Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-12

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And careless of ran, When needless rove
When he thus %oua cudeavO To pathway,
Thy secrets 10 scan And pon, Us above.
TWENTY-sEyENTH CoNGREss--2d Session.
SPEECH Of Hon JOHN c CALHOUN, Of 5. c.,
On tho Treasury .lote BA-Deiicered IN the Senate q
tho United States January ., 1872.
fCoNcLupkp.
From these statements it may be fairly Inferred that
there is great for economy under every head OF
expenditure. ] atn by no means prepared TO say what
reduction may be effected by it. II would require
much more time and minute examination L. determine
with precision any thing like the exact anne unit; but II
is certain that millions may be saved, SIMPLY by Jnd-
cious and strict system of economy, without nparng
in any degree the efficiency Of the Government But IN
order 10 form definite conception as TO the amount
of tha, reduction propose add &c the aggregate eS
pense of 1923 seventyGve rer cent-ae estimated m
crease of the population OF the U S since them which
will give the amount that ought TO have been the est
mated expenditures for this year. on the sGrposon that
the expenses Of the Government ought not IN ordinary
times increase faster than the population; and which,
deducted from the actual estimates OF the year, VIII
show that suppostion, to what amount they ought
TO have been reduced. But in making this supposon,
wish it to be understood, do not admit that the cx
penditures Of the Government ought 10 keep pace with
our rapidly increasing population. There are many
branches Of the public service which ought not 10 be,
and have not fact been much increased with the m
crease Of population and now, in point of expan-
sion very nearly what they were in 1898 Others are
more enlarged but IL believed that there are but few
whose growth have been greater great as that OF
our population 1t would, in truth, not be difficult 10
show that increase of and expenditures, and
consequently of patronage and Influence, equal to orr
rapidly growing population, must almost necessarily
end in making the Government despo.c. II ~ known
that IL takes much less ,ury force IN proportion 10
subject large country with numerous population,
than a small one with ,nconsJerabie one; AMI, IN
like manner and for similar reasons II takes much less
patronage and influence IN proportion, TO control the
former than the latter 81 true IS H. that regard 1t
as an axiom, that the purity and duration 81 our Tree
and popular institutions looking to the ro4 extent OF
country and its great and growing population, depend
on restricting lis and expenditures, aud there
by its patronage and influence TO the smallest amount
consistent with the proper discharge Of the few great
duties for which il instituted. 10 a departure
from may be attributed to grea, measure, the exist
ing disorders. With these remarks, shall now pro-
coed TO give the result Of the proposed calculation
The actual expenditures Of 1923, ali included except
payments on account of the public debt, amounted to
1882, 1872 That sum multiplied by = per cent. the
estimated ratio of increase of population from % 10
40, gives Sl7, l9S 6Si; which, in the assumption that
the expenditures should not increase rapidly than
the population ought TO be the extreme Limits o. The en-
pendtures of this year But the estimates for the year,
deducting payment account of the debt are, az has
been stated, S2o 997 ,2oS being an excess OF S49So
beyond what the expenditures ought 10 be on the l,he-
raj scale assumed The increase, instead Of being ct
the rate of the population, is equal to 6S-l0O TO
compared with the expenditures of 523 and 81 near
w. compared with the ratio of the increase Of popua
ton. Had the ratio of increase not exceeded that "i
the population, the whole expenditure Of the year, in
cludinp the sum of 81 100000 for the debt, would
have been but S24, ,6S, instead of 32997 ,23s.
But, great as this reduction ~ It by no means re-
presents the saving that would be made the data
sumed The expense of collecting the revenue, (oi
which statement has already been made, as 1t relates
to The customs well several other items, less I'M
portan are included in the expenditures, and must
be added get the true amount that would be saved
The addition at the lowest calculation, would be M
lion of dollars, which, added to the $olS,377, would
make the sum of 50 1855 and would reduce what
onrht TO be the estimates of the year, on the ground
assumed TO ,6Si. The saving is great; but,
feel confident, not greater than what, with lhdico"s
and efficient system of administration might be effect
ed and that not only without impaIring, but actually
increasing, the efficiency of the Government. 10
make great reduction, would take much time aud
labor: but il those who have the power, and stand
pledged, would begin the good work. much, very much
might be done during the present session. But if this
bill, as it now stands should become law, would
despair for the present. see in the amendment de-
liberate aud fixed determination to keep the expend-
itures, regardless of pledges and consequences
Having now shown how greatly the public expendi-
lures have increased since 1923 next propose to make
remarks on the causes that have produced It, In
the front rank place the protective tariff selected
the year 1925 as stated in the early stages OF my re-
marks part illustrate the effects of that perncious
system in this connection II IS curious to look over
the columns ofexpendures under their yarons heads,
IN the table | hold in my hand, and note how sud
denly they rose under every head, after each OF The
tariff acts of 1924 and 1923, until they reached the
present point. Here Mr.. Calhoun read from tie
table of the expenditures under each head year ty
year. from 1923 to 1910, in illustration of his remarks
Nor is it wonderful that such should be the effects
of the protective policy How could It be otherwise
Duties were laid not for revenue but for protection
Money was not the object IL was bat an incident,
and the party favor of the system "a majority IN both
Houses during the whole perod) cared not how = xss
wasted. During that wastefu period, | have hGkd
members of Congress Of high intelligence declare t
il was better that the money should be burnt or h
into the ocean than not collected: and they spoEV IN
the true genius Of that corrupng and oppressive 'ys-
tenn In fact, after il was collected there was So' OF
necessity that should be spent The collection Wa in
bsnk notes. and of oil absurd,cs, ct t.e great
is an accumulation of such article in The public
treasury whether regard the thing Itself or s ei.
fsc,s on the community and the banks when pushed
10 great extent, it must prove runous 70 all und 70
such accumulation in spite Of the most waseini extra
vagance in the expenditures, may be attributed IN
great degree the overthrow of the banks ard the en-
bsrrassments Of the Government and count!r But SO
blind were the banks for the most part, 10 tfe fate,
that they among the foremost 10 urge on the
course Of policy destined hasten greatly their over
throw All resistance the part OF The minority IN
Congress opposed TO the system, was il vain 1t the
money was saved from Objectionable object, ii
was sure TO be applied 20 some other and perhaps
even more Objectionable; il the sluice OF expendl'
lures was stopped in place, 1t was certain 10
hurst through another Under The conviction, thai
the s,rupple was in vain long as the cause re-
NAMED ceased ia great measure resistance TO ep-
proprations, and turned my efforts against the osuse