Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-05-02
IT.. Dan, Of NJ, Pan Buren's 7d,u;o;,,,,,.o

administration, ending Sd March, ls4l, with Inc H.,
bites or appropriations for the subseqnen, year
'1he Mobile Advertiser slides very sIyIy by the a.
posture made OF one of the tricks upon figures. prac
Used by IFS friend Mr. Caruhers of Tennessee IN -
laton the increase of the public debt, since the 80
cesson of the Wings to power. Mr. Johnson Of Tenn
showed from Official documents that the public deb, -
March, ISL, when Mr. Van Buren, left The Govern.
ment was S7,iS0G3a
and that il was on the ID March, 1913, at
the close of the first Wing Congress 213,o o9I
and the difference he called, justly and truly n:ease
Of the public debt, under the auspices OF the reormra
Wings
"Mr. Caru,hers accused Mr.. Johnson of suppression
in emitting the liabilities. ms he called them ios the
year le4l, as distinguished from public debt, namely
The appropriations for the support OF Government du,
ing the year, which were made by Congress preyionz
to the 4t OF March, Of that year, being the amouu,
of expenditure determined by Congress, as usual IN
advance Of the receipts and the basis of the Estimated
income from oil SOURCES. The administration Of NJ,
Van Buren,, had nothing to do with these eon-o.
pratons, except to furnish their estimate of how
much the Government would need, and how much il
would probably have 10 expend. The appropriations
were millions beyond the administrations estimates
yet the amount which they neither asked for, DIS
bursed, is set down by Mr. Caruhers debt growing
out OF their extravaganza; debt, too which rs
nature, charge upon revenues established By the
laws, and expected to accrue.
"This sort of debt has always existed. Every year
since the beginning OF the government Congress pass
ed laws-contractng Liabilities for the support of tie
Government, the whole coming year-but as The reve.
| nue. laws have always existed in some form, one
before the Wing inanciers arose, thou ht OF SET
ting down all the legalized expenses of the Govern
ment to come, as present debt. Why, when Gen
Jackson came into power in lS2o, there we've over
tventy.sir millions of appropriations oustaGGnr-a
LEGACY of debt, the Wings call II now, 10 Gen
Jackson's administration No Democrat, however, ass
guilty of the absurdity of stating the current APP
preparations When MIR Van Buren, succeeded Ge
neral Jackson, IN 1897, there were actually t.fiy.
Sfrea millions o. appropriations outstanding, and
Wing discovered that TO be debt. The notion was
one of those bold hnm1ngs IN which the Campaign
Of lo40 was so prolific, and which such men as Mr
Caru.hers silly enough 10 re-produce, alter
they have been hooted at with scorn, even by many
of those who employed them, most proiu;eiy. BIT
Mr.. Caruhers trckery is best exposed By making
him stick to his own rule. BY single glance q,
his calculations It will be seen that he adds the OUT
standing appropriations 10 MIR. Van Butens
count on the 4th Of March, lS4l and ieo1es hts
of the HMg account The 9TH Of March lsi3 lie
swells Mr.. Van Brrens liabilities by nearly S99.
0000 600 Of appropriations made by The preceding Con
gress and leaves out all appropriations made by the le
Wing Congress, which amount TO about the same sum-
or rather more, (S2o,2l4,ls5) Now, with due allow
ance for the Wing ingenuity, in conioundng plan
things, think we may assume that Mr. Cafuthers
rule of calculation is either true or false II false ne
Their of these amounts Of prospective liabilities should
be cO0SiueTed i GeDl, anu tDGS JOiilsoh h"uith
are true aud the increase Of the debt by the Wings
nearly but not quite ttceny 1nons; If true, then the
same classes OF liabilities sh ud be added to both sides
and then the Wing Increase of the debt will be 'ie
orer twenty millions Either way the decei.ful rur
poses of the Hon. Mr. Carulhers, in suppressng the
mos, mpo.tsn element Of his own rule OF calculation,
are perfectly transparent We wonder that The Advert
ner allowed itself thrust out document 81 easy OF
detection in ils faaces, with solemn an endorse.
ment of lis authoritative character.
1.-THE Advertiser and it's oracle, lay great stress On
the mere amount of appropriations, proof OF extra
vagance otherwise in an administration or party
But other considerations have very weighsy ninence
in deciding this matter truly. The administrator
responsible only for the manner and fidelity OF rs eA-
penditures-the duty and responsibility for Ing
upon the amount, and the objects OF expenditure BE-
long exclusively TO Congress. Whenever that q1es'
ton is discussed, relates to the past Democratic I'd
minisra,ions, it will be found, frs that the Executive
Department struggled constantly Tor reduction OF
annual expenditures and were overrated IN every case,
by Congressional appropriations beyond their estimates,
that the four years of Mr. Van Burens administration,
were burdened with many millions Of extraordinary
expanses-not depending upon The will either oil the
Executive or Of Congress, snch as millions upon NIL
lions for Indian Trcatics-mllons 10, the FLORIDA war
millions for new public buildings, ct Washington,
in New York, and Bos'nn-for light houses-a vast
increase OF the pension stand other temporary mat
tcrs, winch chilled for immense sums beyond the
rent expenses of administration, and to the rppropria
tiDHs WHICH VI SoHsItbb, iiduS
any resistance.
sThe challenge has been time after time III rown ut
in the Senate Of the y. S. ID Mr. Clay aud his coll
leagues, whenever they undertook II assatl the Van
Buren, administration for the large appropriations made
by Congress- 10 come up to The mark and desr na's
what amount they had opposed IN the passage Of the
appropriation acts. Mr.. Woodbury. brought Mr.. Clay
TO this test, repeatedly calling for specca tons Of
any 'extravagant appropriations, for winch Mr. Clay
had not voted himself, with the general body o the
Senate and could never geta reply. II vas on such
an occasion, that Mr. Clay tainted the preceding Adj
mnlsraion with extravaganza, in spending 90 much
money, and when II was shown that that hdmiDsra-
ton had presented lis scale of expenditure ana
Congress had exceeded IT, and Mr. Clay had voted for
the excuses, changed his attack and assaulted his OPP
ponpnis for attempting TO deny the po@
or oil Congress, TO vote many appropriations az they
pleased with reference 10 the Executive. MIR. Wood
bury Indignantly rebuked him in the following strong,
but inst terms
constitutional and j. il dny pas of shaacif
whether included in The estimates But the time.
does rot the Senator he En5ers,lpd II Cnng,
passes more appropriations than Included IN The estimate.
and beyond the committed also duty
with, 10 provide additional dtfray them Can h..
use his own language, decae has mind dad re:h ne dHy
II Jesng legislator, he ahamed pass
oia appropriations, without INN daey providing the add
iona discharge them Can absurd
just rs well as nsenerous as TO censnc agent for not BEN.
able 10 pas tiy mil ions If appropriations when h. far
nished WIN but twenty-five millions Of means ana when he
requested only twenty-five millions Of appropriations 10 be
posed on him
Can the Senator hOd has hsGd member 81 Congress-
and have no his. conpnnco, feelings, when be- tnu.
the agents of Congress with running debt; which ne hm
self has caused by authorized.
which he in fnct, has required
such course, any thing hui hig! minded oIy II
there be either elevation, dignity generosity, cyalfy such
4 course, have yet 10 learn it."'
'tere the al homincm argument, SO forclhly
and truly put, that the Wing Senator had nothing 20
say in reply-but he, nevertheless, failed mol to re-
produce, whenever it suited his purposes ,be sane
exploded charges, and re act the same glazing 'ncon'
sistency and injustice.
aDDESDrH.
In subsequent article, that able paper, the Mobile
Register, states the account current, thus:
"According 10 the official table produced b. alr Cas'
Johnson, the public debt certified BY the Register Of
the Treasury, at the close of the first Wing Con-
rress, on the I.h March las. S27.J>9. !?l ~
II was at the close OF Mr.. Van Bu,en's
Administration the 4th March,
| lSil, 74S06o! l.
| Total increase Sl9,2os, 80 u
"Now, according 10 the mode of computation winch
Mr.. Caruthers land MIR A. n II. Stuarp indicates, al,
though he does not apply It with integrity there Should
be added all the outstanding appropriations 10 Ihe hIta
deht