Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-03-06

It is not unknown to portion Of our readers
that the opposition which defeated the second
election of Mr.. Adams was commenced early in
Washingtons administration, and that among
other charges brought against the father OF our
country, that of attempting to deceive The trea-
sury officers, and drawing beyond his salary,
was made against him with so much earnest
ness and from such source as TO induce Mr..
Hamilton TO undertake his defence-the defence
of " nshington to the american people, against a
charge of embezzlemen:!! On referring to Mr..
Hamil,on's "Explana,ion," we find an exposi-
ton Of the amount drawn by Washington, and
the times when drawn. Ii appears that altho'
at the close of the year the appropriation Tor
the President was always in debt to him, yet at
particular periods, especially during the ses-
sion of Congress, his drafts upon the treasury
exceeded the amount Of salary due (supposing
ii only 10 be paid in quarterly instruments at
the Time of drawing. We mention not this to
renew the discussion which bitter party spi-
rit then caused, but to arrive at facts and 10
render it evident to all that the salary of the
President of the United States is now misera-
BILE pit,ance compared with his duties, which
include necessarily heavy expenditures.
We need not repeat what we advanced in a
former article upon this subject, that the vast
increase in our territory, in our population and
our connexions with other countries, must have
nearly doubled the expenses OF the executive
officer. Yet we find that Washington was
compelled to anticipate, at particular seasons,
and finally closed the first four years of his adj
ministration, leaving in the treasury balance
of appropriation (loO,ooo) beyond his necessa.
ry drafts S2,S5O These, it will be recollected,
were the first four years-and the sum thus
saved was left in the treasury in one year, 1871
every other year brought with it expenses
sufficient to require an Immediate draught upon
the treasury for the full amount of the appro-
priations.
We find as long ago as 1895 that it was ex-
pected that the expenses of the President
would exceed the appropriation, Ss5,o 900 made
for his saary--"Those who are acquainted
with the expense of living" says Alexander
Hamilton, in his defence Of Washington, twill
not be surprised that the expenses OF the Presl-
dent should have equalled or exceeded his sal
airy, upon scale which no friend to the reason
able responsibility of the Chief Magistrate, and
to national dignity would wish to see diminish
ed"
In 1895 it will be seen that Mr.. Hamilton
was speaking in the past tense, OF the expeldl-
lures Of the President exceeding his salary.
81 pledge my veracity," says Mr.. Hamilton,
in the paper TO which we allude, "that | have
good reason to be satified that the expenses OF
the President, those of his household, and O.
theirs incident to his official station, have fully
eoualed, if not on some occasions exceeded
the allowance made 20 him by the U, States"
At the present moment the public is pre-
pared to think Of this subject, and TO view it
in its just light; we will not make use Of the
most recent argument with which we are fur
nished by the petition of the third president
those who read this article will have possessed
themselves with the facts of the petition and
the lottery grant, and they cannot fail Of refer
ring the cause of the evil to its proper source
We will, however, add a few remarks Of Mr..
Hamilton on this subject, and if they applied
thirty years ago, they cannot fail OF being pc
culiarly relevant 70 the case at the present time
In reference to the probable necessity i'm.
posed upon the president Of borrowing money
upon his own responsibility to meet the ex-
penses attendant upon his office, he observed,
''was it just to compel the president TO resort
TO that expedient for purpose, in fact public,
at his private expense. Was it for the dignity
Of the nation that he should have been exposed
to necessity, to an embarrassment Of this
sort"
tits not too late, we apprehend, to consult
"the dignity of the naiion,' which certainly SUI
fers from the very causes which MIR Hamilton
pointed out-the remedy, or rather the preven-
taiire, is easy.