Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-02-14

much worse this expenditure would have been, /
if il had not been for the exercise OF the veto
power.
While he wished to avoid observations that
seemed to breathe any thing like aparty spirit he
would say that he had been for fourteen years
connected with the government, and dur
ing that fourteen years, his experience and OBJ
servation justified him in saying that dismissals
from Office were only the result ofthe appoint
ments to office which were made previous TO the
present Presidents coming into power. For
more than a moiety ofthat time, previous to the
present administration coming into power ap-
pointments were made to suit those who were in
power. His feeble voice was not heard. Not
but the administration sometimes had to prevail
on him to give his consent bit all the cases
were what the administration had determined
to appoint already Appointments were made
to suit those in power and it was not to be won
dered at if removals should take place.. Mr..
Jefferson said to him that he could never do JUS
tice to his party in making appointments. The
same charges had been made against Pre'
sident Jackson, although he was determined TO
do Justice to his party until the democracy OF
the country should have their share OF iavor,
vet he could never carry II out. III was not lot
him TO say that there had been no improyldent
appointments under this government, but TO
make a sweeping accusation. he could not a
gree to it. The last Of all the subjects that he
expected to hear was, that there shall be grave
charge ofpatronage, matter OF accusation a.
ganst the President Seven or eight months
ago the Senate twice rejected, on his motion,
proposalto regulate the deposite banks, by their
own voices, and by the yeas and nays; and now
to see this cause come forward and be made
grave charge against the President was lhihe
which he never expected.
Another subject was the transfer drafts. he
concurred with the committee IN restraining tue
use IF transfer drafts, except in some partlcu,
lar instances. His voice should never De heard
in sustaining any part of the paper sysIem-lne
sooner that was got rid Of the better. Inc men
ton that was made of these drafts carried the
mind back to the use which was made OF these
drafts by MIR. fancy in 1888; but the use and
the circumstances under which they were USED,
justified it. The bank had entered into dla-
bolica. conspiracy for the purpose OF producing
revolution in the country, and ordered its own
paper to be refused when presented by State
Banks and called for all their balances from
those banks, thus dishonoringits own paper for
the sake Of carrying on the conspiracy against
the currency of the country, for the purpose OF
destroying the deposite banks, of producing
revolution. This was heard oftweve months
ago, and this he could prove to be so.
He now came to part which claimed partl'
cular attention, and which made provision for
distributing among the people, and fixing the
limit of the charges made against the President,
and which carried his establishment to the high
est pitch, in so much that he was disposed TO
doubt what he heard last summer. Where were
the people who had said last summer that the
treasury was emptied? Did we not hear in
speeches and in conversation the same Ian
guage that was now applied to the Post Office?
that the usurpers must all walk OIL and leave
their places to capable men2 Did not that lam
guage resound for six months? And now what
did we see? the same persons who before were
making such complaints, proposing to divide
nine millions this year and nine millions the
next year. and nine millions for several years
to come. Could this be real2 In every house
in the country were to be found documents OF
men here declaring the Treasury TO be bank
rupt, and now dividing nine millions this year,
and nine illionS the next year and so on, until
the money should amount to fifty six Millions
He recalled this fact for the purpose of letting
the American people see that there would be an
endless surplus Of nine millions. And what did
he now propose, but to let the American people
see that the mistakes were gross, and that gross
as that OF the revenue was last session. the pre-
sent estimate of surplus was still more so.
Mr.. Calhoun begged to ask the honorable Sc
nator, if he intended to impute any part of the
complaints of the deficiency of the revenue last
year to him.
Mr. Benton replied by telling story OF
drummer who was taken prisoner by the enemy,
and when he found himself in danger of be-
ing shot, not exactly liking the thing remon-
strated against it, declaring that he had never
carried arms, or fought against his captors. No,
no, said they. but you beat to arms, and caused
the others to fight. If the honorable gentleman
had not complained HIMSELF his party had. For
the gentleman to calculate upon surplus reve-
nue. for nine years to come seemed to him to be
piece OF absolute haucnation, What said
the Secretary's report. There was an income
ofthirty five millions, and the expenditure would
amount to thirty millions seven hundred and
twenty thousand, leaving surplus of one mil
lion seven hundred and eighty thousand, out of
which there had already been made extensive
appropriations which were not expected by the
Secretary to arise, and under the circumstances
he proceeded to argue that as the income Of
1885, would not differ materially from the esti-
mate Of the present. there would not be in the
treasury any such sum as nine millions to di-
vide; and as the tariff duties would undergo,
regular diminuton and the prices of the great
southern staples would, in all probability decline,
the income of 1912, must be less than the present
income. The calculation of the public lands
producing revenue was futile, they did not more
than pay their own expenses and taking into
calculation the payments made to the Indians,
- ho, a. - ~