The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-03-23

money, except when proposed by Democrati'
members? Did he not vote for distributing tn;
public lands, and supplying the deficiency crea
ted by this great stretch oil economy by loans ant
tariff! Was this MEASURE OF retrenctnen
and reform! Did he not vote for the amendmen,
of the Treasury Note bill, which added five. mil
lions to the public debt and the public burdens
Was this, too, one of his great measures
economy! Yet after thus adding millions to tll1
! expenditures of Government on one hand, ant
sub.racting millions from its means of paymen
on the other, he all of sudden, and with the
ceerity of practised harlequin, changes his
coat, and appears as the plain homesp.n cham
pon of economy and retrenchment! We must
tell him it is too late in the day The burying
has gone by; he comes day after,the funeral.
The champion, the director of these prodigal
measures OF the extra session, which added ten
or twelve millions to the public expenditures,
and created debt to that amount, s not quite
forgot himself, and lost all perception oaperson-
al identity in the rapidity of the changes he has
undergone.
The judcious people OF the United States,
though they I'll hold to the good maxim, that
| il you take care of the pennies, the pounds will
tlke care of themselves" will not altogether rel
ish its application 10 this new and original sys-
| tenn of economy, which, while it adds addition
al millions to the public expenditures, makes a
show of saving a few pennies in their d.sburse-
ment. They have remote perception, founded
Oh those never-erring guides, common sense
and experience, that 10 give people plenty of
money to spend, is not the hest Eos 'ible mode
OF preventing their spe ldng ii, although the gift
may be accompanied by the most eii:ying in.
functions TO husband it economically. They
know very " ell, thai by reple l:shing the foua-
lain yoJ will Increase the stream which it sup
plies. and that to begin by stopping the latter, is
TO be gin at the wrong cld The fountain will
nfalibly overflow somewhere, so long asi it con-
.iuues to be fed Give to any Government a
great revenue, aHdit will become ex;ravc CANT n
is application. Governments are not mIsers =
They never hoard up money for rainy day, or
tor the qualification of soriid passion. Mr..
Gays two millions for unexpected exigencies,
would assuredly rot remain long in the 'scali-
iy' 1t would burn somebody's fingers; CT come
ingenious inventor ofpublc exiga lcies in Col
rress or elsewhere, would soon concoc: a schc .ie
for converting it into ducks and brakes for specu-
ia.ors 10 skim over the waves rs long rs the r
momentum lasted, and then sink, never to rise
lgain.
All history, all experience, ali analysis Of hu-
man motives, aud human conduc, has establish
ed as an intiexiblc, Interchangeable maxim, that
setting aside the fashion OF avarice, which, as b=
orc observed never operates on Governments
Necessity alone is the parent Of economy Men
VINO earn their money feel the necessity OF Ia
king care oft; bat Governments, which receive
it from the earnings OF others, have no such re-
stramt. To make them rich is to mike them
prodigal, and there never vas more bare'aced
absurdity, not to say paradox, than the proposed
economical plan of MIR. Clay, which Gegins by
appropratng additional millions, and ends BY
saving a few thousands, or if you please, hun,
drad thousands. But it is adroii,y conr;ved, and
.he Democratic members must take good care,
they may be placed in false position, from
which it will be difficult 10 cX;ricate themselves