Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-08-05
From the National Journal.

1.-THE late Committee on ReTenchment were
sincere in their search after instances in which
there had been extraordinary payments out OF
the public money TO ird vidual>, we are little
astonished that certain applications oil the ma
:ional funds in 1921, should have escaped their
notice and reprehsnsion. The gentlemen COM
posing the majority os that COMMITTEE imbIbed
a passion for details, which would have been
move abundantly gra'ihed by carrying back
their search to that period. We ought TO pre-
sumo that their object was 10 convince the
,ublic thai a system Of abuse and extravaganza
had taken deep root in our political institutions;
and il such was their objec'; they should have
traced back the evil to its commencement, aud
shown when, and in what cases, /, hrst exhibit
ed itself The result Of such a thorough scare h
might, il is true, have discovered 10 them that
they had fallen into trifling error as TO the
character Of the Chieftain whom they ard their
party have selected 10 reform those habits Of
extra,agance; but as the majority Of the Conn
mirer were call honorable men" and took great
pains 10 evade even the suspicion oil anv design
other than the pubic good, they would doubt
less have surrendered their personal prediec>
lions al the call Of their country and most
magnanimously have united in the reelection
Of the present Chief Magistrate, rather tb an
have taken 4 successor whose chariness In Tin
eering the public money is more than doubt
full.
The cry has gone abroad, that there is in the
prespnt Administration disposition to extra
va, ant expenditures The present Chiei Ma
pi,irate has been vehementlv and wantoniy
sland-red by a charge OF having eceived an
exorbitant sum of money for his public services;
and further, of drawing pay for ser ices no'
performed, and pay in two capacities at the
same time. AL this has been plainly refuIrd,
YET, for political purposes, the cry is sni' kept
ND by certain members of Congress, SINE OF
whom were on the Cnnl mil tee nf Satien' hhish''
ave. course, sail honorable men,. An alarm
equally war,on has been spread abroad, that
under the head oil contInge' cies, gross misap>
plications or the public money are made; that
horses are kept ior messengers, and that those
horses are fed; that persons are employed 20
keep ihs avenues In the public Offices from
being overgrown with grass, -&c. &c. Gen.
Jackson Ii pictured to US as having a sort o. in
stinc,ive horror Of conungen, expenses; and hr
is to be elected To put an end to this sys'em
of loose payments, TO exact tor every paymen,
a voucher. and 10 establish a responsibility the
most rigid.
All this sounds very well. The only mistake
about il u.s. that j: is al! idle theory ard sprcu-
la,i>e delusion. A very easy reference TO some
pat Of the public life Of Gen. Jackson viii show
that he has no extraordinary reluctance TO fin
ger the peoples money. and tina, he is not sub
iec, TO any singular lua'ms when that lingering
is for m. re conungenc les, or when no vouc hers
happen to be forthcoming. An ounce Of fac,
i. worth Ton Of assertion. We will the rcfore
carry our readers back few years in the his
tory Of our country.
Gen. Jackson was Major General in the
army on its reduction in 1921. His pay and
allowances for tais rauk are exhibited in The
r. Fn he ui,h iS
pi,eu as a specimen OF his annual charges
against the U. States, during six years Of his
r. .idruce on his fsrm:-