Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-05-14

sweeping accusation of evincing dangerous p'incipies,l
any single improper act, even il IL could be substantial
ed, would not justify it; II may be in contradiction TO his
professions, IL may be injurious, but, unless persevered
in, or followed up by others, that can be accounted Tor
only by supporting that they were dictated by such prin.
cipies, IL does not justify the charge.
The present Chief Magistrate has been in Office a
year. Duiirg that tine. he has assumed 10 new pow
er; lac has evincei no desire 10 enlarge those conhded
10 him by IN -Constitu;ior; and il. in their exercise.
he Lac not exacly followed the msrch which the S.na.
tor 'hitk = the proper one; if n has selected for office
hose in whom he, and not thc Senator had confidence;
IL he has consulted his own, and not the Senator's dis-
erection; surely he ought not to be denounced as enter
tanning principles destructive Of the liberties of the peo. |
RE. In examining the Constitution for the rules which
were 10 direct Lis duties. he certainly found nothing
wri ten there by which he was bound to conform lis
own opiaion 10 that Of any Senator or any party. Where
discretion is given TO him, he has used /. on his respon-
sisili'y TO the people; aud the exercise Of this discretion,
even If i, be no, eoniormable to that which would have
been suggested by the superior wisdom Of those who
arraign his conduct, cannot authorize them 10 call his
principles in question. Where no discretion was given
him, he has confined himself, az far as have heard
or observed, TO the strictest rule Of the Constitution and
law.
Enough, then. aud more than enough, in refu,a,ion Of
this vague aud general charge. Let us come to those that
are more specific.
The public treasure has been extravagan'ly and lie.
ga'ly expended.
IIi- not, under hi, head, even pretended ,ha, any
other or greater sum has been taken or paid 10 any inii-
than that w,irh vas due by law for the service
or salary for which it was given. But comparisons arc
made between the amount of expenditure made under
The last, ami that made under the present sdmsnistia
tion. As applied TO out Government, there cannot be a
more iallacious rule fer measuring the true economy or
wisdom OF the exercise Of Executive functions. What
has the President TO DO with de extravaganza of the
general Expenditure Thee are directed by legislative
wisdcm. But he must approve all Laval True he mus.
approve them; but rvmemher. that, il there was any
extravaganza in the expenditures Of the last year, hs
predecessor. not he, is answerahie Tor it He has not
approved a single law under which a dollar was disburs-
ed IN the year 1929; and all OF the contracts for the ser.
wee o. mat year were made before he came into cffte.
Dnt, sir' there was no tx'ravagance in the appropria-
uon'; Ocr tic contracts / will not vouch, because l am
nIiniormed)-on fhe contrary there was a marked, I
will not say a designed, reduction Of a usual and n.ce,
cary appropriation for tho contingent expenses Of the
foreign missions, In former esiima,e., thi. bad been
put at 2 1000. in the estimate tor 1929. it will be found,
oy aeducting the salaries and ou;6;, provided for, il was
only $ll 900.
But although | protest against this mode of testing the
economy or prolusion Of the Executive, yet. as il has
Deen relied on, lett be looked into, and il viii be found
NAT me expenditure oi tie yrar 1928 exceeded that of
1929, by more han 400, 600; II is true that near 500.
600, properly chargeahle TO the year 81, vas expended
IN Is, Tor awards under the Convention with England.
out This was balencea again by a payment of nearly the
same sum in 1929, for expenditures for objects of inter
maj IMP 'vement directed in the year 1928, and prop.
erly chargeshle 10 that year.
But, sir, l have done with these irrele want calcula.
ions u the criterion con'ended for wa. the true one.
" would make in favor OF the present Executives; but
10 ruin, II shows neither extravaganza nor profu>inn in
that Department Itshows what the uri,ed legislative
wisdom OF ne Union thought necessary to he expand-
go, ana IL show nothing tnorr; asd the [ uest economy
IL frequently found in the largest expenditure. This
depends altogether Oh the object for which II lie incur
There is, however, one branch of expenditure moro
Immediately under the Presidents direction, which, in.
nreu, NEe all other Expenditure: must be provided for
ny law, but which, from lite peculiar nature, demands a
greater degree ct confidence i'm the Executive than any
other mean the expenrcs OF cur foreign intercourse.
hhn 'go,iations with ( reign Powers, being a part of Elk.
"c"tive duty vested in the President, the nature Of the
service frequently forbids tina, previous disclosure, which
8 expected in every other case; in the estimates tie ex-
is'ing missions are enumerated, and if any new one il
contemplated, which reauires no secrecy. IL isrl.n N 8 r.
TONED; but, TO provide for unforeseen cases, an appro-
piiation Tor the contingent fund of missions abroad, II
mare ana placed al the Presidents order; besides thi.,
u NE interest OF the country should require an expcns.
which The contingent fund cannot cover, il must be left
as,n we case oil all other excess Of expenditure to bs pro-
weed Ter under the head OF " deficiencies in the ap
propriaious' of The preceding year-sn item to be found
very frequently in the estimates. Here, again, the
same reasoning which | have used with respect 10 the
general annual expf ndi'ure, will apply 10 this particu.
lar head. IL may be large, and not extrsvagant. The
occasion must de'ermine whether it was judicious or
nor; and, therefore, though again the comparison il
greatly in favor Of the present Administration, vet I
am, in candor, obliged to admit that this Circumstance
clone VIII not decide the question in favor of its econo
my as compares with that of its predecessors. That de-
ponds on ether circumstances, and o'her inquiries must
he made TO determine heir weight. But it would seem
mai, II the same number Of missions be kent up. and
some OF mem OF an increased rank and expense; if adj
ditional expenditures have been incurred by the ne
cessary change OF ministers; and yet the whole expen.
ditu c is less than under the preceding missions, il would
seem 10 follow, that il all this is now done al a less ex-
pense than formerly occurred, there must have been a
'a'lng III some part oil The expenditure under the pre-
sent that did not exist under former administr afons.
flgufes cannot deceive Ne; let us bring the question TO
mat test, and compare the years 1917 and 1878, the
TWO hrst OF Mr.. Monroe's Administration; 1925 ard
1875, the two first Of MIR. Adams and The last and the
present years, The two FIRST OF General Jackson's.
To the comparative view of the expenses ef forei,n
intercourse, let va add that of the contingent expenses
OF the Department Of State during the same wears.
ffom which it results that The expenditures for foreign
intercourse in The year~lS29, added to the whole an
pr"priation asked foryihe year 1890. suppos,ne the
whole to be expended, are le.s ihan of the two
htst wears of Mr.. Monroe's administration by S239..
900 90, and less than the two first years Of Mr..
Adams presidency by S1i 02i 9S. That the con-
urgent expenses OF the Department Of State, in the
iast and presrn, Year,, is less than he two correspond.
Jag years Of Mr.. Adams administration bv SIO. $50 45.
and exceeds that OF Mr.. Monroe's only two bundled and
nineteen dollars-an excess more than conntetbalsnc.
ell by The increased expense of printing the biennial
calendar. BUt az a part Of this excess consist of items
oil occasional and temporary occurrence only, we must
bring The comparison to be only on the permanent items,
consi'ing Of
The diplomatic department, strictly 40 called;
The contingent expenses of foreign intercourse:
And treaties with the NJ editerranean Powers.
On computing these, the balances will stand thus:
The expenditure in The two frs, years Of the present
administration, falls, short Of that in the two first ye,rs
oil MIR. Monroe, by the sum Of S3s. 25S. and Of thatin
the corresponding years of Mr.. J. @. Adams. by SIS.
BOZ, moi Notwithstanding tho additional expenss OF outfit.
incurred in The last year.
INF. L.. here read an abstract Of the expenses OF TO-
reign intercourse for The several years above referred 10
-(see note A. lie then rroceeded:I
(To be cOntinued.)