The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-12-22


general incompetency Of the cabinet to which be be-
onxed but we entertain some fear whether Mr. Corwn
will be an Improvement his predecessor Judging by
his first report we begin to suspect that his expenditures
win be marked by the same extravaganza his exposons
BY the same want OF directness and sincerity and his
by the same love Of class legislation
On the first OF July last. there balance in the
treasury Of 90 so4 ,s54 49, With prudent management il
ought to have been nearly double that The receipts
actual and estimated, for the present fiscal year.
SAT 7os o5o For the fiscal year ending June 3d. 1851,
the total means (includng balance) s54.si2.5s4 40
One would suppose that this enormous income would
be amply sufficient to pay the expenses Of the govern
ment, and leave large balance that might be applicable
to the expenses Of the next year, or convertible into
fund for the payment of the national debt But this has
not turned out TO be the fact The wing party may talk
Of extravaganza during democratic administration, but
il never practises on its own professions Although the
available means OF the government estimated at this
enormous amount, yet Mr. Corwin demands almost the
whole Of il for one year OF Mr.. Fillmore's admnisra-
ton His figures are as follows;
To,a! means (actuaI and estimated) $54 1884 40
Expenditures (actual and estimated) 33,s33597 %
Balance 1896 90
For the year ending June 80, 1852. Mr. Corwin makes
the following estimate:
Total MEANS including balance as above ss6 %
Expenditures 4od~f,S1o 20
-----------
Deficit s65,998 10
These estimates OF expenditure to astonish even
Mr. Corwin HIMSELF and he is forced to admit that they
" may Justly be deemed large" We may improve upon
his dialect; for think they may justly be deemed ex
rayagant and wasteful. Mr. Corwin attempts, however,
10 defend them and, in order to accomplish this object
he follows in the footsteps of Mr.. Meredith, and
charges them to the Mexican war-a war which
the country knows exceedingly distasteful to
Mr.. Corwin Mr.. Corwin's manner OF dischargng
this task is singular indeed He makes fanci-
full calculation OF the cost Of the Mexican war; in.
GLIDING many items manner chargeabe to that war
and having thus made up huge sum OF principal and
interest he seems to think his task accomplished, and his
own extravagant expenditures hidden and ecpsed not
justified We respectfully suggest that il would have
been more manly and at the time worther OF MIR.
Corwins high and responsible position if he had sought
to explain and Justify his and Mr. Merediths exerbant
estimates and prouse expenditures by stating specifically
and precisely what part of those estimates and expendi-
tures the war with Mexico had rendered necessary Had
he done 50, the whole subject would have been fairly
presented to Congress and the country Bat Mr. Corwn
has found il necessary to avoid and evade fair presena
ton OF the case for such expose would have ex-
hibed the great increase in items OF expenditure which
had no possible connexion with the Of 1916, and it
would have exposed the profuse and useless squandering
Of the public revenues which has characterized the
eminent since the 4th Of March, ls49.
In order to swell the cost Of the Mexican warwhich
the country will remember particularly odious 10
with foT
reneoal of diplomatic intercourse vih Merieo" Now
with all due Difference to Mr. Corwins superior financial
abilities we must be permitted say that this charge
calculated TO create smile We had established dpo.
matte relations with Mexico long before the annexation
of Texas or the which succeeded was even thought
Of Those relations were broken of by the annexation
Of Texas and not renewed until after the treaty Of
peace Instead, therefore, OF charging the war with
the expenses Of our legation Mexico, it would have
been more proper credit by the amount saved TO the
nation during the period diplomatic intercourse was
suspended There many items oil this character IN
Mr. Corwin's grand Of the expenditures occasioned
by the war; but we have the time or the space al our
disposal to examine them now. Hereafter may take
ND these specific matters Our present purpose to
Awe the general features OF Mr.. Corwins attempt to
cover up wing extravaganza.
Mr. Corwn presents three statements OF expenditure,
exclusive OF payments account of trust-funds and
public debt expenses of collecting the revenue from Gus
toms, lands, SC. Those statements make the following
exhibit:
Years ending June 30 ls44-5, avge, S2i 2779oi 81
IL. /" June 30, iS46-7-S, 4l,733y672 81
10. June 80, '49-50-51, 3s,974,O59 81
The first period above embraces the three yeasSmme
diaely preceding the Mexican the second the three
years OF the war and the third the three years subse
quent to the war; These figures show that the party in
power have not reduced the expenditures Of the govern
ment as much as three millions below the extraordinary
expenditures required during the With this fact
staring him in the face and standing prominent the
official returns, Mr. Corwin viii argue in vain 10 con-
vince the people that the heavy expenditures now made
were enialed upon the country by the They know
that mary items which have no reference TO the war
have been largely increased since the Inauguration Of Gen.
Taylor; and they know, without making any accurate
estimate that the expenses entsed by the and made
necessary by the acquisition Of California New Mexico.
and Utah, are great enough TO make expenditures
approach within less than three millions Of those which
were borne by the nation while armies were actually
in the field All Mt Corwins sklul reasoning and dex
ferrous evasion will moi be sufficient to attain that object.
We have thus far proceeded on the supposon that the
figures we have presented last give fair exhibition OF
the expenditure for the three periods mentioned But