The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-04-07

crease ofexpenses will be found no, TO go DO.
yond the proportional increase Of our popu.
laiion within the same period. That in
crease is found to be about four per cent
annually and the increase of Government
expenditures, at the rate above stated will
rot exceed that. Tbls is independent ofapy
augmentation Of the army or navy, of the
addition Of new States and Territories, or
the enlargement of the Dumbers IN Con
sress. Taking the addition, at the end of
thirteen years, to be nine millions Of dol.
lars, II will give an annual average increase
of about 100000. And thInl, tina, the
Government of 10 people, young, free, and
growing as is this nation, Gao, under cir.
cumstauces like ours, be justly charged
with Tashness, reckIessness, or extrava
gance, # liz expenses increase but at the
rate OF 100000 per anBum. II our pos
terity, after their numbers shall have swell
led TO one hundred millions, shall find that
their expenses have augmented 10 no great
er ratio than this, they will have no cause
Of complaint of the prolaseuess UT ex,raya.
gance Of their Government.
But II should be recollected that while |
have fixed the rate of expenditure at the
sum have mentioned, viz. twenty two mil.
lions, this does not preclude further reduc
tions, if they should be found practicable,
after existing abuses have been explored
and all useless or unnecessary expenditures
have been Topped of.
The honorable Senator from South Car.
DINA Mr.. Calhoun has favored US, on
more occasions than one, with an account
of the reforms he effected when al the head
Of the War Department of this Govern
ment; and 90 man, certainly, can be less
disposed than am 10 deprive him of sin
gle feather which he thinks he put in his
cap by that operation. Bot wha. does he
tell Us was his experience in this business Of
retrenchment He tells what we all know
TO be tfue-wha, every father, every house.
holder. especially finds TO be true in his
own case-that II is much easier 10 plunge
into extrayagance than 10 reduce expenses /;
and il is pre.eulnenily true OF nation
Every nation finds It far easier to rush into
an ex!ravagant expenditure of the money
entrusted to IFS public agents than to bring
down the public expenditures from profuse
and reckless 10 81 economical Standard
All useful and salutary reforms must be
made with care and circumspection. The
gentleman from South Carolina admits that
the reforms be accomplished took him four
years to bring about. Ii was not TIL after
four years of constan, exertion that be was
enabled to establish system of Just accoun.
liability, and 10 bring down the expenses Of
the army to that average, per man, to which
they we're at length reduced. And now,
with all bis personal knowledge Of the diff
cullies Of such task. was il kind in him,
was II kind or fair in his associates, 10 aunt
us, as they have done, by already asking,
where are The reforms you promised to
accomplish when you were out of power ~
/ Mr. Calhoun here rose to explain, and
observed tina, what he had again aud gain
SAID on the subject Of reforms was no more
than this, that 1t was time the promised re
torns should begin il was time they should
beetn ard that was all he now asked
Very we'll; if that is all be asks, the gen
,leman will not be disappointed. We could
not begin at the Extra Session; il could
no, then reasonably be expected of US; for
what ls the duty of new Administration
when il first comes into the possession Of
power ! It's immediate and pressing care
is to carry on the Government; to become
acquainted with the machine 10 look how il
acts IN its various parts, and 10 take care
that il shalinot work Iojuriously to the pub
! lie interest They cannot, at once, look
back al the past abuses il is not practical
bic to Go SO; It must have time 10 look into
the pgeon.holes Of the various bureaux, 10
ind out what has been done, aud what ia do
ing. It's first great duty is to keep the
machine OF Government in regular motion.
1t could not, therefore, be expected that
Congress would go into thorough process
of reform al the Extra Session. lis pecu
liar object then was 10 adopt measures OF
immediate and indispensable relief 10 the
People and TO the Government. Besides
which, the subsequent misiortunes of the
wing party we're we'll known. Presden,
HARRISON occupied the Chair of State but
for single month and the members of his
Cabinet left it under circumstances which
lei me here say, do them the highest hon.
or. | do not enter upon the inquiry wheth.
CT the state Of things which they supposed
10 exist dtd actually exis, or not; but, be-.
lieyIng II TO exist, as they did, their resir.
nation presents one Of The most sgnnI ey.
amples of the sacrifice of the honors and
emolumenis of high station, at great ex.
pense aud personal Inconvenience, and Of
noble adherence to honor and good faith,
which the history Of any country can show.
But may Justly claim, no, only on behalf
OF the retiring Secretaries, bu; for the whole
Wing party, stern adherence 10 principle,
IN utter disregard Of the spoiIo doctrine, and
OF all those baser motives ana considerations
which address themselves 10 some men with
50 great a power. lsay, then, iha, the late
Extra Session was no time TO achieve a
great and extensive and difficult: reform