The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-19

had SAID thepuld be reduced half
million with Incorporation of Congress-;
and further, tfUaion declares that Mr..
WALKER, as dy as 1916, solicited Con-
gress TO afordm this needful co-opera-
ton; that il wfor Congress to say, sim
ply, that he ould spend half million
less; that as tgress did not heed these
solicitations til too late to aid Mr..
WALKER, thshe was therefore exempt
from blame;ut that Congress having
afforded MrIEREDrrH this very potent
and enlighteig "co-operation,"Ae is in
excusable foot doing what Mr.. WALKER
SAID he COULD with this Incorporation. ("
We belle that every one will admit
that we hay fully, fairly, and clearly
stated the VILE ground assumed by the
Union and e Chairman of Ways and
Means.
What is sum and substance of it
alli Is it It clearly this, and only thsl
|. That +. Secretary WALKER tells
Congress hPerceives how the expendi-
lures in theollection of the revenue may
be diminish half a million without dis
advantage tany interest; and that if Con-
gress will oy say to him, ssMr. WALKER,
you will plee spend half million year
less for thenture,' he would do it.
Is it nc strange that Mr.. WALKER
should hal made such an exposition of
his weakns, have sought such scoop
Grafton" oCongressl
Is it nottrange that Democratic Con-
gress did IT either cause the President to
expel such moral imbecile, as this avowal
would indiate him to be; or, at least, that
it did notpromptly grant him this easy
and readyFco-operation," by which about
two millits would have been saved by
Mr.. Waller, according to the Union and
the Chairnn Of Ways and Means.
Now, ituch were the conduct of their
own idoli.d Secretary-if such the con-
duct of democratic Congress, including
in it the bnorable Chairman of Ways and
Means himself, and the sssole organ" to
boot-wht better conduct could we ex-
pect, shold the wheels of time again re-
volve then into powerl
But, sys the Union, two wrongs don't
make On, right; and if Congress failed to
"co-op.r,te" with Mr.. WALKER, it took
care to Cooperate" in time with Mr..
MEREDlTI, and therefore he can have no
excuse. This excessive magnanimity on
the part of Democratic Congress to
obige Mr.. MEREDITH, unasked, with
what fol years it had refused to the solicit
tations of Mr.. WALKER, verges upon an
attribute With very different name. All
these Involve the admission by the Union
and the Chairman, that the Democratic
administration of Mr.. Polk, in one De-
partmeH, spent wastefully-admittedl so,
avowedF so-two millions Of dollars; and
that a Democratic Congress refused, al
though Dlicited, to Cooperate" in saving
this large sum. The condemnation of the
Democratic administration party, Chair
man of Ways and Means, Union and all,
stands revealed, indelible, in letters of
light And yet-modesty avert for awhile
thy face these confsssedly convicted par
ties are the accusers, judge and jury, to
try and to condemn the present head of
the Department.
But tothe simple facts of the case:
If Mr., WALKER, as the Union and the
Chairman of Ways and Means allege, did
say he could curtail, without disadvantage,
the expenditures to the amount of half a
million, and did perceive in what items
this reduction could be made, was it not
his duty to have made schedule in detail,
for the information of Congress, the Pres
ident, and the people, showing precisely
what items might be dispensed with, and
which and how much reducedl Had this
been done, then the Incorporation" Of
Congress might have been intelligently af-
forded and efectually have accomplished
the retrenchment.
Yet, notwithstanding this omission of
Mr.. WALKER, whether it proceeded from
inability, neglect, or other cause, is mat
ter of no great importance, if the defcien-
cy can be remedied by the Onion and the
Chairman ofWays and Means. Because,
if they can furnish schedule Of these
items for retenchment, they are bound to
do so by every sense Of public duty; and
for their encouragement we can promise
the hearty cooperation" of the Secreta-
ry in striking out every unnecessary item
and reducing every one that is too high.
What more can candor ask than this; and,
above all, what more can Mey ask who
stand self-convicted of having refused to
make the retrenchment when solicited
If they have no such authentic informa-
ton as will enable them to furnish Mr..
MEREDITH with the means of reducing
the expenses, how can they, thus con-