Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-09-14

nlshed and services rendered during the
late wa, the public debt may be estimat-
ed as amounting al that date, and as af-
forwards iiq1dated to one hundred and
fTy-eight millions seVen hundred and
thirteen thousand and forty-nine dollars.
On the 3oIh day of September, 1920,
Give years hereafter) 1t amounted to
ninety-one millions nine hundred and
ninety-three thousand eight hundred and
eighty-three dollars, having been re-
duced in that interval Give years. by pay
mcnts, sirfy-sic millions eight hundred
and seUenty-nine thousand one hundred
and sirty five doiiars." Does this look
Ike 7vasting and aquandering the pubic
money AT no period of our history
have such rapid advances been made to-
wards paying off the public debt.
But this is not all, We had just emerg-
ed from Distressing war with Great
Britain, with bleeding proof of the want
OF better system of Notifications, and
more efficient navy than we had through
that contcst--with our public edltices de-
s,royed or mutilated at the capital OF the
nation, and with all that exhaustion of
public stores and munitions of wal, which
war SO inevitably produces. Upon
those objects large sums have also been
expended--our magazines replenished
our navy increased-large and expensive
Notifications have been comm enced and
in rapid progress-our capital repaired,
&c. sc. say all this has been done
0and still greater progress has been made
in paying off the public debt than was
ever Witnessed at any other period of our
history. With this strong proof before
us, shall we not require something more
from these gentlemen, who wish to rise
upon the ruins of others, than bare and
naked accusation, before we will consent
TO tear from James Monroe that share of
public confidence, which whole life of
devotion TO the welfare of'hls country,
has so deseryedly procured for him.
Wachiu as we are, and as we should
be, of our public servants, twill be SIM
ming against zvisdsm and justice to do SO.
have shewn that III the gloomy
period OF the late war, the President,
then Secretary of War, did no, neglect
us. Has he done so since? Will any
man deny that there has been period
within the last three years when pecunia-
nv endorsements afflicted this country
as sorely as any country ever was afflict-
ed
Will any man pretend to say that our
all as itwere, was not at stake, previous
10 the passage of the law for the relief Of
the purchasers ofthepublic land in 1920?
care not whether you went into the
house of the wealthy, or the hut of the
poor man, you equally saw care and
anxiety depicted in his countenance, and
with equal facility you found access to
the source Of his grief. 1t was, that his
house and his home were in danger of
being forfeited, and his family of being
turned on, OF doors, without some relief
from the government.
Fully sensible of this state Of things,
and feeling the weight of obligation thai
rested upon him, 10 aid as far as he
could in giving US relief, we find him
FIRST to recommend to Congress the
measure tina, was adopted, and by which
the pillow again afforded its balmy re-
frcshment to our citizens--by which the
dcsoation of the country was stayed, and
perhaps civil war itself averted.
Assertions are easy made; we, how
ever, propose to make none without fur
nishing the proof to support them. OF
the interest ne felt for this country then,
let his own words bear testimony. In
the same message to which have al
ready referred, he says: SIT is proper
to add that there is now due to the Trea :
sury for the sale OF the public lands
twenty-tzvo millions nine hundred and
niaety-six thousand five hundred and for
ty-6ye dollars. In bringing this subject
to view, consider it my duty to submit
to Congress whether it may not be adj
visable to ertend to the purchasers Of
these lands in consideration Of the un-
Favorable change zvhich has occnrred
since the sales, a reasonable Indulgence.
1t is known that the purchases were
made when the price ofevery article had
risen to its greatest height, and the in
stalments are becoming due at period
ofgreat depression. 1t is presumed that
some plan can be devised by the wis
dom Of Congress compatible with the
public interest, which would afford great
RELIEF to these purchasers" Here
then is the FIRST step taken by the
Presiden, himselfto get relief for the suf-
fering inhabitants of this and the other
new states You. will hear it said that
this member, and that member Of Con-
gress procured this relief for the peo-
! ple.-B But at least an equal share of the