Latest / State of the Union Addresses 1829-1836 / 018 - Andrew Jackson December 5 1836 part 2

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018 - Andrew Jackson December 5 1836 part 2 · State of the Union Addresses 1829-1836

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Speaker 1: Section eighteen of State of the Union Addresses eighteen twenty
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Speaker 1: nine to eighteen thirty six. This is a LibriVox recording.
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Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. From more
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Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Andrew Jackson,
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Speaker 1: December fifth, eighteen thirty six. Part two. I beg leave
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Speaker 1: to call your attention to another subject intimately associated with
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Speaker 1: the preceding one, the currency of the contrary. It is
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Speaker 1: apparent from the whole context of the Constitution, as well
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Speaker 1: as the history of the times which gave birth to it,
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Speaker 1: that it was the purpose of the Convention to establish
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Speaker 1: a currency consisting of the precious metals. These, from their
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Speaker 1: peculiar properties which render them the standard of value in
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Speaker 1: all other countries, were adopted in this as well, to
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Speaker 1: establish its commercial standard in reference to foreign countries by
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Speaker 1: a permanent rule is to exclude the use of a
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Speaker 1: mutable medium of exchange, such as of certain agricultural commodities
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Speaker 1: recognized by the statutes of some states as a tender
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Speaker 1: for debts, or the still more pernicious expedient of a
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Speaker 1: paper currency. The last, from the experience of the evils
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Speaker 1: of the issues of paper during the Revolution had become
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Speaker 1: so justly obnoxious as not only to suggest the clause
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Speaker 1: in the Constitution forbidding the emission of bills of credit
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Speaker 1: by the States, but also to produce that vote in
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Speaker 1: the Convention which negatived the proposition to grant power to
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Speaker 1: Congress to charter corporations, a proposition well understood at the
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Speaker 1: time as intended to authorize the establishment of a national bank,
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Speaker 1: which was to issue a currency of banknotes on a
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Speaker 1: capital to be created to some extent, out of government stocks.
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Speaker 1: Although this proposition was refused by a direct vote of
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Speaker 1: the Convention, the object was afterwards in effect obtained by
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Speaker 1: its ingenious advocates through a strained construction of the Constitution.
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Speaker 1: The debts of the Revolution were funded at prices which
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Speaker 1: formed no equivalent compared with the nominal amount of the stock,
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Speaker 1: and under circumstances which exposed the motives of some of
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Speaker 1: those who participated in the passage of the Act to
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Speaker 1: distrust the facts that the value of the stock was
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Speaker 1: greatly enhanced by the creation of the bank, that it
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Speaker 1: was well understood that such would be the case, and
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Speaker 1: that some of the advocates of the measure were largely
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Speaker 1: benefited by it, belonged to the history of the times,
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Speaker 1: and are well calculated to diminish the respect which might
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Speaker 1: otherwise have been due to the action of the Congress
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Speaker 1: which created the Institution. On the establishment of a national bank,
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Speaker 1: it became the interest of its creditors that gold should
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Speaker 1: be superseded by the paper of the bank as a
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Speaker 1: general currency. A value was soon attached to the gold coins,
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Speaker 1: which made their exportation to foreign countries as a mercantile
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Speaker 1: commodity more profitable than their retention and use at home
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Speaker 1: as money. It followed, as a matter of course, if
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Speaker 1: not designed by those who established the bank, that the
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Speaker 1: bank became in effect a substitute for the mint of
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Speaker 1: the United States. Such was the origin of a national
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Speaker 1: bank currency, and such the beginning of those difficulties which
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Speaker 1: now appear in the excessive issues of the bank's incorporated
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Speaker 1: by the various states. Although it may not be possible,
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Speaker 1: by any legislative means within our power to change at
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Speaker 1: once the system which has thus been introduced, and has
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Speaker 1: received the acquiescence of all portions of the country, it
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Speaker 1: is certainly our duty to do all that is consistent
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Speaker 1: with our constitutional obligations in preventing the mischiefs which are
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Speaker 1: threatened by its undue extension. That the efforts of the
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Speaker 1: fathers of our government to guard against it by a
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Speaker 1: constitutional provision were founded on an intimate knowledge of the
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Speaker 1: subject has been frequently attested by the bitter experience of
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Speaker 1: the country. The same causes which led them to refuse
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Speaker 1: their sanction to a power authorizing the establishment of incorporations
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Speaker 1: for banking purposes, now exist in a much stronger degree
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Speaker 1: to urge us to exert the utmost visible in calling
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Speaker 1: into action the means necessary to correct the evils resulting
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Speaker 1: from the unfortunate exercise of the power. And it is
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Speaker 1: hoped that the opportunity for effecting this great good will
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Speaker 1: be improved before the country witnesses new scenes of embarrassment
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Speaker 1: and distress. Variableness must ever be the characteristic of a
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Speaker 1: currency of which the precious metals are not the chief ingredient,
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Speaker 1: or which can be expanded or contracted without regard to
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Speaker 1: the principles that regulate the value of those metals as
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Speaker 1: a standard in the general trade of the world with US.
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Speaker 1: Bank issues constitute such a currency, and must ever do
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Speaker 1: so until they are made dependent on those just proportions
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Speaker 1: of gold and silver as a circulating medium, which experience
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Speaker 1: has proved to be necessary not only in this but
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Speaker 1: in all other commercial countries where those proportions are not
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Speaker 1: infused into the circulation and do not control it. It
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Speaker 1: is manifest that prices must vary according to the tide
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Speaker 1: of bank issues, and the value and stability of property
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Speaker 1: must stand exposed to all the uncertainty which attends the
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Speaker 1: administration of institutions that are constantly liable to the temptation
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Speaker 1: of an interest distinct from that of the community in
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Speaker 1: which they are established. The progress of an expansion, or
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Speaker 1: rather a depreciation of the currency by excessive bank issues,
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Speaker 1: is always attended by a loss to the laboring classes.
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Speaker 1: This portion of the community have neither time nor opportunity
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Speaker 1: to watch the ebbs and flows of the money market.
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Speaker 1: Engaged from day to day in their useful toils, they
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Speaker 1: do not perceive that although their wages are nominally the
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Speaker 1: same or even somewhat higher, they are greatly reduced in fact,
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Speaker 1: by the rapid increase of a spurious currency, which, as
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Speaker 1: it appears to make money abound. They are at first
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Speaker 1: inclined to consider a blessing. It is not so with
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Speaker 1: the speculator, with whom this operation is better understood and
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Speaker 1: is made to contribute to his advantage. It is not
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Speaker 1: until the prices of the necessaries of life become so
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Speaker 1: dear that the laboring classes cannot supply their wants out
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Speaker 1: of their wages, that the wages rise and gradually reach
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Speaker 1: a justly proportioned rate to that of the products of
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Speaker 1: their labor. When thus, by depreciation, in consequence of the
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Speaker 1: quantity of paper and circulation, wages as well as prices,
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Speaker 1: become exorbitant, it is soon found that the whole effect
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Speaker 1: of the adultation is a tariff on our home industry
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Speaker 1: for the benefit of the countries where gold and silver
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Speaker 1: circulate and maintain uniformity and moderation in prices. It is
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Speaker 1: then perceived that the enhancement of the price of land
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Speaker 1: and labor produces a corresponding increase in the price of products,
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Speaker 1: until these products do not sustain a competition with similar
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Speaker 1: ones in other countries, and thus both manufactured and agricultural
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Speaker 1: productions cease to bear expectation from the country of the
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Speaker 1: spurious currency because they cannot be sold for cost. This
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Speaker 1: is the process by which specie is banished by the
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Speaker 1: paper of the banks, their vaults are soon exhausted to
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Speaker 1: pay for foreign commodities. The next step is a stoppage
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Speaker 1: of specie payment, a total degradation of paper as a currency,
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Speaker 1: unusual depression of prices, the ruin of debtors, and the
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Speaker 1: accumulation of property in the hands of creditors and cautious capitalists.
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Speaker 1: It was in view of these evils, together with the
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Speaker 1: dangerous power wielded by the Bank of the United States,
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Speaker 1: and its repugnance to our Constitution, that I was induced
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Speaker 1: to exert the power conferred upon me by the American
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Speaker 1: people to prevent the continuance of that institution. But although
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Speaker 1: various dangers to our republican institutions have been obviated by
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Speaker 1: the failure of that bank to extort from the government
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Speaker 1: a renewal of its charter, it is obvious that little
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Speaker 1: has been accomplished except a salutary change of public opinion
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Speaker 1: toward restoring to the country the sound currency provided for
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Speaker 1: in the Constitution. In the acts of several of the
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Speaker 1: States prohibiting the circulation of small notes, and the auxiliary
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Speaker 1: enactments of Congress at the last Session forbidding their reception
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Speaker 1: or payment on public account. The true policy of the
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Speaker 1: country has been advanced and a larger portion of the
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Speaker 1: precious metals infused into our circulating medium. These measures will
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Speaker 1: probably be followed up in due time by the enactment
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Speaker 1: of state laws banishing from circulation banknotes of still higher denominations,
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Speaker 1: and the object may be materially promoted by further acts
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Speaker 1: of Congress forbidding the employment as fiscal agents of such
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Speaker 1: banks as continue to issue notes of low denominations and
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Speaker 1: throw impediments in the way of the circulation of gold
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Speaker 1: and silver. The effects of an extension of bank credits
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Speaker 1: and over issues of bank paper have been strikingly illustrated
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Speaker 1: in the sales of the public lands. From the returns
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Speaker 1: made by the various registers and receivers in the early
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Speaker 1: part of last summer, it was perceived that the receipts
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Speaker 1: arising from the sales of the public lands were increasing
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Speaker 1: to an unprecedented amount. In effect, however, these receipts amounted
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Speaker 1: to nothing more than credits in bank. The banks lent
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Speaker 1: out their notes to speculators, They were paid to the
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Speaker 1: receivers and immediately returned to the banks to be lent
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Speaker 1: out again and again, being mere instruments to transfer to
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Speaker 1: speculators the most valuable public land, and pay the government
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Speaker 1: by a credit on the books of the banks. Those
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Speaker 1: credits on the book of some of the western banks,
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Speaker 1: usually called deposits, were already greatly beyond their immediate means
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Speaker 1: of payment, and were rapidly increasing. Indeed, each speculation furnished
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Speaker 1: means for another, and no sooner had one individual or
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Speaker 1: company paid in the notes than they were immediately lent
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Speaker 1: to another for a like purpose. And the banks were
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Speaker 1: extending their business and their issues so largely as to
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Speaker 1: alarm considerate men and render it doubtful whether these bank credits,
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Speaker 1: if permitted to accumulate, would ultimately be of the least
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Speaker 1: value to the government. The spirit of expansion and speculation
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Speaker 1: was not confined to the deposit banks, but pervaded the
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Speaker 1: whole multitude of banks throughout the Union, and was giving
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Speaker 1: rise to new institutions to act the evil. The safety
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Speaker 1: of the public funds and the interest of the people
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Speaker 1: generally required that these operations should be checked, and it
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Speaker 1: became the duty of every branch of the general and
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Speaker 1: state governments to adopt all legitimate and proper means to
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Speaker 1: produce that salutary effect. Under this view of my duty,
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Speaker 1: I directed the issuing of the order which will be
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Speaker 1: laid before you by the Secretary of the Treasury, requiring
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Speaker 1: payment for the public lands sold to be made in specie,
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Speaker 1: with an exception until the fifteenth of the present month,
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Speaker 1: in favor of actual settlers. This measure has produced many
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Speaker 1: salutary consequences. It checked the career of the Western banks
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Speaker 1: and gave them additional strength in anticipation of the pressure
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Speaker 1: which has since pervaded our Eastern as well as the
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Speaker 1: European commercial cities. By preventing the extension of the credit system,
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Speaker 1: it measurably cut off the means of speculation and retarded
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Speaker 1: its progress in monopolizing the most valuable of the public lands.
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Speaker 1: It has tended to save the New States from a
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Speaker 1: non resident proprietorship, one of the greatest obstacles to the
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Speaker 1: advancement of a new country and the prosperity of an
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Speaker 1: old one. It has tended to keep open the public
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Speaker 1: lands for entry by emigrants at government prices, instead of
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Speaker 1: their being compelled to purchase of speculators at double or
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Speaker 1: triple prices, and it is conveying into the interior large
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Speaker 1: sums in silver and gold, there to enter permanently into
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Speaker 1: the currency of the country and place it on a
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Speaker 1: firmer foundation. It is confidently believed that the country will
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Speaker 1: find in the motives which induced that order and the
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Speaker 1: happy consequences which will have ensued, much to commend nothing
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Speaker 1: to condemn. It remains for Congress, if they approve the
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Speaker 1: policy which dictated this order, to follow it up in
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Speaker 1: its various bearings. Much good, in my judgment, would be
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Speaker 1: produced by prohibiting sales of the public lands except to
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Speaker 1: actual settlers at a reasonable reduction of price, and to
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Speaker 1: limit the quantity which shall be sold to them. Although
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Speaker 1: it is believed the General Government never ought to receive
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Speaker 1: anything but the constitutional currency in exchange for the public lands,
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Speaker 1: that point would be of less importance if the lands
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Speaker 1: were sold for immediate settlement and cultivation. Indeed, there is
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Speaker 1: scarcely a mist arising out of our present land system,
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Speaker 1: including the accumulating surplus of revenues, which would not be
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Speaker 1: remedied at once by a restriction on land sales to
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Speaker 1: actual settlers, and it promises other advantages to the country
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Speaker 1: in general, and to the New States in particular, which
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Speaker 1: cannot fail to receive the most profound consideration of Congress.
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Speaker 1: Experience continues to realize the expectations entertained as to the
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Speaker 1: capacity of the state banks to perform the duties of
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Speaker 1: fiscal agents for the government. At the time of the
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Speaker 1: removal of the deposits, it was alleged by the advocates
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Speaker 1: of the Bank of the United States that the state banks,
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Speaker 1: whatever might be the regulations of the Treasury Department, could
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Speaker 1: not make the transfers required by the government or negotiate
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Speaker 1: the domestic exchanges of the country. It is now well
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Speaker 1: ascertained that the real domestic exchanges performed through discounts by
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Speaker 1: the United States Bank and its twenty five branches were
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Speaker 1: at least one third less than those of the deposit
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Speaker 1: banks for an equal period of time. And if a
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Speaker 1: comparison be instituted between the amounts of service rendered by
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Speaker 1: these institutions on the broader basis which has been used
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Speaker 1: by the advocates of the United States Bank in estimating
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Speaker 1: what they consider the domestic exchanges transacted by it, the
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Speaker 1: result will still be more favorable to the deposit banks.
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Speaker 1: The whole amount of public money transferred by the Bank
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Speaker 1: of the United States in eighteen thirty two was sixteen
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Speaker 1: million dollars. The amount transferred and actually paid by the
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Speaker 1: deposit banks in the year ending the first of October
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Speaker 1: last was thirty nine million, three hundred nineteen thousand, eight
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Speaker 1: hundred ninety nine dollars. The amount transferred and paid between
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Speaker 1: that period and the sixth of November was five million,
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Speaker 1: three hundred and ninety nine thousand dollars, and the amount
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Speaker 1: of transfer warrants outstanding on that day was fourteen million,
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Speaker 1: four hundred and fifty thousand dollars, making an aggregate of
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Speaker 1: fifty nine million, one hundred and sixty eight thousand, eight
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Speaker 1: hundred and ninety four dollars. These enormous sums of money
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Speaker 1: first mentioned have been transferred with the greatest promptitude and regularity,
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Speaker 1: and the rates at which the exchanges have been negotiated
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Speaker 1: previously to the passage of the Deposit Act were generally
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Speaker 1: below those charged by the Bank of the United States.
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Speaker 1: Independently of these services, which are far greater than those
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Speaker 1: rendered by the United States Bank and its twenty five branches,
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Speaker 1: a number of the deposit banks have with a commendable
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Speaker 1: zeal to aid in the amba improvement of the currency
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Speaker 1: imported from abroad at their own expense large sums of
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Speaker 1: the precious metals for coinage and circulation. In the same manner,
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Speaker 1: have nearly all the predictions turned out in respect to
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Speaker 1: the effect of the removal of the deposits, a step
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Speaker 1: unquestionably necessary to prevent the evils which it was foreseen
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Speaker 1: the bank itself would endeavor to create in a final
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Speaker 1: struggle to procure a renewal of its charter. It may
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Speaker 1: be thus too, in some degree with the further steps
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Speaker 1: which may be taken to prevent the excessive issue of
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Speaker 1: other bank paper. But it is to be hoped that
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Speaker 1: nothing will now deter the federal and state authorities from
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Speaker 1: the firm and vigorous performance of their duties to themselves
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Speaker 1: and to the people. In this respect, in reducing the
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Speaker 1: revenue to the wants of the government, your particular attention
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Speaker 1: is invited to those articles which constitute the necessaries of life.
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Speaker 1: The duty on salt was laid as a war tax,
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Speaker 1: and was no doubt continued to assist in providing for
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Speaker 1: the payment of the war debt. There is no article
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Speaker 1: the release of which from taxation would be felt so
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Speaker 1: generally and so beneficially. To this may be added all
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Speaker 1: kinds of fuel and provisions, Justice, and benevolence unite in
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Speaker 1: favor of releasing the poor of our cities from burdens
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Speaker 1: which are not necessary to the support of our government,
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Speaker 1: and tend only to increase the wants of the destitute.
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Speaker 1: It will be seen by the report of the Secretary
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Speaker 1: of the Treasury and the accompanying documents, that the Bank
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Speaker 1: of the United States has made no payment on account
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Speaker 1: of the stock held by the government in that institution,
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Speaker 1: although urged to pay any portion which might suit its convenience,
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Speaker 1: and that it has given no information when payment may
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Speaker 1: be expected, nor although repeatedly requested, has it furnished the
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Speaker 1: information in relation to its condition which Congress authorized the
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Speaker 1: Secretary to collect at their last session. Such measures as
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Speaker 1: are within the power of the Executive have been taken
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Speaker 1: to ascertain the value of the stock and procure the
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Speaker 1: payment as early as possible. The conduct and present condition
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Speaker 1: of that Bank, and the great amount of capital vested
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Speaker 1: in it by the United States, require your careful attention.
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Speaker 1: Its charter expired on the third day of March last
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Speaker 1: and it has now no power but that given in
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Speaker 1: the twenty first section, to use the corporate name, style,
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Speaker 1: and capacity for the purpose of suits, for the final
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Speaker 1: settlement and liquidation of the affairs and accounts of the corporation,
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Speaker 1: and for the sale and disposition of their estate, real,
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Speaker 1: personal and mixed, but not for any other purpose or
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Speaker 1: in any other manner whatsoever, nor for a period exceeding
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Speaker 1: two years after the expiration of the said term of incorporation.
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Speaker 1: Before the expiration of the charter, the stockholders of the
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Speaker 1: bank obtained an Act of incorporation from the legislature of Pennsylvania,
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Speaker 1: excluding only the United States. Instead of proceeding to wind
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Speaker 1: up their concerns and pay over to the United States
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Speaker 1: the amount due on account of the stock held by them,
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Speaker 1: the president and directors of the old bank appear to
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Speaker 1: have transferred the books, papers, notes, obligations, and most or
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Speaker 1: all of its property to this new corporation, which entered
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Speaker 1: upon business as a continuation of the old concern. Amongst
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Speaker 1: other acts of questionable validity, the notes of the expired
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Speaker 1: corporation are known who have been used as its own,
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Speaker 1: and again put in circulation that the old bank had
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Speaker 1: no right to issue or reissue its notes after the
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Speaker 1: expiration of its charter cannot be denied, And that it
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Speaker 1: could not confer any such right on its substitute any
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Speaker 1: more than exercise it itself is equally plain in law
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Speaker 1: and honesty. The notes of the bank in circulation at
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Speaker 1: the expiration of its charter should have been called in
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Speaker 1: by public advertisement, paid up as presented, and together with
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Speaker 1: those on hand, canceled and destroyed. Their reissue is sanctioned
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Speaker 1: by no law and warranted by no necessity. If the
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Speaker 1: United States be responsible in them their stock for the
24:01
Speaker 1: payment of these notes, their reissue by the new corporation
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Speaker 1: for their own profit is a fraud on the government.
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Speaker 1: If the United States is not responsible, then there is
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Speaker 1: no legal responsibility in any quarter, and it is a
24:16
Speaker 1: fraud on the country. They are the redeemed notes of
24:20
Speaker 1: a dissolved partnership, but contrary to the wishes of the
24:24
Speaker 1: retiring partner, and without his consent, are again reissued and circulated.
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Speaker 1: It is the high and peculiar duty of Congress to
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Speaker 1: decide whether any further legislation be necessary for the security
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Speaker 1: of the large amount of public property now held and
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Speaker 1: in use by the new Bank. And for vindicating the
24:46
Speaker 1: rights of the government and compelling a speedy and honest
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Speaker 1: settlement with all the creditors of the old Bank, public
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Speaker 1: and private, or whether the subject shall be left to
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Speaker 1: the power now possessed by the the executive and judiciary.
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Speaker 1: It remains to be seen whether the persons, who, as
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Speaker 1: managers of the old bank, undertook to control the government,
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Speaker 1: retain the public dividends, shut their doors upon a committee
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Speaker 1: of the House of Representatives, and filled the country with
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Speaker 1: panic to accomplish their own sinister objects, may, now, as
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Speaker 1: managers of a new bank, continue with impunity, to flood
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Speaker 1: the country with a spurious currency, use the seven million
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Speaker 1: dollars of government stock for their own profit, and refuse
25:35
Speaker 1: to the United States all information as to the present
25:38
Speaker 1: condition of their own property and the prospect of recovering
25:42
Speaker 1: it into their own possession. The lessons taught by the
25:46
Speaker 1: Bank of the United States cannot well be lost upon
25:50
Speaker 1: the American people. They will take care never again to
25:53
Speaker 1: place so tremendous a power in irresponsible hands, And it
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Speaker 1: will be fortunate if they consider the consequences which are
26:02
Speaker 1: likely to result on a smaller scale from the facility
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Speaker 1: with which corporate powers are granted by their state governments.
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Speaker 1: It is believed that the law of the last Session
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Speaker 1: regulating the deposit banks operates onerously and unjustly upon them
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Speaker 1: in many respects, and it is hoped that Congress on
26:25
Speaker 1: proper Representations will adopt the modifications which are necessary to
26:30
Speaker 1: prevent this consequence. The Report of the Secretary of War
26:37
Speaker 1: ad Interim, and the accompanying documents, all which are herewith
26:41
Speaker 1: laid before you, will give you a full view of
26:45
Speaker 1: the diversified and important operations of that Department during the
26:50
Speaker 1: past year. The military movements rendered necessary by the aggressions
26:56
Speaker 1: of the hostile portions of the Seminole and seek tribes
27:00
Speaker 1: of Indians, and by other circumstances, have required the active
27:06
Speaker 1: employment of nearly our whole regular force, including the Marine Corps,
27:12
Speaker 1: and of large bodies of militia and volunteers. With all
27:17
Speaker 1: these events, so far as they were known at the
27:20
Speaker 1: Seat of Government before the termination of your last session,
27:25
Speaker 1: you were already acquainted, and it is therefore only needful
27:29
Speaker 1: in this place to lay before you a brief summary
27:33
Speaker 1: of what has since occurred. The war with the Seminoles
27:38
Speaker 1: during the summer was on our part chiefly confined to
27:42
Speaker 1: the protection of our frontier settlements from the incursions of
27:47
Speaker 1: the enemy, and as a necessary and important means for
27:52
Speaker 1: the accomplishment of that end, to the maintenance of the
27:55
Speaker 1: posts previously established. In the course of this duty, several
28:01
Speaker 1: actions took place in which the bravery and discipline of
28:05
Speaker 1: both officers and men were conspicuously displayed, and which I
28:10
Speaker 1: have deemed it proper to notice in respect to the
28:13
Speaker 1: former by the granting of brevet rank for gallant services
28:18
Speaker 1: in the field. But as the force of the Indians
28:22
Speaker 1: was not so far weakened by these partial successes as
28:26
Speaker 1: to lead them to submit, and as their savage inroads
28:30
Speaker 1: were frequently repeated, early measures were taken for placing at
28:35
Speaker 1: the disposal of Governor Kall, who, as commander in chief
28:40
Speaker 1: of the territorial Militia, had been temporarily invested with the
28:45
Speaker 1: command an ample force for the purpose of resuming offensive
28:50
Speaker 1: operations in the most efficient manner, so soon as the
28:54
Speaker 1: season should permit. Major General Jessup was also directed, on
29:00
Speaker 1: the conclusion of his duties in the Greek country, to
29:04
Speaker 1: repair to Florida and assume the command. The result of
29:08
Speaker 1: the first movement made by the forces under the direction
29:12
Speaker 1: of Governor Call in October last, as detailed in the
29:17
Speaker 1: accompanying papers, excited much surprise and disappointment. A full explanation
29:24
Speaker 1: has been required of the causes which led to the
29:28
Speaker 1: failure of that movement, but has not yet been received.
29:32
Speaker 1: In the meantime, as it was feared that the health
29:36
Speaker 1: of Governor Call, who was understood to have suffered much
29:40
Speaker 1: from sickness, might not be adequate to the crisis, and
29:44
Speaker 1: as Major General Jessup was known to have reached Florida,
29:49
Speaker 1: that officer was directed to assume command and to prosecute
29:53
Speaker 1: all needful operations with the utmost promptitude and vigor. From
29:59
Speaker 1: the at his disposal and the dispositions he has made
30:04
Speaker 1: and is instructed to make, and from the very efficient
30:08
Speaker 1: measures which it is since ascertained have been taken by
30:12
Speaker 1: Governor Call, there is reason to hope that they will
30:15
Speaker 1: soon be enabled to reduce the enemy to subjection. In
30:20
Speaker 1: the meantime, as you will perceive from the report of
30:24
Speaker 1: the Secretary, there is urgent necessity for further appropriations to
30:30
Speaker 1: suppress these hostilities happily for the interests of humanity. The
30:36
Speaker 1: hostilities with the Creeks were brought to a close soon
30:40
Speaker 1: after your adjournment, without the effusion of blood, which at
30:45
Speaker 1: one time was apprehended as inevitable. The unconditional submission of
30:51
Speaker 1: the hostile party was followed by their speedy removal to
30:56
Speaker 1: the country assign them west of the Mississippi. The inquiry
31:01
Speaker 1: as to alleged frauds in the purchase of the reservations
31:04
Speaker 1: of these Indians and the causes of their hostilities, requested
31:09
Speaker 1: by the resolution of the House of Representatives of the
31:12
Speaker 1: first of July, last July first, eighteen thirty six, to
31:17
Speaker 1: be made by the President, is now going on through
31:20
Speaker 1: the Agency of Commissioners appointed for that purpose. Their report
31:26
Speaker 1: may be expected during your present session. The difficulties apprehended
31:31
Speaker 1: in the Cherokee Country have been prevented, and the peace
31:35
Speaker 1: and safety of that region and its vicinity effectually secured
31:40
Speaker 1: by the timely measures taken by the War Department. And
31:44
Speaker 1: still continued the discretionary authority given to General Gains to
31:50
Speaker 1: cross the Sabine and to occupy a position as far
31:54
Speaker 1: west as Nagadochies, in case he should deem such a
31:58
Speaker 1: step necessary to the protection of the frontier and to
32:02
Speaker 1: the fulfillment of the stipulations contained in our treaty with Mexico,
32:07
Speaker 1: and the movements subsequently made by that officer have been
32:11
Speaker 1: alluded to in a former part of this message. At
32:15
Speaker 1: the date of the last intelligence from Nagadochi's our troops
32:20
Speaker 1: were yet at that station. But the officer who has
32:23
Speaker 1: succeeded General Gains has recently been advised that from the
32:28
Speaker 1: facts known at the seat of government, there would seem
32:31
Speaker 1: to be no adequate cause for any longer maintaining that position,
32:36
Speaker 1: and he was accordingly instructed, in case the troops were
32:40
Speaker 1: not already withdrawn under the discretionary powers before possessed by him,
32:46
Speaker 1: to give the requisite orders for that purpose on the
32:50
Speaker 1: receipt of the instructions, unless he shall then have in
32:54
Speaker 1: his possession such information as shall satisfy him that the
32:59
Speaker 1: maintenance of the post is essential to the protection of
33:02
Speaker 1: our frontiers and to the due execution of our treaty stipulations,
33:07
Speaker 1: as previously explained to him. Whilst the necessities existing during
33:14
Speaker 1: the present year for the service of militia and volunteers
33:18
Speaker 1: have furnished new proofs of the patriotism of our fellow citizens.
33:24
Speaker 1: They have also strongly illustrated the importance of an increase
33:28
Speaker 1: in the rank and file of the regular army. The
33:32
Speaker 1: views of this subject submitted by the Secretary of War
33:35
Speaker 1: in his report, meet my entire concurrence and are earnestly
33:40
Speaker 1: commended to the deliberate attention of Congress. In this connection,
33:45
Speaker 1: it is also proper to remind you that the defects
33:49
Speaker 1: in our present militia system are every day rendered more apparent.
33:55
Speaker 1: The duty of making further provision by law for organizing, arming,
34:00
Speaker 1: and disciplining this arm of defense has been so repeatedly
34:05
Speaker 1: presented to Congress by myself and my predecessors, that I
34:09
Speaker 1: deem it sufficient on this occasion to refer to the
34:13
Speaker 1: last annual Message and to former executive communications in which
34:19
Speaker 1: this subject has been discussed. It appears from the reports
34:24
Speaker 1: of the officers charged with mustering into service the volunteers
34:29
Speaker 1: called for under the Act of Congress of the last Session,
34:33
Speaker 1: that more presented themselves at the place of rendezvous in
34:37
Speaker 1: Tennessee than were sufficient to meet the requisition which had
34:42
Speaker 1: been made by the Secretary of War upon the Governor
34:45
Speaker 1: of that state. This was occasioned by the omission of
34:50
Speaker 1: the Governor to apportion the requisition to the different regiments
34:54
Speaker 1: of militia so as to obtain the proper number of troops.
34:58
Speaker 1: And no more, it seems, but just to the patriotic
35:03
Speaker 1: citizens who repaired to the general rendezvous under circumstances authorizing
35:09
Speaker 1: them to believe that their services were needed and would
35:12
Speaker 1: be accepted that the expenses incurred by them while absent
35:17
Speaker 1: from their homes should be paid by the government. I
35:21
Speaker 1: accordingly recommend that a law to this effect be passed
35:26
Speaker 1: by Congress, giving them a compensation which will cover their
35:30
Speaker 1: expenses on the march to and from the place of rendezvous,
35:34
Speaker 1: and while there in connection with which it will also
35:38
Speaker 1: be proper to make provision for such other equitable claims
35:43
Speaker 1: growing out of the service of the militia as may
35:46
Speaker 1: not be embraced in the existing laws. On the unexpected
35:52
Speaker 1: breaking out of hostilities. In Florida, Alabama and Georgia, it
35:57
Speaker 1: became necessary in some cases to take the property of
36:01
Speaker 1: individuals for public use. Provision should be made by law
36:07
Speaker 1: for indemnifying the owners, and I would also respectfully suggest
36:12
Speaker 1: whether some provision may not be made consistently with the
36:16
Speaker 1: principles of our government for the relief of the sufferers
36:20
Speaker 1: by Indian depredations or by the operations of our own troops.
36:26
Speaker 1: No time was lost after the making of the requisite
36:29
Speaker 1: appropriations in resuming the great national work of completing the
36:35
Speaker 1: unfinished fortifications on our sea board, and of placing them
36:39
Speaker 1: in a proper state of defense and consequence. However, of
36:44
Speaker 1: the very late day at which those bills were passed,
36:47
Speaker 1: but little progress could be made during the season which
36:51
Speaker 1: has just closed. A very large amount of the monies
36:55
Speaker 1: granted at your last session, accordingly remains un acas spended.
37:01
Speaker 1: But as the work will be again resumed at the
37:04
Speaker 1: earliest moment in the coming spring, the balance of the
37:07
Speaker 1: existing appropriations, and in several cases which will be laid
37:12
Speaker 1: before you, with the proper estimates, further sums for the
37:16
Speaker 1: like objects may be usefully expended during the next year.
37:22
Speaker 1: The recommendations of an increase in the engineer Corps and
37:26
Speaker 1: for a reorganization of the topographical cores, submitted to you
37:30
Speaker 1: in my last annual message, derive additional strength from the
37:35
Speaker 1: great embarrassments experienced during the present year in those branches
37:40
Speaker 1: of the service, and under which they are now suffering.
37:44
Speaker 1: Several of the most important surveys and constructions directed by
37:49
Speaker 1: recent laws have been suspended in consequence of the want
37:52
Speaker 1: of adequate force in these cores. The like observations may
37:57
Speaker 1: be applied to the ordinance cores and to the general Staff,
38:01
Speaker 1: the operations of which, as they are now organized, must
38:05
Speaker 1: either be frequently interrupted or performed by officers taken from
38:09
Speaker 1: the line of the army to the great prejudice of
38:12
Speaker 1: the service. For a general view of the condition of
38:17
Speaker 1: the Military Academy and of other branches of the military
38:21
Speaker 1: service not already noticed, as well as for further illustrations
38:25
Speaker 1: of those which have been mentioned, I refer you to
38:28
Speaker 1: the accompanying documents, and among the various proposals contained therein
38:33
Speaker 1: for a legislative action. I would particularly notice the suggestion
38:37
Speaker 1: of the Secretary of War for the revision of the
38:41
Speaker 1: pay of the Army, as entitled to your favorable regard.
38:46
Speaker 1: The national policy, founded alike in interest and in humanity,
38:52
Speaker 1: so long and so steadily pursued by this government for
38:56
Speaker 1: the removal of the Indian tribes originally settled on this
38:59
Speaker 1: side of the Mississippi to the west of that river,
39:03
Speaker 1: may be said to have been consummated by the conclusion
39:07
Speaker 1: of the late Treaty with the Cherokees, the measures taken
39:11
Speaker 1: in the execution of that treaty and in relation to
39:14
Speaker 1: our Indian affairs generally will fully appear. By referring to
39:19
Speaker 1: the accompanying papers, without dwelling on the numerous and important
39:24
Speaker 1: topics embraced in them, I again invite your attention to
39:27
Speaker 1: the importance of providing a well digested and comprehensive system
39:33
Speaker 1: for the protection, supervision and improvement of the various tribes
39:37
Speaker 1: now planted in the Indian country. The suggestions submitted by
39:42
Speaker 1: the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and enforced by the Secretary
39:47
Speaker 1: on this subject, and also in regard to the establishment
39:51
Speaker 1: of additional military posts in the Indian country, are entitled
39:55
Speaker 1: to your profound consideration. Both measures are necessary for the
40:01
Speaker 1: double purpose of protecting the Indians from Intestine war and
40:06
Speaker 1: in other respects complying with our engagements with them, and
40:11
Speaker 1: of securing our western frontier against incursions which otherwise will
40:16
Speaker 1: assuredly be made on it. The best hopes of humanity
40:21
Speaker 1: in regard to the Aboriginal race, the welfare of our
40:26
Speaker 1: rapidly extending settlements, and the honor of the United States
40:31
Speaker 1: are all deeply involved in the relations existing between this
40:35
Speaker 1: government and the emigrating tribes. I trust therefore that the
40:42
Speaker 1: various matters submitted in the accompanying documents in respect to
40:47
Speaker 1: those relations will receive your early and mature deliberation, and
40:53
Speaker 1: that it may issue in the adoption of legislative measures
40:57
Speaker 1: adapted to the circumstances and duties of the present crisis.
41:02
Speaker 1: You are referred to the report of the Secretary of
41:05
Speaker 1: the Navy for a satisfactory view of the operations of
41:10
Speaker 1: the Department under his charge during the present year. In
41:14
Speaker 1: the construction of vessels at the different Navy yards, and
41:18
Speaker 1: in the employment of our ships and squadrons at sea,
41:22
Speaker 1: that branch of the service has been actively and usefully employed.
41:28
Speaker 1: While the situation of our commercial interests in the West
41:31
Speaker 1: Indies required a greater number than usual of armed vessels
41:36
Speaker 1: to be kept on that station, it is gratifying to
41:39
Speaker 1: perceive that the protection due to our commerce in other
41:43
Speaker 1: quarters of the world has not proved insufficient. Every effort
41:49
Speaker 1: has been made to facilitate the equipment of the exploring
41:53
Speaker 1: expedition authorized by the Act of the last Session, but
41:57
Speaker 1: all the preparation necessary to end able it to sail
42:01
Speaker 1: has not yet been completed. No means will be spared
42:06
Speaker 1: by the Government to fit out the expedition on a
42:10
Speaker 1: scale corresponding with the liberal appropriations for the purpose, and
42:15
Speaker 1: with the elevated character of the objects which are to
42:18
Speaker 1: be effected by it. I beg leave to renew the
42:22
Speaker 1: recommendation made in my last Annual Message respecting the enlistment
42:27
Speaker 1: of boys in our naval service, and to urge upon
42:30
Speaker 1: your attention the necessity of further appropriations to increase the
42:35
Speaker 1: number of ships afloat, and to enlarge generally the capacity
42:40
Speaker 1: and force of the Navy. The increase of our commerce
42:44
Speaker 1: and our position in regard to the other powers of
42:47
Speaker 1: the world, will always make it our policy and interest
42:52
Speaker 1: to cherish the great naval resources of our country. The
42:56
Speaker 1: Report of the Postmaster General presents a gratifying picture of
43:01
Speaker 1: the condition of the Post Office Department. Its revenues for
43:05
Speaker 1: the year ending the thirtieth June last were three million,
43:10
Speaker 1: three hundred and ninety eight thousand, four hundred and fifty
43:14
Speaker 1: five dollars and nineteen cents, showing an increase of revenue
43:19
Speaker 1: over that of the preceding year of four hundred and
43:23
Speaker 1: four thousand, eight hundred and seventy eight dollars and fifty
43:27
Speaker 1: three cents, or more than thirteen percent. The expenditures for
43:32
Speaker 1: the same year were two million, seven hundred and fifty
43:36
Speaker 1: five thousand, six hundred and twenty three dollars and seventy
43:40
Speaker 1: six cents, exhibiting a surplus of six hundred and forty
43:45
Speaker 1: two thousand, eight hundred and thirty one dollars and forty
43:49
Speaker 1: three cents. The Department has been redeemed from embarrassment and debt,
43:55
Speaker 1: has accumulated a surplus exceeding half a million dollars, has
44:00
Speaker 1: largely extended, and is preparing still further to extend the
44:05
Speaker 1: mail service, and recommends a reduction of postages equal to
44:10
Speaker 1: about twenty percent. It is practicing upon the great principle
44:16
Speaker 1: which should control every branch of our government, of rendering
44:21
Speaker 1: to the public the greatest good possible with the least
44:25
Speaker 1: possible taxation to the people. The scale of postages suggested
44:31
Speaker 1: by the Postmaster General recommends itself not only by the
44:36
Speaker 1: reduction it proposes, but by the simplicity of its arrangement,
44:41
Speaker 1: its conformity with the federal currency, and the improvement it
44:45
Speaker 1: will introduce into the accounts of the Department and its agents.
44:51
Speaker 1: Your particular attention is invited to the subject of mail
44:55
Speaker 1: contracts with railroad companies. The present laws provid for the
45:00
Speaker 1: making of contracts are based upon the presumption that competition
45:05
Speaker 1: among bidders will secure the service at a fair price.
45:10
Speaker 1: But on most of the railroad lines there is no
45:13
Speaker 1: competition in that kind of transportation, and advertising is therefore useless.
45:20
Speaker 1: No contract can now be made with them, except such
45:25
Speaker 1: as shall be negotiated before the time of offering or afterwards,
45:30
Speaker 1: And the power of the Postmaster General to pay them
45:33
Speaker 1: high prices is practically without limitation. It would be a
45:38
Speaker 1: relief to him, and no doubt would conduce to the
45:41
Speaker 1: public interest to prescribe by law some equitable basis upon
45:47
Speaker 1: which such contracts shall rest and restrict him by a
45:51
Speaker 1: fixed rule of allowance. Under a liberal act of that sort,
45:57
Speaker 1: he would undoubtedly be able to secure who are the
46:00
Speaker 1: services of most of the railroad companies, and the interest
46:04
Speaker 1: of the Department would thus be advanced. The correspondence between
46:10
Speaker 1: the people of the United States and the European nations,
46:14
Speaker 1: and particularly with the British Islands, has become very extensive,
46:19
Speaker 1: and requires the interposition of Congress to give its security.
46:24
Speaker 1: No obstacle is perceived to an interchange of mails between
46:28
Speaker 1: New York and Liverpool or other foreign ports, as proposed
46:33
Speaker 1: by the Postmaster General. On the contrary, it promises by
46:37
Speaker 1: the security it will afford to facilitate commercial transactions and
46:42
Speaker 1: give rise to an enlarged intercourse among the people of
46:46
Speaker 1: different nations, which cannot but have a happy effect through
46:51
Speaker 1: the City of New York. Most of the correspondence between
46:55
Speaker 1: the candidates and Europe is now carried on an urgent representation.
47:00
Speaker 1: Patients have been received from the head of the provincial
47:03
Speaker 1: post Office asking the interposition of the United States to
47:08
Speaker 1: guard it from the accidents and losses to which it
47:11
Speaker 1: is now subjected. Some legislation appears to be called for,
47:16
Speaker 1: as well by our own interest and by committee to
47:20
Speaker 1: the adjoining British provinces. The expediency of providing a fireproof
47:27
Speaker 1: building for the important books and papers of the Post
47:30
Speaker 1: Office Department is worthy of consideration. In the present condition
47:35
Speaker 1: of our treasury. It is neither necessary nor wise to
47:40
Speaker 1: leave essential public interests exposed to so much danger, when
47:45
Speaker 1: they can so readily be made secure. There are weighty
47:50
Speaker 1: considerations in the location of a new building for that department,
47:54
Speaker 1: in favor of placing it near the other executive buildings.
47:59
Speaker 1: The subjects of a survey of the coast and the
48:03
Speaker 1: manufacture of a standard of weights and measures for the
48:07
Speaker 1: different custom houses have been in progress for some years
48:12
Speaker 1: under the general direction of the Executive and the immediate
48:16
Speaker 1: superintendence of a gentleman possessing high scientific attainments. At the
48:22
Speaker 1: last session of Congress, the making of a set of
48:25
Speaker 1: weights and measures for each state in the Union was
48:29
Speaker 1: added to the others by a joint resolution. The care
48:33
Speaker 1: and correspondence as to all these subjects have been devolved
48:38
Speaker 1: on the Treasury Department during the last year. A special
48:42
Speaker 1: report from the Secretary of the Treasury will soon be
48:45
Speaker 1: communicated to Congress, which will show what has been accomplished
48:50
Speaker 1: as to the whole the number and compensation of the
48:53
Speaker 1: persons now employed in these duties, and the progress expected
48:57
Speaker 1: to be made during the ensuing year, with a copy
49:01
Speaker 1: of the various correspondence deemed necessary to throw light on
49:06
Speaker 1: the subjects which seemed to require additional legislation. Claims have
49:12
Speaker 1: been made for retrospective allowances in behalf of the Superintendent
49:17
Speaker 1: and some of his assistants, which I did not feel
49:20
Speaker 1: justified in granting. Other claims have been made for large
49:25
Speaker 1: increases in compensation, which, under the circumstances of the several cases,
49:30
Speaker 1: I declined making without the express sanction of Congress. In
49:35
Speaker 1: order to obtain that sanction, the subject was at the
49:39
Speaker 1: last Session, on my suggestion and by request of the
49:43
Speaker 1: Immediate Superintendent, submitted by the Treasury Department to the Committee
49:48
Speaker 1: on Commerce of the House of Representatives, but no legislative
49:52
Speaker 1: action having taken place. The early attention of Congress is
49:57
Speaker 1: now invited to the enactment of some express and detailed
50:02
Speaker 1: provisions in relation to the various claims made for the past,
50:08
Speaker 1: and to the compensation and allowances deemed proper for the future.
50:14
Speaker 1: It is further respectfully recommended that, such being the inconvenience
50:19
Speaker 1: of attention to these duties by the Chief Magistrate, and
50:22
Speaker 1: such the great pressure of business on the Treasury Department,
50:27
Speaker 1: the general supervision of the Coast Survey and the completion
50:31
Speaker 1: of the weights and measures, if the works are kept united,
50:35
Speaker 1: should be devolved on a board of officers organized specially
50:39
Speaker 1: for that purpose, or on the Navy Board attached to
50:44
Speaker 1: the Navy Department. All my experience and reflection confirm the
50:50
Speaker 1: conviction I have so often expressed to Congress in favor
50:54
Speaker 1: of an amendment of the Constitution which will prevent, in
50:58
Speaker 1: any event, the election of the President and Vice President
51:03
Speaker 1: of the United States devolving on the House of Representatives
51:07
Speaker 1: and the Senate. And I therefore beg leave again to
51:11
Speaker 1: solicit your attention to the subject. There were various other
51:16
Speaker 1: suggestions in my last annual Message not acted upon, particularly
51:22
Speaker 1: that relating to the want of uniformity in the laws
51:25
Speaker 1: of the District of Columbia, that are deemed worthy of
51:29
Speaker 1: your favorable consideration. Before concluding this paper, I think it
51:36
Speaker 1: due to the various executive departments to bear testimony to
51:40
Speaker 1: their prosperous condition and to the ability and integrity with
51:45
Speaker 1: which they have been conducted. It has been my aim
51:49
Speaker 1: to enforce in all of them a vigilant and faithful
51:53
Speaker 1: discharge of the public business. And it is gratifying to
51:57
Speaker 1: me to believe that there is no justice cause of
52:00
Speaker 1: complaint from any quarter at the manner in which they
52:03
Speaker 1: have fulfilled the objects of their creation. Having now finished
52:09
Speaker 1: the observations deemed proper. On this, the last occasion I
52:13
Speaker 1: shall have of communicating with the two Houses of Congress
52:17
Speaker 1: at their meeting, I cannot omit an expression of the
52:21
Speaker 1: gratitude which is due to the great body of my
52:25
Speaker 1: fellow citizens, in whose partiality and indulgence I have found
52:30
Speaker 1: encouragement and support in the many difficult and trying scenes
52:35
Speaker 1: through which it has been my lot to pass during
52:39
Speaker 1: my public career. Though deeply sensible that my exertions have
52:44
Speaker 1: not been crowned with a success corresponding to the degree
52:49
Speaker 1: of favor bestowed upon me, I am sure that they
52:52
Speaker 1: will be considered as having been directed by an earnest
52:56
Speaker 1: desire to promote the good of my country. And I
53:00
Speaker 1: am consoled by the persuasion that whatever errors have been
53:05
Speaker 1: committed will find a corrective in the intelligence and patriotism
53:10
Speaker 1: of those who will succeed us. All that has occurred
53:14
Speaker 1: during my administration is calculated to inspire me with increased
53:20
Speaker 1: confidence in the stability of our institutions. And should I
53:24
Speaker 1: be spared to enter upon that retirement which is so
53:28
Speaker 1: suitable to my age and infirm health, and so much
53:32
Speaker 1: desired by me in other respects, I shall not cease
53:37
Speaker 1: to invoke that beneficent being to whose providence we are
53:42
Speaker 1: already so signally indebted for the continuance of his blessings
53:47
Speaker 1: on our beloved country. End of Section eighteen, End of
53:54
Speaker 1: State of the Union, Addresses eighteen twenty nine to eighteen
53:58
Speaker 1: thirty six