Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1846-01-08
9,l24,747 90
$2G,234,220 &c

Ihls was the amount with which Mr.. Van Burer
may be said have CO. menced his administration: and
yet, at its close this immense sum was gone. and il is
admitted by his friends that he left debt for his success.
To pay of millions of dollars more MAKING an ap
g1egaie of TIIIRTY-TWO MILLIONS OF DOL.
LARS--rhieh ,couh hare been the amount of The MA.
TlONAL DEBT at The close Of his term of strrice
1t. like Gen. Harrison in lS40 he had commenced with
out dollar in the Treasury-or 80 millions. if Gen
Jackson had left him debt of millions To pay! Il
follows, therefore, that Mr. Van Buren, spent annual,
eight millions of dollars, more Than the annual revenus
"a circumstance unprecedented the history of the 90
vernmeni. in time of peace. Fo, froru 1876 soon ar
ter the close of the until 1887 "a fact established
by the official records Of the country the annual reve
une invariably exceeded the expenditure.
But even this is not ;-for, in contrasting with
Ibis period OF unparalleled extravaganza, the expendi
lures of the succeeding Presidential TERM is necessa
to state that not only was an actually ascertaned debt
OF SIX millions outstanding against it, bu, there were
immediate and pressing liabilities, incurred by the an.
preparations made during his term Of service, of many
millions more Let the fact be admitted. then. tba,
al the close Of Mr.. Tyers administration the deb, had
increased from 10 Is miIlions-the figures will never
'heess show, that. commencing without a dollar ii
capital, and leaving eigh, millions Of dollars in the
treasury, which in fact reduces the debt one half the
expenditures of that administration had succeeded its
expenditures only millions OF dollars annually instead
OF millions. as during the administration of Mr. Van
Buren, IT, therefore, were Just 10 characterize Mr.
Iyer's a Wing administrations w mioh, triun phan,lv
refer to 1t decided Improvement on that of his
loco predecessor But before remarked both uer,
Locofoco administrations. In Mr.. Tyler's there was
aralher stronger infusion of Whigeery than ia Mr. Van
burens, we admit; and 10 that extent was the admins
tfaoh OF The government improved in this as well AS
DINER more important respects;-or feel authorized
10 assume, that, but for the brief ascendency of tho
wing party IN the Legislative depar ment of the 90.
Vernent the tariff would not ha We been so amended "a
to augment the revenue, and that instead
OF being 10 millions in debt we should have been from
oo TO Az millions worse than nothing, and we might he
and perhaps al this day selling the government honda
AZ discount IN the market consequence of its
impaired credit, or. what is likely paying the 90
sernment creditors in pronmssory notes bearing per
cent. interest!
II Gen. Harrison had lived, and the Wing party had
maintained their legislative ascendancy, then indeed
would It have been fair the 4th Of March last to
nave conpa red 'the books" with those left by Mr.
van Buren, on the 4th Of March, 1871, with a
view 10 ascertain the comparative economy of the two
parties. Would that it had been sol But for the de-
lection oil Mr. Tyler and The consequent distraction and
defeat of the Wing Iauy We have no hesitation in ex
pressing the conviction that the nocv pursued would
have long since ex,uguished the National Debt, and
.na' '''e treasury wuuld be now, as it when Van
o"fen was i"ansara'ed. free from tina, national curse