Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-07-11

can be transported or marched TO convenient
points in the vicinity of their homes. A part OF
the regular army will be EMPLOYED in New Mex
leo and upper California, 10 afford protection TO
the Inhabitants, and 10 guard our Interests in
these territories.
The old army, as il existed before the commence
ment the war with Mexico-especially it au-
thori,y be given 10 fill up The rank and file OF the
several corps 10 the maximum number auhoriz-
ed during the war-ilis believed, will be suffi-
Client force TO be retained in service during pc
riod ofpeace. A few additional officers in The
line and staff OF The army have been authorized;
and these it is believed. will be necessary in the
peace establishment, and should be retained IN
the service. The number Of the general officers
may he reduced, as vacancies occur oy inc
casualties Of The service, TO what il was before
the war;
While the people OF other countries, who live
under forms of government less free Than cur
own, have been for ages oppressed by taxation
TO support large standing armies IN PERIODS OF
peace, our experience has shown that such esIao
blishments are unnecessary in rePnolic. oul
standing army is 10 be found in the bosom OF So
ciely. II is composed OF free citizens, VINO are
ever ready TO take up arms in the service OF tne'r
country, when an emergency requires II. Our
the opinion, that such an army may be raised up
on few weeks notice, and that our cilizen-sol-
diers are equal 10 any troops in the world. No
reason, therefore, is perceived why we should en-.
large our land forces, and thereby subject the
treasury to an annual increased charge.
SQUAD policy requires that we should avoid the
creation OF large stancing army in a period Of
peace. No public e1igency requires ii. SUCH
armies are not only expensive and unnecessary,
but may become dangerous 10 Liberty.
Besides making the necessary legislative pro-
visions Tor the execution of The treaty, and The
establishment OF territorial governments 10 Inc
ceded country, we have, upon The restoration OF
peace, other importan, duties to perform. Among
these, | regard none as more important than the
adoption OF proper measures for the speedy ex'
linguishment OF the national debt. II is against
sound policy and the genius Of our institutions,
that public debt should be permiiled TO exist
day longer than The means OF the treasury Will
enable the government 10 pay II of.
We should adhere to the wise policy laid down
by President Washington, OF avoiding The &C
cumulalion Of debt. not only by stunning occa-
sons OF expense, but by vigorous e1erions in
lime OF peace TO discharge The debts which una
voidabe wars have occasoned, not ungenerous
ly throwing upon posieriiy the burden we our
selves ought 10 bear"
At The commencement OF the present admins.
tration, the public debt amounted 10 Sl7,foo 799
g. In consequence OF the war with Mexico, II
has been necessarily increased, and now amounts
10 SOS lie. $50 Al, including the stock and lrea'
sury notes which may yet be issued under The
acl Of January %, lS47, and the sixteen million
loan recently negotiated under the act OF March
81, iS4S
In addition to the amount OF the debt, the
treaty stipuates that twelve millions Of dollars
shall be paid to Mexico in four equal annual in
stalments Of three millions each; the first OF
which will fall due on the 30th of May, l649
The treaty also stipulates that the United States
shall "assulne and pay" TO our own citizens 1.-THE
claims already liquidated and decided against
tho Mexican republic" and call claims not
heretofore decided against the Mexican govern
ment' "to an amount not exceeding three and
one quarter millions Of dollars" The "liqui-
dated" claims of citizens of the United States
against Mexico, as decided by the joint board Of
commissioners under the convention between
the United States and Mexico, of the lth Of
April, 1889, amounted to S2,026 l39 S.. This
sum was payable in 20 equal quarterly install.
ments. Three of them have been paid to the
claimants by the Mexican government, and two
by the United States: leaving to be paid Of the
principal of the liquidated amount assumed by
the United States, the sum of Sl,5l9.6Oi II
together with the interest thereon. These
several amounts of "liquida,ed' and unliquida.
ted claims assumed by the United States, it is
believed may be paid as they fall due out of the
accruing revenue, without tho ISSUE of stock or
the creation Of any additional public debt.
cannot 100 strongly recommend 10 Congress
the Importance OF outstanding all our national re
sources, Of limiting the public expenditures 10 ne.
cessary oblecs, and Of applying all The surplus al
any time in the treasury 10 the redemption 81 Inc
debt recommend that authority be vested IN
the Executive by law to anticipate the period OF
reimbursement OF such portion Of The debt as
NAV moi be now redeemable, and 10 purchase IT.
al par, or a, The premium which il may COM
mand in The market, in all cases in which thai
authority has not already been granted. pre-
MUM has been Obtained by The government on
much The larger portion OF The loansi and u
when The government tecomes purchaser o.
lis own sock, i, shall command premium IN
Inc market, il will be sound policy 10 pay il, "a
Their than 10 pay the semi.annua in,efes. upon II
The interest upon The Debt, il The outstanding
treasury notes shall be funded, from the end o
the last fiscal year until It shall TALL due and be
redecmable will be very nearly equalio the prin
cipal which must itself be ultimately paid.
Wilhou, changing or modifying the presen
tariff of duties, so great has been the increase u
our commerce under its benign operation, lha
the revenue derived from that source and from
the sales of The public lands will, il is confidently
believed, enable The government 10 discharge an
nualiy several millions OF the debt, and al I'M
same Time possess the means OF meeting neces
sary appropriations for all other proper oblec;s
Unless Congress shall authorize largely increased
expenditures, Tor objects not of absolute necessi
~, the whole public debt existing before The Mex
lean war, and that created during It's continuance
MAY be paid of, without any increase OF taxa
ton on The people, long before ii will ial due.
Upon the restoration OF peace we should adop
policy suited to a state OF peace. La doing his
the earliest practicable payment OF The public DEB
should be cardinal principle OF action. Pfoht
ine By The experience of The past, We shouIt
avoid the errors into which The country was be
trayed shorty after The close Of Inc war viii
Grea; Britain in 1915 In a irw years AFTER ,ha
period, broad and latitudinous construction d
the powers of the federal government. unioun
nalely received but too much coant"nancc.-
Though he caIn,iy was burdencd with heavy
public debt large and 10 some instances unneceS
sary aud cxtravagant expenditures were author
izpl By Congress The consequence was, tha
the payment of The debt was puslpoBei for NOR
than twenty years, and even then, il was only &C
complished by the stern will and unbending pc
icy OF President Jackson, who made lis paYmen
leading measure OF his administration. He re
sisted The attempts which were made 10 divert TIT
public money from that great object and apply
il in was,etul and ex,ravagant expenditures fo
other objects, some OF them OF more Than doubt
full constitutional authority and expediency.
II The government OF the United States shall Oh
s.rye a proper economy in its expenditures, arc
b. confined in ils action 10 the conduc, Of our Tor
eign relations and 10 the few general objects OF il:
care, enumerated n The constitution, leaving al
municipal and local legislation 10 The states, ou
greatness as a nation, 10 NOR al and physical pow
er, and in wealth and resources, cannot be cal
cu,ated.
BY pursuing this policy, oppressive measures
operating unequally and unjusly upon sections
and classes will he avoided and the people, hav
ing no cause OF complaint, will pursue their OWL
interests, under the blessings OF equal laws anc
The protection OF just and pa,ernal government
By abs,aining from the exercise Of all powers
not clearly conferred, The cemen, Of our glorious
Union, now numbering thirty States, will bt
al pnih hon oil -, I'D ~