The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-17

sill appeared very large, il was commended that some
i've or six millions OF that amount ought not 70 be
charged 10 the extravaganza OF the administration, be-
cause that expended in that year in suppress
ing Indian hostilities pretty story. when is well
known 10 those who have devoted any attention to the
suhect that the administration is not only Justly charge
aoe with the most unparalleled waste OF the public ea
sure 10 The late and existing with the Indians but
% nose wars may be fairly traced and charged 70 the
sSPaoe neglect and bad management Of the department
III government charged with the direction and con-
uoi Of Indian affairs
npoler defence was, that the expenditures attend
g me removal OF the Indians from The east the west
M, s'ppi' amounting to several millions snnu-
~ ~ regarded as extraordinary, and such as
wouia nave occurred under any administration Whoever
WIN look INTO this subject will be satisfied that the
necessary expenses attending the purchase of Indisn
lands and the removal Of the Indians have been in
creased more than one hundred per cent BY the mbc-
cty and fahlessness OF the agents employed in The
various branches OF that service But the charge which
was most successful IN binding the people, and con-
founding the less informed was that al the excess Of
expenditure under the late and present
beyond the annual expenditures under Mr.. Adams adj
mnlsatlon to be ascrbed TO the extravagant and
unpInciped Of the opposition in Congress The
administration, 1t was said had always been IN favor Of
economy and TO prove the assertion true, the state
ment OF Mr. Woodbury., before sdverted To relied
upon The estimates Congress BY the Secreta-
~ OF Inc Treasury II said, were always moderate
1"u NSoHoiheaI, would appear from reference
10 mat statement For example, the estimates Tor the
year 1887 sent in from Tho Treasury Department in
december, 1880, are ostenatously displayed in one
column oil the statement amounting no more than
S22ool 442, while, in another parallel column, IL APP
pears that Congress appropriated 500, l64 745 show
ing an excess Of moneys voted by Congress above the
estimates OF the Treasury Cor year. l707392l
II is manifest that the wel-inormed only would be able
to detect the aacy OF this argument or to expose the
hypocrisy OF those who advanced it, II it be said that
the Secretary might nave been honestly mistaken in
making an estimate OF appropriations for the year 1897
greatly below the actual demands Of the service mas
much as the expenses incurred in suppressing Indian
hostes, in that year. greatly exceeded the expecta
tons OF all parties still that does excuse the attempt
to impose upon the people by exhibiting the estimator
and contrasting them with the appropriations, as an
argument IN favor OF the greater economy Of the Exc
cutive administration and still less does it the
attempt keep up the deusve appearances the
estimates for the service ohe present year. s3s) sub
United on the 9th of December 1887. In the report
eh submitted to Congress- the estimates OF appropra-
TONS Tor the service Of the year 1885, stated at $780,
,249 only. Very moderate indeed and worthy of
al praise IN republican statesman, considering the
setuai circumstances of the copplkY that time But
famine famine ior moment what fhose circumstances
were There were at that momen. between 5000 and
ouoo troops employed IN the prosecution Of the Fori
ga war; with no certain prospect Of ending the war at
all events before the spring OF the year; and it
afterwards appeared, believe that the time tpss
estimates were sent In, the then due in that
branch OF the public service and for which there no
appropriation, exceeded 81 100000; and upwards Of
S1ooooOo were afterwards actually appropriated for
the service Of 1885, cent of which was included
In the estimates OF the Treasury
There we're. also, at the period Of those estimates
december, 1879 five six Indian treaties already
signed under the direction of the President involving
an expenditure Of more than $4,000 OOO and although
they were not then ratified, yet their ratification was
regarded as matter of course TIE Secretary Of the
treasury was without apology for failing to notice in
some form the appropriations necessary to carry them
into effect These treaties afterwards ratified,
and ST. 100000 actually appropriated to be
pended in the year 1885, according to their stpulaons.
But this is all At the time the Treasury estimates
sent in the Secretary could not have been igno-
that the Secretary Of War and the President had
united in earnest recommendation to increase the
rank and file Of the standing army l5 900 men, and
to augment considerably every branch of the military
establishment and defences Of the country; and many
concurrent circumstances, BESIDES indicated that this
would be done yet no notice whatever taken by
the Secretary his estimates of the increased charges
upon the Treasury this account. The army proper
increased to number between IL, 900 and
900 men, and the other branches of the military
bishment were also augmented to meet the expenses
OF which, IN the year 1888, upwards of 800, 900 were
voted by Congress. Those few items that have
ferred to merely from memory, show aggregate Of
900 900 demanded for the service Of 1888, all the
bly, ioreseen by the Secretary OF the Treasury yet
no part Of it included in his estimates. 1t is by
such conceaments and articles these that the adj
seeks to uphold character for economy
and retrenchment and TO throw upon the Opposition
and Congress the charge of extravaganza. conclude
remarks upon this part Of the Message by repeating
my opinion, that the public interests demand the appli-
cation Of some remedy for this mischief Some ade-
quae penalty should be imposed to protect the people
against such false pretences.
I fborpo rta If thaM
which, from its connexion with the subjects of greatest
interest at the present time, will be regarded the most
interesting and important OF the whole.
After advertng the defalcaton Of the late Collec
tor OF the port of New York, (Mr. Swartwout,) and
very naturally ang with the idea Of the neces-
sity OF "secure anc safe system for the safe
keeping and disbursement Of the public moneys, the
President insists
"That the application Of the public money to private
uses should be made felony and visited with severe
and gnominious punishment"
"The government, it must be admitted" (says the
President, in the same paragraph "has been, from
its commencement, comparatively fortunate in this
respect"
Here, then, is fair admission that until recently but
small portion of the public moneys has been embez-
zled by the officers charged with its collection yet
the method Of collecting and safe keeping heretofore
in use is denounced and repudiated; new system is
projected and insisted on and the further security
suggested of severe and ignominious penalties. The
enormous abuses successfully brought to light under
this Administration continue to be imputed to any but
their true cause The system of collection and DIS
bursenen is defective; the method OF accounts is de-
fective; the laws are defective! This has been the
ready apology Of the late and present Administrations
for all abuses. There serious complaints OF
abuses or dcfacatons in the Post Office Department
until the party in power undertook they said, to
bring about general reform Of the Government but
when few years OF administration had brought
about general arrangement and the most corrupt
practices in that Department, 1t was Immediately pro-
claimed that the laws regulating the Department were
eminently defective the system Of accountability IN
use it was said was bad one; in fine, that nothing
conld retrieve its condition but new organization.
The same excuses have repeatedly been urged in de-
fence of the gross abuses which have prevailed in the
=. H. al Ind AHara