Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

destruction of life on the vessel the officer commands, and does not embrace the killing done on the other vessel.

There seems to be no express provision, in any act of Congress, that the records and papers of the several collectors of customs shall be public property, and left in the offices for the use of their successors; nor any provision making it a felony to make false entries in the collector's books, or return false accounts to the treasury. It has been customary in many of the districts for the outgoing collector to carry away the books and papers, on the pretence that they were private property, because purchased out of the emoluments of the collector, under the regulations of the treasury. They have been declared, by a treasury circular, the property of the United States, and directed to be preserved and handed over to the successor. The fact that these books were carried away was cause of suspicion as to the integrity of the collectors, and in four ports, to wit: Oswego, Cleveland, Toledo, and Milwaukie, where other strong circumstances strengthened the suspicion, investigations were instituted at the ports, with copies of the returns made to the treasury, and the books and receipts of the importers in the United States and those in Canada examined. The accounts of the late collector at Oswego were ascertained to have suppressed duties, actually collected by him, to over $75,000; the collector at Cleveland to an amount almost of $115,000; the collector at Toledo to an amount of about $5,000; and the collector at Milwaukie to over $3,000. These are the first frauds of this description that have ever been brought to light. They are now presented to the consideration of Congress, for such additional legislation as may be deemed necessary. In the revision of the revenue laws prepared at this department, under a resolution of the Senate, and now before that body, clauses have been inserted for the purpose of providing the proper remedy. There has been no revision of the revenue laws since the enactment of 1789. The necessity of a revision is respectfully urged upon the consideration of Congress.

In addition to the tables and reports herein before particularly mentioned, various statements of exports and imports, a statement of the persons employed in the several collection districts, and a complete set of the circulars issued by this department since the date of my former report, also accompany this.

The important interests confided to this department require that the clerical force should be not only capable, but trustworthy in all respects. I find there has been great improvement in that force. In most cases, the best of those

found in office were retained, and, under the system of classification, when vacancies occurred, a rule was established to promote, for capacity and efficiency, from the lower to the higher classes, whilst the required examinations have secured more capable clerks for the first class. The rules of the office are strictly enforced, and there exists commendable industry, capacity, efficiency, and, it is believed, integrity, in the corps employed. The department is being brought into good condition.

All which is respectfully submitted.

JAMES GUTHRIE,

Secretary of the Treasury.

III. THE ARMY.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR.

WAR DEPARTMENT,
December 4, 1854.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the army for the past year, and to lay before you the reports of the commanding general and of the heads of the several bureaus of the War Department.

The authorized strength of the army (as now posted) is 14,216 officers and men; but the accompanying tables, prepared at the Adjutant General's office, show that at the date of the last returns the actual strength was only 10,745. This difference, however between the authorized and actual strength of the army is fast disappearing under the operation of the law of the 4th of August last, "to increase the pay of the rank and file of the army, and to encourage enlistments."

The general distribution of the army is nearly the same as shown in my last report. The most important changes will be briefly noticed. The 3d artillery has been reorganized since the wreck of the steamer San Francisco, and six companies sent to the Pacific, via the Isthmus of Panama. Two of the companies of that regiment, and a detachment of recruits for companies of dragoons serving in the department of the Pacific have been sent by the over-land route, for the purpose of exercising a salutary influence over the Indians inhabiting the country through which they will pass, and holding to account the tribe implicated in the massacre of Capt. Gunnison's party. They will winter in the Great Salt Lake valley, and proceed to their destination in the spring. Six companies of the 2d infantry have been reorganized, and are now posted in the department of the West. The remaining companies of that regiment will be sent to the same department as soon as their organization is completed. The 6th infantry has been ordered to the department of the Pacific. Six companies of the regiment are concentrated at Jefferson Barracks, preparatory to sailing for the Pacific, by way of the Isthmus, and two others, which were also under orders for Jefferson Barracks, have been sent to Fort Laramie in consequence of the difficulties

that recently occurred in that vicinity. The remaining companies now at Fort Kearney and Laramie will be sent to their destination next spring, by the overland routes, if a continuation of the Indian difficulties in that quarter should not interfere with this intention. The headquarters and two companies of the 1st dragoons have been transferred to the department of New Mexico, and replaced in the department of the West by four companies of the 2d dragoons from New Mexico. The troops on the Indian frontier of Florida have recently been reinforced by two companies of artillery drawn from the Atlantic coast. Some other changes of minor importance have also been made with a view of effecting a greater concentration of the troops.

The removal from Florida of the remnant of the Seminole tribe, who, in violation of the treaty, have continued to occupy the southern part of that State, has received the constant attention of the department; but, from peculiar circumstances, the efforts directed to this object have been attended with but little success. It is, however, believed that better results may be anticipated in the ensuing year. The troops have taken a line of observation which greatly contracts the limits of the territory occupied by the Indians; and it is proposed to make expeditions through the region where they have hitherto remained securely concealed. By opening roads and by the use of boats adapted to the navigation of the lakes, swamps, and bayous, which have heretofore enabled them to elude pursuit, (including a small steamer, as recommended by the Quartermaster General,) the department expects to acquire an accurate knowledge of the country, and to impress them with the conviction of their inability to escape from or resist the power of the United States. Measures have been taken to cut off their trade, and to make them feel the great inconvenience which will attend an attitude of defiance on their part towards this government. By these means it is hoped the Indians may be peaceably removed to the home provided for them west of the Mississippi, and the claim of Florida to be relieved from their presence be speedily answered. Should this hope not be fulfilled, the measures above referred to are the proper and the most efficient steps preliminary to active operations for their removal by force.

In the other military departments the Indians have repeatedly come into collision with our troops. Depredations upon our frontier inhabitants and upon emigrants passing through the Indian country, have been, and are still of frequent occurrence. In the department of the West, besides

the depredations committed by smaller tribes, hostilities have occurred with the Sioux Indians, the most powerful and warlike tribe of the Northwest. In Texas, they have been so frequent and of so threatening a character, that it was considered necessary to authorize the commander of that department to call upon the governor of the State, from time to time, as exigencies might arise, for such volunteer force as might be required to repel Indian incursions. In New Mexico serious hostilities were repressed by the prompt and energetic action of the troops employed there, but depredations upon the inhabitants are still of occasional occurrence; and in the department of the Pacific outrages of the most revolting character have recently been perpetrated on parties of emigrants on their way to California and Oregon. To repress such disorders, the troops have been actively and constantly employed; and, in the arduous and harassing duties that have devolved on them, have exhibited a gallantry, zeal, and devotion, that merit the favorable notice of the government. The details of these operations will be found in the reports transmitted herewith.

During the past year the Sioux Indians have committed many depredations upon the property of the emigrants passing Fort Laramie, on their route to Oregon and Utah. On the 19th of August, Lieutenant Grattan, of the sixth infantry, was sent, by the commander of that post, with thirty men, to arrest an offender. This entire detachment was massacred by the Indians, with the exception of one man, who escaped severely wounded, and subsequently died. The circumstances of this affair were at first involved in much obscurity, but authentic details have since proved that the massacre was the result of a deliberately formed plan, prompted by a knowledge of the weakness of the garrison at Fort Laramie, and by the temptation to plunder the large quantity of public and private stores accumulated at and near that post. The number of Indians engaged in this affair was between 1,500 and 2,000.

I regret that it has not been in the power of the department to concentrate the troops in sufficient force to prevent, and in all cases to punish, these disorders. The circumstances of the service have been such, and the want of troops in all sections of the country so great, that the concentration would have exposed portions of the frontier to Indian hostilities without any protection whatever. Every favorable opportunity will be taken to post the troops in commanding positions from which they can exercise a supervision of the Indian country, and operate to the best ad

« ZurückWeiter »