Litchfield enquirer., 1840-12-17

70 impose taxes for the payment oI t,e interest on reason why the Federal Government should refrain from creating a national debt, by which the reOple would be exposed to double taxation Ior elnnaI oo ject. We possess within ourselves ample resources for every emergency; and we may be quite sure mat our citizens, in no future emergency wnl Oe uhwl ling io supply the GoveTnment with a" !ne mleanS S asked for the defence of the country Tn tlme oI peace there can, at all events, De no usuncaHon IOT the creation of permanent debt by the FeGeiaI Government Its limited range o' constItu'Iona' @ uu' may certainly under such circumstances, be per formed without such resort It has, It IS seen' Oeeh avoided during four years ct greater hscal dncutes than have existed in a similar period since the auOp' ton Of the Constitution, and also remarkable for the occurrence of extraordinary causes OI eXPenoi- lures.
 But, to accomplish 30 desirable an object, two things are indspensable: first, that the action of the Federal Government be kept within the boundaries prescribed by it's founders; and, secondly, that all appropriations for objects admitted to be constitution al, and e expenditure of them aso be subjected to a standard of rigid but we.cOnsdered and practical economy. The first depends chiefly on the People strncUn of the Constitution, and the confidence they repose in the political senmen's ot those they select their representatives in the Federal Legislature ] the second rests upon the fidelity with which their more immediate representatives, and other public functonaries, discharge the trusts committed to them The duty of economzing the expenses oi the public service is admitted on all hands; yet there are few subjects upon which there exists wider difference of opinion than is constantly manifested Tn regard to the fidelity with which that duty is discharged Ne-
  nations, upon point in respect to which the public mind IS justly sensitive, can be ehtlfey aVOoeo and least so at periods of great political excement- An intelligent People, however, seldom fail to nrriVe in the end, at correct conclusions in such matter- Practical economy in the management ot puhIic a fairs can have adverse influence to contend with more powerful than large surplus revenue; and the unusually large appropriations for 1897 may without doubt, independently of the extraordinary reqnlsons
 for the public seFvice growing out of the state ot our Indian relations, be, in no inconsiderable degree fn sudden button of the large surplus then in the Treasury, and the equally sudden and unprecedently severe revul- sons in the commerce and business of the country, pointing with unerrrg certainty to great ana pro tracted reduction of the revenue, strengthened the pr0prety of :he earliest practicable reduction ot the pubic expenditures.
 But, to change a system operating upon go large a surface, and applicable to such numerous and diver sifed interests and objects, was more than the work Government was immediately, and in guod faith, di- reced to that end and has been so continued to the present moment; The estimates ond "ppropr,atlons troll were sonewha, diminished. The expenditures of 1889 were rednced $6,0o00oO. Those of is4o, ex. elusive of disbursements for public debt nnd trust between two and three millions less than ttse ot the preceding year, and nine or ten millions less than those of 1887. Nor has it been found necessary, in order [" produce this result to resort to the power conferred by Congress, of posponing certain classes Of the public works, except by deferrng expenditures tOr short period upon Q limited portion o shem; and
 
 the moment the Treasury Department by further re; ceipts from the indebted banks, became fully assured of is ability to meet them without prejudice to the public service n other respects Causes are m Ope. ration which wl is believed justify still further reduction, without injury to sRy important national interest The expenses of sustaining the troops T em. poyed in Florida have been gradually and greatXre re- duced, through the persevering efforts ot the War Department; and reasonable hope may be enter taned ha. the necessity for military operations in dians from within our settled borders is nearly com pleted The pension lis me ot the heaviest charges Tpon the Treasury. is rapidly dimnshns oy aea;n t ished or nearly so; and we may, think. sateiy prom ise ourselves continued exemption from border diti' cultes
 The available balance in the Treesnry on the ls, of January next is estimated at Sl,5O0O0O. This sum, with the expected receipts from all sources during e next year, will, it is believed, he sufficient to en"oe the Government to meet every engagement, and leave suitable balance in tho Treasury at the end
 e 1 snIss % Toasres ss hsrsnre reccn % mended, shall be adopted, and the new nrpropn,i"nc by Congress shall not carry the expenditures beyond
 The new system established by Congress for the eate.keeping of the public money, prescribing the kind Ot currency to be received for the public nue. and providing additional guards and securities against losses, has now been several months in opc. ra,i0n Although it nigh, be premature, upon an perence of such limited duration, form n de finite opinion in regard to the extent of its influences m recng many evils under which the Federal Govern. Inent md the country have hitherto suhered-espe. CNlly tlSe that nave grown out Ol Danklnk eApAtl. sions, depreciated currency, and official detalcn
 ons; yet 1t is but right to say that nothing has cured in the practical operation of the system to weaken n the slightest degree bu, much Q strengthen the cond,Nt anticipaons of its friends. The grounds of these have heen heretofore fully explained require no recapuatl..n. In respect iO the facility and convenience lt affords in conducting the public service, and the ability of the Government tu dis charge through it's agency every duty attendant on the collection, transfer and disbursement of the pub lie money with prompiitude and success, can say. with COntluenCe that the Npprehensnns Oi those who felt 1t to be their duty to oppose it's adoption have proved to be unfounded. On the contrary, this branch of the fiscal affairs of the Government has been, and it is believed may always be, thus carried on with every desirable facility and security. A few changes and improvements n the details of the sys tenn, without affecting any principle involved in i, will be submitted to you by the Secretary of the Treasury, aud will am sure, receive at your hands that attention to hch they may, on examination, be found to be entted.
 l have deemed this brief summary of our fiscal af- fairs necessary to the due performance o duty spe cially enjoned upon by the Constitution. It will serve, also to illustrate fully the principles by witch have been guided in reference to two con tested points n our public policy, which earliest in their ,developeTcant, and have been more impor. under our complicated and difficult. yet admirable system of Government; l alIude to national debt and national bank. It in these that the politi. ever since the adoption of the Constitution in great nleasure originated and there is too much reason to apprehend that the conflicting interests and opp0s ing principles thus marshalled will continue, here. quences.
 Coming into office the declared enemy of hoth, have earnestly endeavored to prevent resort to ei. lher.
 The consideration that large public debt affords an apoogy, and produces in degree, necrssiiy, also, tor resoring to system and extent ot taxation which is no. only oppressive throughout ont likewise so apt to lead, in the end to the commission of that most odous of all offences against the princples Ot