Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-05-09
LATE OMISSIONS.
.--..-..-......

lew remarks which we made on tt.iS sub
lcci IN our paper OF Tuesday last, il will
he seen thai, IN our opinion, the charge
oil prodi9aliiy III our public expenditures,
which has been loosely and inconsider-
ately preferred, will not Stand the test of
IN examination. Government must ,,p
man'alnet. 10 MS existence, and 10 lis
due administration, a certain number of
civil officers are necessary. In no 90
vernmeut on earth, of the Same extent,
are there 81 few, and in no other are
they as poorly compensated. We DO
not mean now To say, that their rmolu
Iieu's ought To be increased, unless in
lie case OF the District Judges, whose
salaries have always been 100 low, aud
that OF The President of HE United States,
winch Was fixed AZ lis minimum in 1889,
AMI has ever since remained The same /:
hut we mean IN say that we do MOI sec
how The expenditure OF orr Civil List can
he essentially rednced. five are 70 have
foreign cOmmerce-ana we shall haze il
~ long as the ocean washes our shores
we must have intercourse with foreign
powers, OF diplomatic nature and our
agents employed 10 carry il un must be
adequately paid. Atpresrni, il is, well
known, thai the most rigid economy
scarcely enables our Ministers resident
abroad IN maintain themselves on their
appointed salaries. We tin moi see. thcn.
how this expenditure either is Ia be ma
t"riaily reduced. unless hy calling home
All our foreign ministers : nhich, il is
presumed, no one will seriously propose.
These expenditures, with The others IL
less Importance, included in what is call
ed tie CirH List il appears 10 us, are
indispensable. There mag be in some
one Of the Public Offices a suppruume-
rary clerk, a Messenger who NAV be dis
pensed with, or few quires of paper
and hpnchrs of Qnuls consumed WHICH
Won may make the uscr pay for from
his private mnds--we speak not at de-
tails, but of the general policy of the
government, when We say thai these FIX
pendltures are such as the government
could not get along without.
10 tive payment o. the interest nf The
PGlc Debt, no one will object, unless lie
he one OF those who, during The late war,
maintained that 40 debt contracted in
carrying on that war ought TO be recog
nized by any subsequent administration
OF The government. Such extravaganza
OF absurditv had few proselytes al That
day, and II is presumed will not now re-
celvc assent from any quarter. That the
principal of the debi, too. should he IA
pidt discharged, we believe, il conso
nanl 10 the true policy Of the government
though, had the Sinking Fund becn OF
somewhat less amount, W. should not now
have had occasion for d new loan, however
small
"hh regard to the Army and Navy, the
question regarding The policy OF such
establishments. during peace, was So
lemD!y settled at The close OF Tie late war,
at moment when we had a prospect of
uninterrupted peace with th,la hole world.
IL Is, we believe, generally admitted, that,
| however governments may differ in their
forms, they are all subject 10 the same
| exterior circumstances. and have the
same dniies 10 perform. Their peace
may De interrupted 10y violence, or by
usnrpailons on their rights bv foreign
powers. A Submission 10 SLch injuries
would but invlie further insult and az.
erosion. Self defence is The first Of du-
lies and, however practically dispose,,
/! Is necessary tor us to keep at hand The
means of reprliina aggression, or at leas,
such portion of them as shall enable as
! Instantly to organize what more is nccOs
| sary iroGi the materials with which ON
country a6Ounds. in this view, in is be-
lieved, HAT OR Army aud NAVY are mol
ces Of our country.
| Armies may be raised AT will, but forti.
! hcaiiens are the work OF time, and ihl
military art requires years Tor is due
| requirement. We therefore build iorifi.
| Gallons ~ time OF peace; We keep ia SER
vice q military force tn garrison Ghen, and
Military Academy Ia aid The Army in
| tie acquisition and preservation. ole know
| ledge OF military science aud of the pTac.
| tlcdl operations o! disciplined troops. In
| The same spirli, we purchase, for The ia
| tbTe Use oil lie Navy, The timber, VIII,
II Requires long lime to season proper
| ~. Though the expenditure on fortlfi
cations might be suspended, il would be
10 The delrlmcnt OF what IL already done
on them, and would Justly subject lila
| government 10 tbe charge of an osciIla
ting and unstable policy. The same Oh
serNation will equally apply TO the pur
chase OF Navy timber, for Inch c0niracli
have been made under The pledge OF ih,
acts OF Congress authorizing aA annua
appropriation for That object fora cerial,
number OF years.
With regard to the general policy o
the government, therefore, no branch O
its expenditures could be dispensed will,
consistently with regard 10 lis characte
and interests. Tie act for granting pen
slons TO the revolutionary officers an,
soldiers, could the extent and inequalif
oils operation have been foTeseen, wonl
never have been passed by Congress
but will not now be revoked, though IL
revocation were admitted TO be conslsieu
with humanity, aud with good faith.
Without examining this question, it
enough that this act OF grace is sustain
ed by The popular appreciation, and wi
never he repealed. Time will diminis
the expenditure under il, but not mate
rally III our day.