Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-05-25
P o l. | T | G. A l..
LETTERS FROM THE EDITOR.
WASHINGTON, May 9Th. 1910

NUN TIE Oh
WAsHrNeToN May 9Th. 1910.
The expenditures of the Government for the
last three years was the subject of the very inter
esting discussion of yesterday in the Senate ; a
discussion which, much to the qualification Of the
host OF visiters now at the Capitol, drew out most
of the prominent Senators of both parties. The
question came up thus: Mr. Benon, some weeks
since " started the ball." by bringing in resou-
tion requesting the Secretary OF the Treasury to
report the expenditures from the last year of Mr.
Monroe's administration TO the present time, spec
flying the leading objects items of expenditure
In obedience to this resolution the Secretary of
the Treasury yesterday transmitted his report, and
without being even once read to the Senate, Ben
ton took possession OF it, and commenced what he
called an explanation, summary of the report,
but which was really an eleclioneering speech
In fact, the whole matter was an cectioneorng
plot, from the beginning to the end. Why call
for new table of expenditures, when previous
reports contain the same information; and why
call for this in different shape from that in which
it is usual TO present such information? The de-
bate exhibited the reason: the prince of humbug-
gerry showed why. Taking the list OF items in his
right hand, and scanning it through gold mount
ed quizzing- glass, what say the deinocras? which
he fourshed in his left, Benton begun deducting
some millions for the Florida war some for the
public debt some for ndemnities, some for pen
sions, some for the trust fund, and so on, item by
item and what think you was the result of this
new discovered method of wiping off old scores?
Oh, nothing but that the ordinary expenses of this
pure this economical, this retrencling this pros
porous administration, are only about thirteen and
a half millions per annum Strange as 1t may
seem, while the very document he held in his hand
shows gross average expenditure of more than
THIRTY MILLIONS YEAR, since Van Buren, came
into power, this man had the assurance 20 class
nesrly two thirds of it under the head of exraor-
binary expenditures Willie the documents of '2S
will show a report drawn up with his own hand,
declaring twelve and half millions of expendit-
ure to be conclusive evidence cf extravaganza,
Encouragement and corruption in the admiaistra-
ton OF John Quincy Adams,-he had the unpar-
alelled boldness to claim, for thc>thirly million
spendhriit in the white house, the title OF an
economical and honest administrator; and, TO cap
the climax of absurdity, he charged the response
bility of what he called the extra expenditures,
upon the minority of the Senate This was the
substance of his speech, and it reveals the game
of the administration Having alsfed all their
pledges, bankrupted The treasury, and at last found
the nation abandoning them, their trick is to divert
The attention of the people from the vast aggre-
gate of expenditure TO mere items, and TO charge
every questionable item upon the Whgs! Al
the conclusion of his speech, Benton asked his
friends TO name number of extra copies TO be
printed: his old federal ally, Hubbard of n H..
promptly named 10000 extra copies, and Benton
accepted the proposition On this motion, then,
to give Blair fat job of 10000 extra copies, the
debate proceeded Mr. Preston of S. C. took the
floor, and said that the report came from the de-
PENDANT ia the great cause, the People Us. the
Treasury Department it was entirely er parie J;
no man had seen it save the Senator from Nilsson.
ri. He would not charge that the report was false
but suggested whether it was proper for the Sen
ute to give its sanction TO such document, before
they had overheard il read. He thought it should
be referred to the committee on fnunce Pa~ing
to the general question of national expenditure,
Mr. p. gave one of his most eloquent off hand
speeches. lie said the people would not be de-
ceived by the array of items of extras OF sub
fractions, divisions and reductions; they knew
thai the aggregate expenditures had been run up
from 10 to near 40 millions since 1879, and they
demanded to know why was this state OF things.
The administration had now resorted 10 Items
and thus they assumed the task of defending items.
The items might seem necessary said Mr.. p, but
he would point the party in power and inquire
who made the items necessary? He did not doubt
the judgment of an intelligent and wa,cbful peo.
pie: they know, for they have seen the progress
Of the work. that the administration has spent this
immense amount of money that it has itself ere.
ated all the necessities in the case: and he put il
to The people to look 10 The several departments
and to'say, whether or mol they had given an a.
mount OF benefit equivalent to the amount of mon
ey they had spent Were our foreign relations
onr'intian affairs, our army, our gallant navy, oul
Hommerce and manufactures, in more prosperous
:: condition now, with 90 millions of annual expen-
diure, tbdni in 80 with less than 10 millions7 Nc
> a-no; tirs was the test with which to try the ad
H..