refiners as would secure to the owners of the bullion the benefits of their more moderate charges, the results which would accrue to the country in the reduction of the price of gold, and the consequent advance in our national securities, would much more than compensate for loss of revenue now arising from those

sources.

In connection with this subject it has occurred to me that if the government does not deem it expedient to throw the expenses of its mints upon the general treasury, a tax might be imposed upon bills of exchange, drawn against shipments of specie or bullion, that would answer all the purposes of the coinage and revenue charges now made, and at the same time serve the further purpose of raising the coining value of our bullion at home, as I have before observed, and likewise impose an additional obstacle to its shipment abroad; and all tending to the enablement of our government to return to a specie basis at an early day.

The difficulties of treating these important subjects within the limits of a hurried letter must at once become apparent to you, and I have therefore not attempted to do more than give you a general outline, with a few of the more important facts and considerations appertaining to the subject.

If the suggestion which I have thrown out was adopted, and the mints were allowed to exchange crude bullion for bullion fit for coinage, they would at once be relieved of the expense and necessity of refining; but if it be deemed best to bring about that result by degrees, it would perhaps be best accomplished by giving such a preference to the bullion refined by private enterprise as would make it to the advantage of the depositor to patronize such establishments, and it would, in my opinion, be better to relieve such bullion of the coinage charge than it would to limit the amount to be received by the mint, as now provided by law.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN JAY KNOX, Esq.,

LQUIS A. GARNETT..

Treasury Department, Washington, D. C.

A copy of a report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, submitting an estimate of appropriation required to supply a deficiency in the appropriation for the relief of the Navajo Indians now at or near Fort Sumner, for the year ending June 30, 1868.

JULY 13, 1867.-Read and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs and ordered to be

printed.

DEPARTMENT of the InteRIOR,

Washington, D. C., July 13, 1867.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit to the Senate herewith a copy of a report of the 10th instant, from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, submitting an "Estimate of appropriation required to supply a deficiency in the appropriation for the relief of the Navajo Indians now at or near Fort Sumner, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1868," to which the favorable consideration of Congress is respectfully invited. The amount asked for is $304,320. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. BENJAMIN F. WADE,

President United States Senate.

W. T. OTTO,

Acting Secretary.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE INDIAN AFFAIRS,

Washington, D. C., July 10, 1867.

SIR Referring to office reports of the 25th of May last and 28th ultimo, relative to the Navajo Indians on the Bosque Redondo reservation in New Mexico, about to be transferred to this department, and to your response to the letter, approving my action in regard to feeding these Indians under the contract submitted with said report of the 28th, I would respectfully say that, in view of all the circumstances connected with this case, and the fact that the sum appropriated by the last Congress is not sufficient to purchase subsistence to feed the said Indians for a longer time than three months, I deem it of the utmost importance that the attention of Congress be invited to the matter at its present session, in order that the necessary steps may be taken to have the Indians in question taken care of after the $100,000 appropriated by the last Congress has been expended.