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
Yet our experience has proved that a revenue consisting so largely of
imposts and tonnage ebbs and flows to an extraordinary extent, with all
the fluctuations incident to the general commerce of the world. It is
within our recollection that even in the compass of the same last ten
years the receipts of the Treasury were not adequate to the expenditures
of the year, and that in two successive years it was found necessary to
resort to loans to meet the engagements of the nation. The returning
tides of the succeeding years replenished the public coffers until they
have again begun to feel the vicissitude of a decline. To produce these
alternations of fullness and exhaustion the relative operation of
abundant or unfruitful seasons, the regulations of foreign governments,
political revolutions, the prosperous or decaying condition of
manufactures, commercial speculations, and many other causes, not always
to be traced, variously combine.
We have found the alternate swells and diminutions embracing periods of
from two to three years. The last period of depression to United States
was from 1819 to 1822. The corresponding revival was from 1823 to the
commencement of the present year. Still, we have no cause to apprehend a
depression comparable to that of the former period, or even to
anticipate a deficiency which will intrench upon the ability to apply
the annual $10 millions to the reduction of the debt. It is well for us,
however, to be admonished of the necessity of abiding by the maxims of
the most vigilant economy, and of resorting to all honorable and useful
expedients for pursuing with steady and inflexible perseverance the
total discharge of the debt.
Besides the $7,000,000 of the loans of 1813 which will have been
discharged in the course of the present year, there are $9,000,000 which
by the terms of the contracts would have been and are now redeemable.
$13,000,000 more of the loan of 1814 will become redeemable from and
after the expiration of the present month, and $9,000,000 other from and
after the close of the ensuing year. They constitute a mass of
$31,000,000, all bearing an interest of 6%, more than $20,000,000 of
which will be immediately redeemable, and the rest within little more
than a year. Leaving of this amount $15,000,000 to continue at the
interest of 6%, but to be paid off as far as shall be found practicable
in the years 1827 and 1828, there is scarcely a doubt that the remaining
$16,000,000 might within a few months be discharged by a loan at not
exceeding 5%, redeemable in the years 1829 and 1830. By this operation a
sum of nearly $500,000 may be saved to the nation, and the discharge of
the whole $31,000,000 within the four years may be greatly facilitated
if not wholly accomplished.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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