The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-04-25
G1ra 8 G1AGM G@TssSg ga
ESDAY, APRIL 25, 1913.
MORE UMEN t $ i.


MORE DOCUMEN
as we have undertaken to make exhibit Of the
condition of the National Finances, and that from
| the documents in the case, will this week come
TO the conclusion Of the whole natter by showing
when and by whom the chief portion if not the whole
! of the present debt contracted. Last week we
proved by the figures that the ordinary expenditures
of the government had beer reduced by the Harrison
Congress from average annuni expenditure Of $685.,
600 Gee average Of S 8 900 900 thus show
ing that the people Of the United States, by clecting
Wing Congress for two years, saved S2h, 900 900
The apparent increase of the debt after Van Buren,
| left the chair in part, if not altogether, in this
wise his administration contracted debts and left
| them to be paid by the Wings, and his friends now,
with great show Of candor, after the Wings have paid
these debts, place them under the head of expendi-
lures by the Harrison Congress thereby apparently
dccrea sing the Van Buren debt and making appa-
rent increase of the debt by the Wings. But this is
not the true state of tho
Mr. IuscrsolI, loco member of Congress from
Penn. admitted the Van Buren, debt to be S22, OOo,-
600, and the following documentary statement made
over the signature of Ex-senator Leigh, of Virginia.
sets forth the matter In a manner SO clear that we
need add more.
EXTRACTS FROM AN ADDRESS OF THE
WINGS OF VIRGINIA, ASSEMBLED IN
STATE CONVENTION ON THE 2oD DAY
OF i'EBRUARYL LAST
CONDITION THE COUNTRY ON Mr. VAN BU-
REN's ACCESSION TO THE Presidency.
Feliouc Cii=ens:--You are familiar with the mem
orahle declaration of Gen. Jackson, in 1887
on his retirement from the Presidency, that he cleft
this great people prosperous and happy; in peace with
all nations; aud Aourishing beyond all former
p!e' But the sngacious statesmen who opposed his
violent measures--the removal Of the deposits and
the initiation of the State ianks-forctold with the
accuracy of inspiration, the evils that inevitably
follow his interruption Of the commercial relations Of
the country. What the character Of this prosper
iy, was visible in the sudden and overwhelm-
ing rcvulson, which, in less than three brief months,
followed this seif-complaccnt vaunt. The public
debt, it is true, had been discharged, under the
thority of an annual appropriation Of ten millions,
sinking fund, beginning in 1917. from the album
lant means flowing into the national Golfers from tho
customs, and from extraordinary sales of the public
domain. The Treasury was not only dsencuuiber-
ed Of all its engagements resulting from two wars but
a large surplus had been distributed to the States
An ample fund was transmitted to Mr. Van Buren, by
his predecessor, and the party which, FOR eight years.
had revealed in the spoiis entered upon lease
Of office, with buoyant hopes of glorious harvest for
eight years more. But the seeds sown so deep
y in the commercial system of the country that there
was not only diminution in the receipts from the
customs, of more than half, in 1887, but fall
ling off in the land fund from the enormous amount
of tu9eaty Gre millions in 1886 to seuen millions in
1887!
But with this rapid decline of the means of the
country, let whether the reduction Of expenses
kept proportionate pace Facts speak too audiby
and intclligibly for contradiction.
From official statements Of the Treasury Depart
ment by Mr. Woodbury., it appears that on the list
day Of january, 1887, there surplus in the
Treasury, arising from ordinary sources of revenue,
of SEVENTEEN MILLIONS ONE HUNDRED
| THOUSAND DOLLARS /! $l7,i0o, 600
! Additional acer uing form Jan. !, .."
1887 to March A, 1911, from ether
! than ordinary sourcest, (Bank, is.
&c1 9,l25, 900
| When the extravaganza ofthe party Ha.. Z.
ran beyond the Income ofthe Treas
! urv so as TO require the 4th install
ment TO the States to BIO withheld,
Treasury Notes authorized,
| and these were issued during the
| four years up to the 4th March
| 1s4i. 10 the amount of 5,65O, 900
7 Total, 1871 1915, 900
! Making in all, from other than regular receipts
from the customs and tho public lands during MIR Van
Buren's term, nearly THlRTY-TWo MILLIONS
| OF DOLLARS
! Now let US see what received from the reg
| ular sources OF income during the same period.
I From the Customs:
| From January, 1887, to January, lS41
the receipts were ss2, 500 900
! lThe receipts from this source hay