The Arkansas advocate., 1832-06-20

might draw the "admlration and respect of the passing stranger" Does not the mode ol disposition ofthe Ten Sections, attempted by the Legislature, follow this system of economy, and if srch would be the best policy in an indiyidu- al how could it be other than beneficial to the Territory? In the first place, it was making disposition of the land at what must be considered the market price, without any charge to the peo- pie; secondly, 1t would dispense with the servants and agents, that would otherwise be necessary in the sale of the land and superintendence of the building; thereby, it was providing q building that was amply sufficient for all the public wants for the next twenty years, without any regard to the ''adma- ration oi,7 respect Qf te passing stfo1e- aer.' Wherever improyidenee has ex- lsted for a length of time ill the admin istration ofa government, 1t will be diff. ficultlo make thepeople at first discov- CT the effects that might be produced by true system of economy; and i'll
 Arkansas, it must be confessed, there has been improyidence and abundant cause for change of system and re- tfenchment. The people since the commencement of the government, ,have had the misfortune 10 labor under the curse of all insolvent treasury, and to meet public expenditures, from time to time, have had 10 resort 10 the usual mode in such cases-an issue of paper currency, which has been known to dc preciate 10 373 cents in the dollar; this has increased the public expenditures, higher salaries have been given to off, cers, a higher price paid for articles aud labor required for public use, than fl paid in sound currency; in the two latter, the advance has been propor- tionate 10 the discount on scrip at the time of disbursement, and in few instan- ees, have been less than fifty per cent taxes have been imposed higher here. than in any Other part of the United States; aad, notwithstanding, the peo- pie are, as yet, unable 10 rid themselves
 of the evil, by the redemption of this appreciated currency. This rninous
 policy has had another tendency-it
 lulled the people to repose. Nheney. CT additional expenditures were re quired, as they would be paid in scrip and had no immediate effect on the tas list, the people did not sensibIy feel the operation, though debt was growing upon them, as t were by stealth, and for every fifty cents in value for expen. dltures, they were obligating themselves 10 pay one dollar at some other day and # may be truly said, that in no gov ernment under the United States i,
 there less economy, or a worse system
 of finance, than has been heretofore il
 Arkansas.
 If the files of the Legislature were
 examined, and a statement oi account; allowed at the different sessions, laid
 before the people, contisting ol bills foI
 the repairs of the old house, merchants and mechanics bills for furniture, tue greater part of which has been lost he. tween thesessions, itwould be addition. al evidence of the necessity there i,
 for public buildings. The bills for the
 storage of public arms in Little Rock
 which amounted to somewhere aboutone
 thousand dollars ill the last fen years
 n01o strange 10 tell, thissmoke house oI
 Grittenden's, s,whichs much has beensaid about, would hayeansweredas safe re. lposilory for the epublic arms, ,andh had such q house been purchased ten years ago,it
 would have produeeda q saving tothc peo. l pie of between $500 and Sl000-Econ. omy, however, ishot the order ofthe day and there are some members of society. and often those the most clamorous about
 the public, who gain good by tie public expenditures, and eurtailment Of ccono.
 my 10 them, Is too much like takinp money out of their own pockets-they care not how ruinous the policy, so they profit by fl. That we are in debt at the present day, may be attributed to the want of public buildings; the diff ierent sessions of the Legislature have
 been protracted more or less by the
 want oi sufficient accommodations, and every hour of lost time is at cons;dera. ble expense 10 the people. Is there a member of the session of 1929, that does not believe but that session might have closed ten days sooner, had there been a comfortable house to do the business in? And is it not equally certain, that house had been procured