The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-03-29

to have been expended. AT present all ani
mated with common zeal and determination on
The subject OF defence; all feel the necessity Of
some adequate plan of defence, as well upon the
ocean upon the land, and especially Of putting
our navy and orr Notifications in better state TO
defend the honor and protect the rights of the
ton We feel this necessity, although we all trust
that the calamity of war may be averted. This
calls for greater amount OF money for these pur-
poses than was appropriated under Mr.. Van Bu-
rens administration, besides which, IN the progress
OF affairs, unforeseen ex'gencies may arise, and do
constantly occur, calling for other appropriations
needed, which no man can anticipate. Every Min
istry in every Government-every Administration
OF our own Government, has its extraordinaries
and its contingencies; and it is apology for Mr..
Van Bnrens administration TO say tn at the circum-
stances which occasioned its expenditures were ex
traOrdinary and peculiar Making all the allow.
| ances which its warmest friends ask for The
expenses of the inglorious war in FLORIDA cons
! test which has proiusely wasted not only the re-
sources of the Treasury, but the best blood of the
! nation making the amplest allowance Tor this and
for all other extras whatever, the sum expended by
the last administration still remains to be far, far
! beyond what is proposed in these resolutions as
sufficient for the present, and for years TO come it
must in candor, be conceded that this is very
| great dimnuton of the national expendiiure;dnd
such, II nothing else done, would redeem the
! pledge of the Wing party.
! But Jet us now consider the subject in another
! light. Thirteen millions the average annual
amount Of expenditure under Mr. Adams admins.
tralon which terminated ID years ago, should
|
ment of his administration in 1925, being period
OF seventeen years, IN making comparison of the
progressive increase Of the national expenditures !;
or, at all events, adding one half OF Mr. Adams
term, to lake the period running fifteen years
back; but i shall not avail myself of his perfectly
| fair calculation; and will therefore saw, that at
the end of thirteen years, from the time when the
expenditures thirteen millions, propose that
| they be raised to twenty two millions. And is this
an extraordinary iUcrease ioi such period, in
country ofsuch rapid Increase and development, as
this is' What has occurred during this lapse OF
| time? The army has been doubled, or nearly so;
! it has increased from little over 1000 men 10
10000. We have built six, eight, ten ships Of
| the line, II do not recollect the precise number)
| two three new States have been added TO the
Union; and two periodical enumerations have been
made of the national populations; besides which
there have been, and yet are TO be- vast expenda-
! lures works of fertilization d national defence.
] Now when we look at the increase in the number
of members in both Houses Of Congress, and con-
! slder the necessary and inevitable progress aud
growth OF the nation, is il, ask, extraordinary
thing that at the end of period Of thirteen years
| our expenditures should increase from thirteen TO
| twenty two millions of dol!arsg II take the
period at seventeen years, (as we fairly mayD or
at but fifteen years, the increase OF expenses will
he found not TO go beyond the proportional increase
Of our population within the same pc od, That
increase found Ia be about four per cent. annu-
ally; and the increase of Government expenditures
at the rate above stated will not exceed that This
is independent of any augmentation of the army
or navy, of the addition OF new States and Terrific
ries, or The enlargement of the numbers in Con-
gress. Taking The addition, at the end of thirteen
years to be nine Millions of dollars, It will give
annual average increase of about 100000 And
| | think that the Government o! no people, young.
free, and growing is this nation, can under cir
cumstances like ours, be justly charged with rash
ness, recklessness extravaganza, if its expenses
increase bur at the rate of 100000 rer annum.-
| If our posterity, after their numbers shall have
swe lled to one hundred millions, shall find that
their expenses augmented in no greater ratio than
q.
proiuseness or extravaganza of their Gov eminent.
| But it should be recolected that whleI have
! fixed the rate of expenditure at the sum 4 have
mentoned,viz: twenty two millions, this does not
preclude further reductions, If they shall be found
practicable, after existing abuses have been expor.
ed and all useless or unnecessary expenditures have
been Topped off. t...
The honorable Senator from South Carolina (Mr
Calhoun) has favored us, on more occasions than
one, with an account Of the reforms he effected
when at the head of the War Department of this
Governments and no man, certainly, can be less
disposed than | am to deprive him of single feath
er which he thinks he put in his cap by that ope-
ration But what does he tell us his expert
ence in this business of retrenchment? lie tells
us what we all know to be tiue-what every faith
err, every householder, especially finds to be true
in his own case-that it is much easier to plunge
into extravaganza than to reduce expenses; and 1t
is pre- -emincnty true Of a nation. Every nation
finds 1t far easier to rush into extravagant
penditure Of the money entrusted to its public
gents than 10 bring down the public expenditures
ard All useful and salutary reforms must he
made with care aud crcumspection. The gentle
man from South Carolina admits that the reforms
he accomplished took him four years to bring a
bout. 1t not till after four years Of ant
exertion that he was enabled to establish system
Of just accountability, and 10 bring down the
penses of the army to that average, per man, TO
which they at length reduced. And now,
with all his personal knowledge of the difficulties
of such task, was it kind in him, was it kind or
fair in his associates, TO taunt they have done,
by already asking, ''where the reforms you
promised to accomplish when you were out of
powar? t e3
TNr Calhoun here rose to explain, and observed
that what he had again and again SAID on the sub
iect of reforms more than this, that it was
time the promised reforms should begin; il was
time they should begin; and that was all he now
asked.
Very well; if that is all he asks, the gentleman
will ct be disappointed. We could not begin at
the Extra Session; it could not then reasonably be
expected of US; for what is the duty of a new
Administration when 1t first comes into the pos.
session fpower' Its immediate and pressing care
is to carry out the Government; to become acquain
ted with the machine: to how it acts in its