Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-26


gssler thsn our national debt Nov, as the bur
s.sns imposed ey every government n,iSt be il,
PiSPOruoh 10 the charges existing upori H. | ,vauId
s sa WIN what pio?riety comparison c, be vnade
Iet"een S'reat Britain and this country. under
70 ,e,, i inherent circumstances, with view
:" D es. uie economy OF our government!
out' SIR, L protest altogether arainrt eonno,i-
oI' WIN foreign governments Our institutions.
~ siteaslon, moral ami physical the genius and
go; 80, 10 oi ON people, are all pecttiiur. They are
tIe syn,ii =; IN having the !reest government in
"oi!ds we are entitled, by the favor of Proyi-
eiee' 10 the creates; share Of public hless inr
u among them, that should not he subject To-
-, taxation, which takes from the mouth
s;,s ~, me bread 1t has earned Ia what con-
- ,iie sauue oil q Tree government If II is not
.' ny inc constant influences and control of the
mi' OK 'he people over their rulers, fhe govern
en' Is restrained from oppression peeaiiiasy az
frn1 pS Dc Psisohai SIR, the honorable gentleman
i.on fehnsyivania did not tell us to what n sit,,,-
,ioh the people of Great Britain had been reduced
~ 'nei' Publc burthenS-of the number OF ,hcir
pIupeFs ana starvelings--flat t,yo-fifths OF the
W., I.e population OF that country were kept alive
ny oeing biileted upon the constrained ci,ar;t of
ue reinainlng thee-iiitls
"uuiu the worthy gentleman have us esteem
ourselves happy, and without any cause to com
- - Va governmental eNactions, as long as we eau
keep within the limit of this extreui,y of wretch
edness! hope not, sir. have ion,S ,ho,,,,,,
VT speaker, II may venture TO express sucL an
opinion that there is too great disposition a,nonr
sosie OF our distinguished statesmen 10 bring our
AFFAIRS, orr policy, and our prfucinles IN Tho stan
dard of foreign governments. a nro,ninen, e.
tuFe In The celebrated first message of The nresent
M isi magistrate TO Congress, was its perpcfua
JoI'" recurrence TO the proceedings of foreen
s', as the lesson of political duties
a'u me measure OF our political powers He told
us "hat france, what Russia villa. Great Britain
H1u uohe, ana gave us 70 understand tina, we shouIa
go ana do likewise. Now, sir TO all this object
% dhu-american--as ant-Republcan. Our cir
mr. f.f,.t.
so too should be our Ilplicv
out, SIR TO return to the subject of our public
expenditures would say TO the honorable GEN
ueiaah from pennsylvania, that the true mode Of
os;1. 1919 'ne economy OF our government, at any
gwen period, Is not TO compare its expenses with
'hoSe OF ioregn government but with is o,pu al
some antecedent period. Now sir if we do this we
shai md that. during Mr.. Jeiferson's adninistra-
uoi, IN looz' Tor example, the whole expenditures
III tne government, exclusive of the payments 10
me pubic debt amounted TO s., 7:S7 079: while
the same class OF expenditures during the wear
1870 according TO the last Treasury report, a.
mounted to Sl3,O623l6. Here then, we have an
increase of expenditure equal to $50 per cent. in
less than 20 years, which, after making ever al
iowance for the growth of the country, and the
SAPaiFloh OF It's institutions, does seem 10 me 10 be
disproportonate and extrayagant
SlT, have dwell the longer upon these views
because nave deep and settled conviction that
economy IS a cardinal virtue in every republican
government 1t Is not merely for the pecuniary
saving, and the consequent relief to the INDUSTRY
anu resources OF the people which it brings with
~ at ss.eesn It Il IS siIli more Eos It's Soificai
ELECTS II 10 not only The close aily, but the SUI
rest guarantee Of the public liberty Ii il the great
instrument Tor restraining that dangerous principle
oil executive influence, which is pernef,iaII,, nm
derninng and assailing the fabric of free rovern-
inent every where, and of our own not less than
ohers. ms influence eXerts and enlarpes itself
through the disbursements of public money, ult-
nia'eiy' under one shape or another. Diminish the
DIDiIC eXDpnftnrp fhapa ,,1, Il
diminish executive influence
oir' may have fears upon This subject which
hrmer minds can, and DO repel; but il has long
been my opinion, that there is decided tendency
| IN our government TO a dangerous and dispropor-
tomato accumulation of power in the Executive
branch, and that Monarchy is the euthanasa o our
Pohucai system. Gentlemen who treat these fears
as altogether visionary, and those especially who
liAe 'ne distinguished member fIom Pennsylvania
consider patronage disadvantage rather than an
| ld to an administration have not am persuaded
explored the iul extent aud range of this powerful
engine, in the magnitude which it has at present.
d.'aihe"' ijaVing been led by particular circum-
stances, during the last session of CONGRESS IN
look INTO this subject, will repeat here the re-
suit OF an inv igatiOn then very carefiIiv made
Many persons have hastily supposed that the pa.
uonage oil the Executive consisted exclusively in
| appointments to Office. But an equally If mn,
more important branch of 1asTonaSe. consists in
the disposition Of public moneys through the me.
dun OF contracts made under the direction of the
Executive. Both OF these branches were includ.
cd III an estimate of the amount of Executive ma
fohage made by Mr. tIaatn in '99, aud took ife
hst oil items, enumerated by him, as the basis OF
my calculation. "
In doing this, found that the ann,raI nav nj
the officers In the several Departments of the Trea-
sury, state, War, and Navy, and their dependen-
cles; OF the Attorney General, and Postmaster
General, Judges Marshas, and District Attornevs
Officers OF the Customs, Postfnasters: of Diplo,5al
IHaitc characters Commercial Agents, Exclusive
OF Consuls,) Commissioners under Treaties. Ter
ritolai Officers, Indian Agents, Surveyors Reefs
leTs, Receivers, &c.; 10 fine, the paw of all Civil
Oihcers, whose appointments depend upon the Ex
ecutive, added TO the commissioned officers of the
Army and Navy, amounted to about So sos, 600:
aIIu tha' te amount OF moneys disposed Of by con-
tracts made under the direction of the Executive
lncinding Fortifcaiions, Docks, Navy Yards, In
! ternM Improvements, Lighthouses characterization
! OF the Mail, supplying the provisions clothing
guns, cannon, &c Tor the Army building ship9
ana furnishing supplies necessary for the Navy
! vas about Sl'oOOOOO; making aggregate Of
elBbt millions annually: four times the amount oi
tin in 90 an"
Now, sir, when the honorable gentleman from
Pennsylvania comes 10 survey this immense field
80 productive III rich rewards, lac can no longer
AIN sure, consider IFS possession a DISADVANTAGE 10
those who enjoy IT, He will soc that alfbo,,,b
the hopes OF an expeciant may be sometimes dis.
appointed, in relation to particular office vet that
IN the multiplicity of other boons and favoFs TO be
disposed Of, ample are afforded 90 retain hi
ndeliiy, and to console ana indemnify him for HE
brst disappointment.
Believing this immense force Of Executive pa.
tronagc TO be dangerous to the public liberty and
as tie disbursements Of public money must neces
sarily be made by the Executive branch of The
government, 1lat every Increase of expenditure
tends directly 10 increase the influence of that De-