The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-05-14


appears Ivy calculation for equal per cent OF deaths
In each class that the the country will be orc
ed BY this good luck, win be 500 4S0 Blu, the Com
missioners say tina, 400 pensioners will probably be
added TO the class Of 1885, claiming i've years of back
pensions, which, il is supposed, will make an addi-
'onai burden Of three or four hundred thousand dol
lars, so that in this case death will profit us nothing
so Tar as Mr. Woodbury's estimate is concerned, but
IN the gross, we are losers notwhstan ding such a
help
As regards the ID head Of saving for 1871, viz
fewer Indians remain 10 be removed" this ia novel
application Of arithmetic for the Secretary ofthe Trca-
sury. The Commissioner Of Indian Affairs tells us.
In his last report, that 567l Indians had been removed
the year previous and that 81 TIA remained 10 be re-
Moved Il s true the Secretary says, that 81 TIA
Is less number than 27,445 but if the removal goes
on at an equal rate-and we understand il is being
pushed as hard as possble-then what is the saving
Tor ls4i The appropriation for removal last year
was $4oooO, and if that removed 5,67l Indians,
ana none at all should be removed this year. then in
deed there would seem to be a saving Of $45 600
But i is evident that expenses for carrying on
the removal Of the remaining 81 TIA are not likely 10
be less in iS4l than lS40 Moreover, we find an an
preparation Of 100000 on the 4th of March, 1871.
for the removal Of Seminoles in addition to this. 80
that, Notwithstanding The selEevdent truth, that
ferer Indians remain to be removed" the expenses
Of removal in 1871 will be much greater than in 1910
will indeed turn out to be a very heavy account
compared with the former year
Third reason for this saving of millions "Several
public buildings have been mostly furnished" Last
year the appropriation for the New York custom house
was 81 10000 this year is 1871 a. Last year
for the post Office sias 900; this year 100000 Last
year for the Treasury building $lO5 OO0 this year
Sl2,923 81. Last year for the Patent Office $780,
OOOi this year 7,550-making saving for l84I, in
these four principal items, of $296,20 AZ.
The fourth and last reason for this reduction Of
millions in favor of l84l is, that "hostes with the
Seminoles must be to close in the same man
ner as there .ferer Indians to be removed" The
year 1871 is nearer the end of the world than S4O
Therefore, there will be reduction Of millions in the
expenses of the Florida The estimates for car
ryng on this war in 1910 were 5000 900; the APP
preparation 100000. Those for 1871 were near
81, 100000, and the appropriation is 8 Sol SIG!
Here, then, in these four several items, in which,
according to Mr.. Woodbury., the expenses of ls4l
sought to be millions beiow those of $780," they
turn out to be than million greater so far as the
estimates and appropriations determine! The data of
these estimates do not to have BEEN in any con-
siderable degree, more apparent in February, 1871
than in December 1910. Indeed that Of the Secre-
tary of War, Of two and half millions of dollars
for the Florida war, sent in only ten days after
the annual report of the Secretary of the Treasury,
and could hardly be supposed to be unknown to the
lat'er-certainly ought not TO have been unknown
And yet with all these Of reckoning the Secre-
tary of the Treasury ventures upon such statement
Here, too, were the expenses Of the census, about
$4,000 falling on ls4l Why was no, that men,
toned in the annual report of Mr. Woodbury. He
could find some millions" of reduction, by guess
work, in four single items, where he had the means
of knowing there would be more than million Of in
crease but could not the expenses of the census
These certainly, are very extraordinary mistakes and
oversights for the fnancicr of a nation.
What IL comes TO.
We say not that these are Just specimens of Mr..
Woodbury's financial accuracy in all other particu-
lars comprehensively, in the means Of attaining
his results although il would perhaps be very near the
truth But is enough to show how little confidence
can be placed in him. 1t is enough, think, to We
ry the charge of utter ncapacity for such an office or
of extreme perversity.
Comparison.
With this showing may venture to submit to
readers first, the probabilities Of conjecture by
which Mr.. Secretary Woodbury. makes out the pro-
spective expenses Of 1S4l and next the estimate of
the Hon. George Evans, now Senator of the United
States, from the State of Maine, who was a member
ofthe Committee Of Ways and Means in the House Of
Representatives the last Congress- ofcourse intimately
and thoroughly acquainted with all the details Of this
budget, and whose capacity and fairness believe
are not likely to be drawn in question.
Mr.. Woodburys estimate is $23, S99, 200
MIR Evans estimate is 3l,6s5,OOO
Difference ST 1856 500,
With MIR. Woodbury's financial character before
us as proved above, well in all his official docu-
ments and with Mr. Evanss in view as SO well
known for ability and correctness we shall not add
any thing more to affect the judgment to be formed in
view Of this discrepancy. When we regard Mr.
Woodbury's bias and his apparent disregard Of facts
and data lying before him. the only wonder is that the
difference is not greater. Certainly it is not at all
wonderful that in six years of his administration Of
the finances, his of this description should
mount up 10 s62, 5000
Another case in point.
Mr.. Woodbury. told the people (for all his official
documents seem to have been made up for popular e
feet not for the practical of government he told
the people, that he thought 20OOO,OO0 dollars
would do for 1910. Nevertheless, after shutting
of large items amounting to millions in the future,
which ought to have been provided for last year, after
suspending appropriations in other large amounts for
vitality important puplic vsjee,s, scarcely less than
millions in all and after putting in check sundry ap
Pica'ons for large dues from the Army, Engineers
department. and other quarters the nciun