State of the Union Addresses (1790-2008)United States. Presidents
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State of the Union Addresses (1790-2008)
United States. Presidents
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
A larger amount of the debt contracted during the late war, bearing an
interest of 6%, becoming redeemable in the course of the ensuing year
than could be discharged by the ordinary revenue, the act of the 26th of
May authorized a loan of $5 millions at 4.5% to meet the same. By this
arrangement an annual saving will accrue to the public of $75,000.
Under the act of the 24th of May last a loan of $5 millions was
authorized, In order to meet the awards under the Florida treaty, which
was negotiated at par with the Bank of the United States at 4.5%, the
limit of interest fixed by the act. By this provision the claims of our
citizens who had sustained so great a loss by spoliations, and from whom
indemnity had been so long withheld, were promptly paid. For these
advances the public will be amply repaid at no distant day by the sale
of the lands in Florida. Of the great advantages resulting from the
acquisition of the Territory in other respects too high an estimate can
not be formed.
It is estimated that the receipts into the Treasury during the year 1825
will be sufficient to meet the disbursements of the year, including the
sum of $10 millions, which is annually appropriated by the act of
constituting the sinking fund to the payment of the principal and
interest of the public debt.
The whole amount of the public debt on the first of January next may be
estimated at $86 millions, inclusive of $2.5 millions of the loan
authorized by the act of the 26th of May last. In this estimate is
included a stock of $7 millions, issued for the purchase of that amount
of the capital stock of the Bank of the United States, and which, as the
stock of the bank still held by the Government will at least be fully
equal to its reimbursement, ought not to be considered as constituting a
part of the public debt.
Estimating, then, the whole amount of the public debt at $79 millions
and regarding the annual receipts and expenditures of the Government, a
well-founded hope may be entertained that, should no unexpected event
occur, the whole of the public debt may be discharged in the course of
ten years, and the Government be left at liberty thereafter to apply
such portion of the revenue as may not be necessary for current expenses
to such other objects as may be most conducive to the public security
and welfare. That the sums applicable to these objects will be very
considerable may be fairly concluded when it is recollected that a large
amount of the public revenue has been applied since the late war to the
construction of the public buildings in this city; to the erection of
fortifications along the coast and of arsenals in different parts of the
Union; to the augmentation of the Navy; to the extinguishment of the
Indian title to large tracts of fertile territory; to the acquisition of
Florida; to pensions to Revolutionary officers and soldiers, and to
invalids of the late war.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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