Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-01-02

gsirats that the country prosperous III al! the va
departments Of industry; that the products OF ag-
rrcuItue had been bounlu IN the extreme, and that
al peace with all the eath-it was also stated
that in this lime of general and unprecedented prospe
rity the expenditures of the Government exceeded our
revenues some four five millions Notwithstanding
all this gentlemen instead CT seeking how to provide
resources tor The Government, and TO bring down
lis expenditures within the annual revenue OF the
country, were sudiously devlsng objects oil sx-
pend ture, and boxing out for occasions for addi
iionel appropriations. 1t would seem, from this
state of things, that the maxim, that national debt
was national blessing, found peculiar favor with
some gentlemen that hao,. Net holding 10 such
| opinions he had, coming here Representative
OF tho people, cast his eyes round to find out the point
at which this much talked of but lt'le p:actised re
trenchment and reform should commence; aad on dong
So il struck him that the Navy Department was Tie
one most proper to begin with. ltslruck him that, rs
the expenditures Of this department had sweled up IN
very short time from three millions annually 20 near
ly nine it time that an inquiry should be mace
into the causes of this increase OF expenditure, with
view of applying the proper remedy. On looking t.
the public documents, it would be seen that the expen-
dures for the navy during the last year OF Iir van
Burens administation-hat very period, about tie eS-
travapance of which much had been said-amouned
| 10 somewhere about five millions; and tukng The two
last years that administration together they amounted
to about nine mll,ons-ihe asked tor Tor one
wear 1t seemed to him, therefore, that this department
required ,oking n,o and particularly that the inquiries
|
this thing of but yesterday, which in one year had in
creased TO sixteen vessels-should be answered. One
word III regard to the resolution itself lie made the IN
oury in H. IN regard 10 the time when this home squadron
W las established, not because he wanted the information
for embprs of Congress- but because lie wanted 10 get
the information in hi, form before the people He
wanted them to know when il was esabl she'd how
long had been in operation, aud at VIVA! cost TO the
public Treasury, and the services 1t had rendered. he
wished the PEG pie Judge for themselves whether It
me-
branch of the public service. But these natural and
proner inquiries had been met by the gentleman from
PENNSYLVANIA (Mr e. J, lngers"l) And how p
The gentleman admitted, thst the expenditures for the
Navy too high, aud ought to be reduced lie adj
mitied that the greatest abuses existed IN IT. but he did
not want thus touched. He wanted the at
tention of the House first to be turned to the expen-
dtures of Congress Mr.. II. glad that the gen
,leman had pointed TO the exravagances OF the Legs
lat~c branch nf the GoVernment, and hoped That hrs
experence would enable them TO search them out, and
apply the proper remedy but he could not ngree with
hun in resisting reform in all the other departments,
till the abuses in this corrected he listened, yes
terday to the remarks Of the gentleman with much at
tenon, and with the hope of hearing some practical
plan of economy pointed out but he listened in vain
for all the gentleman eoauence evapofaed IN the USE
less profcssion that be would at some early day, offer
resolution for early adjournment OF the Two Houses
of Congress- He conft ssed he sick at heart, and
almost despaired Of being able to accomplish any use
fu! measures of reform, after finding that all the
genteman's professions Of economy evaPorated IN
!, promise to move for an early adjournment Why,
if tn was all that was 10 he done, they had
bat r 90 home at He wonld say TO the gen
teman from Pennsy lvania and II all others, thai
, they could move for day OF adjournment SO early
thai he would not vote Tor, consist My wish passing
the necessary appropriation blil but he came here 70
rtrench the expenditures Of the Government within
is means; and if that net done, the blame should
not be laid his door He could not but be struck at
the manner which the gentleman brought out I'll,
two millions of end;ures for The last Congress
see med to hun THIS fact presends IS an oiisr
TO The nine m lions OF expenditures for The navy Ia
why, II there abuses in the expenditures OF The
two Hnusss Of Congress- let them be ierreed out
corrected but tie House should not be driven from IL
purpose of reforming any branch OF the Government
on the plea that lis expenditures ought to be re
duced He believed that the greatest abuses existed in
every department of the Government, and that The eS
travagances of all required correction. Look at the ar
my of 00n only kept up a, en- expense TO The ma
tiun of 81 900 for each Was not this crying
abuse that ought to be corected' Why if the prcPo
son had succeeded TO ncrease the army to 2o,oot
men, the expenditure at this rate would have been y
millions annually. If any gentleman knew Of The e1