The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-07-30


diplomatic expenses of the Government for 1888
Delivered in the House or Representatives,
February %, 1889.
ooNTINUED.l
Ptedge Of Retrenchment and Economv
ciose, Mr' Chairman, my allusion to the pro
LESSONS and promises which preceded the election
OF General Jackson, by adverting TO those of re
trenchnent and econonlu
i AL no period since the foundation of this Gov
elh"eht mas there been more reasonable and jus
regard TO economy in the public expenditures Thar
curing the administration Of John Quincy Adams
| NO considerable increase was made during that ne
ROO either in the number or the salaries of The
PupiIc oihcers and the aggregate OF public ex
fenditures renamed almost precisely the same a
| the crosse as 1t was at the commencement of tina
administration There was it is true a dispositior
10 FAVOR expenditures for works of internal imnrov
ment but these, so far from furnishing ground
Ioi the charge OF extravaganza, were but the usina
OF the Peoples money to increase their facilities
OF intercourse, give an enhanced value to the pro
ductlons OF their industry, and bind the country
more strongly together in the bonds of (rnternal
union. The charge of extravaganza, however was
not fastened on expenditures for internal improve.
ment The consprators against that adminislra-
tloh well knew that it must not be assaulted on that
ground that that battery must be masked rs was
that against the tariff by the declaration of General
jackson in favor of judiciOus' tariff until thew
should get pos session of the Government, and be
aDle TO strengthen themselves for an attack on
Doth those interests. II they had then onenlv as
sailed internal improvements and the tariF thew
would now be able TO say that there are tao0 points
IN which their practice has correspondent with their
professions But they chose to make their attack
on other points the last Of which, and lis CORES.
pondng pledge Of reform, | come now for a few
momonls, TO consider,
The foundation for the charge of extravaganza
against the administration of MIR Adams was laid
IN efforts to create Impressions against him person.
aiIy' lie was represented as naughty and aristo.
crartc Having spent large portion of his life at
.EErelgn courts 1t was represented that he had
merely contracted such habits of extravaganza and
had become so corrupted in his principles, as to
render HIM unfit to be the President of plain re-
publican People. And then the Presidential man.
SION was represented to have been fitted up by him
In style of almost ORIENTAL spendor. To give an
air OF reality to tins, the EAST Room Letter was
written, and published in the Richmond ENQUIRER.
ana other papers in which the writer "a Senator
OF the United States, of the conspirators writ
ing anonymously declared that, on visiting the
President mansion, he had found the east room SO
goIgeously furnished that could hardly be looked
INTO without dazzling the eyes of the beholder
when he knew that there was not ten dollars
worth of furniture in the entire room All these
lnsinuations of personal extravaganza originated
with men who knew then, as all the world knows
now, that the object of their SANDER was one of
me plalncst and most economical, tensatious
Chlet Magistrates the country ever had.
And then, too, he was the son of his father =
his blood was tainted with the sin of federalism |
ana though he really possessed genuine re- |
1ubhcanlsm than the whole combined host of his |
'auminators, he was held up to the country as a |
lIgh toned aristocra.. wst4out sinale teehnp IN
COMMON viii lbe ma III
ic mind had been prepared for the grand charge of
Itrdua gance, and the splendid professions of econ
NM and ret7 eichmem which closed the political
campaign of 1S25-'29, and consummated the pur
,ose of putting down the pure Administration.
| regret, Mr.. Chairman, that have not time to
give full history of the means employed to spread
through the country the false clamor of exrava-
yance, and the equally false, as well as hypocritl-
,al professions of rerenchment and reform. But
m ust he brief myself O q
ange of inquiry
You remember, sir, the labors of the celebrated
retrenchment committee, appointed by tho House
IF Representatives in the winter of 1928. Their
eport was made in May of that year, just in time
o operate on the Presidential election in Novem-
Der following; and circulated through the
country in unsparng prousion, and with prompt
less and zeal worthy Of an honest The
committee protested to have discovered great abuses
n useless multiplication of Executive officers,
especially in the Departments of State, Treasury,
War, Navy, and Post Office, in this city and de-
dared heir conviction that, 'by judcious system
,f reform, at least third ofthe number OF clerks
n those Departments might be reduced with safety
o the public interest, independently of consider
lble additional reduction which ight be effected
BY the enforcement among them of due degree of
industry. 'We believe (said the committee) that
here are, in fact, corps of invalid pensioners at
ached to some of these offices and just IN pro-
portion to their increasing disability to discharge
heir duties, is there an increased necessity for the
appointment of new clerks The committee said
however, that they could not propose ''any SPECIFIC
reduction of the number of clerks, inasmuch as
acithout the cOrdaL aid Of the Eaecuticc, no eiiec;
live scheme Of rerenchment could be instituted
Nothing but The ETecutire stood in the way OF re-
form which should dispense at once with more IMAM
a third of the clerks, and make the remainder IN
dustrious and faithful Nothing, of course, out
change Of administration was necessary 10 consum
mate the reform
The next session of Congress found the reform
crs at their posts. Retronchment was sun inc
General Jackson had been eiecien,
and the 'cordal aid of the Executive was, OF
course, secured. In this state of things, the '0'-
lowing resolution offered by the author o' INC
report, and adopted
ssResolvod. That this House has II right TO ex-
pect that the Executive will submit TO Congress, at
It's next session, comprehensive scheme q !etreneh
ment, which shall extend the loppS9g Or aS use.
less offices, and ne securing more
ability in those which are reialneG-
Such, Mr. Chairman, had >/been the pretended
of preparation for sam effective and comprehensive
scheme of retrenethment,' when this Administers