasury, on the 30th of June, 1857, of.......... $18,675,113 21 18,000,000 00 17,168,178 76 16,668,121 24 70,511,413 21 $22,345,222 81 For the actual receipts and expenditures of the first quarter of the year, viz: the quarter ending the 30th of September, 1856, see statement No. 2. The actual expenditures of the first quarter, exhibit the sum of $902,096 63 expended in the redemption of the public debt, and in payment of interest and premium. A like amount is included in the estimates, for the expenditure of each of the remaining three quarters. The receipts into the treasury, for the fiscal year ending the 30th of June 1858, are estimated, as follow: 71,304,822 76 Less the amount that may not be expended during the year, estimated at 20,000,000 00 Would leave an estimated balance in the treasury on the 30th of June, 1858, of.... 43,995,710 62 The public debt, on the 4th of March, 1853, amounted to the sum of $69,129,937 27, and was subsequently increased to liquidate the debt of Texas, by the sum of $2,750,000; which gives the public debt at, $71,879,937 27. It has since been reduced, up to the 15th day of November 1856, the date of the Register's last report, to the sum of $30,963,909 64. See statement No. 3. In making this reduction, the sum of $40,916,027 63 has been paid for the principal thereof, and $4,609,882 31, for premium on portions of it redeemed, before maturity, saving the sum of $14,606,441 39 by paying in advance, and leaving the public debt, on the 15th day of November 1856, $30,963,909 64, as per statement No. 3, parts 1 and 2. In addition to the public debt, as above stated, there is due under treaties with various Indian tribes, payable on time, the sum of $21,066,501 36, as per statement No. 4 of this report. This debt, as it becomes payable, constitutes an item of annual expenditure, and is estimated for, by the Interior Department. It is an incident, growing out of the extinction of the Indian possessory title, to the public lands, and is a charge on the annual sales. Besides this debt, the United States have invested money in stocks, for several of the tribes, to the amount of $3,511,624 08, and hold the principal of the Smithsonian fund, amounting to $515,169, under the act of the 7th July 1838, in stocks for that institution, as per statement No. 5. The United States having made these investments for the Indians, and of the Smithsonian fund, annually provide for the payment of the interest, which interest is or is not received on the stocks. The arrearages of the interest appear, in the tables, to the amount of $120,704 74 on the stocks held for the Indians, and $437,731 92 on the stocks of the Smithsonian fund. Statement No. 6 gives the balances of appropriations of trust or special funds, on the books of the treasury, at the close of the fiscal year 1856. Statement No. 7 gives the stocks belonging to the United States, in the Dismal Swamp, Chesapeake and Delaware, Chesapeake and Ohio and Louisville and Portland, canals. The estimated receipts for the fiscal year 1856, with the actual receipts of the first quarter, and the balance in the treasury on the 1st of July, 1855, were $86,850,710 27; and the actual receipts with the same addition $92,850,117 47, being an excess over the estimates of $5,999,407 20. The customs, actual and estimated, were $59,085,238 28, and the receipts $64,022,863 50. The lands, actual and estimated, were $8,000,000, and the receipts $8,917,644 93. Miscellaneous, actual and estimated, were $833,495 98, and the receipts $977,633 03. The estimated expenditures for the fiscal year 1856, were $71,226, 846 91, and the actual expenditures $72,948,792 02, being $1,721,945 11, in excess of the estimates. It will be seen, from an examination of statement No. 1, that the sum of $12,776,390 38 was expended during the year, in payment of interest, premium and redemption of the public debt, making the expenditure upon all other objects, $60,242,401 64; the estimated expenditure for interest, premium and redemption of the public debt, being $10,301,009 71, and the payments $2,475,390 67 more than the estimate, making the expenditures upon other objects, less than estimated. In making estimates to be submitted to Congress, for the annual expenditures, they present themselves in three classes. In the first class, are the balances of unexpended appropriations, expected to be called for during the year. In the second class, are the expenditures under existing standing indefinite appropriations. This includes the redemption and interest of the public debt, the expenses of collecting the public revenue, and some pensions and other items. In the third, are all moneys necessary to comply with existing treaties and laws, including the expenses of Congress, the necessary public printing, and moneys due under treaty stipulations, the payment of the civil list, foreign ministers, consuls, and commercial agents, the expenses of the army and navy, Indian intercourse, the survey of the public lands, the expenses of the United States courts, maintaining lights in established light-houses, with a variety of other objects, provided for by law. The several executive departments prepare estimates, for the branches of the public service, respectively, committed to their charge, with reference to expenditures, arising under existing laws, as in Class 3, and which they cannot discharge, out of existing or standing appropriations. In addition, the Secretaries estimate for such appropriations, as in their judgment, are required for their respective departments. This class embraces the estimates printed and sent to Congress, at the commencement of each session; but each Secretary sends, during the session, such additional estimates, as in his judgment, the exigency of the service under his charge requires. There are other appropriations which the Secretary of the Treasury has to consider, in his report on the finances. These are appropriations by Congress, in addition to the existing and standing appropriations, and in addition to the appropriations, for compliance with treaties, and to pay demands arising under existing laws, and the additional appropriations estimated for by the respective departments, and include all appropriations for public and private claims, objects of internal improvement not estimated for, and all miscellaneous appropriations, originating with Congress during the session, although no specific sum is set down, in the estimates. The receipts from customs fluctuate, with the increase or diminution of the imports of duty-paying goods, and the receipts from public lands, with increased or diminished sales; whilst the expenditures, to a very considerable extent, depend upon the action of Congress, and the delay in applying for, and settlement of, claims at the treasury. The legislative power is responsible for all wasteful, extravagant, and unnecessary expenditures, authorized by standing appropriations and required to comply with existing laws, as well as for all such as may, from time to time, be authorized; because with that power, rests the right, to lop off all such waste and extravagance, by a repeal or modification of the laws, or by a refusal to grant any such appropriations. The executive power is responsible, for a correct construction of existing laws, and an honest application of the funds placed by Congress, at its disposal, in the execution of the laws, and for the objects, for which the appropriations are made. The Execu |