Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1846-03-14

TO support so extraordinary an outlay !;
and the bill becoms at once an ex
travagant and wasterul expenditure Of
; the peoples money, and one which they
will never Justify or tolerate. The hon
: orable senator from Missouri, Mr.. BEN
> TON, when speaking the other day upon
this branch of the subject, adverted to
/ what is matter Of history, that six years
ago a powerful party was overthrow
and turned out Of power under charge
that this government could be administer
ed for thirteen millions OF dollars. Yes,
sir, that very party TO which the goNe-
man and myself belong--that party to
which a majority of this body belongs
: was turned out OF power because the ex-
penditures OF the government had swoI
EN- up to an amount which was regarded
I by another portion Of the community as
extravagant. But this is not all. de.
sire to call the attention Of gentlemen
back to period more remote in our poll
cal history. would 60 back to the peri.
cd when Mr. Jefferson came into power !;
and upon an examination Of the political
records OF that day, it will be found that
the principal charges brought against the
administration then in power, was an ca
trauagant expenditure OF the public mo-
ney; and in that extravagant expenditure,
Que of the main items was for an increase
Of the nary-an unnecessary increase, and
one imposing oppressive taxation upon
people. This, say, is matter Of hiSto-
Try. 1t is matter Of record that the Sc
cond administration aIlude to the ad-
ministration of the elder Adams--was
turned out Of power, and one Of the prin.
cipal causes Of That event was the indigna-
ton OF the people Of this country against
the large increase Of the expenditures Of
the naval portion Of the national defence.
Well; what was that effect? Well, what
was the effect? Mr.. Jefferson came into
power, and established what is known as
the gun.boat systematic weakest and
least effective system that could probably
be devised; and yet, such was and have
been the prejudices OF the people against a
large naval armament, that they absolute,
Ily tolerated tina: departure from the prin.
Icip'es Of national defence never before
adopted in warfare by any civilized ma
ton on the face Of the globe. would not
detract from the virtues Of that great man
who gave them existence; and it is due to
him on this occasion to say that his plans
of defence were never fully carried out
Well, we need not stop our enquiries
here. Let US come to the year 1928,
when the second Adams was removed
from power. have some recolIections OF
the events of those days. was then a
young man, just entering upon the stage
of life, and partook, with lively interest,
in the great political drama then transpir-
ing around me. | recoIlect distinctly
and call upon the elder members Of this
, body to bear testimony 70 its rulh--lhat
one Of the principal charges brought
against that administration, was nm extra.
VACANT expenditure Of money. The charge
7 however just or ungenerous, was over and
over again reiterated, as well in the pub
lie prints as in the primary assemblies Of
the peope-.hose grand arteries frepub-
Ilican government which animate and con-
ItroI all our national sche mes, both before
and after they shall have been devised in
these halls. The republican creed--the
republican doctrine laid down at that day
was. that the government could be eflicI-
emily administered for twelve millions Of
dollars; and when General Jackson came
into power he was pledged, so far as in his
power, to administer the government for
that sum of money. If this is democra-
tic doctrine, | ask the honorable senator
from Maine, (Mr FAIRFIELD under what
pretext he comes forward at time, as
before said, of profound peace, and asks
his party, who stand pledged to admins
, ter the government economically, to vote
/, Il say nothing now Of the amendment Of
& the honorable Senator from lndlana) SOME
TwELvE OR FOURTEEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,
FOR THE AUGMENTATION OF THE u. S. NAVY?
| ask that senator il he supposeS that pub
/ Inc opinion in this country will tolerate
such lavish and nordinate expenditures OF
the public money Does he expect, II
this course of policy be adopted, that the
people will sustain an admintralion avow-
eddy the 'ohspring and guardian oil the
masses, and which cannot spend one dol
lar without drawing from their pockets !
Ri must confess, sir, that in view OF those
striking facts in our political history to
+ which | have called your attention, and
which should serve as a guide 10 every
prudent administration, | was shocked at
, The idea that a proposal should be made
at this time, and by prominent member
(Ior my own party, to increase the curren;
EXPENSES Of the naval department. |
ask sir, why i! is that the people oil this
rcountry have always raised their voice
:. against extraordinary oxPenditu res in this
arm of the national detences We were
q ol"' 1911, ,nld the other day. by the