Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-04-11

me .8rmy Appropriation Bill.
Mr.: CHARMAN: | have ever been cautious
about voting appropriations. | have thought
sometimes that our appropriations have not
been In accordance with economical estimates.
we nave permitted an increase of expendi-
lures TO run with supposed wants without
Icriticaliy examining their character. We are
asked to make large appropriations to our ar
my and navy. when it is difficult to know
whether those appropriations are necessarily
and properly dlsbursed or not. .; The amonnt |,
OF our appropriations, in proportion to- the
number OF our army and the strength of our ma
Wy, will. think, be found to be nearly double
to those of the appropriations made for the
support OF the British navy and army. This
should not be. There is no reason why it
should be so; and it can only be accounted for
on the tact that we have greater number of
| officers than we should have for the number
| OF men they have to command, or that their
pay is too high. | think there is dispropor-
ton in the pay of the officer and the common |
soldier or sailor. | think | can see a great
improperly in paying commander six hun
dred dollars month, while the soldier or sal.
Tor gets but eight dollars, whose risk is great
er. and whose duty is more arduous than that
of the commander. think the disparity be-
tween the commander, whose duty it is to de-
fend, ana the farmer, whose duty it is both to
maintain and defend, his country. is too great.
A farmer will toll in dust and sweat half his
life to procure common farm; and then toll
in sweat and dust until he is three score to
support himself and family. and his govern
ment; and, in the mean time, fthere be any
fighting 10 do he has to do it; and if he at the
end of three-score years, can lay up three or
four thousand dollars TO maintain himselfthro'
the evening of life. he has done well he will
have credit tor being an honest and nduStrI-
Gus man. A farmer may own a farm which
has cost him five thousand dollars; he may
work 1t TO the best pc sShle advantage, and he
will do well if he clears three hundred dollars
exclusive of the expenses in its cultivation. |
speak Of Western farms worked by free labor.
How is it with the epauletted gentlemaD!-
lie receives a commissioner piece of parch
tnent with some copper-pla'e fourishes upon
it, and the Presidents name at the lower right
hand corner; and scrap Of sheepskin, thus
embelished, speaks him, as if by magic, into
a fnrtune-brings him yearly income oem more
than any twenty fou: farmers, with all their
capital vested in their farms and all their toll
to boot. | will suppose that twenty-farmers
each have farm that cost five thousand dol
lars; the aggregate capital vested is one hun
dred and twenty thousand dollars; and We
the epau'etted sheep skin man will receiv.
more in year than the whole twenty fou
farmers, though they toll in sweat from the be
ginning to the end of she year, and from tn,
rising to the setting Of the sun each day
while he tolls not, neither does he spin; We
Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed lIk'
him ; and | repeat, if fighting has to be done
the farmer and mechanic have to do it. Tn,
mechanic spends four or five years in acqni
ring trade. and after he has acquired it, h
is doing we'll if he can make three hundre
dollars a yer by his own labor, by the hand
est Ilcks Of the anvil, the lap-stone, til
Jack plane; and yet commander, by virtu
of sheep-skin or foot square ofthe hide c
iackass, will make more than twenty-tou
such mechanics, and yet lives at ease, an
gIitters and gIistens in tinsel and lace. W
boast Of our Government being a governmer
of equal privileges, equal rights, and equal II
stitutions; but is it so! What equality
there in hestowing salaries which give to on
individual more than lwenty-four of our be:
farmers can make, including their own labo
with a capital of one hundred and twenty-hv
thousand dollars That there will be lneQua
tiles in the circumstances of men, under tn
most free and equal forms of government, a
will admit. The inequality in the habits an
ability of men to make or collect wealth, or
retain it, will produce inequality of circuu
stances; but by far the greater inequality
produced by unequal legislation in the gran
ing of monopolies. and in the gift of comm
sions with extravagant and profigate sal
ries.
For The information of those who may rea
me will expose the denomination of a few
the higher Offices, and the annual salarl'
which they receive, and contrast by figure
H.. &c I;ohxi ~ a
fects to the rights nd prospects of all class
Of society, except those for whose benefit Il
system is established. l have supposed tn
an industrious, frugal farmer, with far
worth five thousand dollars, by his own labe
will make three hundred dollars year.
We have what we call our regular army
At the head of that army we have major &c
eIal, whose annual salary and perquisiti
amount to $7,144
Twenty-four farms worth $780,
900 ; the labor Of twenty -four
persons per year, worth each
81 per day, amounts to the
sum of 1882 and the ag-
gregate value for one year
will he, in capital and labor 1925
If each farmer receives $500 as
his share ofthe proceeds of cas-
pital invested and labor ex.
pended, then will Major Gem
eral Winfield Scott receive as
much as the whole twenty
'cca four persons with their united
labor, and their $4,000 of
vested capital, or twenty-four
times as much as either Of
them. will ask my readers
to keep this illustration in
mind, and to apply it to the
salaries of the officers, which
l. proceed further to expose
- and compare.
! repeat that
~. The major general receives per