The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-08-18

The Secretary of the Treasury Mr.
Woodbury., estimated that the expenditures
for the year Is4l would amount 10 49,.
0,000-l nineteen million two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars.
But did the honest Mr.. Woodbury. make
any estimates for expenditures in the Flori-
da war, which was still going on! No,
sir; this was altogether overlooked. | re.
member distinctly an able speech made by
a gentleman second to no man then in this
House in ability, aud in thorough com.
prehension Of financial affairs, now, 10 the
Senate, Mr.. Evans Of Maine, n which he
stated that on the 18th of December, ls40,
only ten days after the estimates we're sent
IN, the Secretary OF War applied to the
Committee Of Ways aud Means for an ap.
preparation of more than two millions Of
dollars for the service, which the Secretary
Of War said was urgently demanded. The
amount called for on the l7lh December
was lS2.3s5.329 75l-two million three
hundred and eighty five thousand three
hundred and twenty nine dollars and seven.
ty.iv> cents. In November, Is40, the
Paymaster General informed the Secretary
OF War that more than $3.50 ,000l-,wo
hundred and fifty thousand dollars were
wanted for militia who served 10 lS40.-
The Secretary of War says, +" This is now
due, and the trrops stand much in need Of
1t; justice to them requires that it should
be paid to them 1.-THE earliest possible day"
Now this money was appropriated, and
forms part of the expenditures in lS4I
now charged to US Part Of this amount
was due, if remember right, for the servi.
ces Of the sedeniary militia" These
troops were raised by the orders, or with
the appreciation of the Secretary Of War.
/ have an extract from the order Of the
commanding officer in Florida, in which
these troops we're told to remain al home,
and to "engage sedulously in the pursuit
OF their usual employment And this
is one instance Of the great reduction OF
expenditure made in ls40; this is one in.
stance IN which the late administration
STAYED off their debts to be paid by the
Wings! Cen gentlemen SUPPOSED the Amer,
lcan people so destitute Of good sense as 10
be thus misled So deprayed, as to ap.
prove such conducts
Now let US take another instance, in
which appropriations were postponed TO
ls4l, which ought TO be charged on ls40.
In the repor, Of the Quartermas,er Gen
eral, November %, ls40, Doc. II r. No.
2, page 80, 2ud Session Seth Congress, J
he says the appropriation for that year,
lS40. was not sufficient. "it will be re.
membered that at the last session OF Con
gress, presented an estimate for the ser
vice 10 Florida, of six hundred thousand dol
lars; that estimate | was required 10 modl.
ouction, az The Tune II took place. The
facts we're these: July Cd, 1910, General
Jesup, the Qdartermaster General, address.
sed letter to Mr.. Poinsett, submitting an
estimate OF the amount required, to prose
cute the Florida war, during the wear sac
IN which he asks for 5000 900, (six hun
dred thousand dollars, and says, :. it would
not be safe 10 ask for less" Mr.. Poinsett
wrote TO the Hon. John w. Jones, char.
man OF the Committee of Ways and Means,
on the Sd of Jolly, ls40, transmitting this
estimate, and requesting "lhat measures
may be taken TO procure an appropriation
ior the objects specified therein" pro.
cured copy OF these papers and have them
sui. Gen. Jesup asked for $500, 600
me pen was run through this SUN, and
S3UO,OOO-half the requisite amount, sub
slItuted' What spectacle is here reore.
sen'ed ! The bill asking approximation for
supPressIng hosiillties 10 Florida-making
appropriation tor the support of the army
10Y NE year lo4l, chap. 80, page 80, of
The laws OF that session, had an aDoronr,s.
lion Tor the Florida war, copied word for
word from Jesup's letter of 2nd july. eY.
eepi III the amount. Why was he required
10 modify and reduce the estimate -
WY did Mr.. PoInseit direct him to reduce
we estimate which be had approved -
F." as 1t because the amount was moi reo,;,
ca Not at all, for Gen. Jesup. sad he
could not ask for less, aud he afieruarGs
said, l. was no, sufficient. The onlv an
s"er then must be, that IT became necessa
ny, Tor MIR. Poinset,'s political friends on
Inc COMMITTEE Of Ways and Means, il he.
came necessary for them to aid the admin.
lstratIon 10 practising this deception, upon
The American sople. The interests Of Inc
country we're forgotten, the necessities Of
.ne army, militia, aud suffering peoDle IN
loFlda we're overlooked, that the Van
6pfen party, should appear 10 be REDUCING
expenditures IN $50, when the election
was at hand, by posiponing demands IN
he next year. What shameful, contempi. 5
DE policy, IN men managing the affairs Of q I
yreat nation The foolish ostrich is said /
0 hide its head when closely pursued, and {
links itself safe. Amidst the pi,iless nell, c
ng OF the storm 10 1910, Mr.. Van Buren's q
abinet seem to have acted with as much 4
wisdom. If they were so lost 10 seIcre e
pect, they ought TO have bad more resoect d
Or the intelligence of the people. Now
! Us see how this policy was pursued. h Il
larch ls4l, before The Inauguration Of p
'enerai Harrison, while Mr.. Van Ruren b
as President, and bis party, in power wee Il
Inc 30 day Of March, l34l, the last dav is
their existence, an act was passed, max. al
g appropriations for the supper, of the ar. Il
~ Tor i64l. (see acts of End Session Of
Here IS an extract from the order Of the Of r.