Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1840-08-01
FOR PRESIDENT.
MARTIN VAN BU rem.
PUBLIC EXPENDITURES.

PUBLIC EXPENDITURES.
There is no subject which has been SO
uu,ireiugly harpcd upon, or which has
formed the theme Of so much windy dec
lamation by the wings, as that Of the pub
lie xpenditures-all Of them from the
merest driveler in their ranks up to their
mos, influential leaders in the halls oc le-
qislatiou, and even in the Senate Of the
United States, have been engaged for the
last two years, 10 heaping up the hit
tcrest and The most unsparing SLAM
der and abuse upon the administration, Tor
what they are pleased 10 call its reckless
extrayaeance, and dishonest waste OF the
public money-Yet fortunately for US,
for the cause of truth ard our country,
the people are not so blind as they cannot
see through their perversions and mlsreP-
reservations Of facts, and seeing, they are
not so tame spirited, as that they will not
visit them with the Indignation they de-
serve.
What then are.he facts in relation TO the
public expenditures? These can be very
readily ascerlained by reference TO "a
statement Of moneys expended by the
government from 1889 to 1887, aud the
amount annually lost by defalcations,
&c.," in report made in obedience 10 a
Congressional call, iby the Secretary Of
the Treasury, Dec. &c, 1889.
From this as well as from other reports
made by the same oflicer,-,he authenti-
city Of which has never Leen questioned. =
we learn that the expenditures OF the gov.
eminent from 1924 to 1923, including The
four years Of the younger Adams admin
isration amounted TO $l02, 244, sos, go.
In this estimate, are included not only The
ordinary and permanent expenditures, Of
the government, but also those Of an ex.
traordinary and temporary character. The
aggregate expenditure of The year 1924, ap-
pear to have amounted to the enormous
sum Of S3l sos, 53s,47, which as Mr.
Benton, very justly remarks, if stated
alone and without explanaiion,--as the
wings have done in regard 10 the expen-
ditures Of 1889, might well astonish the
public mind, and justly cause to be raised
the cry of extravaganza and corruption.-
Yet when we come 10 analyZe this enor-
nous aggregate, and deduct from il, the
items OF temporary AID extraordinary
character, such as the sum Of sixteen
millions paid on account OF the national
debt, the indemnties paid our merchants
under treaties, with Foreign ers,-the
amount 10 the States on account of war
debts, DC. we find il reduced TO the mode.
rate sum of about seven millions
Oh dollars No one thought at that time
cuarglng the administration with ex.
"aVasance and corruption, on the, con-
UaTy 1t was lauded for lis prudence and
economy; yet because all tie expenditures
0l the government including the temporary
ana extraordinary, as well as those for
ordinary and permanent purposes, FOR the
year 1889, CHANGED TO exceed those Of
ioS4, after lapse too Of fifteen years -
some live or SIX millions Of dolturs,--Ihis
excess is heralded forth to the old as
evidence Of the most reckless proflieacy,
u"u ne people every where invoked to
,u'h from their places their present public
luac''onaries, as unworthy Of further con
idence.
IS this FART Does such course com
port with honest enquiry? Why do the
opposition exclude all items Of temporary
u0a extraordinary expenditures IRON their
estimates Of Adams ,ime, ana include
1uem 10 Van Buren'sG Ii Is done 10
uecelve the people. We cannot believe
'ua' men, who would seek BY m,srepre.
lQng. and aho,s ialsifylnu ~ rennr,t.