Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-10-17
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
THE LAST MA y GUVRE!

IL,
tnree months hence, to the public debt, nrccssari
W attracts attention Ii bears test :. Richard,
Eush Secretary Of the Tres sury," who to this com
peiiallon, untcs the farther and imposing one OF
" candidate for th Vice Presidency Of tie United
States" In the National Intelligence. of the I'd.
4th and 9Th instants, may be seen the iaudatorv
and satiricai remarks which indicate beyond all
question OF doubt, The chief purpose, intended TO
De coinpassed by this notice. The assurance that
this prcd!gal administration is prodigai enough m
pay OH the debts contracted by other al;,nn ira
-" uons. and that this payment is unpreccIc,.;-
ed IN The acts OF government, for several years." is
holding TO ia a language which cannot he ,m.un.
derstood. The charge 80 seriously presented, and
50 conciusiveiy maintained, at the last session of
tongues OF an utter want OF all thrift in the care
OF the public treasure mot to -ay shameless pro
nigacy IN It's expenditures) is now rebuIsed in the
r'dicue OF partizar editors and in the ecyp,ious
notice ut an interested Secretary. The trick me
rits exposure, aud it might be well for those in
power, il the host u! testimony contir ming ,h.
charge OF waste aud acknowledgements in Their
stewardship. could be Is put to tiigh with
sneer." Why did Messrs. Sergeant and Everett
In their counter report upon retrenchment, seek
to Defend with all the art of their able and ins en
Gus dexterity, the increased disbursements from
the Treasury, 1t these unfas,nded in truth -
PLAIN contradiction, ii the fact were so, would,
have touched the public mind with more assuasiye
effect, than all the arts of the most ready reckon
err or the most expert logican.
III II could perceive in this late act, returning
sense TO the obligations of public duty an, torrt
iuiness Of the low arts OF selh sh ambition, should
greet it with satisfaction, and congratulate th,.
Country, that the recent Developments of public
abuse and the popular execration which followed
thcm, had wrought "A Wholesome change in ths-.
men, who by hook and by cook have possessed
themselves with the management vi our CONCERNS.
but uiS Is not the case; and panied 10 believe
that this step was taken in the agony OF alarm
which has seized upon the cabinet at Washington.
and that they filled with tn. hone OF rearing
tuii harvest in the feeting season OF delu.on-
his Is the evr OF tile election and bold and re- k
less men gather up resolution in despair" SIN
GUAR and extraordinary condolences may some
times occur, but there is too mach apparent expec-
| tation from the operation OF cause and effect in
this thing, Tor US to atlrbtc il to any other inu-
eDce.
| Early in the month OF March last, the Senate OF
the United States upon Mr.. B-nton's motion ahopt-
ed various reso!u;iOns oinstructon, TO il, Commit
tee of Finance tor the purpose OF ri wing a more
active capacity 10 the operations OF the sinking fund
and especially 10 Simulate the tar,!y steps o, the
Secretary ia applying the national resources in
discharge OF lie national engagements Mr. Ben.
ton sustained anu untoded ii,S view III an ab,. {,
lucid argument; demonstrating, that from three 10
hive millions IN addition might annually he paid Ia
the debt OF the United States and which sum WAS
now suffered TO liz idle in the vaults of the Bank
He was resisted by Mr.. Johnston o. Louisiana
whose printed (panpheJ speech no doubt speaks
the voice OF the AdiniDisratiou--!t " as then opnos
ed as impTaclicable without hazard to the public
interest and 10 ths public crcdit-Ar Rush fake
up me proposition oil Mir Benton, and his letter of
uie as oil Mach, w'it'en with tinr and caution is
evidently Intended as reply to MIR. BIS speech in
the Seuate--the Honorable Secretary discusses
the question IN its beain- upon the operations nj
the treasury, and he appeals 10 rcspe etcd AT 40
rity, in his Zeal TO resist Ibis ileasuie-fie asserts
that our revenue derived from foreign commerce,
must at all times he precafIous liia il is the mari
g OF prudent government MOI TO eyuose it, one
" raIons unnecessarily, any incl eased hazard
" or indeed, TO any hazard for the prospect OF ar,
" inconsidcrab.e adyantsge"-Lrt me here oh
serve that one OF the resolutions OF MIR H,n,ou
enbodied farther instruction to the Committee Il,
report, within what Time the present debt of the
Ohitea states may probably be paid off, The
venerable and intelligent chairman oi tina, Com
Iiittee, Gcn. Smith of Maj yiand responded 20 tbs
instruction, by giving to the Senat. ION the 10th
DAY OIL Aprii)" statement from he Treasur, Dc
parIment, which looked 10 iurihrr then 10 the
simple operation OF the sinking fund, ,naided by
any umng else than the annual appropriation OF
ten millions Of dolisrs-Jhs ateine - from m.
department" contemplstes no other payment i'm
january, 1923, than The sum of one million eight
hundred and seventy Thousand, nine HUNDRED
anu hteen dollars aud seventy-six cents OF priuc.
pal, which with the Interest then 10 be ulin and
the payments intended ia July, both of prin, mai
and interest, make The (and xlaust the entir,.
appropriately OF ten millions of dollars Did lis
Statement in april give the candid views, aui did
u laf'y opes ue intention. OF the Secretary Nei-
ther he nor his friends will say otherwise E;ybof
then mas produced this change Of defery,iunf.ou
so as notD Ia coefce the government, IL, so short
time, TO make payment so much iargtr of The
PrncirGl alone, 10 erceed four millions Of dof.
fdfs|- The amount seems even TO have startled the
editors OF the inteliigencer land to have driven Them
into misconccption. IL is appa ent that they con.
ceived and intended TO say, that uiue millions
was the entire payment, until they were better
informed; and in their paper of the 18th October cor
rect themselves, and declare that i sum between
twelve and thirteen millions will have been usid Al
the close Of the year hat causes, demand have
III 80 short time produced great change II,
the sum intended to be applied last .dprh TO this
o1jecf and mat nor promised OF Dre cue OF the r.
tecfton|--Has II resulted from an increase p our
. prccarious revcnue".-This NAV nave Occurred
and yet hazard nothing IN asseriine hat Ui
augmentation OF the income, has not by spy
means kept pace with tie increased sppropris Il
ons OF Tie last Session OF CongfessIbe thing may
not be entirely inexpiicable. MIR. Benton est.
mates the fund always on deposit in The o. s Bank
at from three 10 i've million s--thc Senator outos
ing his views admits il TO be three millions--an
the Secretary OF the Treasury without tclJn, The
committee oil finance what it now IS, says that its
average, oT the last ten years has been sotnethin
less than three millions This deposit will uncuest
onabiy enable the Secry to meet the promise of his
tate advertisement; tat Il is a fTich not Oly IN
Uorhy " government thai acts upOn Jrii4ci-
pies " honour aud Justice, buf in nis iHstaace
10 Gears the marks NJ q dOu6ie /Tdud. E1RsT,
upon the Comnh,lee aud the Country III the decep-
ton eDdeavoured 10 be praclised ~ ,ri last; and
oEcoNDLy, III the act that dsprives Sir Benton
OF his tar claims TO public gratitude toy first re-
pelling his suggestions IN the face OF the Senate
aiid then adopting them IN private alterations Tor
temporary and selfish designs.
The publication IN th' intelIigenrer OF the OH
october bears the official stamp too visbly impress.
cd upon IT 10 b. mistaken--The present co,iiiion
OF the Treasury is only disclosed 10 US but The
precise balance iu the future fpn;lih of Is,,.@.,