Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-03-28


millions propose that they lie raised to twenty
two millions And is this an extraordinary in
crease for such period, in country of such rap
I'd increase and Development ms this is? What
has occurred during this lapse of time ? The ar
my has been doubled, or nearly so it has increas-
ed from little over 6000 men to $4,000. We
have built six, eight, or ten ships of the line, | do
not recollcc the precise number y two or three
new states have been added to the Union; and
two periodical enumeraons have been made OF
the national population besides which there have
been, and yet are to be- vast expenditures on
works Of fertilization and national defence. Now
when we look at the increase in the number of
members in both houses of Congress, and con-
slider tho necessary inevitable progress in the
growth of the nation, is it, ask, an extraordina-
ry thing that at the end of period Of thirteen
years our expenditures should Increase from hr-
teen to twenty-five millions of dollars? lc we
tuke HE period at seventeen years. las we fairly
maY,) or at but fifteen years. the increase of OK
penses viii he found not to 90 beyond the proper
tonal increase OF our population within the same
period. That increase is found to be about four
per cent. annually and the increase OF Govern
ment expenditures al the rate above stated, will
not exceed that. This is independent of any aug.
mentatlon of the army or navy, of the addition OF
new States and Territories, or the enlargement Of
the members in Congress Taking The addition,
nj the end of thirteen years, to he nine millions
OF dollars, 1t will give annual average increase
L
ment OF no people, young, free and growing ms
is this nation, can, under circumstances like ours
he justly charged with rashness, rccklessness, or
cAtiaNhgnnce, II It's expenses increase but at the
rate OF 100000 per annum. If our p9sterity, uf
ter their numbers shall have swellcd to one hun
dred millions, shall find their expenses have mug
mented in no greater ratio than this they will have
no cause OF complaint of the prOluseness or ex-
trayagance of their Government.
Bun il should he recollected that willie have
fixed the rate OF expenditure at the sum have
mentioned, viz; twenty-five Millions this does
not preclude further reductions, it they shall be
found practicable, after existing abuses have been
explored and all useless or unnecessary expendi
ture have been Topped off,
The honorable Senator from Soulh Carolina
(Mr. Calhouu) has favored us, on more occasions
than one with an account Of the reform he fec
ted when u the head OF the War Department of
tins Government; aud no man, certainly can be
less disposed than am TO deprive him of sin
gle feather which he thinks he pat into his cap 10y
that operation. But what docs he tell us was his
experience in This business of rotrencIment? lie
tells us what we all know to be true what every
father, every household der especially finds TO he
true IN his own case that is much easier to
plunge INTO extravaganza Than to reduce EXPENSES /;
and Il is pre-emlnenlly true of nation Every
nation finds il far easier to rush into an eXrnya-
giant expenditure OF the money entrusted to It's
pubic agents than to bring down the public ex
pendItures from prOluse aud reckless TO mn eco
Homcal standard. All useful and saluinry reforms
must he made with care and circumspection The
gentleman from South Carolina admits that the
reforms he accomplished took him four years to
3nng about. II was not till after four wears of
constant eXeion thai he wus enabled to establish
system OF Just accountability, and to bring down
the expenses oflhe army 10 that average per man.
TO which they were 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
lar ~ lbs associates, TO tarnt u.s. as they have
done, by already asking, A." where are the reforms
you promised 10 accomplish when You were out
of powcr:"
Mr. Calhoun here rose to explain, and observ
ed that what he had again and again said OH the
suhiecl Of reforms was no more than his that il,
was time the promised reforms should begin; il,
was time TINT they should begin and that was NIL
lie now asked.
Very well if that is all lac asks, the gentle.
man will not he disappointed. We could not he.
gin at the Extra Session ii could not then rea.
souaby be expected of us for what is the duty
of u new Administration when it first comes into
the possession of power? Its Immediate and
pressing care is to carry on the Government; to
become acquainted with the machine; to look
how il acts in its various parts, and to lake care
thai II shall not work lnJurous'y to the public in
tcrest. They cannot, nj once look back to the
past abuses; il Is not practicable to do so il must
have time TO look iulO The pigeon holes OF the va
rious bureaux, to find out what has been done,
aud what is doing. Its first great duty is TO keep
the mHchne Of Government in regular NOTION
il could NOT, therefore, be expected that Congress
would 20 into Il thorough process of reform at the
Extra Session. Its peculiar object then was TO
udOpt measures Of immediate and Indispensable
relief 10 the People and 10 the Government. Be-
sides which, the subsequent mislortunes Of the
Wing party were well known. President Harri
son occupied the Chair of Stale but for Il single
nd ltn pfh nc al, l. q,
under circumstances which, let here say do
them the highest honor do not enter upon the
inquiry whether the state of things which they
supposed to exist did actually exist or not but,
believing it to exist, as they did, their resignation
presents one Of the most signal examples of the
sacrifice OF the honors and emolumcnts of high
station, at great expense and personal inconve
nence and of noble adherence TO good honor and
faith which the history of any country can show.
But may Justly claim, not only on b.half of the
retiring Secretaries, but Tor the Wing parry, n
stern adherence TO principle, in utter disregard of
the spoils doctrine and of all those baser motive
and considerations which address themselves 10
some men with so great power. | say, them that
the late Extra Session was no time to achieve n
great and extensive and difficult reform through
out the departments of the Government: n pro.
cess like that can be attempted only during re q
ular session OF Congress and do not gentlemen
know that it is now in progress, by the faithful
hands TO which il has here and elsewhere in Con.
gress been committed and that an extraordinary
committee has been raised in this body. insomucI
that TO effect it the Senate has some what shot from
its usual and appropriate orbit by establishing {
standing Committee Of Rerenchmelt? If the
honorable Senator from South Carolina took on,
years TO bring down the expenses of the War De-
parlment when under his own immediate super-
inendence, may surely, with confidence, make
my appeal 10 his sense of justice g. liberaHty to al
low us at least Two years before he repreaches VI
with failure in the work so much more extensive
will now say that, in suggesting the prophet,
of fixing The annual average expenditure of thi
Government at twenty-five millions of dollars
from this time and for some years to come, It i
not my purpose to preclude any further reduction
OF expense by the dismissal ofuseess officers, thu
abolition of the useless institutions, and the reduc
ton of unnecessary or exlrayagant expenditures
No man is more DESTROYS than ! am of seeing thi