The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-01

fusion ana injury 10 the pubic service.
How can it be otherwise The only won
der is, that Government is able to get along
at all for, with whatever care and solicit
tude the necessary reductions and re-
trenchments are made, they must, of ne
cessity, lop off many employees who are
indispensable to the collection of the reve-
nue. and the prevention of smuggling.
Mr.. MEREDITH called the attention of
Congress to this state of things in the let
ter to which we have referred, which
bears date the Sd of December. The PRE-
sIDENT subsequently called their atten-
ton to the subject by special message.
A resolution was passed through the SEN
ate, restricting the expenses to a sum
$500, 900 less than Mr.. MEREDITH de-
clares to be necessary-and even that
sticks in the House; and the Chairman of
the Committee of Ways and Means, in
stead of applying himself TO provide the
Government with that little modicum of
relief, favors the House with lecture
upon the percentages of collection, and
the large salaries of collection
We have charged that the passage of
the law of the last session was effected for
the purpose Of factiously embarrassing
President TAYLOR. This charge is sus-
tanned to the letter by the facts. Mr..
WALKER, for very good reasons Though
he may have recommended this law, or
something like it, for aught that we know
to the contrary)-,Oould not permit this
lao to pass as long as there was pro5a-
bility Of has continuing Secretary of the
Treasury. Whatever may have been Mr..
WALKERS original views of the propriety
of passing it in any shape, it is very GER
tain that his committee in the Senate
a0ittheld the bill for sir months, at one
session. At the next session it was re-
committed for amendment to the same
committee, ,oho kept 1t t,0o months longer,
and finally sprung it upon the two Houses
in the noise and confusion Of an expiring
session, and thus hugger-muggered it
through Congress.
The Union denies that this bill was
struggled through for factious purposes.
II is obvious enough that no WIG would
have voted for it, if he had been fairly
told that it proposed to restrict the ex-
penses of collecting the revenue to a sum
Of s 200, 900 less than would be adequate
for the purpose. 1t requires no argument
to prove that no Wing would desire to
expose the new administration to the
odium of any such operation.
The Locofocos deny the factious intent
which we have charged upon them. They
deny that they have any desire to embar-
rass the Administration-but they allege
that the salaries of the collectors and other
salaries paid in the custom -house are too
large, and ought to be reduced. This is
very different question from that pre-
sented by Mr.. MEREDIrH's application.
II the salaries are too large, that is very
good reason for reducing them by law,
and on a proper consideration of the SUBJ
ject. The present question is, whether
or not Mr.. MEREDITH shall have the mo-
ney which he says is necessary to detray
the cost Of the system under eristang Iays.
II is one thing to change the system, and
thereby reduce the expenditures. 1t is
another and very different thing to say
you shall support system which requires
So, 750, 900 year, with 1850, 900, or
even for So, 100000.
If the resolution of Mr.. DICKINSON
should pass the House, there is still a
sum of $500, 900 estimated for beyond the
amount authorized to be expended; and
we are quite at loss to see how the late
Treasury circular can be rescinded, or
materially modified, as long as there is
deficit of more than half million. The
new districts of Texas, California, and
Oregon must largely augment the expend-
itures. No provision has been made for
these additional expenditures. This must
make it indispensable to continue all the
retrenchments that have been commenced,
whether the public service suffer or not.
The burdens imposed on the merchants,
for aught that we see, must be continued;
for il is as easy for the Administration to
create million out Of nothing as to create
$3.50, 900.
We speak from nothing but the data
before the public, which are common to
the whole country. The laws remain for
the proper administration Of which Mr..
MEREDITH asks 81, 75o, 900, and the most
that Locofocoism talks of giving him is
$4,000, 900. With all Difference, we sub
NIT that Congress, and not the Secretary,
should be required to make the reduction.
Congress should reduce the expenditures
by changing the laws, and not by cutting