< eft or Mb rwf - j
s/l0lml'pfl!! '< ' JltsolutIonv ^oric-rnhir 'h ' Tariy
aa I other gr-eat i>'y-c!s of pu jlir policy*
'.' ; * . ' "' / . r .
~~y ? !N~ I;
The repaint :oj?s having been r <a(i?
" Mr. Clay rase and addressed tin; Ker'ntc f
t -?
nearly as fVi!i!o.v-': Mr. l'resichrrt: Tin: i
BP^wVrtfiiKws whii^i have just he'-ri read, ami
which arc ta farm 'he subject of the present
^discussion, are of the <rrcatest importance, in>-'r
Evolving interests of the highest character, and
Ka system of policy, wnich, in mv opinion, lies
at the bottom of any restoration of the pr- sSh'.
parity of the country, la discussing them,
I would address myscjf to you in the language ;
<$? ?of plainness, ni suborn^ss, and tru'h. I did i
- - hot come here as if I were entering a garden
V-' fu I of .flowers and of the richest shrubbery, to {
? cull the to*-roses, the japonic*?, the jasmines
S^'Sii.! woodbines, and weave them into a garland |
jP*h<: t.rthc gayest colors, that bv the beauty ot j
their assortment and by their fraganee I may I
*?*V fair ladies. Nor is it my wish?it i? j
tar, from my wish?to revive anv subj ects of I
% party character, or which might be ralcu- j
.heed to renew the animosities which unhnp- '
^Hptfnfyhave hitherto prevailed between the two j
Bfegpijcat pol tical parties in ll.e count;y. My '
Fx :n<V?cjsfar different froni this; it is tOR^rah ;
. - to you o^lhe sadcotid'tion of our country?to |
rw'int nut n*j^?" >? n'n'tr-and nfigmal, hut >be I
p-oxim'ate, Hiejbiumcdiate causes wnich have I
* 1 -~.im 1.1-..i.. '
JirouiKeti "n'-'jr i" v.?/u i:mi *>?. VA< - i
tresses, and to sujTgVl a n rjicdy. I f any <>n<\ i
in or nut of J*e cWate, has imagined it to '
bo my im?n; i??u, on t^s occasun, to indulge
iy; in any ambitious dispia? of Isegmtgc, to ai- j
t',~ tempi any rhetorical or to deal in any
yMrt tigures lb ii hgures tjf ahMini-trc, he
will hit*! himself j;reH?^v disappointed.?
The fanner, if ho is a jyicioiis man, tire* i
tint bog-in to jirtfmtfh tinHi has first laid !
??. off his land. and marked it off at proper ;
; distances bv planting stakes by xvnich his I
v- ploughmen art; robe guj/ed in their move
v . ineiifs; and the pfou$wnaii areordingh
, fixes his eve upon the ;Jtuke opposite to
: ^ the v::d of the destinc^Wiirrovv, and then ,
endeavors {?.> to.yh jAp^y a ctr---ight nn?i ;
direct furrow. ro*ol'tiior,s are my j
ai:il\i>-. if?
Bu.t, before 1 p< fljfreed tn examine U?eni, j
Jet we first mem-Ad obviate certain oli
jcciion* i nnrierslarid, have
brx-n ormav hejnrHed against them gen.
. ftrallv, 1 lewpdVihat it h ?ae| of these
resolutions fW-it they present onlv genera!
Impositions, ami - instead of this. I
at once have in'roduced separate
(FbitU, and entered it?to detail a.:;d shown
rein"what manner I propoec to accomplish
the objects which tno resolutions propose.
jLnt mw here snv, in reply, that the anctSXt
principles and mode of legislation !
- wTiioh has ever prevailed from the foun'
/la'ion of'fhts (?nvcrmcnt. has been to fix ;
i^vWprs* noon the; general principles which ar?' j
vieV?>tjT?fryuis antf then to carry out thesi ,
^ principles bv detailed legislation. Such j
.. -.has ev>r h- en the course pursued, no,
rue , o ;u!rV pom which we
fur legislative institutions but in our i
? Br M o (. . I
HHti^rrT. The mnmortirib resolution. otTercd
in the Brutish House of Commons by thcelebrated
Mr'. Dunning is n-? doubt farn-*
' '' - ; 1 -c .i _i ..,i...
BjSBjk-JH.'ir ro me ininu oi every out?mni wi<
Wfc^rfwer of the Cro.^n (and it is equally
, true of our own Chief Magistrate) had increased,
was mcrer-sing. and ought to he
. tii'uii ished.;' When I was a member of
8r?f?ther legislative bo<lv, which meets is.
ttie opposite extremity of th's Caprol i' i
w as the eourse, in rVfcrer.ee to the prea j
^ . questions of ..interna! improvements and 1
other leading measuroy.nf pri!?li?r- policy, to |
propose specific resolutions going to mark i
the principalsoi the aetion whichoughl |
to he adopted, and then to carry on' these j
[ principles hy subsequent enactments.?
Another objection urged, as f under- |
t v stand, against one of (hese resolutions j
which is this: that'Bv the Constitution no i
, r hi!! for raising revenue can originate any :
where l> A m the Ifouso of tl"pre>cnta K.'r
tives. It is true that we cannot originate
i&z: such a lull; hut undoubtedly, in conle.m
jd.iiie.g the condition of the public p. flairs i
'-v T . n.'iv! in the right consideration of all ones- 1
lions loiieiiing'tlie amount of the jcvenne '
v and the modem which it shall be r s :d .
"and involving the great questio: s f ex '
s - pvudlture and retrenchment, and. how far ,
'rr. the expenses of the Government mav
X; ae VIv and properly be diminished. it is j
perfectly legitimate for us to deliberate
and to act as duty may demand. There \
-i l * ? it . I
i *'^in be no qucs ;on mi! mar, norm;; cic
. present session of X-'ongrr-ss. a bill ofrevn ,
i.-.ue will be sent to us from rho niher i
* House; and if, when it comes wo shall
first have gone through with a consul'* . '
Ii.?n of the general subject, fixing the
principles of policy proper to be pursued in I
relation to it, it will greatly economise the I
time of the Senate and proportion;! hi v !
K; haven large-amount of luo public ino.J
JW'V.
Perhaps no better mode can be pursued
of (lisciiVmg the rcsolat nns I have had
(ltd honor to present, than io take them :
up in the order of their arrangement, as I
presented them to the Senate, after truich
deliberate consideration.
' v , -The first resolution declares?
.-** That it is the duty ?f the General
: - ? *?r. . .. . ..i..j
\ TOVf.'i'nillt.'Il l, I", viijiuiiviif." :. > (i . i; I i 11-- I
< 1 ri;trn!ion. to providv an ai'--<jii:tte revenue
within th?v yt'itc i-'? rmot ,lie rornnf ox.
pttiHfg of lbs Vifir: and tl?M r.r?y. rxjto-.)
* ,s (liont, ritiu." i:y 4o.'in or Tr< rrm;.' ? .,u:d,
! ? *up{;iv, in h.;;t:of ptiivii, :: !i<:ict)r\
of rovdnmt,'< ^eciativ dining g iv'yHjtsivo
Y Cat's. i:-> unwise, a;.!.! :in<-i i -iui t?i j>criucious
s. ' ?
f hav^r\rii it n.s.jsrto 1 t'int fh?-? ri'so
lnjipn.j* i? i: u Jiy.tsm. li'so, t to
>fny'th>?t ii is. out: irotu whieU (icvcrji.
ioo ?)ftvn and from which
th?s Sj!^S?8? fffJffffSfl
(t.i- ; tiur-l^. >Lu'6; -N*?5 *'ir
' ' *! '* ' "
IniS37, nMho c::!!:! session, instead r
oT iihposing the rcq lisito Rnjount <>f taxe> r
on the free articles, accordeny; to the pro- x
visions of the compromise act, what was t
the resort of the Administration? To Trea
??irv notes. And the same expedient of \
Treasury note.? was ever since adopted, 1 r
from year to war to supply the dificit ae- t [
cruint;; of necessity this policy cast upon | I
the administration succeeding an ar.ascor- t ^
*'
lained unliquidated, debt imlucn>t* a ne- ! I
cessitv on the Administra.noD to have re. ; '
sort to the same means of'simply. i (
I do not r.dvcFf to those facta xvith any | ]
purpose of' rim motion. Far from it.? j<
For wo have reached that s'nte of the j '
puhiic adairswhon the country lies hir ed-' <
<u |?uio, <tii? wri^n. H.N i u?irnoM? |
ly hope and trust. we shall, bv common i
omvscnfc, ditfpcticn with our party preju- 1 1
dives and aj/rfce to took at any measure
lor tive public relief as patriots njvl s'n'es
men. I s;rv, then, that duriujr the fourj
years <> the ndmioistiation of .Mr. Yanji
Huron, there was an excess of exprndi- i
ture over the income, of (he Government i
to the amount of hetrwesn seven ami ei^hl ;
millions ot Holla's; ajid 1 sriv that it was 1
(lie duly of liict A minims! ration, when j
thev found this deficit to exist in the rove- ;
owe, to have recourse to the adequate I
remedy by la\iri?f the requisite amount !
of taxof on the free articles to meet and j
supply t ito deficiency.
1 shall nolhio.'j more on the firs! ;
resolution, because 1 do hope, that' whatever
t'ip previous practice of this Govern j
meat >uav have beer, there is no sennror (
hero xv/m will hesitate to concur in the f
trulb ol']tiie guneial propositions it con- I j
tni I
'i'l'e next three resolutions all relate to j
f?0 same general subject*?subjects which j
a consider innHt the most important of any !
I here set forth; and I shall, for that reason, ;
consoler them together.
The second resolmion asserts?
That such an adequate revenue can- 1 i
not be obtained by duties on foreign im- j j
ports without adopting a higher rate than j |
twenty j?r-r cent., as provided for in the! )
''Ottipromise act. which, at tt;e time of ?is^
passage, was supposed and assumed as a'*
rate that wouldsupplv a sufficient revenue <
for uneconomical administration of the
Government." j
The third resolution concludes?. I
" That the rate of duties on foreign im. , j
ports ought not to he augmented beyond
the rate of twenty per cent, so as to pro- 1 i
luce a nett revenue of twenty six mi'lions j j
<?f dollars?twenty*tw.) tor the ordinary |
1 I
expenses of Government, t wu for the Go*'- !
-rnment, two for the payment of the e\is. (
ting debt, and two millions as a reserved ;
fund for contingencies." t
Tlio fourth resolution asserts? j
That, in the adjustment of a tariff to |
raise an amount ol twenty?:ix millions of ; <
revenue, the principles of the compromise j t
act generally should he adhered to; and 1 1
that especially a maximum rate of nd va- i r
iorerp duties, from winch there o*i<*ht to I
be n? little departure as-possible," /j
The first question wdiich these resold, r
?t(?us suggest is tills: \N ..at should bo the I j
amount <?f the aun.ua! expenditures of: $
Ills Goveroiiieut ? Now, on this point, t
(shall uol attempt, u hut is impossible to ! |
be exact and preri-? in steting what that t
.nay be. We canoniy make an npprox- !?
:mafi'>n. No ?n an. in bis ; rivatc nffa|rs, ! [
an say, or prelend- to say, at (be h"go.-t
ning of the year, precisely* what shall be j t
the amount of his expenses during the j t
eir : that must dep? nd on inauv uufore- j ^
*ei i, contingencies, which cannot with j
any precision be calculated beforehand: j }>
all tiuii car. be done is to make an auprox. n
imalion to what ought to he or what mav ! n
C * '
be the amount. j a
lie fore I consider fhsf question, allow me e
to correct, here, an assertion made first r
by the Senator from South Carolina, j a
(Mr. Calhoun,) andsubsequently l?y the t
Senator from Missouri near mo, (Mr. s
Linn.) and I believe by one rr two other j s
gentlemen, viz. that tin; Whig party. | :i
when out-of power, asserted I lint, if trusted ! \
w ith the helm, they would administer this c
Government at an amount of expenditure hot
exceeding $13.U00,()O0. I hope, if r
Mich no assertion was actually made by f
either or nil of these gentlemen, that it t
Will never he repeated again without ir
reporting to proof t?> sustain it, 1 know f
t:r no such position ever taken by the \
Whi" party, or by any prominent member t
of the Whig party. Sore I am thai toe ,
party generally* piedgeu jiselt to no s..eu i
reduction of tiie pubJo' expense? none. <
And I again say that i Irusl. before such t
' o - . r.. .?;n
an assertion i< repealed, ?.., ,
l)e adjured. For in this case, asm ethers, |
that widen is asserted ami rCimi'.ucd enrru-s
at ins! to he believed. The Whig party r
did pro;rdse econ unv and retrenchment, i
Uiid i tsust wii! perform their promise* I ?
deny (in no offensive sense) that (h,' t t
Whig party ever promised to reduce the ' t
expenditures of Ii-is Government to fliir* ! r
tccn millions of dollars. i\oj but this : [
was what they said i during the four years ' r
.of rho Administration of Mr. Adams the i
average amount of the puhlie expenditure in
was but thirteen millions, and you charged j ,
that administration with outrageous ex- i r
travagance, and came yourselves into; *
power on promises to reduce tho annual J (
expenditure ; but, ha\ ing obtained power, t
instead of reducing the public expenses, f
you carried them up to liie astonishing ]
amount of near forty' millions. But, ; i
white the Whigs never asserted that they j;
n ?j,?;?ik.|OP ,f1M Government with (
IVIJiliU ilWlinii ijivi
thirteen millions, o\r opponents, our re- i
sperted opponents, alter having been throe . i
yearn in pna-rr, instead of bringing (he !
expanses below (he standard of,Mr. Ad-J s
i aius's Administration, declared that fifteen
millions was the amount at which the ex- i
( pendiitires should he fixed. This was the i
!'crround laken by Mr. Mcl.ane, when he i
wasattliC head of the Treasury. I have j
his report before rrie; hut as the fact. I i
: presume, nil! not bo denied; I forbear to ]
.... \ '
#
imount to bo ratseJTiy the tariff* he had
imposed, th? sum of fifteen, millions of
lollars as gulfiment to meet the wants o!
lie Government.
I hope now 1 have shown that tin
OTiig pait v, before they obtained power,
te^er were pledged to bring down the
mblrc expense?* t ilher to th rteen or to
ifleon millions. They were pledged, I
ulmil, to retrench unnecessary expendores,
Ttnd to make a reasonable dedue
ion wlvf/verit eool J ?roperly he m d
onsistently with the public service: thm
process, as 1 understand, is now going
jn in both Houses, and I trust the fruits
w.ll lie seen before the end of the present
session.
Unpledged, therefore, as the Whig
party whs, as to any specific amount.
I he question recurs, at what sum can
the expenses of the Government be now
o io
nxeof
I repeat that the exact amount is
difficult to be ascertained. I have stated
it iu the resolution I new otfer at twenty
?wo million*; and I shall ?nnn shew how
I have arrived at that amount. But, helore
I do that, allow mo to call the attention
of the Senate to the expenditures ot I
the proceeding Administration; for, in at- \
tempting to fix a sum for the future, 1 i
kuoA oj no course but to look hack upon j
toe experience of the p.-!sf,i jmd then to
endeavor to deduce !r'?rn if the probable
amount of future oxpcditnres Wliat,
then were the expenditures of the fo'ui
years of the past Administration?
In 1837 ilie amount was $37 205 035 15
In 1838 it was 39.455,438 35
In 1839, 39,355,438 35
In 1840 28,226.533 81
.1/hking an a^'TCgate of ^142,561.941 46
\\ iiich gives us an average per year of
$35,810.430 33. f
The sum 1 have proposed is only twenty
two millions, which, deducted from thir
tv-tive as above, leaves a reduction of
$ 13,6 ll).000--bcing a stun greater than
O O
-ivArntm ev oendit itrr* of the t'X
" "",w w. - j
Iravagnnt and profligate administration of
Mr. Adams, winch they told ys was so :
mormons that it must be reduced by a
^reat retrenchment and reform."
I am not here going to inrj.dte into the
terns which composed rhe large expendiures
of iho four years of .Mr. V an Buren's
tdminioiralioij. I know what has been
raid, and will again be said, on that subeel?that
there were many items of exlendituro
which may never occur again.
Hut it so; but do we not know that every [
Vdrninistration has its extras, and that |
hose may he expected to arise and will i
ind must arise under every Administra-'
ion beneath the sum ? But take this also
nto view in looking at the expense's of
hat Administrations: tnat less was ex pen
led on the national defences?lost? in the (
:on.-tiaction or repair of fortifications? !
ess for the navv, and less for other means 1
>f repelling a foreign attack, than, pernips,
ought to have been expended. At ;
ire-sont we are all animated with1, a coin- ,
non zoal and determination on the sub- j
oct of defence; all feel the necessity of!
lome adequate plan of defence, as well
ipon the ocean as the land, andespecialy
of putting our navy and our fortifica10ns
in a halter state to defend the honor
ind protect the rights of the nation. We
eel this necessity, although we all trust
hat fbe calamity of a war may be aver
ed. This calls for a greater amount of i
? i' - ?I... .? ..ii.oocoo lh:in ll*:i <5 nr?. '
00111*y l"r lUUSU pill k?nu " UK * f
iropnaled under Air. Van Buren'sadminstralion;
beside which, in ihe progress of
flairs, unforeseen exigencies may arise,
ind do constantly occur, calling for other
impropriations jeodcd, winch no man can
nticipatc. Every ministry in every Goviriuucnt?every
Administration ot our
wn Govorniuent, has its extraordipanes
ind its contingencies: and it is no npolngy
or Mr. Van Buren's administration to
;av that the circumstances which occnlioned
its expenditures were extraordinary
tud p culiar. Making all the allowances
vloch iis warmest friends can ask for the
sxpensos of the inglorious war in Florida
?a contest which has profusely wasted
lot only the "csources of the Treasury,
nit the best blood of the nation?making
ho amplest allowance for this and for all
?tlior extras w hatever, the sum expended
th.. Im>i 4tlministralion still remains to
^ - . . J
>e Ikr. far beyond what is proposed in ;
h?.\-e re so in tin os as snfiicicnl i'or the ore- j
lent, and for years lo come. If must !
n candor, be conceded that this is a very )
rreat diminution of the national expcndi-1
aire; and such, if nothing else were done,
.v?>iiUi redeem llit> pledge o( ilie W hig j>.ir- >
: V.
But let us now consider the subject in !
mother light. Thirteen millions was the.
iverage annual amount of expenditure
inder Mr. Adam's administration, which
crminated thirteen years ago. I should
;o iiuthori/.ed, therefore, to take the comlicn.'Rrnent
of his administration in 1825,
>eing a period of seventeen years, in !
naking a comparison of tho progressive I
iicreasc of the national expenditures; or, J
it all events, adding one-half of dfr.
Vdain's term, to take 'he period as rjnling
fifteen years back ; but I shall not
i vail myself of this perfectly fair calculaion;
and I will therefore sav, tbi.1* at the
rui of thirteen years, from the time v?'.hen
he expenditures were thirteen millions, i
[ propose that thev bn mined to twenfv\vo
millions; And is this tin extrnordin- '
1 ? -'Cvi. ox..It a Mnrinfl I ri a . /-win i
IrV HKTCtfsv IUI >
i v of such rapid increase and develop- !
neat as fhis is? What lias oceured dur 1
rig this lapse of lime? The army has .
>cen doubled, or nearly so ; it has increa;ed
from a little over G 000 men to 12,000.
We ha-.e built six, eight, or ten ships of
he line. (I do not recollect tho precise
lumber;) two or three new States have
ie?*n add'd to the Union; and two period,
cul enuineraliors have been made of the
rational population; besides which there
lave been, and yet are to he, vast expen
uu kvu."ft.s ui jbrttdcatiyn uu?
tio.nal defence. Now when we look at |
the increase in the number of members in !
both Houses of Congress, and consider [
the necessary and inevitable progress '
and growth of the nation, is it, I ask, as
extraordinary thing that at the end of a
period of thirteen years our expenditures
should increase from thirteen to twentytwo
millions of dollars? If we take the
periol at seventeen years, (as we fairly
may,] or at bet fifteen years, the increase
of expenses w ill be found not to go beyond j
I ho proportional increase ot our population
within the same period. That increase I
is found to he about four per rent, annually;
and the inn ease of Government expenditures,
nt the rate above stated, will
not exceed that. 1'his is independent of
any augmentation of the army or navv,
of the addition of new S'ttes and Territories,
or the enlargement of the numbers
in Congiess. Taking the addition, at the
tftul of thirteen years, to he nine mdlions
of dollars. it will give an annual eve age '
increase of nhout $5700,000. And 1 think
that the Government of no people, young,
free, and growing as is this nation, can.
under circumstances like ours, be justly
charged with rashness, recklessness, or
extravagance, if its expenses increase,
but at lac rate oi 8700 000 per annum.
It our posterity, alter iheir numbers shall
have >weiled to one hundred millions,
shall find thai their expenses have augmented
in no greater ratio than this, thev
will have no cause of complaint of the
profu.seness or extravagance of their Goveminent.
But it should be recollected that while
I have fixed the rate of expenditure at the
sum I have mentioned, viz. twenlv-two
millions, this does not preclude further re
ductions, if they shall be found practice j
tile, after existing abuses have been ex ;
plored and all useless or unnecessary ex- !
pendifureu have heen lopped of F. .j
The honorable Senator from Smith :
Caroliuu (Mr. Calhoun) has favored -.?
on moro occasions than one, wi:h nn ac.
cou it of the reforms he ufrhcled when at
the head of the War- Department
of the uccounts of the rrfo ms
meo. certainly, can he less disposed than
I am to deprive him of a single feather
which he thinks he put in his cap by thai
operation. But what does he tell us was
his experience in this business of retrenchment
? lie tells us what we all know to
be true?what everv father, every house
holder, especially finds to he true in his
own case?(hat it is much easier to
plunge into extravagance than to reduce
expenses; and it is pre-eminently true of
a nation. Every ration finds if far easier
to rush into an extravagant expenditure
of the money entrusted to its public ag nts |
than to bring down the public expendi- ;
tures from a profuse and reckless to an
economical standard. All useful and
salutary reforms must he made uith care j
and circumspection. The gentleman
from South Carolina adnii's that the re- ;
forms he accomplished took him four years !
to bring about. Il was not till alter four j
years of constant exertion that he \ias
enabled to establish a system of just hc- j
eountability, and to bring down the ex j
pensesot tnearmy to mai average. per
man, to tvl ich they were at length reduced.
And now, with all his personal knowlodge
of the difficulties of such a task,
was it kind in iiirn, was it kind or fair in
his associates, to taunt us, as tnev have
done,t)V already asking, "where nretho,
reforms von promised to accomplish when
you were out of power?"
(Mr. Calhoun heie rose to explain, and
observed that what ho had again and a. ,
gain said on the subject ol reforms was
no more than this, tnat it was time the
promised reforms should begin; it was .
time they should begin; and that was all,
he now asked.]
4 II L_ _ l__ ,t._ ,
Very well; il mai is nu ne ?***, uiu
genflemun will not he disappointed. Wu
couiu not begin at I ho Extra Session; it
could not tit?*1 reasonably he expected of'
us; for what is the duty of a new Admin
istration when it first comas into the p?s.
session of power? Its immediate and ,
pressing car* is to carry or? the Government;
to become acquainted with the ma- ;
chirm; to look how it <mts in its v.?ri?
parts, and to take care that it shall not
work injuriously to the public interest.
T.iey cannot, at once, look .hack at the
past abuses; it is not practicable to do so:
it must have time to look iniothe pigf-onholes
of t he various bureaux, to find rut
what has been done, and what i* doing.
Its firs I great duty is to keep the machine j
of Government in regular motion. Il j
could nor, therefore, }>c cxpeetod that ;
Congress would go into a thorough process
of reform at the Extra Session. Its '
peculiar object then was to adopt m?asures
of immediate and indispensable relief
to the People and to tho Government.
B-sides which, the subsequent misfortunes
of the Whig party were well known.
President Harrison occupied the Chair of i
State but for a single month; and fhe :
members of his Cabinet left it under circumstances,
woioh, let me here say do
them the highest honor. I do not enter
upon (he inquiry whether the state ol j
things which they supposed to exist did |
actually exist or not; but, believing it to J
exist, as they did, their resignation presentsoneof
the most signal examples of
the sacrifice of the lienors and emoluments
of high station, nt great
expense and personal in convenience,
and of noble adherence to honor
and good faith, which the history
rifnny country can show. Hut I may
justly claim, not only on behalf of the re.
tiring Secretaries, hut for the whole Whig
party, a stem adherence to principle, in j
ulter disregard of the spoils doctrine, and ,
nf nil those baser motives and consHera- j i
lions which address themselves to some j
men with so great a power. I say, then, j
thtii the late Extra Session was no time <
tc achieve a great and extensive and difficult
reform throughout tho departments j'<
of the CToverc merit : a" process like that '
..J_
can be attempted only during a regular fi
session of Congress ; and do not gtntle. I
men know tliat it is now in progress, by I
the faithful hands to which it has here <
and elsewhere in Congress been commit- <
ted ? and that an e.xtrnord nary committee I
has been raised in this body, insomuch '
that to effect it the Senate has somewhat ;
shot from its usual and appropriate orbit
by establishing a standing Committee of
II rtrenchment ! If the honorable Sana
tor from South Carolina took four years
to bring down the expenses of the War
Department, when under his own immediate
superintendence, I may surely, with
confidence, make my appeal to his sense
of justice and liberality to allow us at least
two years before he reproaches us with a
failure in a work so much more extensive.
1 wiil now sav that, in suggesting the
propriety of fixing the annual average expenditure
of this Government at twenty- j
two millions of dollars, from this time and
for some years to come, it is not my pur- j
puso to preclude any further reductions:
of expense by tlie dismissal of useless ! |
officers, fhe abolition of useless institutions ,
and the reduction of unnecessary or ex- i
travagant expenditures. No man is more
desirous than I am of seeing this Govern- i
merit admini-tered at the smallest possible
expense consistent with trie duties entrusted
to us in the management of our
public intt rests both at-home and abroad.
None will rejoice more if it shall be found
practicable to reduce our expenses to
eighteen to fifteen, or even to thir'yn
millions. None, I repeat if, will rejoice
in such a triumpa of economy more heartily
than I. None.?none.
, But now allow me to proceed to state i
by what process I have readied tlvsu.,*'!
of twenty.two :ni!li"Ufl. as prog;**-?* jn tin-1:
resolution i have off,'red.
The .Secretary the Treasury has
presented us estimates for the current
year* mdapondent of permanent t:.\ pauses
of a milli-ui and a half, amounting to about
twenty-four and a half millions, which
may he stated under the following heads,
viz:
For (he civil list, foreign intercourse, md 1
miscelh neons, ?1.003,967 65
For the War Department, including al!
branches, 8 705.579 83 |
Naval service, 8,705 579 83 (,
* i ,
824.424 358 89 j 1
And here let me say a single word in M
defence of the army. T ?e Department I 1
of War comes fo u* with estimates for ;
the sum of$ 11,717,791 27; and th s w jo
look onlv on the surf ice of things may \
suppose (hat this sum is extraordinarily i
large; but there are m inv items in that >
sum. I have before me a statement no. '
1
inn to show that of that mum only four
millions are asked for the ;niht-ry service j
proper, a sum less than is demanded for. ,
the naval service j.- >per, ar.d oplv double t
the amount at which it stood when th" t
honorable gentleman from South Carolina '
left the Department. The sum was then 1
about $2,000,090: it is now not quite Si,- *
000,009, while during the same period,
the army has been nearly doubled, besides .
the raising of mounted regiments, the
most expensive for that very reason of j t
any in the service. I think thut the gen- 1 '
tleman Irom South Carolina, if he looks 1
into the subject in de ail, will find that:
the cos? pf the army is not at tiiis hour j
greater, per man. than it was when it j
was under his own personal adm'eistra- j
tion. So fam informed; and that, al- |
though the pav has been raised adoll.r
a rronth. which has very largely augmon.
-i *!.. ... " 1
leu litti t \ ;n;in i; sii c.
The Executive branch of the Government
has sent in estimates amounting, in ,
all. to twenty four and a hair millions of |
do! urs, for the service of the current vea*. j i
which; with the million and a half of per- | 1
nnnent expenditure, makes twenty-six : I
*
millions. How much is to he a Ided to
that amount for appropriate s not yet
e tunated which may he made during the (
session by Congress, to tree' honest r
claims, and for other objects of a public s
nature} [ remember one item proposed 3
L?v my fj lend near me (*>lr. M.uigum) for !
,i rpnrter of a million for the building of *
a steamship, an item nor included in the i .
estimates, but for which the Senate has {
already apprnpr nfed: besides winch there i
are various other items which have passed i
or vi ill puss during the present SMSsion.
When I he honorable gentleman from '
New Hampshire was at the head of the j
Treasury, he made, in his coin nuuica- (
tions to Congress, constant complaints of ,
tins very practice Me well remembers i
that he was ever complaining that the ex 1
penditurcs of Government were swelled 1
far beyond the Executive estimates, by
appropriations made by Congress not v.h- ,
timated for by the Departments. I have
calculated that we shall add to tin; twenty. ]
six millions of dollars estimated tor by ;
the Executive Departments, or permau- (<
ently required, at least one million and a !
half, which would raise the sum for this ,
year to twenty-seven millions and a halt*, j ,
' . t : '
How t!:en do I propose to onng mis ,
down to twenty-two millions? I have, I ;
own, some lears that we shall not he able ;
to effect it; but I hope that we shall so <
far reduce the estimates and prevent un- ^
npcessary appropriations that the total 1
expenditure shall not exceed that amount. !
The mode in which I propose to reach ,
such a result is this: I suppose we may 1
effect a reduction of the civil list to the s
amount of half a million. That general i
head includes, among o her things, the 1
expenses of the two Houses, and, as I '
have heard, the other House has already (
introduced a report, which, if adopted,
will rut down those expenses one h ind ed i
thousand dollars, though I think that th v J
should he reduced much mora. I estimate I
then, fhree-and a half mtlllions for.-'the.M
civil list instead of four millions; then-1
estimate nine millions for the Witr Hp--,
lartinent instead of S i 1.7 i 7 000. ~ n!.
conversation which I ft five lardy hd<M .
witlr the chairman of the Mifftjry C'onr- jt
V V ft ' ' I
miffee of this body, he expressed the npr>rehension
that it could not be reduced
beW ten millions, but I hope it may b? . >
in down to nine. As to the naval service,
the es i nates of the D< partmcnt for
that branch of the service amount to #3,.
707 500; an amount I think far too highf
and indeed quite extravagant. I was
greatly astonished at learning the amount ^
was so large. Still I know that the Navy
is the favorite of ail, and justly : ?t is tJ e
boast of the nation, and o.ir great r. .
source and chief depeodi nee in the contingency
ot a war; no man thinks for a
moment, of crippling or disabling, thw
right arm of our defence. But I have
supposed that without injury the appropri
fiori asked for might he reduced from 8,- T
707,500 to 80,500.000. This would put
the redaction in the na* a! on a fontinz
with that in the military appropriation, "
and stHl-Jeave a greater appropriation than '-ft*
usual to that department. The reduction
to six millions and a half is as large as w
I think will he practicable, if we are to
provide for proprsed experiments in the
ippl\a'ion of a earn, and are, besides, to
add largely to the marine corp.%
JI >w, then, v ill the tot il of our ejtpen*
(lit ores: t snd? We shall have?
For the civil and diplomatic expenses.
of the Government 83.500.000 'J*jm
For the military service 9,000 000
For permanent appropriation 1.500 000 "C
For the n.iV.il :-e;vic3 0,500,000 For
appropriations not included in the
eslinifttes l,50'i.*?tf0
Making r?n aggre^r.ie >f 82*2.000,000
To this o?."nnt 1 suppose and hope our !
may he reduced, until, on due ,
investigation, it shall ho difec -vered that^g
Ntdl further reduction* may he effi cted.
VVr-lJ then, huv ;ig fix-d the am >u .t atHggS|j|
twenty.two rrnlliciis l??r the ordinary current .,]3m
expenses ol ti-wernrncul, 1 have supp<-seu it- r'gp
necessary and proper in add two millions more j
to make provision tor the payment of the- ex*.
.fling National dob*,. which if, in the ev- nt of'ri
the loan being taken up seven eeit millions.
And then 1 go on to add two millions moro rr;$
as a preserved fund, to meet continge-chs; v
so that should there be a temporary raj
the expenditure beyond twunty-two millions, . ;]./
i?r any sudden emergency should occur which
coiflrd not be anticipated or calculated on, "
[here may be the requisite means in theTn a- i
snry to meet it. Nor has there been a single
Secretary at the head of the Treasury since '
Ihe davs of Mr. G til itin. including the reape."
Ubie jren'leman f orn New Hampshire o {**- i
it ", (Air. Woedoury,) who has not held and *3?
expressed il?e Opinion that a r< s r.-<i u J is
lit h!y 'Xuedieut and propor for co .t ngot.c.es.
Ih.e i propose that twenty, two millions <4ialrj0 -<0
lie appropriated for Ordinary exp D ?'s. two j
m :lu?n'! more to provide for the public debt,
nid otln-r two mthi'uis a'reserved ai.iu lo meet
?on.uigeucies; rniknig in all twenty.mx inil-ja
Tne next inquiry which present* it*"!r fa, ;
low this amount ought to be raised/ There - fine
two m?d?s of estimating the revenue,
>e derived from foreign m, orts, anil pijhcr of ' I
hem present-i only ground for a Ciwjoctnra J e?ult;bu
so iluo'.u mrig is the course of con?,
nerce, that every one must see it to lie itiipos.
ii: le to estimate, with precision, the exact a. ^
nount of what it will yield. In forming my
?sti nate I have taken the amount of exports
is presenting the best basis of calcu'a ior.
Rut li^re let me add, that at the T e sury i
t -'V have taken the in?ports as the basis; and i?
I am gr i ifii d to be able to sta'e that I Und ^
s'and jo comparing the results arrivnd at, *{- J
IMO g ' Hit: uaitui iiiiiiio nvis mwi *v
c-iii ert tiios??j of the S cretarytun out to!?? *|
very nearly, it not exactly, tl.e *am? with
rtiojp to w.nch I have been conducted. I
wi I here scale why it is ! hare fak n the ex* -m flj
p r's as thegr >011(1 <f my calculations, ?dd?ng
I er !o fifteen p>-r cent. for profits. The exports
are one means of ui ikiug foreign pur- i
chases. Their value s ase'etayn-d at the
por's of exportation, under the act of 18211
and the returns generally present the same
value. Tnc price of cotton, as an example *t
home, is always rrgulvrd by the price in the
Liverpool market Itf.d'owa, therefore, that ;<-j?y
taking the value of any c<>mmod.iy al| the
il.ee of its export, you reach its value ; for, if
he price r-'ahz d aoroad by sometimes above
tn i sometime* below that amount, th>* excels
nid deficiency will probably neutralize each ?5
>ther. This is the fa r- st mode for another ?
ason : I fin any one year more foreign goods
thai! be ptirciu.sed ban hJ export* of that -nVSjjtjffi
r??ar would pay for, aercdit s created abroad ,
vh h must he extiuguisnd by the exports > . I
ouie su; CO :<ling year. '
[ Wr. B . man :n .here inquired if any deduc.
ion had been-made by .1/ . Clay from the ex- 9
to pay the imprest, &c. on American \?|
lebt lieid abroad. Mr. C. replied that tha
Senator would presently see thai he had.] M
1 think the .Senate wni agree wi:h me, if* tiffin
assuming that the exports form a more correct
and reliab 'c standard of estimation than the
nmvrtrta hi,wrvrr t!.at mav be. the ac. (dental
coincidence between the results arrived at in
nther mode fortifies and proves the calculation i
itseil to have been founded in correct pnnci.
pies. Thope results, as shown by the Secre- f{
La*y of the Treasury, are now, I believe, in
the House ; and 1 regre ted that I could not
examine them before 1 rose io address* the
Senate.
I Will now show you that the exports from
[8:*fi to 1841, incl isive, a period of six years.
imoiint to $621 (K>4 12 \ being an average
LnnuO amount of $103,500,687. Thai I 7i
ake as psesentmg a safe ground of calctilaions
tor the fuluru. To this I prrtfxwe to add
iheen per cent, tor profits?fn which! do but
ollow Mr. Swing, the hue Secretary, in
eport itrh^ Sara Shssioir. It is certainly J9B
i great profit, (I include of course all expenses a
md charges uf every kind,) and with this ad- .ft*!*
iition, the annual amount will be 8H8.95&-ftB B
187, say 111) millions. Deducting, for the
interest and principal of the American debt
ibroad, ten millions per annum, it will leave
j nett amount of 109 millions. There can ba -V^lj
j:?Af j,,,!, i HmIoc*
HI UlSpUlC C ? Hi IIIC jiM'piiuij vi 9UVI* ? --r : tion;
the debt exists ; it must be pr< vided for;
ind tny fear is that this amount will prove too $$?*
tinall to raect it. I ihink tl a1 much moro
nay pfobably be needed ; but certain y none
5 in object to the rpserve of ten rnii'ioOS. VVe
hus get, as I said, a nett bala ce from our anma
I exports,' including profifr, oi 500 millions.
Of this amount of itt?^?f cation how much is
low free from duty? The he t goods, includ. ja
n<j toa and a roltucv amou it to '30 millions,*
roij, ivhifh ain unL { deduct for tea-and cot- .
ee, assuming that t ipy wi I be. subjected to
J--> ?'1 'I U'loino tliA
noderaie qj.jes.. a- mi.i.uu.i ,ui
imcKint of free arric.cn J at ift': milKw?; de- \
luc: ihw fresn l(ffamount of vx- P!
wrt*, ami irtf'ili reave a balance of 91'mi'lior.s, 4
vhicli.^nv be a.-ru netj as Hie amount j'Ju- dj
to^ycatiUcuuis, .. jfim