Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-08-03
NATIONAL EXPENDITURES.
TnE CIVIL LIST.

expenses of the civil list have been nearly doub
led since the administration of John Quincy Ad- |
ans. We exhibited the TENS of ar immense ex-
pendure Tor the Presidents House, gardens ard
furniture, and gave the bills and receipts, so that
there could be no deception. We did not give
all the items that we could give, for we have M
abundance more on hand,c1ualIy astounding; such
as bills Tor cleaning lamps, hanging Oiudo,0 cur
td'nS moving furniture &c. But we omit these,
and will dismiss this class of items with remark
upon the defence of the Administration IheN
it will be borne IN mind, never presented these
items to the people. OH no: that would not do
particularly just before election But they were
obliged 10 exhibit them before committee Of
Congress; by that means Mr. Ogc Obtained them;
and the administration does not, and dare not deny
their correctness. 1t happened, however, that
Mr.. Lincoln OF Massachusetts made some re
marks upon this subject, which were duty mis-.
reported in the Globe, Mr. Lincoln himself
says; aud these remarks are quoted in loco foco
newspapers triumphant defence of Mr.. Van
Buren, for Iuvishng the public money upon foreign
carpets and gcw-guws, TO in defiance Of law
of Congress- on and charging the mcnding Of
sheets and dish cloths to the national treasury =
And to what does MIR. Lncoln's remarks amount,
according to the Globe? Why, that the Pres
dent is not to blame that lie " invariably express
sed the greatest reluctance to have any thing ex.
pended for that object" (lurniture,) and that mot
IL single article OF furniture supplied during the
last three years has been supplied at tie request Of
the President himself" This is what the lying
Globe attributes to Mr.. Lincoln but granting 1t
to he true, let us see how u few plain questions
will settle the whole matter. If Mr.. Van Buren,
felt SO much reluctance to spending money for
fiIrniure why did he not utterly refuse 10 recetuc
IL? Or, when it was determined that he should
have furniture, why did lie not say" Gentlemen,
you know our complaints Of John Quincy Ad-
ans for aping the extravagance of foreign courts
now give me furniture which will comport with
the republican simplicity of the American people
lei he of the best materials and plain, rather thar
gaudy, dazzling and rail and above all, the
laws of the land impernvcly require, let it be o
american manufacture, at once an honor to tht
house. the country, and the skill Of our citizens.
Or at least, when foreign carpets bedstcads chairs
gewgaws, plate and cutlery were procured, an,
put into the house, why in the name of wonde
were not the servants permitted to do the mendin!
md cleaning, rather than charging this house
work over TO Uncle Sam? But Mr. Van Buren, di,
10 such thing. From The building OF the Hous
down to 1925. there had been $4,000 worth o
furniture put into it and yet since the reformer
came into power and notwithstanding the grea
reluctance of Mr.. Van Buren,, S706S0,40 NOR
has been expended for furniture, making the cos
Of furnishing this single house 10 be Sl40,6SO AZ
And such furniture: think you any man woul
permit il TO come into his house against his toRl
But we will not pursue this subject If there
any possible way for the friends OF the admins
ration TO get away from these queries, and tn
Just differences from the facts stated, we will vii
lingly leave them 10 try the experiment; and he'
if not before, we will show that the money 10 pa
for this furniture was obtained by WARRAN u
DRAWN rY ORDER OF THE PRESI
DENT HI SELF. We now turn to other item
under the head of the civil list. In the last Re
port of Secretary Woodbury., we find the follow
ing apparently very harmless Words in the list c
expenses under the civil list: "mint establish
ment, $7s 200 co." This is as near an approac
to an item, us we can officially get from the Sec
his annual statements; aud when an clcctoneer
ing document is got up, it is hardly possible to &c
even so much as this. Now who would suppos
tia, an item for the mint establishment" coul
include the purchase Of ornamental trees and fou
ers scroll sofas, mahogany bed-steads and chair
Venetian windOU blinds, carpets and newspaper
and building HOUSES, ICE-HOL
SEES, BATHING HOUSES, and SUMNER
HOUSES? who would ever dream that sue
articles, or most of them were either neccssar
or propcr for IT, S. mint? But such article
are included in the expenses for the Mint estal
isllmcnt in 1887 as we shall show. AT each Cor
grcss, committees of expenditures in the severn
departments are appointed, who have the right O
examining the bills and vouchers for money pre-
vously expended. Mr.. Sianly of N, Z. was o
one of these comnittees,and by that means Obtain
ed the original bills and vouchers below copict
He has them in his possession, aud announce
,la, friends or foes are at full liberty TO examir
the originals. Now for the items. We quote frol
Mr. SIS speech;
" But. sir. lei us come to the 'wastage Of gol
and The contingent expenses of an anti bank, ant
CORPORATION. hard money, Van Buren, democrH
IN lie contingent cAVeHsSs VI VIZ ",n"S" W."
found one item charge d $2lS %, TO d. LandreI
g. Co for trees Yes, trees, for tho branch min
: BIS dollars worth of trees and flowers for ii
branch mini
Here, sir, is copy of the bill, and, for the bel
eftsol my economical, hard money colleagues,
will read the items.
r. PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 3, 1898.
Il United States Mint, Charlotte, N. Z. per Co.Whe
Il er
y 80 Ailanhus Trees, at 81 90 $50
s 50 Horse Chestnut do do % 90
Magnolia Granditiora, D
10 kIucronlVln do | 40