Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-02-20


of the Government, whether ordinary OF eSuaoi u"y
Not one of them then bold enough even ~ ''ahI
the attempt. Our challenge was not net. ;,,d.a1
would ask the Senator from Kentucky MI l
On whom OH ubt the burden Of the proof OF
=, r.s,3 Weuid he require the friends oil the Admins
tra,;on 70 no over item BY item, all the Ten lhousahu
toms Of eXpe nditure which have been suoh''"a III
distinct form Congress, and show that III each par
ticular instance there was no eHlFnVagan'e' us
n,rld as that honorable Senator well knows, be re-
versing all the rules of common law, as wen as VI
common sense. We present TO the Senators IN oPPo-
si,on u clear and distinct account IN detaa OF Tue
expenses of the Government; and 1t ID mahhcS'y
their duty, if they believe there has been eAl'aVa'
pance in any ITEM to lay their hand upon ana sho"
wherein the extravaganza consists. ms tney canh1'
do or they would long since have ucceplea our chai
lenoe Thev are therefore, driven to condemn IN the
aggregate although they can lind no lauit WIN a1y VI
the details Of which this aggregate Is composed ihey
ayclam that the Administration has been exlraVa9ant,
h.c.use i has expended one hundred and thirty NIL
lions of dollars in four years, whilst they 90 not point
on IN what manner it would have been possible to have
reduced this expenditure. 1t is true lnat at ,hs la'e
Jov the Senator from kentucky MIR. CrttendehJ has
denounced four particular ',en's VI 'le aee1, %
,ravapant: but think shall prove, before ST down.
thai he has been less wise and wary than his colleague
rNr CLAW in descending from generals TO particulars
do not eny but that The extraordinary expenses
If the Government have been very large during the
last four years But whether these expenditures were
liz
lie, Could they have been avoided by any human
prudence or foresight the part o.; The Executive or
his friends in Congress? Was not each OF the treaties
and acts of Congress under which these expenditures
were necessarily incurred, sanctioned and sustained py
the very Senators who condemn them III he az
orepaie3 These are the true questions
These "cxtraordnary expenses must, from Inc ma.
ure of things vary with the varying condition Of
the country. Our circumstances are changing WIN
every changing year Some years ago, the nation was
81 ding along the smooth current oil prosperity ana
recurring but little above the ordinary expenditure ne
cessary to keep the Government in regular notion
Not So since the present President came INTO power
1t has been his misfortune that, during the period Of
his Administration heavy expenses, oil an extraordinary
character which lie could not have avoided, were rem
dared absolutely necessary whilst the revenue of the
Government has been greatly reduced by causes equal
IN beyond his control Is 1t not, then, the most crying
niustce-s it not the stranges accusation IN the World
to charge the who happened TO take 'ie neiiN o.
State when the country was involved III such u''eu
les. with extravaganza, merely because he was com
peed to execute treaties aud laws which had received
the sanction of all political parties IN Congress:
Under such circumstances, ought he to be denounced
because the necessary expenditures oil government
happened 10 exceed under his administration, tnoSe
which we're incurred under his predecessors: True
economy in Government does not consist IN boarding
money like the miser, and doing no good wilh II )
but in applying it with o provdent hand 10 'he ac
compshment of such objects as are necessary 10 the
defence and prosperity country Ai Ix en
gress, Executive econom 9ns.sis IN accomplishing
them NJ the cleanes, rate Visible This is the chly
economy which can be prlcliscd by the President
and if he has neglected i!Gs duty IN any particular
instance he would be Liable c but not other
wise -
In order to swell the expenditures OF the last Tour
vears TO one hundred and thirty millions, Senators
have included items not only of the most inJust, ou
Of the most ridiculous character shall enumcrae
few Of them.
ed upon The public buildings. Is there single mem
Der Of the Senate who either raised his voice, or gave
his vote against the appropriations Tor Tins purpose
The money expended on these buildings alone during
tho period Of the present Administration, amounts 10 be-
tween four and FIVE millions. have not added up the
sum- bat is certainly not less than four millions
And yet these appropriations made BY Congress- with
out distinction of party, are converted INTO an item OF
extravaganza against Mr.. Van Buren,
Then there was the money expended IN the payment
DIMENSIONS, amounting TO upwards Of ten millions of
dollars lad the Administration any control over this
expenditure: These pensions were granted BY CRATE
full country 10 those who had defended IN the peril
Gus times which tried mems souls, and who are now
the feeble and broken relics OF past age, depend
ent on the public bounty for their support Congress
has also granted pensions to such widows OF old sol
dicrs rs in the DAYS of the Revolution remained at
home and attended TO their families whilst their nus
bands went forth to the battlefield lie tis righl, or
be wrong, had the present Administration any ageh
CIV in granting these pensions; Old not congress
mass these laws and did not the Senator from Ken
lucky vote for them: do not know the fact, because
!, is not nv practice examine the Journals Tor The
purpose Of ascertaining how individual members may
haze Voted but | do know, from the nature Of the
man, that he MIR. Crittenden IS one oil the last
members OF the Senate who would vote against snch
pensions And yet, strange to say, the payment ct
these very pcnsons TO old soldiers and their widows,
by the Treasury, is Of the items OF extravagant
expenditure charged against MIR. Van Buren, ADM,
nsraon; and the aggregate of O,00oo0O composed
of such items these has been spread over the whoe
country in order TO alarm the fears OF the people
Again: There the expense OF extinguishlng Tue
Indian title within the States and Territories oil the
Union and of removing the Indians west OF ,ne Mis-
sissppi, which amounted to more than ten millions oil
dollars Are the present Administration to blame Tor
this expenditure: Could the President have avoided
H. after the Senate had ratified the treaties under which
il was incurred No Senator on this ioor VIII say
that he could lie had discretion whatever on lie
subject but was obliged 10 execute these treaties ana The
laws made in pursuance Of them. How unjust y 1t,
then to put down this item in the aggregate OF one
hundred and thirty millions of dollars expended bg the
| present \ administration!
might, i'll pleased, pass in review all The other heads
of extraordinary expenditure detailed 10y the Secretary
Of the Treasury in his report and show that It was I'M
possile for the President to avoid any one Of them
lie can exercise dispensing power lie must obey
the acts of Congress and treaties; and these laws and
treaties OF such pressing necessity TO have
dsarmed opposition, and TO have received Inc woes OF
The po,iical enemies as well as of the friends of the
Administration. may well spare myself this trouble,
as not one of these items Of expenditure has ever been
questioned by any Senator upon this floor 1t IS rne
they exclam yon have spent one hundred and thirty
millions of dollars, and this is enormous but they make
no attempt show how il was possible Tor The President
| to have reduced this amount
There are two or three items embraced within this
arprprate Of character so extraordinary to deserve
more than mere passing notice. In the Secretary
port the indcmnilies amount TO between six and seven
millions Of dollars. What these indemntes Gen.
Jackson during his prosperous Administration succeed.
ed i'll obtaining satisfaction for all the old claims which
our citizens had against foreign Governments. lie got
nearly five millions from France; and do not recolect
precisely how much from Denmark, and other nations
AT all events he left clear score, and the enjoyment
of peace witt, all foreign nations Now, according 10 the
u The treaties, these indemnes obianed IRON
foreign Governments for citizens, were PAID
INTO the Treasury FOR their USE and were OF course pad
Of the Treasury 10 them, as soon as was ascer,