Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-05-22
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
Thursd0B, MAY 7.


giving n summary of the items and aggregate eSpn
d,ures of the Government from lo2i included, up L
1889.
Afler the remarks of Mr. Benton, as given in The
| Globe Of the 18th INST
Mr.. PRESTON remarked that, heretofore The PEG
pie had been informed of the aggregate pubic expendi
turc Of each year, and il not matter oil souh'
policy that the country should know how these nggre
gates created, il was now, at least, SUBJECT o.
great curiosity to them how the Government had Sc
rapidly increased its expenditures not only to double
| but treble what they were n few years ago MIR. I
hoped that reimbursement of this cloudy matter
was now about TO be made. He trusted the people
would be able to understand it, and would not be con
fused into deluson by the multiplicity of sums and
items. He like the Senator from Missouri appealed Il
their intelligence But Mr.. P had now, and long ago
come to the conclusion, that there could be no lus
cation OF these enormous expenditures that these hes
could not Justify them. But those who were about to
place them before the people put on them the issue
| that the expenditures properly made. be trust
ed that the people after having looked at the items
The grains of sand which might not strike them as ex
traordnary would look also al the mountain expense
made up by the aggregate
AS to the plea Of necessity for these probabilities the
common excuse for all extravaganza, they were the
worst Governments that exposed themselves to the
worst necessities, which Mr. p illustrated by the case
of Spain. And who, in the case OF our Government
made these necessities: Leading gentlemen OF tins
Administration had estimated the highest am unit to
which the Government expenditures ought To extend
some fixing it at Sl5,0000n0, and others, as the ex
IRENE, at S17, 0UnG00 or Sl9,000,00O. The Senator
from Missouri had alleged that the Opposition doubled
The expenditures of the Government But how could
they do IT. The Administration party had the power
and the Opposition could not carry single party mea
sure.
And how were we to nudge whether an Admnisra
ton is economical or not BY the aggregate, the
total of its expenditures There was no ole! standard
Every other means was iaacous.
Mr. P proceeded to arr ne that the affairs Of the
try were not better administered than in the lines
If Jefferson and Monroe, when the expenditures were
but third At the present. tie expressed ms ntliei
that f this document should make the people think
that this Administration was economical, they would
be deceived and drluded.
He commented on The improperly Of printing thirty
thousand copies Of this document, without examination
and without liz even having been read thus giving II
The sanction the Senate without knowing It's correct
ness IL would not only constitute an item OF expense
but il would be CT partc statement, sanctioned as
well as paid for by the Senate.
He referred 10 4 former declaration Of his own that
the mos, dangerous part OF all tins policy was me crra
ton of habit OF extravagant expenditure But that
hah, had been contracted by this Government and Mr.
F. now believed that Il could possibly be rcmeded only
by making it party question, or by an overwhelming
influence from the people themselves
Mr.. BROWN said, that he was not aware that the
prinlinr Of the important report which had been com
munica ed to Tie Senate by the Secretary Of the Trca
srry on the public expenditure. would come up tor
considerations until he had take his seat this morning
When however, he had heard The Administration and
its friend, denounced guilty Of extr1vaganc" IN the
..trudIture Of the public money, by gentlemen n cp-
ooiion when he rccocctef the course which had been
pursued hv himself and most Of lis political friends, IN
regard Ia appropriations; and when he remembered
what had been Of the Opposition on the same sub
sct for wears past in the two Houses of Congress he
could not refrain from expressing The SURPRISE as vel
as deep Indignation, which he felt lie had occupied a
scat in that body for than ten years and lie could
say without the fear Of contradiction that the OpposI
ton as body in the two Houses Of Congress, had aided
more by their votes to increase the public expenditures,
than the friends Of the Administration.
When he had first become member OF the Senate,
ne had found the friends Of the Administration OF Pres
dcpt Jackson anxious 10 discharge the National debt,
which al HE close ct the administration OF MI Adams,
amounted to about forty millions ard al the same lime
in favor Of reducing the burdens winch an oppressive
tariff had imposed the country On the other hand
he had found the opposition to the administration OF
Preside Mt Jackson, who AT that tine were mostly
omposed Of the mscalcd american Sustain party, OPP
poscd to the immediate discharge OF the National Debt,
and in favor of the continuance of high Tariff The
positions then occupied BY the two great parties which
divided the country nj that time on these important
questions Of national policy, could leave no doubt on
the mind of any one, TO who were, and who were not
in favor of system Of eXtravagant expenditure Uhc
of he partcs desired pom" the payment OF The ma.
tonal debt and 10 keep their 'avortc system OF high
duties The most and obvious way 10 do this, was
TO make large and wnstciu appropriations OF the public
money This was Tie ancnt which alone could keep
alive the Tariff and render it a permanent system.
Hence it was that every scheme 10 expcnd the public
money was devised and brought forward by The 7mti-
! can Susfc,a pnriu, nj that ,nv win" were manly IN
opposition to the Administration of President Jackson,
in order their favori,e system from the doom
VIII oh inevitably awaited It without some such aid
To ares, these enormous schemes Of extravaganza
then brought forward y the Federal party, and which
dsrcGarded alike the bounds of moderation and the Ii.
ms Of the Constitution, the veto power repeatedly
rcsorted to hy the Executive For having thus inter
posed the authority with which he was clothed, to save
the Constitution from total overthrow, md the nation
from bonr burdened with oppressive tariff and per.
manen system of cxtravagant expenditure, some OF The
very party who such lovers OF economy in Pro-
fSsion pronounced HIM arbitrary tyrant, who de-
served to be brought to the block If their system had
prevailed the large national debt remaining unpaid at
the close of the administration Of Mr.. Adams, would
probably continue 10 exist at this day, and an annual ex-
pcnditure far larger than the present. would have been
permanently fixed on the country
The ex;ravagant degree to which the pension sys.
TEN had been carried at that time was consequence
Of the same policy and carried manly by the votes
Of the same party. The bill to pension the militia,
which had drawn many millions from the Treasury,
was reported by opposition Senator; and white can
dor compelled him to admit that large portion OF The
friends of the Administration voted for that measure,
vet it was supported still unanimously by the Anne
rcan system party, whose motives, 1t was believed
were not exclusively those of patriotic respect and re-
gard for the venerable Of the Revolution, but par
took largely Of regard for the tariff which cond be
kept IN alone by large expenditure. He remembered
the very great ability with which this measure had
been opposed by the late General lIaynr, then mem
Der OF that body-to whose great worth and eminent
talents he awaited himself, with great pleasure Of that
occasion to offer the humble tribute of his sincere ad-
mraton.
Besides opposing it upon the ground that it wasS
departure from rhe prince which the system was
originally established, and which intended to apply
only to that class of officers and soldiers, who having
abandoned the pursuits Of private life, had made arms
profession, and not to the mere citizen soldier who
had been called mo public service for short periods,
he considered Tie extension Of the system favorng
part oflha great scheme of permanent public eSPen-
dture which the American System psrty then medta-
ted and were endeavoring to fix upon the country, as
part of our national policy.
He (Mr b. had deemed his duty to vote against this
measure which, in addition to the pension system be-
fre 10 operatou had the very first year that weni