Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-03-25

ave rted. This calls for greater amount
of money for these purposes than was
appropriated under Mr.. Van Buren,
administration; bes ide which in the pro
gress OF affairs. unforeseen exigeDclPs
may arise, and do constantly occur, cal.
ling for other appropriations needpd,
which no man can anticipate. Every
Ministry m every Government-e every
administration OF our own Government,
has its extraordIna ries and its contlngen.
cies; and it is no apology for Mr.. Van
Buren's administration 10 say that the
circumstances which occaqioned ITS ex.
penditures were extraordinary and pc
cullar. Making all the allowances which
its warmeSt friends can ask for the ex-
penSes Of the inglorious war in Florida
"A contest which has profuseIy ed
not only the resources Of the Treasury,
but the best blood OF the nation making
ample allowance for this and all other
extras whatever, the sum expended by
the last administration still remains 10
be far, far beyond what is proposed in
these resolutions as sufficient for the
present and for years to come. 1t must
in candor, be conceded that this is a very
great diminution Of the national expen'
diture; and such, If nothing else were
done, would redeem The pledge Of the
Wing party.
But let US now consider the subject in
another light. Thirteen millions was
the average annual amount OF expendi-
ture under Mr.. Adams's administration
which terminated thirteen years ago
| should be authorized. therefore, 10
take the commence ment Of his admins
,raton in 1925, being period of sew.
enteen years, in making a comparison
ofthe progressive increase Of The ration
al expenditures; or, at all events, ad-
ding one half Of Mr.. Adsms's term, 10
take The period as running fifteen years
back but shall not avail mysel If Of this
perfectly fair calculation; and | will
therefore say, that al the end Of thirteen
years, from the time when the expen.
diures were thirteen millions, pro
pose that they be raised to twenty two
millions, And is this an exrraordi
nary increase for such a period, in a
country Of such rapid increase and de-.
VeIopement as this is? What has oc
Cured during this lapse Of timef The
army has been doubled, or nearly so; il
has increased from a little over 5000
men to 10000. We have built six,
eight, or len ships Of the line, Il do not
recolect the precise number; two or
three new States have been added 10
the Union; and Two periodical enumer,
eions have been made Of the mai ionaI
population; besides which there have
been, and yet are 10 be, vast exPendi.
lures on works OF fortifcation and na 1.
tonal defence. Now when we look a:
the increase in the number Of members
in both houses OF Congress, and consid
er ths necessary and inevitable pro
gress and growth OF the nation, is it, |
ask, an extraordinary thing that at the
end of the period Of thirteen years our
expenditures should increase from thir.
teen to twenty-five millions Of doIIars3
| we take the period at seventeen years
(as we fairly may,) or at but fifteen
years, the increase Of expenses will be
found not to go be yond the proportional
increase OF our population within the
same period That increase is found TO
be about four per cent. annually; and
the increase of Government expendi-
lures, al the rate above stated, will not
exceed that. This is inde pendent Of any
augmentation of the army or navy, OF
the addition Of new States and Terrific
res, or The enlargement Of the numbers
in Congress. Taking the addition at
the end OF the thirteen years, 10 be nine
millions Of dollars, it will give an annu'
al average increase Of about S700,O00,
And | think that the Government Of no
people, young, free, and growing as is
this nation, can under circumstances like
ours, be Justly charged with rashness,
eckIessness or extravaganza, if It's ex
penses increase but at the rate Of $780,
900 per annum. II our Posleriiy, after
their numbers shall have sweled to one
hundred millions, shall find that lbpiI
expenses have augmented in no greater
ratio than this, they will have no cause
Of complaint Of the pro(useness or ex
travagance Of their Government,
But it should be recolecled that while
| have fixed the rate Of expenditure a
the sum have mentioned, viz. twenty
two millions. this does not preclude fur
ther reductions, If they shall be founC
practicable, after existing abuses have
been explored a.nd all useless or unne
cessOry expenditures have been Topped
off.
The honorable Senator from SoutH
Carolina (MR CALHOUN has favored us
on more occasions than one, with al
account OF the reforms he effected wheT
at the head Of the War Department o
this Governments; and no man, certainly
ran he less disnosed than am 10 deprive