Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-12-30

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government for the Districto Columbia.
| On this motion debate ensued /; in which
Mr. Whitman, Mr. Barbour, Mr.. Cobb, and
Mr.. Cook, took part which shall be pub
| lished another day.
! Itresulted in the rejection of the resolu-
ton by quite small majority.
| The Chairman of the committee of ways
and means declining, from the absence of
some necessary docume Mt, 20 call up the
bill making partial appropriations for the
support Of the Navy, which stood first in the
orders of the day.
The house adjourned
From the N. York Com. .idUertiser, Dec. 25.
We very much doubt whether a 81 ssion OF
Congress has occurred since 1915, in which
the politicians which belong 10 that body
have found themselves in greater state OF
perplexity than at the present. The pecu-
mary and commercial embarrassment of the
country, having been severely and extern
sively felt, have naturally rendered men un-
easy, and led them TO devise modes which
in their opinion promise some relief from
their difficulties This state OF things has
given rise to a spirited effort, over large
portion of the country, in favor OF domestic
manufacturing Accordingly, applications
from individuals and associations, are ma
king in great numbers, TO the National Lee
gislature, for encouragement in their seve.
raj pursuits and occupations. The general
idea seems to be, that higher duties must be
imposed on certain articles which il is sup
posed can be made at home, that the rre-
ference may be given to tie fruits of our
own labor.
This plan, however, has to encounter al
the THRESHOLD, a serious difficulty. The or
binary expenses of the country are large ,and
there is pretty constant and steady tenden-
cy in our affairs TO encredse rather than to
diminish them. The immense extent of
territory which we have now, in some sort,
to protect and defend, must necessarily cost
the nation great deal OF money ; and the
probability is, that it will never cost less. In.
deed, we SET no probability Of diminuiton
OF national expenditure on The contrary,
when we consider the increase CT our mill
tary and naval expenses, the extent OF pa
tronage, and the tendency of things under
such an immense national system as ours to
multiply and enlarge the drafts on the public
treasury, we have no expectation Of ever see
ing cheaper period than the present. But
while our expenses increase, our income
lessons, and there is now fearful reduction
TO be provided for, which loudly adEonish-
eS The government not 10 part with any of
their WAYS and MEANS. In addition to this,
the President, in his message, recommends
the carrying into effect, on our part, the
treaty with Spain, upon the same principles
as though ii had been formally ratified on the
part Of that government. Ne have some
doubts of the expodiency Of this course, at
present but if il should be resolved on, it
necessarily draws after it large increase
OF national expenditure. In the first place,
jczc millions efdolInrs must be paid To salts
fy the claims Of our own citizens upon Spain.
agrecably to the stipulation to that effect in
the treaty. In The next place. the opera
tons necessary 10 carry the treaty into effect
on cur part, imply hostilities against Spain.
Now, although, il may not require any very
oro,t military force in tho first instance tO
take possession of The Flordas, yet militia
~ operations always cost money,-tnore
money than under any other government;
and should the measure of taking fOrci bic
possession actually produce a war, we all
know that wars, even of short duration, are
expensive aff,irs. We think it would he
estimating the expense of even Spanish
war very low 10 put them at len Millions
--itwouid not be strange, if, in tie long run.
they should amount to double or treble that
sum.
Nth such prospect, we think congress
must experience some difficulty, IN their
measures at the present session. II the reve-
nue. is diminishing. and the expenditure
greatly increasing, resort must be had either
TO loans or totaxes. or perhaps to both II,
at this time, only TO the former, it will be
nothing more than postponing TO future day
T the latter: because money borrowed must
he paid, unless we thall begin to lay the
foundation ola national debt. which, in lhe