The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-19
The Treasury Report


mnistraton the expenditures had risen to thirty
nine millions per annum. The Wings de-
nounced such an expenditure for its extrava-
gance and corruption. The Democrats admit
ted the amount to be much too great for ordi-
nary or customary purposes, but defended that
as the result of unusual circumstances-the
Florida War, &c &c.
Now we have an expenditure Of more than
thrty-nine millions for last year; we have an
expenditure for the present. year of more than
Hfty-three millions, and for next year of more
than forty-eight millions. And we have squan-
dered and are squandering the public lands, so
that the revenue from them now instead OF be-
ing five millions year it ought to be, is re-
duced to less than two, and will be even less
than that in future.
And We are threatened by the Secretary of
the Treas ury with the pcrmanence of this sys-
TEN Of expenditure.
The effect of the popular demonstration in
1870 against high taxes, was to reduce the ex-
pendture under the subsequent administration
that of the much abused Mr.. TYLER--to
Wing Secretary Of the Treasury, and one of
the orators on extravaganza in 1910, making re-
ports and estimates of expenditures now and
to come, beyond fifty millions, without soil
tary recommendation of economy; and We have
the Washington Union an organ of the Demo-
cratic party, reviewing tho report without sol
itary objection to the extravaganza.
We have progressed and are progressing. -
As the sectional majority grows stronger, the
power Of the General Government grows
stronger; its Federative character disappears
and the expenditure Of fifty millions year, tho
allotment of half continent to the rnling sec
ton, the distribution of countless millions of
acres of public lands to favored classes, the
payment of ten millions of dollars to obtain
the consent of a single State to sectional spo-
lation, are all the work of single session Of
Congress.
The property of the State of New York is
about seven hundred millions of dollars, and she
contains about one-eighth of al our population.
Estimating the residue at the same rate, and the
total of all our property is five thousand six
hundred millions. But rs the Southern States
are richer than New York or the North, accord
ing to population, the total Of our property may
be about six thousand millions of dollars. The
average income from this property improved and
unimprovcd, is about three per cent, or one han
dred and eighty millions Of dollars. Our Fed
eraI taxes alone amount to more than one-fourth
of all the income from our property. We have
about four millions of men. Their labor at an
average Of one hundred and fifty dollars per an
num- which is enough after making allowances
for idlcness and sickness, is about six hundred
millions of dollars So that our Federal taxes
amount to about eight per cent. of all the earn
ngs of Labor in the country--or about six per
cent. Of all our income from labor and property.
Our Federal Government is now the most OK
pensive Of any government in the world 1t is
far more so than the British, which next to ours
is the most cxtravagant.
In Great Britain the usual annual expenditure
for the support of Government, is about twenty
two millions of pound sterling, or one hundred
and ten millions of dollars. We leave out the
interest on her public. debt, because that is not
for the support Of government, but is the mere
payment of debt owing by the aggregate Of
citizens to their creditors, and is no more tax
properly speaking, than the payment of the in
trrest on debts due by private persons.
The property of Great Britain is estimated at
twenty-tiv thousand millions of dollars, so that
with little more than four times the property,
Great Britain imposes only little more than
twice our tax. The territory of Great Britain is
more than twice as great as that of the United
States, and is scattered over the globe. The
population under that government is about one
hundred and fifty millions, more than six times
as great as ours--yet the tax is only twice as
great.
Such is the comparison between a young Re-
publican Confederacy, not yet three score years
and ten of age and a monarchy of thousand
wears, 1t the most powerful and gorgeous in
the world.
The idea of economy and even the pretension
to economy, are now obsolete in Congress.
When an appropriation is proposed either Of
land ormoncy, the only question is, whether it is
no worse than some other that has been or will be
proposed If tn" grant of fifty millions acres OF
LAND is demanded, it is supported by the argu-
mcnt that the land will all be given away any
how, and that therefore, this might as well be
given away now If some millions of dollars
are asked for particular class or interest it is
vindicaed on the ground that we are wasting
80 many millions in so many other ways, that
are worse.
These are the infaliblc SYMPTOMS Of public cor
ruption, the precursor of national bankruptcy.
We have a navy, and have the finest supply Of
timber in the world The market value of tim
her here, is about one6th of the price in Eng
land Yet it costs us more to build public ships
than England, and twice as much to keep then
in repair.
Our army is the most costly military estab