Farmers' gazette, and Cheraw advertiser. (Cheraw, S.C.) 1839-1843, March 16, 1842, Page 274, Image 2
mnsufcraMe. Titrdfof th? forni^r. "TiToh'p, r
it alio.it 31).0,')fljjP?4rs nuv.i \l.y.
1 ivoii)tL|ga! s t) (ho!
p -nsioivMn oiisorve .Ihn u.aw nation nCj
?>i pensioners for ih:j Im1 year j
consid caUlf, and from ^h<; extreme
olL.tho rev lution iry portion, thore t
roast' he a rn:m! diniin jtum t?]{ the. list is (
v .ii ArtlL* t k??L*A ll< t K?i/4 h ?v\ o it\ I
w * '^TV ii??i liciu Kin*; (vr j
V investigate the stihjoct sulficiemly to;
say fa what (HTmimt- the TretHurv [my i
' he relieved from that smirco; hut I am j
^ .Sh-Tormed by a tri^mi who is tauiiliur wi'h .
the subject* that a verv trrcnt re duotion i
, <d expenditure, say $'KH),030 anmmllv, |
fur saute years, may he expected under j
head. Under th^se various head% !
^v/istt^filiicrs, which u careful rxamirutrion j
designate, I fed confident that n j
reduction iflVtrlrt ho made by retrenchment '
' i-i the estimates to the amrtunt of the |
SUM prujxvwtl to ho borrowed by t ?is bill, !
f as.amended, without materially impair*
ing the efficiency of the Government.
[ next proceed to ex imi.no .what j
>' reduction srny he made by strict economy j
in the poa' c disbar em?nts; hv which* ( j
; ' moan, not parsimony, but that careful and I
ii. ni.lruli ,:i ,?f* jhrt rninai-u,! '
* ii.MVJil lUIIIUU4i>?<. ... ? .... ,
f^fTxirs of th? G >vernmont, which guards'
|| against all ahu.se and wasti'i and applies |
it^rvcrv dollar to the object of appropria- |
^ijSNioa^and that tn the manner lmst ca'cu- j
filed to produce the greatest result. This !
high diitv properly appertains to the func- j
tions of tb?^ Executive, nod Congress ,
enn do but little more than to urge on and 1
6'jatiiiu that Department of tiie Govern-1
ment to which it belong-", in discharging I
i?, and which must take the load in the ;
work ot economy arid reform. My oh- j
j~ct in,to show, that there is ample room !
for the uork, and that great reduction J
may he*'made in the rvnendifiire* by such |
Mn administration of the moneyed affair* i
of the Government a> F have dwrihed. j
Cut how is this to he inadc apparent?.
Can it 1 lib done liy a minute examination of i
tho,various items of tha estimates and ex i
t |?ondilufe*? Can a general state of loose- j
ncss, qf a buses, or extravagance in the dis. j
bursememcnts be detected and exposed j
by ff.jch examination? Ah attempts of j
the kind have failed, and must continue !
?? J? '< k? i m ira ft iftt l,lo t n !
factory reasons for not doing it: and that
is the'course which I intend In pursue.? !
They who now have the eoufr I, both of j
Congress and the ISxeculivo Department, |
caroo in'o power on.a solemn pledge of
trforti ; and it is out fair that they should j
bo b.;!d re-poG?i >le for the reformation of j
tlx*. and migrnanagement which 1
U - tbcv declared to exist, and the great re. i
. : dueiion of cxp6n?-es which they pledged '
themselves lo make, if tho people bhoui-i
MtSO t h trsTI to pew or. |
< But f am not ho unreasonable as to ex- i
| . pr.ci thrsvt reform, can he the work of a '<
day. I know too well the labor and the ! .
t?d? it requires to entertain nnv *nrh I i
opinion. AH I ask is, that the work shall !
bw enriy, ncriously. and .systematically : i
. commenced. It is to bo regretted th.?t ?t ! ,
I-as not already rommencml, and that i
tb->ro is so littlo apparent inclination to ; <
h' gin. We had n right to expert that the J t
riimrnian of the Committee on Finance, in \
bringing forward a new Jom of ?5,0;)l).- i
009, would have at least undertaken to ! 1
inform us. after a fill survey of tho e*5i. j .
mates', and expenditures, wm>th~r anv re- i;
(taction could he made, and, if anv, to I
what amount, before he asked for a vote, I
adding so great on addition to the public j j
debt. I cannot hut regard the omission .
a sit had omc 1. ft looks like repudiation i
of so Jo mn pledges. But whet he has failed !
to do I shall attempt, but in a much less
. full and satisfactory manner than he
might have done, with all his advantages
n# the bend of tho committee. For the j
purpose of comparing, f shall select the <
years 1B23 and 1949. I select the for. j
tner, because it is one of the years of the I
accond term of Mr. .Monroe's n dm in is. H
trajion, and whirh it is admitted now.
administered thn moneyed affair* of the
fydvernmont with a reasonable regard to
. ornni.mv : but at that tinae it was thnuvht I
* * . . ?
bv ail to bo liberal in if* expenditures
and by somo oven profuse, as several
{Senators who ! now see, and who were
fbenmcmberi of Congress, wifl bnr wittiess,
Jj'.jt I select it for a still stronger
reason. It j.i fhp year which immediate
nrnrt thn first act. professedly pass-JJ
17 yi vvv%#*/-? , ,
ffl on "'Itio principles of the protective
policy^ Tiic intervening , time between
the two period* comprehends the two acts
ut 1324 nnd 192S, by which rhnt polio*
Has carried to *nch great extremes. To
those acta, connected with the. banking
extern, and :hc connection of the hanks
' .
wHh the Gbyofnrodr)\ Is to aftrilvitnd !
that train of even:* which U:?a involved j
Tn<? coffnfry a-d.Vne Government in so
many diiHcnft'e*; and, among others,
that vast increase of expenditures which
has taken place sinco 18J3, as will be j
shown by the cornpiricon I am about to !
make.
Tiie disbursements of the Government i
are comprised under throe great iwads : ;
the riviilist. including foreign intercourse
in no j??I? n "(mci >iv nn.n.v. v.. ,
extend xuch an inquiry through the vnri. j
r> ?? heads of expenditure*. A single? *e- I
count might he selected, that would o?- (
cupy a committee a largo portion of n
RCHsfon ; and after,, nil their lahor. it would
he more 'ftan an even chnnre that they i
would fail to detect ahusua nod rni?ir. >r>agement,
if they abounded ever so it urh.
Th?vJjp^Doyond the accounts; an! can
reached hv the searching and!
^Wcrntlnizing eves of faithful and vigilant
" wfficors- chargod with the administrative |
fm 11 per vision.
W There is but one way in which Con :
gross can act wilh effect in testing who- j
tnor the public funds have been judicious, i
ly and economically applied to the oh- j
jee.ts Tor which they were appropriated ; i
and if not, of holding those charged with }
their admi?>istration responsible. and lhaf
is, hv comparing the present expenditure*
with those of past periods ol ac- i
k nowTy'dgrd economy, or foreign cotcmpo. j I
r moou* service of like ktrxt. If. on such ' I
' comparison, the difference should he much J j
greater' than they should be, after making
<? ie. allowance, those who hive the con- J'
trt.l should he held re-pons;hic to reduce .
Wn frt.a oror:er level, or In give snlis. j
nr.d miscellaneous : thr? military, and the1
navv. I propose to begin with the first,
and tnko thorn in the order in which !
they stand.
Tie expenditures under the first bond '
have increased since 1^23. when tiiev ;
were $2 022.093, to $5,492,030 93, the |
amount in 1S40. showing an inoreose, in '
seventeen years, of '2 7-10 to 1, while j
the population has increased onfv ahout j
3 4 to 1, that is, about 7;"> per cent.? I
miking the increase of expenditures, compared
to the increase of population, about
3 6-10 to 1, This enormous increase ha*
taken place although h largo portion of ;
the expen litures under this heal. consist - j
ing of salaries to ofti'ers and th 4 pay ot !
members of Congress, have remained on j
changed. The next year, in 1S4 !. the
expenditures rose to 83 19 3,553. I am,
however, happy to perceive a considerable
reduction in the estimates for this '
yr,ar, compared with the last and several j
preceding years; but still leaving room '
for great additional reduction to bring tne (
increase of expenditures to the .sima ratio
with th'% increase of population, as i;he;al :
as that standard of increase would be. |
S->n:C? innv form some con- i
eepfion, in detail, of thiij enormous in- j
crease I propose to go more into parttc * '
lar* in reference to two items: the con- :
tinmen? expenses of the two IIthcs of;
Congress, and that of collecting the duties !
on imports. The latter, though of a char- !
acter belonging to the civil list, is not
included in it, or either of the other heads;
its ?hc expenses incident to collecting the
cudoms, are deducted froin the receipts,
before the money is paid into the Treasti- <
ry.\ . 4 I
The contingent expenses (they exclude
the pay and milage <-f members) of the
Senate in 1823 was $12 ^ji 07, of which
the printing cost So 349 53. and stitioncry
$1,631 51 ; and that of the House,
$37 SIS 93, of which the printing cost
$22 31-1 11, and Ihn stationery $3 877
71. In 1319. the contingent expenses of
the Senate was $77 447 22, of which the
printing cost 31,235 dollars and 32 cts..
and tiie stationery 7.031 dollars and 77 j
cts.; and that of the House 190,219 dol j
Jars hii.I 57 cts.. of which the printing
c.->st 65 983 dollars and 43 cts., and the
.stationery 33 352 lobarsa.n I 93 cts. Tic*
aggregate exp rise- of the two Houses togel
her rose from 5 ? 69') :|(,liars and 02
cts. to 273 636 dollars; hrinj an actual
incrca-'o of 5 1 10 to 1, and an increase
in proportion to population, of about 7
2-10 to one. But as enormot.H as this
increase is, the fact that the number of j
members hid increased not more than |
si bruit ten per cent, from 1823 to 1840.1
is earlr.ii!.ited to :n i'u; if still morn striking
Iv so. flad tho increase kept p ice with (
the increase of members, (nu i there is no j
good reason why it should greatly exceed
i',) the expenditures would have risen
from 50 61id to 55 759 dollars, o ilv ma- !
king an increase of hut 5.039 dollars ; hut, '
instead of that, it rose to 273 666 dollars, j
making an increase of 2 25,070 dollars. |
To place the; subject in a xiill mare striking !
view, the contingent expenses in 162d '
were nt tho rate of 114 dollars per mem- ;
her. w hich one undid suppose was ample, !
and in 1640. 942 dollars. This vast in- j
crease took place under lite immediate j
eyes of Congress; and vet we were told
* . .1
at the extra session, hy the present chair i
man of the Finance Committee, that j
there was no room for economy* and that
no reduction could he. made ; and even
in this discussion he has intimated that
little can be done. As enormous as are j
the contingent expenses of the two houses, j
1 infer from the very great incrcr.se of:
expenditures undCi lb1" head of civil list J
generally, when so |nrge a porlion is for j
fixed salaries, which h ive not be? 11 mate- j
ririily increased for the lu*fc seventeen |
years, tint they ar: not much less so j
throughout the whole range of this branch I
>f f!ie public servico.
i shall now proceed to Iho other item. !
which I have selected for more particular j
*xa mini lion. the increase I expenses of
collecting the duties on imports. In ,
1323 it was 703.'33:) dolla-.s. rq itl to 3 i
S3-1 ;K) p >r co.k. ?m tiie amount eo" rete 1. !
"rad 93-103 on * to iggr? gate a Mount of, ;
m an I in 13Id tt had increased to
1.54*2.319 dodars and 24 cts., equal to j
13 13-103 per c?-?nf. on the amount col-j
ected, and to 1 53-100 on the aggregate !
iinount of imports, being an actual in- J
"roase of nearly a million, and consiclera- |
Sly more tiian double the amount of j
1323. in 1333 it rose to 1,711,515 dollars.
i
From these facts, there can he little 1
doubt that more than a million annually
may he saved under the two items of contingent
expanses ot Congress, and the j
roiled ion or me ?nnwui muni* :
irig the other great iton^s comprised under i
tho civil list, the executive pnd judicial :
departments, tho foreign intercourse. J
light, houses. and miscellaneous. It would ;
' I
he safe to put down a saving of a least a ,
half million for them.
I shall now pass to tho military, with j
which I am more familiar. I propose to I
confine my rem irks almost entirely to j
the army p-opvr, including the Military ,
\eademv. in roferenco to which the in- j
formation is more full and minute. I ex'
' *L - i--? ?- ?U? !
ujvie ine expenses inriuom n? n?*?
?var, and the expenditure* for the Ordnance,
the Engineer, the Topographical,
the India?!, and the Pension Bureau. In.
stend of 1923, for which there is no offi
cial and exact statement of the expenses
of the army, I shall take 1921, for which',
? -r r?
' " ' ' ' " '--r--'*?.
there is one msdo by myself, as Sccrefnrv
of War, and for the minute correctness
of which, I can vouch. It is contained
in a report made under a call of
the Mouse of Represents lives, and com- '
prises a comparative statement of the expens
s of the army proper, for the years
strength of this armv for the first ol these }
years, including officers, professors, end- 1
ets, and soldiers, way8.137. Uping two }
!r?s(han in 1821. The proportion of of- j
fioers rind professors, to l'\c cadets- and
soldiers, 11 -13 100 bain;; 72 190 more
than 1S21. Tiie expenditure for 1-S37,
3 303,011 dollars, being 1,127,918 dollars
more than 1821. The cost per man, influding
officers, professors, cadets, and
soldiers was in 1837 498 dollars and 3 }
cfs., exceeding that ot 1821 144 dollars
and 12 cts. per man. It appears by the
letter of the Secretary, that the expense
p<*r man rose in 1838 to 434 dollars and
3"> cts.; but it is due to the bead of the
Department, at the time, to say, thitt it
declined under his administjation, tho
next year, to 381 dollars and (lb cts., and
in tho subsequent, to 380 dollars and 63
cts. There is no statement for the year
1841 : but as there has been a fallihg offi
in prices, there ought to be a priportionate
reduction in the cost, especially during
the present year, when there is a prospect }
of so great a decline in almost every ar- j
tide which entwrs into the consumption j
of the army. Assuming that the average i
strength of the army will he kept equal
to the return accompanying the President's
message, and that the expenditure j
of the voar should he reduced to the sfan- j
dard of 1921, the expense of the nrmv
would not exceed 2,993,633 dollars, ma- J
king a difference, compared with the es- j
ti nates, of 1,357.634 dollars; but that j
from the increase of pay, find the great- :
>r expense of tho dragoon*. cannot be
T
expected. Hiving no certain inlorma- 1
lion how much the expenses are n"crssn. 1
ri*y incr< ase?l from th.?-c causes. 1 am not
prepared to <av what ought to be the ac- 1
tual reductions, hut, unless the increase of j
pay, and the increased cost because of
the dragoons art- very great, it ought to be
very considerable.
t found the expense of the army in,-?
1919, inch: Jing the Military Academy!
to he $3,702,493, at a cost of $451 57 \
per man, including officers. professor*, j
radcr.s, and soldiers, and reduced it in :
1321 to $3,180,099. at a cost of $263
91, and making a difference between the
two years, in the ablegate expenses of
the army, of $1,523,397, and $195 66,
pit man. There was, it is true, a great j
tall i?i prices in the interval; but allowing
for t nt, bv adding to the price of every
artie'e entering into the supplies of the
nrrnv a sum sufficient to raise it to the
price of HIS, tb 're was still a difference
n {he cost per nia.i of 133 dollar* and 93
els., This great reduction was effected |
without stinting the service or diminishi*i<T
the supplies, either in quantify or
quality. Thf y were, on the contrary, increased.
in b th, especially the latter.
It was.eflo'!< d ihrongh an efficient organization
r>:' the staff, and the co-opnralion
of ihe able officers placed at the'head
of each of it* ' division*. J he cail.se o{
the ijreat expense at' the former period,
* Soo document 38, (H. R.) l?t rcsaioa I7?h
Coiigrcrs,
1313, '19 '29. and '21, respectively, and
an estimate of the expenses of 1322. It
mav ho proper to add, which I can with
confidence, that the compirative expense
of 182.3, if it could be ascertained; would
he found to bo not less favorable than
1921. It would probably be something
more so.
With these remarks I shall begin with a
comparison, in the first place, between
1921 and the estimate for the army proper
for this year. The average aggregate
strength of the army in the year 1821,
including officers, professors, cadets, and
soldiers, was 9.109, and the proportion
of officers, including the profpssors of the
Military Academy, to the soldiers, including
canets, was 1 to 12 18109, and the
expenditure 2.130 093 dollars ar.d 53 j
cts..* equal fo 203 dollars and 91 cts. for I
ea *h individual. The estimate for the |
army proper for 1912, including the Military
Academy, is 4.513.370 dollars and
15 cts, Tho actual strength of the army,
according to the return accompanying the
messaga at the opening of the session,
was 11.199. Assuming this to be the
average strength for th:s year, and adding
for the average number of the Academy,,
professors and cadets. 305, it will give,
within a very small fraction, 399 dollars
for each individual, making a clilf-'rence
of 133 dollars in favor of 1321. How far
the increase of pay, and tho additional
expense of two regiments of dragoons.
J C-J
comnnred to other descriptions of troops,
would justify this increase, lam not pre
pared to saw In other respects, I should j
suppose, then; ought to ho a decrease ra- '
thor than na increase, as the price of
clothing, provisions, forage, and other !
O T #
articles of supply, as well as transportation,
are, I presume, cheaper than in 1821.
Tim proportion of ofheers to soldier I
wou'd sujipdse to be less in 13'i3, than in
1821, and. of course, as far Ms that'has
influence, the expense of the former ought
to he less per man than the bitten With
this brief and imperfect comparison between
the expense of 1821 and the estimates
for this year, I shall proceed to a
more minute and fuli comparison between '
the former and the year 1837. t -select i
that year, because the strength of the J
army, and the proportion of officers to
men (a very material point as it relates to
the expenditure) is aim >st exactly the!
same.
O i turning to document loo ('I. R.
2 1 session 2fl:h Congress) a letter will ho ,
found iVo n the then Secretary of War,
Mr. Poinsett, giving a comparative statement
in detail, of the expense of the army
lyopcr, including the Military Academy
for the years 18:37, '38, '39 and M3. The |>
1. * #?-. -,u tl ? Mi
was fount! lobe principally in the neglect
of public property, and the application o?'
it to uses not warranted by law. There
is less scope, doubtless, for reformation in
the army now. 1 cannot doubt, however,
but that the universal extravagance which
pervaded the country for so many years,
and which increased so greatly the expenses
both of Government and individuals,
has left much room for reform, in this, as
well as other branches of the service.
In addition to the army, there are
mnnv other and heavy branches of
expenditure embraced under the military
head?fortifications, ordinance, Indians,
and pensions?the expenditures of which
taken in the aggregate, greatly exceed
the army: the expense of all of which,
for the reason to which I have alluded,
may, doubtless, he much reduced.
On turning to the navy, I have not
been able to obtain information which
would enable me to make a similar comparison
between the two period*. in reference
to that important arm ; but I hope,
when the information is received which
has been called for hv the Senator from
Mi ine. [Mr. W ilium*.] ample data will
bo obtained to enable me to do soon some
future occasion. In place of it, I propose
to give a comparative statement of the
expense of the British navy and ours for
the year 1910. The information in refereneo
to the former is taken from a
work of authority, the Penny Cyclopedic,
under the head of * Navy."
The aggregate expense of the British
navy in the year 1845 amounted to 4,980.353
pounds sterling, deducting the
expense of transport for troops and convicts,
which does not properly belong to
the navy. That sum, at 83 80 to the
pound sterling, is equal to 23 905,691
dollars nnd 45 cts. The navy was composed
of 392 vessels of war of all doscrip
tions, leaving out 30 steam vessels itt the
packet service, and 23 sloops fitted tor
foreign packets. Of the 393. 98 wore
line of battle ships, of which 19 were
building; 116 frigates, of Which 14 word
building; 58 sloops, of which 13 were
building; 44 steam vessels, of which 10
were building; and 66 run brigs, schoonefs,
and cutters, of which 12 were building.
The effect"vc fdrCe of the year?that
which was in actual service, consisted
of 3,400 officers, 3 998 petty officers," 12
S4S seamen, and 9,000 marines, making
an aggregate of 29,244. 'fhe number oi
vessels in actual service were 175, of
which 24 were lino ofbnttle snips, 31 frigates,
33 steam vessels, and 45 gdn brigs,
schooners, and cutters, not including the
30 steamers and 21 sloops in the packet
Sf'rvic?*, at an average expenditure of
70 dollars 5 cts for each individual, including
officers, petty seamen, and marines.
Oar navy is composed, at present, according
to the report of the Secretary j
accompanying the President's message,
of 67 vessels?-of which 11 are line of
battleships, 17 frigates, 18 sloops of war,
2 brigs. 4 syhooners, 1 steamers, 3 store
sh:ps, 3 receiving vessels, nnd 5 small
schooners. The estimates for the year
are ma le on the assumption, that there
wil be in service during tho year, 2 ships
the line. 1 razes, 5 frigates. 20 sloops 11
brigs nnd schooners, 3 steamers, 3 store
ships and 8 small vessels; making in the
^'1 iia-,r.1j 'I'hft octimfltpO Puf
^o*?1 ^"f5flir' ww lai * in* woiiiiiimvw .?r.
t!n year, for the navy and marine corps,
as has been s'aled, is 8.705 83, considerably
exceeding one-third of tho entire expenditures
of the British navy for lS4d. i
I nmawaro that there is probably a much
larger expenditure applied to the increase
of the navy in our service than in the
British, in proportion to the respective
forces; and I greatly regret that I have
not the materials to ascertain the difference,
or to compare the expenses of the
two navies, in the various items of budding,
outfit, and pay, and the relative expenses
of the two per man, per gun, and
per ton. The comparison would be highly
interesting, and would throw much
light on the subject of these remarks.
We know our commercial marine mpeis
successfully ihe British in fair competition;
and as the elements of the expenses
of the commercial and naval marine are
substantially the same, in time of peace,
when impressment is disused in the Brit- I
ish service, our navy ought not to hear
an unfavorable comparison with theirs,
on the score of expense. Whether it
does, in fact, lam not prepared to say,
with the materials I have been able to
collect, hut it does seem to me, when I
compare the gre?t magnitude of their
naval ?8 ahli-shnient with ti e sii al nessof
ours, and the aggregate expense of the
two, that ours, on a full comparison, will
ho found to exceed theirs by far, in < x
ponse, however viewed.
I hope what I have stated will excite
inquiry. It is a point of vast importance.
Tf we can hrinc our expenditures to an j
equality, or nearly so, with hers, we may !
then lock forward with confidence to the
time, as not far distant, when, with our
vast commercial marine,) more than twothirds
of the British) we may, with prop,
er economy in our disbursement, and by
omiting the objects of our expenditures
to those whic \ properly belong to this
Government under the Constitution,
place a navy on the ocean, without increase
of htirdon on the people, that will
give complete protection to our coast, and
command the respect o the world. But
if that cannot he done, if our expenses
must neccssar 1/ greatly exceed in pro'
? *U??# />f ilwi fit-wf mnritima nnuinr
ponon iiiiu W. ..... .. ?.? .......
in the worlds it is well it should lie knowji
at once, that we may look In other means
ofdefewer m>d give up what, in that rase,
would lie a hopeless struggle I do not
believe tliat it will 'he found to he the
case. On the contrary, I am impressed
with the belief (bat our naval force ought
1* * *"
on?; and in l:kt rmnner, and for 8 m.lar
reason?, it take* much ess patronage and influence
in proportion, to con'rn) the former
than the l itter. So trie is it, that i regard
it as an a.vom, that the puri y ami duration oI
our free and popular institution^ looking to
the vast extent of country ami i 8 gTat ar.d
giow.ng poj ulation, depend on restricting is
revenues and expenditures, ?nd thereby its
p t'troiiago and mfl ience, to the smallest a.
j mount eons stent with the proper dischargeol
; the few great d ities for wnicii it was instituted,
i To a dep.ir'uro f.om it may be attributed,
in a great measure, the exis.mg d sorders.
With these remarks, I shall now proceed to
give the result of the proposal calculation.
Tho actual expenditures of 1323, <11 ineludjd
except piymontf on account ol-tbo public debt,
amounted to 9 8 .'7.'*32 dollars. 1 hat sum
multiplied hy 75 per cent, th estimated rat o of
I ioo-o:.?? of p. pulation from '23 to yi.is
17 195 Gil !o I r;; wiiir.h on the assumption thx
toe evocnditir i should not iicre.iso mora
r-pinly than the population, ought to Ixi tho
extreme limit* of tiio expenditure of ihis yo.ir.-?
But tha i sfiinat s for tlie year, deduct ng payment
on ncnimt of t'io debt, are. n-j ha* bucn stat-d.
25 997ci5d dollars, being an exc b of fyl98,577
itolljrs, beyond, what, llio expenditures ought 10
be on tho liberal >ca e assumed. Tlie incr *ai;.
instead of being at the rale ot tlie p'?pu uuon, is
oqiiiltu2 63 10' to 1, compared with tin expert.Ijiii
c$ of *823, ami 3$ neatly, romper d wi It
the ratio of the increase of population, li id ti e
ratio of increase not exc.v i. J tint o ijn popu.
lati'm, ti;? w!io'e rxpend-tu'e of the y r, inclt.
ding' the sum ot $7,00 - 0 10 ;or the <1 !>', w old
h ivo bejn but ?'24, 1 Dr: 631, i nt.ed of 33- 937 .
238.
But, as great a? this rodtirtiop, is, it !?y :r >
mean* represents the saving (hat wou'd he
made on the data assumed. The c*j>er.6" of
colleo.'ing tiie rovenue. (of vvh:clt a staterum'has
already been made, as it nines to the
customs ) as well as several otto r item?, less
important, rro not ir.clud- d in the twpendilures,
and must be added, to get the true amount
that would be savu d. The addition, at
the lowest calcu a'ion. would be a million of
dollars, which, added to the $8 498,577, would
in ike the sum of ?9 49^.577. .tnd would reduce
what ought to be the estimates nf the year,
on the ground assumed, to S16 19*,(78l. Toe
Saving isgrea',* but, I feel ontident. riot greater
than what, with a judicious and efficient
syst in of administration, might be effected,
and that not only without imp tiring but actually
increasing, ti e efficiency of the G ivernrnent.
T>> make so great a reduction, would
take much 'iuie and iabor; bu1 if those who
have tue power, and stand pledged, would
b?'g n the good work, much, v ry much, might
be ? on? dirieg the present ?:s* nn. B it if
th k bill, as it now s'andi-. shou d become a
law, I would, despair for too .prison'# I poc
... i? .....-> UV1..F01aml ri vmt rli>.
|f| mr <lll|\-llUI<r. Hi. '1 urii.iv ?.U? ....... ?
tcrmin ttiuti to keen up the expenditures, regard
less of pledges and consequences
Having now shown ho v gr ally the
public expenditures, have ircro iscd since
1823, I next propose to make some re.
marks on the causes that have produced
| it. In the front rank I place the protectivc
tariff, I selected the year 1828,
las I stated in the catly stages of my re|
marks, in part to illustrate the effects of
j that pernicious system in this connection.
[ It is curious to look over the columns of
! expenditures, ander their various heads,
I in the table I hold in mv hand, and note
how suddenly they rose under every head
after each of the tariff acts of 1821 and
1828, until they reached they present
point. (HereJVIr. C. read frotn the table
of the expenditures under each head yenr
by year, from 1823 to 1840, in illustration
- i / I il. i
I of his remark.] Nor is it wonderrm imu
| such should he the effect of the protective
policy. How could it he otherwise? Du.
j ii<>s were laid, not for revenue, hut for
protection. Money was not tfic object.
It was hut an incident; and the party in
fV.vor of the system (a majority in both
Ho uses during the whole period) cared
not how it was wasted. During that
wasteful period, I have heard members of
Congress of high intelligence declare that
it was better that the money should be
burnt or thrown into the occs.n than not
collected; and they spoke in the tma
genius of that corrupting and oppressive
system. In fact, after it was collected,
*? *? * rtf nnrr<tnit\% that it should
I IUVIV " <* * ? V,. J
*
not to cost more in proportion than the
British. In some tilings they may haw
the advantage, but we will be found tc
have equallvgre.it in others.
From these statements it mny be fair.
!y inferred that there is great "fbo'br*Toi
economy, under every head of expenditure.
lam by no means prepared to>ay
what reducti >n may ire effected hy it.
It would require much more time and miaute
examination to determine with precision
any thing like the exact amount;
but it is certain that millions may be
saved, simply by a judicious and strict
system of economy, without impairing in
any degree the efficiency of the Government.
But in order to firm a more definite
conception as to the amount of that
reduction, I propose to add to tho aggregate
expense of 1823 seventy-five per
cent?the estimated increase of the population
of the States since then, which
w.ll give the amount that ought to have
r?
S:en the estimated expenditures for tins
year, on the supposition that the expense
ol (lie Government ought no*, in ord.rmry
times t? increa-e faster than trie population;
and which, deducted fnun the ac
tuai estima o^of t ie year, will show, on
that supposition, to what amount they
ought to have heen red need. But in
making this supposition, I wish it to be
understood, I do not admit that the ex.
penditures of the Government ought to
keep pace with our rapidly increasit g
population. There are many branches
of the public service which ought not to
be, anu have not in fact, been much in
creased with the increase . of population,
and are now, :n point of expansion, very
near'y what they were in H'23. Others arc
more onlarg"d, but it is believed that there
are but few whose growth have be?n greater,
or as great, as lust of our population I
would, in truth, not be rliffi uk to show that
an increase of revenue and expenditures, and
Consequently of pa'ronago and influence, e.
qual to ouF rapidly growing population, rnu-t
almost necessarily end in making the Government
despotic. It is known that it lakes a
much le?-s military force in proportion to sub
ject a large country with a numerous popula
tion, than a small one with an inconsiderable
( bo spent, The collection rrjtif in Hank.
j-TTOtes, and of all nbsurtfities, one of the
i greatest an accun?ulatinn of such an &
article in the public treasury, whether
\vc regard tl?e thing itself, or its effect*
on tiio rommimify and the banks. When
' pushed to a great extent, if roust prove
ruinous to all; and tosuch accumulation in
spite of the most wasteful cxljavngano
! in the expenditures, may l>e attributed, in
| n great degree, the overthrow of the banks,
and the embarrassments of the Govern- ,
ment and country. Rut so Wind wtrw'
| the banks, for the most part, to their
I fate, that they were among the foremost
I to urge on the course of policy destined * \'f
to hasten so greatly their overthrow. Alt
resistance on the part of the minority in
i ('nnrrrfsvi nnnnsed In the SVStem. WftS IIV '
| """ IT- j - I
vain. If Ihr money was saved from one
, objectionable object, it was sure to bo ap- i
plied to some other, and perhaps evei*
1 more objectionuhle, if the sluice of ex* A
1 pendituros was stopped in one place, it
| was rertain to burst through another. '
Under the conviction, that tho struggle
was in vain, so long as the cause remained,.
I ceased in a great measure resistance to
appropriations, and turned mv 'efforts - V
against the cause; a Treasury overflowing
with bank note* to exhaust which was,
the only means 1'ft of staying tho evil. .
It is not my intention to cast tho blame
on either party. The fault lay in the
I system?the policy of imposing duties,
! when the money was not needed, and
! < ol ccting it in a currency, which to keep," 1.
j would have been more wasteful and ruini
ous, if possible, than to spend, however
I extravagantly. It is due in justice to
J the late Administration, to say, that they
I had commerced, in good earnest, the r^j
' work of reform, and that with so much $ag
i success, as to have made a Very consider
| able reduction In the expenditures, to- wards
which no one exerted himself with ^ r
| more zeal or greate r effect than (ho Sen* /dd
i ntor behind me, [Mr. Woodbury, j then
j at the head of the Treasury Department. 2
! It is to be deeply regretted, that what was
J then so wi ll begun has not been contin.
' ued by those who bud succeeded.
It is admitted, on nil sides, that wo ;
mtis! equalize the revenue and expendit
;re<. The scheme or borrowing to mako
up an increasing deficit must, in the end,
if continued, prove ruinous. Already is "r'-:
our credit greatly impaired. It is inipos.
sihle to borrow at home in the present
>tate of things, at the usual rate of inter,
est. The si.t per cent, slock authorized*
at the late session, is now several percentf
below par; and, if we would hnrrn^ in
the home market, it would endanger, the
s dvent banks. It is admitted that a loan
of two millions in Boston has caused the
i present intense pressure there in the
money market. Nor can the foreign
market be relied on, lib our finances are
put in a better condition. Who, in their
present condition, wonhf think*of jeopar- "
| lising our credit by appearing in the Eur. ;;h. v *
{ opean market with United Stales storks/ * 1
j [f is certain, that no negotiation coiild-be
[ effected there fuif at unsurious interest, job
I and on a ronsld' ruble extension of the
time tor redemption ; the tendency of
w hich would he to depress the Stute stock*
and lay the foundation of a permanent
iundcd debt. There remains a not her ol>. _vJeetion,
which sixVd not be overlooked;
he loan wouM be returned in merchand- : Ai
ise, wirh the usual injurious and etnbar*
rassing effects of stimulating the consumption
of the country, for the time, beyond
w hat its exports would permanently 8tl&*
lain.
Nor i? the prospect rrmch better for the gb?M
?
idditional issue of Treasury notes pro.
posed by the bill as amended in the Senate.
They arc now below par, and this
. must still add to their depression; perhaps
| to the same extent to which the six per
| ceTMs are now depressed. The reason is
j obvious. The only advantage which they
! have over stocks in raising a loan, is, that
I they are receivable in the dues of the
j Government, which gives them, ton cer|
tain extent, the character of currency;
; hut that advantage is not peculiar te them.
! As the law now [stands, notes of solvent
| banks are also receivable in the public
(dues. They are, in fact, Treasury notcsr '
| as fur as it depends on receivability, n?
: much so as if each one was endorsed to
I fx received in the dues of the Government
! by an authorized agent. Now, so long
i rs the Government rcce'ves bank notes at
iKoir mvn sml flic banks fas is
| ; * - .... , ,
now the rase) refuse to receive them nt
; par with hank notes, Treasury nofes will , V
| he depressed compared with hank notes,
for the plain reason that tho latter can ^
pay the dehts both of the banks and the
! Government, while the former c?n pay
only the debts of the Government.
In such a state of things* only ? very
small amount of Treasury notes can bo .;j
j use 1 for currency wirhout depressing
i them below par; and when that amount m
J much exceeded, they will sink rapidly to
j the depression of stock bearing the torn*
rate of interest. Very different would
j be the fact, if the Sub Treasury had not
I been repealed. Under it* oporation, tho
Government could at nnv time hove isetreJ
[ what amount it pleased to most a tcmpor. i
ary deficit of the Treasury, at a mere ?
nominal rate of interest, or none at all.
The provision that nothing but gald and
silver, and the paper isaucdon the credit
of the Government, should be received in
the public dues, would have kept them at
par. But ns things now are, it must be
obvious that neither loans in the usual
f . . 3
way, nor Treasury notes, can foe renea
on to make up the deficit, without ruinous
consequences. And here tet mc inform
the Senators on the other side that they
are laboring under a great mistake in sup.
posing that \vc who prefer Treasury notes
to loans te meet the temporary wants
j of the Treasury, are anxious to force the
*f Tkj* faoi im fmr
llSC Ol IllUlII Ull ? v?M - ' * , vlg
crwise. We deeply regret to see you TO# 1
riuced to the necessity of .using them. . ^
We'believe them to be very'useAil and
' - ' -.
^ - v- V ? ,