Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-03-28

And here let me say single word in defence |
of the army. The Department of War comes to
us with estimates for the sum Of Sll,7l779l q
and those who look only on the surface of things
inny suppose that this sum is extraordinarily large
hut thereNre many TENS in that sum. have be-
fore me statement going TO show that of that
sum only four millions are asked for the military
service proper-a sum less Than is demanded for
the naval service proper aud only double the n
mount ut which 1t stood when the honorable gen.
tleman from South Carolina left the Department,
The sum was then about S2,000000 it is now
quite $4000,000; while, during the same period,
the army has been nearly doubled, besides the rails.
ing of mounted regiments, the most expensive for
that very reason OF any in the service. | think
that the gentleman from South Carolina if he
looks into the subject in detail, will find that the
cost OF the army is not at this hour greater per
man, than II was when it was under his own pcr.
sonal administration. So | am informed and
that, although the pay has been raised n dollar
month, which has very largely augmented the cx-
penditure.
The Executive branch of the Government has
sent lis estimates amounting, in ALL TO twenty -four
aud a half millions OF dollars, for the service of
the current year, which, with the million and
half OF permanent expenditure, makes twenty-sx
millions How much is to be added TO that n
mount Tor appropriations lot yet estimated, which
may he made during the session Ivy Congress. to
meet honest claims, aud Ior other objects ola pub
lie nature! l remember one item proposed ljy
my friend near me ilr. Manguml for a quarter of
million for the building Of siean,-hip, ali item
not included in the estimates, but for which the
Senate has already appropriated; besides which
there are various other items which have pnsscd
or will pass during The present session. When
the honorable gentleman from New Hampshire
was at the head of the Treasury, he made in his
communications TO Congress, constant complains
of this very practice. lie well remembers That he
was ever complaining that the expenditures of
Government were sweIled far beyond the Execu-
tive estimates, 10y appropriations made by Congress
not estimated for by the Departments. ] have cal
culated that we shall add 10 the twenty. six mil
lions of dollars estimated for by the Executive
Departments, or permanently req1ire ut least one
million and half, which would raise the sum for
this year 10 twenty seven millions aud u half
How then do propose to bring this down to
twenty-five millions? have, own, some fears
that we shall not he able 10 effect il but | hope
we shall so far reduce the estimates and prevent
unnecessary appropriations that the total expen-
ditne shall not exceed that amount. The mode
~ which propose to reach such result is this /:
! suppose we may effect reduction OF the civil
list to the amount OF half million. That peper.
nj head includes, among o!ber things, the cxpens
cs OF the TWO Houses, and, as lave heard, the
olher House has already Introduced report which,
ltadopted, will cut down those expenses one hun-
should he reduced much more | estimate. then.
three and Il half millions for ille civil list instead
OF Tour millions then estimate nine jllions for
the War Department instead of SlI,7I70 OO In
n conversation which have lately held with the
Chairman of The Military Committee ofIhis body.
he expressed the apprehension that it could not
be reduced below ten millions but hope il may
be cut down 10 nine. As to the naval service, the
estimates OF the Department for TINT branch ofthp
service amount to So, 707 500; an amount think
fur too high, and indeed quite cxtravagant | was
greatly astonisned AT learning the amount was so
large. Sail know that the Navy is the fayorito
OF ALL aud justly; il is the boast of the nation, and
our great resource aud chief dependence in The
contingency Of war: 10 man thinks, for n mo-
ment, of Gripping Or disabling this right arm Of
our defence. But have supposed that wthou,
INJURY The appropriation asked for might be redu-
ced fiom $S,707 800 TO S6,5000OO. This would
put Tie reduction III the naval OH n footing with
that III The military appropriation, and still leave a
grenter nppropria ion than usual to that depart
ment. The reduction to six millions and ha is
as large rs think will he practicable, if we are to
provide Tor proposed experiments in tho appIica-
ton OF steam, and are, besides, TO ndd largely TO
the marine corps.
How, then, will the total of our expenditures
stand? We shall have
For The civil and diplomatic expen.
ses of the Government $3,500,OOC
For the military service 100000
For the naval service 65OO,OOC
For permanent appropriations 100000
For appropriations not included in
the estimate 100000
Making an aggregate Of S22,00000C
To this amount suppose and hope our expen-
SEES nay be reduced, until. on due investigations il
shall he discovered that still further reductions
may he effected.
Well, then, having fixed the amount at twenty
two millions for the ordinary current expenses OF
the government, have supposed it necessary and
proper 10 add two millions more TO make provs-
ion for the payment Of the existing national debt
which is IN the event of the loan being taken up
seventeen millions And then 60 on to add two
millions more rs reserved fund, 10 meet contin-
gencies, so that, should there he temporary rise
of the expenditures beyond twenty two millions
or any sudden emergency should occur which
could not be anticipated or calculated on, there
may be the requisite means in the treasur, 10
meet it. Nor has there been single Secretary al
the head of the Treasury since Tho days of Mr.
Gallatin, including the respectable gentleman from
N. Hampshire opposite, (Mi. Woodbury. who
he's not held and expressed the opinion that a ~
served fund is highly expedent aud proper for
contingencies. Thus, propose that twenty 1.-Two
millions shall be appropriated for ordinary expen-
SEES two millions more to provide for the public
debt, and another Two millions a reserved fund 10
meet contingencies; making in all twenty-sx
millions.
The next inquiry which presents itself, u.s. how
this amount ought To he raised? There are two
modes Of estimating The revenue to be derived
from foreign imports and either OK them presents
only ground for n coDjeclura result; but so 1uc,
tualing is The course OF commerce, that every one
must see it 10 be impossible to estimate, with pre-.
cision, the exact amount Of what il will yield. IN
forming my estimate, have taken the amount Of
Il.
But here let me add that at the treasury they have
taken the imports as the basis and am graiifi
ed to be able TO state that, | understand, on com
pairing the results arrived at, although the calcua
lions wero made without concert those of the
Secretary turn out TO he very nearly, ifnot exnct
ly the same with those TO which have been con-
Quoted. will here state why it is | have taken
the exports as the ground of my calculation, add
ing thereto fifteen per cent for profits. The OK
ports are one means Of making foreign purchases