The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-03-29

istratiou the moment they found this deficit to
st in the revenue TO have resorted to the adequate
remedy by laying the requisite amount oil taxes on
the free articles 10 meet and supply the defcicn-
cy,
shall say nothing more on the first resolution,
because do hope that,whateyer the previous prac-
tce of this Government may have been there is no
Senator here who will hesitate to concur IN the
truth Of the general propositions il contains.
The next three resolutions all relate TO the same
genei al ubjects--sub Gcis which | consider much
the most important of any here set forth; and
shall for that reason consider them together.
The second resolution asserts
'tThat such an adequate revenue cannot be OBJ
tanned by duties on for eign imports without adop
sing n higher rate than twenty per cent, provi
ded Cor IN The compromise act winch at tho time
of its passhge, was supposed and assumed as rate
lha, would supply sufficient revenue for an eco
nomica administration Of the Government.
The third resolution concludes
"Tbat the rate Of duties on foreign imports ought
TO be augmented beyond the rate Of twenty per
cent so as 10 produce net revenue of twenty six
millions of dollars-twenty two for the ordinary
expenses Of Go, erument, TWO for the payne of
the existing debt, and two millions as reserved
fund for contingencies.
The fourth resolution asserts
"Thnt in The adjustment Of tariff to raise an
amount oil twenty six millions of revenue, the
princp pies of the compromise act generally should
be adhered to; and that especially mailman rate
of ad valorem duties should be established, from
which there ought 10 be as little departure as posi-
bIe"
gest is this: What should be the amount of the an
nunl expenditures Of this Government? Now, on
this point, shall not attempt what Is impossible,
be exact and precise in stating what that may be-
We can only make an approximation. No man IN
his private affairs, say or prctends to say, ut
the beginning of the year, precisely what shall be
the amount OF his expenses during the year; that
must depend on many unforeseen contingencies,
which cannot with any precision be calculated be
lorehand: all that can be done to make an ap
| Proclamation TO what ought To be or what may be
The amount Before consider that question allow
To correct, here, an assertion made hrst by the
Senator from South Carolina, (Mr Calhoun) and
subsequently by the Senator from Missouri near
me, (llr. Limp and believe by one or two other
gen tlemeu, viz, that the Wing party when out OF
power asserted that, if trusted with The helm, they
would administer this Government, at an amount
| of expenditure not exceeding $l3,OO0oO0. hope
| il such assertion made by either or all OF
| these gentlemen, that II viii never be repeated
! again without resorling To proof TO sustain ii.
! know OF no such position over taken by the Wing
party or by anv prominent member OF the wing
| party. Sure am that the party generally pledged
itself TO such reduction o. the public expenses
! none.
| And again say that must before such an
seron is repeated, the proofs will be adduced.-
For in this case, in others that which Is asserted
| and reiterated comes al last to be believed. The
| Wing party did promise Economy and Retrench
meni, and trust will perform their promise.
deny lin no offensive sense) that the Wing party
ever promised To reduce the expenditures of the
|
hut this is what they said; During The four years
| of tho Adm nstration of Mr.. Adams the average
amount OF the public expenditure was but thirteen
millions, and you charged that Administration
with outrageous extravaganza and came yourselves
| into power promises to reduce the annual ex
pendiure; but, having obtained power, instead
| of reducing The public expenses, you carried them
up to the astonishing amount of nearly forty
! millions. But, while the Wings asserted
that they would administer the Government with
thirteen millions, our opponents, our respected op
ponen!s, after having been three years IN power,
instead of bringing the expenses below the stand
ard of Mr. Adams Administration, declared that
fifteen millions was the amount al which the ex
penditures should be fixed. This was the ground
taken by Mr.. McLaDe, when he met at the
head of the Treasury. have his Report before
me; but as the fact. presume, will not be denied
fnrbear to read from it. lie suggests as the fit
amount be raised by the Tariff he had proposed
the sun of fifteen millions of dollars as sufficient
to meet the wants ofthe Government.
hope now l have shown that the Wing party,
before they obtained power, never were pledged 10
bring down the public expenses either to thirteen
or to fifteen millions. They were pledged,l admit
to retrench unnecessary expenditures, and TO make
a reasonable deduction whenever it could properly
be made consistently with the public service: that
process as understand, now going in both
Houses, and trust the fruits will be seen before
the end of the present session.
Unpedged, therefore, as the Wing party was, as
to any specific amount, the question recursat what
sum can The expenses of the Government be now
fixed?
repeat that the exact amount is difficult TO be
ascertained have stated it in the resolution |
offer at t11cnty too millions; and shall
show how have arrived al that amount Blu, be
fore do that allow me TO call the attention of the
Senate to the expenditures of the preceding AID.
ministralion; for, in attempting to fix sum
for the future, know Of no course but to look
back upon the experience OF the past, and tLen
deavor to deduce from it the probable amount OF
future expenditure. What then, were the expen-
ditures of the four years Of the last Administrations
In 1887 the amount was 1897, 1868 O37 Is
In 1888 it was 39,45543S 35
In 1899 37,6l4 1886 l5
In 1910 2S,2G6 533 81
Making aggregate of $l42.56l ,94l 46l
Which gives us an average Of $35 $40 ,436 35 per
year. I.
The sum have proposed is only twenty two
millions, which deducted from thirty five as above
leaves reduction of $3,64O ,Oo0-being sum
greater than the whole average expenditure of The
extravaganza and proflgate Administration of Mr.
Adams, which they told US was SO enormous that
it must be reduced by great "resrenchment and
reform.
am not here gong 10 Inquire into tho items