The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-04-01


mount actually expended was diminished more
than six millions below that Of the next proceeding
wear, it exceeded The sum appropriated for the year
by Il lrihe more than milton aud halt. The
same cause produced in expenditure, IN the year
lS40, of about three quarters of million be! ond
the appropriations for the year, and yet left bal
ance Of outstanding and uncXpenLed apnropim-
TONS nj the close nlbe year. of $i2 ,30G ,265 80,
Such Is II very brief and imperfect sketch OF The
financial history of the Government, so far as It
relates to the appropriations for the current service
of the Government and their expenditure, during
the twelve years of the Administrations OF Presl-
dents Jackson and Van Buren,, and Mr. w. WIS
pleased that the honorable Senator Mr. Clay had
afforded him the occasion to make this reference
to the matter. Nothing was farther from his nen-
ton than 10 accuse that gentleman. or any other
Senator, with intentional! error upon these subjects
bnt error enough had been disseminated over the
country in regard to these public expenses; and he
trusted he time had nov arrived when the public
mind was in state 10 listen TO and weigh the truth
in regard 10 them. Under this belief, he begged
the gentleman again TO look at this simple table,
and see the Truth it tells With the swelling OF
the revenue the appropriations are swollen rom
1929 TO 1888, while the expenses were almost uni
lormIy held back from to two millions behind The
appropriations, though in the last named year The
discriminating balances of outstanding and unex-
pended appropriations Of former years brought
them up to the level. For the years 1884 and
1888. the appropriations were rapidly depressed,
and the expenditures still more rapidly; and then
in s,nrle ycar-he memorable wear of 1886
the approp, iaons were increased from seventeen
to thiry-seven millions, and The expenditures from
seventeen to twenty-nne millions, the latter IN
creased twelve millions in one year, and yet held
eight millions below the appropriations for the
wear This was the work of President Jackson.
And at this precise paiod this full flood of ex-
lravnganl appropriation. President Van Buren, came
into office, and during the first year, upon an a
mount Of appropriations of more than thrly-iour
millions, uui an outstanding balance Of uppropla-
lions of former years uneXpended OF more than
sixteen and third millions, he expended little
more than thirly-onc and half millions: and from
that time to the close Of the year 1910, under his
Administration, the annual appropriations were re,
du"ed f,om thirty-fo to twenty-one and three
quarter millions and the annual expenditures from
thirty-one and half to twenty-five and II third
millions of dollars These ave the facts as given
to Congress and the country, IN an official iorm,hy
the fiscal officers selected 10y this Administration,
and from them the honorable Senator himself can
not fail to see with VIVA, injustice he proclaims the
average expenditures Of MIR Van Burens Admins
tra,ian to have been lhirty-iye millions Of dollars
per nnnnm for the four Yeas, n sum three and
half millions beyond the actual expenses Of any
one of those years, and twelve and two-hlrds mil
lions beyond the expenses of the last year in the
rapidly descending series
The honorable Senator without reflection doubt
less made n comparison between the expenses Of
the last Administration and the present, which car
rigs nloag with it the snmo error and injustice In
the one case he lallas the payments from the Treas
ury, Including trust funds and probably the post
Office moneys together with the redemption Of
Treasury notes, aud calls the average thirty five
millions per annum; and in the other case he takes
the figures Of the Secretary Of the Treasury for the
actual expenses separated from all these cOatcrnal
payments, and finds the amour, to be tweniy-lour
millions, thus showing the wide difference of eleven
millions per Hnnum' in favor this Administration;
when Mr. ". would show from the very same
documents, that the present Administration was
in fact, now expanding and proposing to eSpcnd,
for the current service Of the Government, more
than WINS expanded in either Of the two last years
Of MIR Van iiuren's term.
! [Nr CLAY explained Ilo said he did not, in
either case state the sums with view to make a
comparison. His only object was 10 compare the
expenses under both Administrations with his own
either, for he thought both too high, and he eS-
pressed ut The time HIS asonishmcnt that the Of
rccls Of this Administration had proposed and re-
commended such "A scale Of expenditure
Mr. ". accepted the explanation chcerIul'y. lie
believed il 10 be in strict accordance with the in
tcn,inu If the honorable Senator. lie did not sup
pose, at the timc, his Inject to be to make com
pqrison rreiudGin TO the last Administration; hnl
The learned gentleman could not l to see that the
figures, as he stated them, made the comparison;
that the readers Of his rcmnrks could no fail TO
draw the inGrenccs Of which Mr. W. complained.
aud Tint thus the error would be disseminated,
though not mlcnlcd for the honorable Senator
would pardon him for saving, that all he knew and
h. himself could rot fi 10 know, though he nigh,
not feel the Consequences Of that conviction 50
sen.bIy as Mr. W. did. that Lis powerful voice
reached every corner oGthi1 extended country, aud
that such stalemcn's from him, however intended,
must be explained In the proofs, or they would be
taken rs the proofs in relation TO these public cx-
pandilnres
Mr. w. held in his hind the annual report from
the present Secretary Of the Treasury, the same
document from which the honorable Senator hid
derived his figures as to the proposed expenditures
for the present year. and he was induced to believe
the honorable gentleman had mistaken the amour,
Of new appropriations recommended Tor the whole
amount Of expenses proposed. This inference he
drew from the fact lhdt, upon page OF that re.
port, the Secretary says:
The expenditures for the year 1912 cluding
81 900 900, for the redemption of Treasury notes,
ARE estimated at 2,79l ,0l0 IS"
Deduct the amount included for
the redemption Of Treasury
notes, 1000, 900 90
Ard tic estimate for current ey-
penseS for the ycai will appear
To be S25,79l, 0l0 rs
Til, impression is confirmed by another 4ocu
mtnt from tho present Secretary. the estimates
for the year 1872 sent to the House ofRepresenin
lives. Upon the LIST page OF this document are
found tie following:
:" have the honor to transmit, for the infOrma-
ton Of the House If Representatives, an estimate
Of the appropriations proposed TO he made for the
service OF the year 1912, amounting 10
1921, 1855 95
I" The appropriations for the ser
vice Of the year 1913, madeby