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

4 Alc Clfll list ihASa-
course, and miscellaneous, $4,000, 1857 So
For the War Department, mclud-
ing all branches, 1i,7l7,79I -
Naval service, s,705,579 50
S2i,42l, 1853 %
And here LET me say single word in de-
fence Of the army. The Department; OF
War comes TO US with estimates for the
sum of Sll,7l7,79l 81; aud those who
look only on the surface OF things may sup
pose that this sum is extraordinarily large /;
bot there are many items IN that sum.
have before me a statement going to show
that Of that sum only four millions are ask.
ed for the military service proper-a sum
less than isdemanded for The naval service
proper, and only double the amount at
which it stood when the honorable .eu;le
man from South Carolina left the Depart.
menL The sum was then about 81 000,.
600; it IS not now quite 81 900 900 +;
while, during the same period, the army
has been nearly doubled, besides the rais
ing Of mounted regiments, the most expen.
slye for that very reason of any in The ser.
vice. think that the gentleman from
South Carolina, ii he looks into the subject
In detail, will iiUd that the cost OF the army
is not at this hour greater, per man, than
ii was when it was under bis own pcfsolal
administration. So | nu informed; and
that, although the pay has been raised a
dollar month, which has very largely aug
meuied the expenditure.
The Executive branch of tie Govern
ment has sent IN estimates amounting IN all,
TO twenty four and half millions oil dollars,
Tor the service of the current year, which,
with The million and half OF permanent
expenditure, makes twenty SIX millions. -
How much is 10 be added to that amount
for appropriations not yet estimated, which
may be made during the session Of Congress,
10 meet honest claims, and for olher objects
Of public nature remember one item
proposed BY my friend near me (Nr. Man.
gum for quarter Of a mllion for the build
ing Of sleo n8ship, an item not included in
the estimates, but for which the Senate has
already appropriated: besides which there
are various other items which have passed
or will pass during the present session. -
When the honorable gentleman from New
Hampshire was at the head oftIIo Treasury,
be made in bis communications to Congress,
complaints Of this very Practice
He well remembers tina. he was ever com.
planning that the expenditures Of the Gov.
eminent we're swelling Tar beyond the Tx
ecuuve estimates, by appropriations made
by Congress not estimated for by the De.
partment. have calculated that We shall
add TO the twenty six millions Of dollars esli.
mated for by the Executive Departments,
or permanently required, at leas! one million
and half, which would raise the sum for
this year 10 twenty. seven millions and half
How then do propose to bring this
down 10 twenty two millions? 1 have, |
Own, some fears that we shall no. be able
to effect it but hope that we shall so far
reduce the estimates and prevent unnecessa.
ry appropriations that the total expenditure
shall not exceed that amount. The mode
10 which | propose 10 reach such a resy.
IS this: suppose we may effect reduc.
ton Of The civil list to the amount Of hall
a million. Tina, general head includes,
amoOg other things, the expenses OF the
two Houses, and, as have heard, the 9th.
er House has already introduced a report
which, it adopted, will cot down ;hosa ex-
penses one hundred thousand dollars.
though think that they should be reduced
much more. | estimate, then, three and a
half millions for the civil list instead Of four
millions; then | estimate, niue millions for
the War Department instead Of Sll,7I7,.
900. In conversation which have late
ly held with the chairman Of the Military
Committee of this body, he expressed the
apprehension that it could not DO reduced
below ten millions, but | hope it NAV be
cut down to nine. Asto the naval service.
the estimates of the Department for that
branch Of the service amount to IS, 707. :.
300; an amour: think far too hIch, and
indeed qulie extravagani. was greatly
as'ouIshed at learning the amount was so
large. Still | know tina, the Navy is the
(ayorIte of all, and Justly II is the boast of
the nation, and our great resource and chief
dependence IN The contingency, OF war
no man thinks, for moment, Of cripplng
or disabling this right arm of our defence.
But have supposed that without injury the
asked for might be- reduced
from s,707,500 TO So, 100000. This
would put the reduction in the naval on a
footing with that in the military appropria
ton, and still leave greater appropriation
than usual TO that department. The re.
ductioa to six millions and half is as large
as think VIII be practicable, if we are to
provide for proposed experiments in tho ap
pI'ca'Ion Of steam, and are, besides, TO add
largely to The marine corps.
How, then, will the total of our expcndi.
lures stand We shall have
For the civil and diplomatic expen.
SOS OF the government S3.510.O0O !
For the military service Q 600 900
For the naval service 6 500 000 /
For permanent appropriations. 800 600
For appro'tns not inc. in the estimates 500 600
Making an aggregate of $4,000, 600 /
Mr. Clay had omitted this item in the delive.