The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-02-18
WHOLE NO. 442.


troops, and that they have not been paid with the
Quarterinascr General urgently demanding, more
than six weeks ago, S4000OO as partial appropra-
ton, To answer immediate and pressing necessities in
this service with the still going on, and 1000
volunteers and militia in The field, and TO remain in
the field, Mr. Poinseit shows in his report with
these facts all before the Secretary al the time, IL Is
amazing how he should have brought his courage up
TO speak Of saving to tho Treasury in 1871 in re.
terence 10 this service Last year 100000 was all
mat was appropriated for this service the officer
KING The estimate having been required-ordered-to
cut y down to that sum; this year. unless this Admin
isua'ion mean now toabandon the whole concern the
treasury must bear not only the burden OF the
service but the greater part OF that OF the last year
sos ana yet the Secretary is afraid to talk TO US of
great SAVING TO be made in this quarterl
Mr. chairman, there is nothing in all the official
acquaintance we have had with the Secretary Of the
Treasury calculated 10 inspire very implicit
IN MS accuracy The last year his mark for new and
permanent appropriations was $40, 100000; and he
told us Iie thought the expenditures would he within
that sum With all the efforts Of all the party 10 "keep
the appropriations within the estimates about which
so much was said sung, they found il necessary 70
swell the appropriation to 3 6sG 037 and the actual
expenditures OF the year have not fallen much any
short of b1 100000 Mr. Woodbury. is not nea rer The
true mark than he was then He paws to the next
President the equyocal compliment of supposing that
in his hands, the Government can be admins.
tered this year. with the public service for nine
teen and quarter millions which has cost the coun-
twenty four and in previous years twenty five and
thirty and half millions Give the next Presi-
dent time to make reforms, in such that the
public service shall not suffer and then may be rea
sonable enough TO expect retrcnchmcnt.
But, s, the omissions and DEFICIENCIES Of the Secre-
aIys estimates for lS4l gross and glazing He at
tempts to cover with general sum, added his
bles OF estimates, some of these omissions. With this
general sum added however the whole estimate reach
only to $l9, 100000, which is four millions and
halt less than the expenditures for the same objects
the past year, as we have His tables con-
tam nothing for private claims to be allowed by Con-
gress which may AMOUNT to Million nothing for
the Florida war; when two millions may be required
very inadequate sum for the steamers and fri
gates necessary to be completed put in progress the
present year nothing for Navy PENSIONS when $780,
uoowas wanted nothing for public buildings in this
city, for which 800 600 is required nothing TO pay
large sums due, suppose incontesta5ly, to Maine,
and to Georgia, and to some other States; nothing
for the survey of the Northeastern boundary line;
nothing TO pay for the sites of marine hospitals the
Western waters for the hospitals themselves moth
ing for the Presidents House, that the out tin
sci now there may be replaced with furniture, as il
ought be, OF good substantial American manufac-
turcj and nothing for many other things which may
BIO likely TO find their way into the appropriations.
greatly dstrus these tables Of the Secretary cspe-
cially under the head of military" His estimates
for 1871 900 under this head; last year
they 80, 100000; and the actual expenditures
have been 81 600 900.
Inmates is still behind. In very obscure and involved
paragraph of his Report he docs refer to the matter
which now allude He admits that "a greater pro-
portion Of the outstanding appropriations at the end
of 1870 may be expended in 1871 than will be left
expended Of the new charges imposed This re-
quires calculation, what does not in this Report
Nor does the Secretary give to the fact at which he
here aims the force and elect which belong to it.
will explain.
On the first Of January in every year it is found
that large sums out of the appropriations of the pre-
cedng year have not yet been drawn from the Trea-
sury. In the first place, large amounts have been
earned and the money DUE but il has not yet been
called for and then other large amounts under these
old appropriations have yet been earned but they
will be in due time, and the money called for In both
cases. and for both amounts, these sums fall the
Treasury mainly in the year following that in which
the appropriations made. This year the amounts
thus standing over, under old anIronrintio'., -
wnIcn Idf charge OH the Treasury in the
year 1871, are estimated by the Departments we
from the Secretary, at &lO,1l OFT This, as
have said becomes charge the Treasury in 1871,
and ought TO be stated and must be in any accurate
| account of the burdens which the Treasury may have
to sustain within the year. This important item, how
ever being included in such account there should
of course he deducted from such Of the appropr
atons fol the year much out of these appropriations
it may be estimated will be found standing over at
the close of the year and which will not therefore, be
charge on the Treasury within the year. This course
have taken in an estimate for the year which have
made, ana which will present TO the committee.
! The Secretary says, "These two ilcms"-by which
suppose he means these balances Of appropriations
standing over from year to year--arc usually com
puted to equal each other. am OF opinion that these
balances Of 1910 and 1871 will he found to he very
| far from equalling each other
In the first place, not satisfied that the Secre-
tary has got the amount standing from $40 high
enough He takes the sums as they are estimated ana
given him by the Departments, and these are not al
ways to be depended on In his report Of last year
the Secretary himself said these estimates were not
high enough then by two millions OF dollars lie had
had quite much reason to doubt their accuracy now
In looking into the reports from Of these De
partmens, find very large sums shown to have been
standing over 50 late the Isl of October last--n
some cases enormously large. For example, in the
Indian Department alone, $3 600 600 standing
over, while al the same time there about ~ 225,-
600 in the hands Of disbursng agents yet unexpendcd
doubt if there be a cent less than 81 800, 900 under
this head alone reserved to fall on the Treasury IN The
present year Upwards Of 100000 for taking the
sixth census in 1910 remains to be paid in 1871
Other examples might be given.
A very decided effect in throwing charges from
the last year to the present, IN way altogether new
has been produced by posponing the application Of
appropriations made for certain works and objects un-
der the authority given to the President in Of the
appropriation bills Whatever may be the President
understanding about the fact certain it is that several
Of the principal officers testify positively in their re-
ports To these postponemcnts This, added TO the
fact Of the very late period which the principal APP
pTopation bills passed at the last session, rem
dcred unusually large sums unavailable within the
year. Thus Col. Tacot, Of the Ordnance Depart
ment, says
"Thc appropriations for 1910 were made by Con-
gress al so late period (20th July) that very few of
objections authorized could be effected during the
year moreover, HE restrictions of the Sd section OF
the appropriation law hdring been applied 10 large
/
! A letter from the Secretary of War TO the chair
man Of the Committee of Means, dated December ",
1910 one month before this debate began transmitting
estimates Of appropriations for the continuance OF
the Florida war" finally, the Dist Of January,
1874 after having been referred 10 by Mr. EVANS, n
member of the committee disclosed and laid before the
Il be nscrvll thai In the csiiinaes OF