Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-09

much complained OF, by Opposition orators and
editors: in few years. the annual saving would
equal tie whole expense Of our foreign inter-
| course, including contngencies-and would, e.
ventually, equal the expenses Of the legislature
executive, judicial and Diplomatic departments.
Surely it is better at once toresort to practical
BILE means, and such as will Certainly be adopt
ed by the states, if the National government is
compelled to abandon the system. When states,
or corporations, construct roads or canals, tolls
are levied not merely to keep up repairs, but
for the purposes of revenue-consequently
they would be double, perhaps fourfold, what
it would be necessary for the General Govern
ment to exact.
We are informed by Colonel Benton, in his
speech on the bill to graduate the price of pub
lie lands, that the National debt els increased,
instead of diminished, for it was seventy-six
millions al the end of the Revolution, and it is
eighty millions now!" This statement, in the
mere letter. is true; bu:, if taken ir its spirit,
and in connection with the whole tenor of the
discourse, it is evidently designed to impute to
the Administration gross mismanagement of
the public finances, and insinuate, that the pub
lie debt has been increased without the inter
vention of any cause to justify tan artifce
| certainly unworthy the statesman, and unbe-
coming any man having no sinister designs: but
his object is to persuade the people of the exis-
tence of disorders in the Government, which
cannot be corrected without the aid of his her.
culean powers, and to effect his purpose nothing
is left unessayed. No part of the public debt
has been contracted by the present admirisra-
ton; on the contrary, during the three first
quarters of the year 1925, upwards of eleven
millions Of dollars were paid on account Of the
principal and interest. On the first day Of Oc-
tober, 1925, the only portion remaining unpaid
of the Revolutionary debt, was thirteen millions
two hundred and ninety-six thousand two hun
dred and thir,y-one dollars and forty-ive cents.
The residue of the public debt, contracted sub
sequent to the LIST Of January, 1912, (beng the
war debt, and the loans made TO pay the Florida
claims, under the treaty with Spain,) which re-
NAMED unpaid, on the lst Of October, 1925,
was sixty millions six hundred and eighty-nine
thousand three hundred and six dollars and
twenty-seven cents SO that sixty-three mil
lions Of the Revolutionary debt, the whole Of
the public debt contracted between. the years
1898 and 1912, including the Louisiana stock,
and about one half of that contracted since
1872 have been paid off, besides the cone hun
dred and thirty six millions of dollars paid in
INTEREST,"
That more has not been paid, is, perhaps,
owing rather TO the exertions of such politicians
as Messrs. Calhoun and Benton, than any other
cause Both have contributed largely to lavish
expenditures Of public money; the one, by his
contracts the other, by his votes and speech
es, especially where favorites could be prohtted.
The first, as Secretary at War, made the cele-
brated Rip Rap contract, by which the United
States lost many thousand dollars. The same.
economist contrived 10 allow Messrs Johnsons
Of Kentucky, upwards of two hundred thousand
dollars (equal to five hundred dollars, or up
wards, man) for the transportation Of troops
from Belle Fontsine to Council Bluffs, dis
lance Of about FIVE hundred miles.t The latter,
as Senator, advocates measures avowedy for
the sole purpose Of spending Government
money" among the people. If we may Judge
from his public acts, he holds, that the benefits
Of measure are always in proportion to the
amount of public money, they will occasion to
be circulated. He treats the General Govern
ment as an alien enemy, and every appropria-
ton, especially ifto be expended in the west, as
lawful prize: hence the frequen, ipvasions Of the
treasury, no matter how imprac ticable, or use
less the ostensible object may be Yet these
men declaim agains, the Administration, be-
cause the public debt is not paid, and endeavor,
for that cause, to excite discomfort among the
people, and destroy their confidence in the mos,
worthy and exalted statesmen in the nation.
The Tariff is another of the favorite mea~
sures Of the western people 1t was originally
proposed and supported, avowedly, as pro-
lection and encouragement of domestic manu-
features, and not as revenue measure. 1t
seems to have been thus understood by Colonel
Benton, and was advocated and supported by
his vote in the Senate, on its true principles
1t has now been but two years in operation, and
has already contributed much to the prosperity
of commerce, agriculture and manufactures
1t has benefited commerce, by decreasing i'm
ports and increasing exports, and is thus equal
izing the balance Of trade; it has terminated the
dropping spirits, and stimulated the enterprise,
of manufacturers; ii has encouraged agricutu-
ralsts, in the pleasing prospect of home mar
ket for the productions of the soil. Domestic
manufactures have increased in quantity, and
improved in quality, & will continue to increase
and improve, as long as protection and encou-
ragement are afforded, "not in arithmetical ratio
but in geometricalprogression," until an ample
market will be furnished the farmer and planter
for their produce-a prosperous commerce es-
tablished in the export of manufactures-and