Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-07-14
EXTRACT TO THE EDITOR.
Washington, Dec. l9, l8l

OSo"fSFSH3 A0es ~, aoirs
"The present exigencies Of the go.
vernment, which you will readily SEQ
from a perusal Of the report OF the Sc.
cretary Of the Treasury, which shows
tina, there will be defci, in the next
years revenue Of about IS 900 900, 10
NEE, the annual expenditures, will, fear,
render more difficult than al first sups
posed the success OF the application OF
Mr.. Cook for an extension Of the lime
allotted for completing the final settle.
ment on our lands. The indulgence, il
any, l think will be mos, likely to be
confined to given quantity OF land. say
$40 acres.
| The proposition to destroy the credis
system, am well convinced will be
adopted; and it will therefore be incum.
bent on the western representation to
strive for REDUCTION of price. This !
think the west will unite in.
| The fact, that our expenses are like
ly to exceed our resources, according to
the present rates of taxation, seems TO
have bridled the bounty of Congress-
and is likely to operate seriously ego nst
those who have claims against The goo
vernment, to the satisfaction of which
the assent of Congress is necessary A
retrenchment in the public expenditures
is no doubt the duty Of Congress, when-
ever those expenditures become unne.
cessariiy great; and that such is the case
at present, seems TO be believed by ma
ny. If such should be the case, and OF
which l have no doubt, but to what ex.
tent cannot say, curlailment Of those
expenses / certainly think proper. Some
military gentlemen have assured me,
that the staff Of the United States army
is now sufficien, for an army in time Of
war Of &C, 900 at least; some ineeed say
$4,000. A great number Of appoint-
ments must, therefore, be mere sine.
cures, the existence Of which should al.
WAYS be obnoxious to the people. In
} various other departments of the go.
, vernment it 10 thought superabundance
of Offices have been Created
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
TO THOMAS SLOO, JR. ESQ.
STA,
You and Gsv. Edwards are rival can.
didates for the office of Governor Of this
state. Your public acts are fit subjects
I Of Investigations friend of yours has
recently in the Vandalia paper called ups
on him for certain explanations, l there,
fore hope it will not be considered unkind
in me to follow the same example in rela.
ton to yourself I find by the law enc
titled " an act for levying and collecting .
tax on land and other property, approved
January II, 1895" that the lands Of our
own citizens are liable to be sold for
taxes by the auditor a, Vandalis, which
I believe is a policy never heretofore
pursued by any Legislature in this Union;
and / have reason to believe has produce
ed much individual hardship and incon.
venience in almost every part OF tho
state. / also find by the same law that
while the citizens of the state have been
compelled to pay their taxes every year,
non residents have not been required 10
hay them efiener than once in fwo years.
I distinction which has never been made
BY any other Of the United States,. and
which is surprising 70 me our legislature
should have made SO much t. the dissd.
tage Of their constituents, end the cause
Of deficiency in the revenue and the con-
sequent issue of auditors warrants. This
law is to be found in the acts OF the ses-
sion Of ls24-25, page l7s, see particu.
larly the 9Th and 18th sections.
| By the Senate journal OF that session,
and in pages 234 and $50, find ycu
voted Tor those measures. thsEstoro