Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-05-12
The $4,000, 900 Government.

crat, when the editor Of the Journal snuffed
from afar all symptoms of eytravngance in
the federal government. The columns Of
his paper teemed with frightfuf exhibitions
Of figures, showing to what an extent Of
prodigality the corruptions Of locofocoism
had gone. Lately, when appropriations
to the amount of fifty>three or four millions
are asked for, and a pressure for more by
a whig administration, he is as dumb as an
oyster. Indeed, the editor does not think
that any paper, except the Democrat,
would dare to accuse the administration of
extravagance. After allth monst rons ap-
preparations, the complaint is that the loco
iocos in Congress haG the estimates made
for military forces on the frontier, and re-
fused 10 allow the money. So we have it
confessed that whiggery to get along wanted
more money. The 100000 was not
enough! And yet whiggery wanted in ad-
dilion $5,0o0,0Oo 10 pay old French
claims, 100000 900 acres of land to give to
insane asylums, and 81, ,0OO,0 600 10 squand-
er away on, duck ponds, mill creeks, &c.
In the name of conscience, how much
money would satisfy them2 Would it not
be better for the federal government to
mortgage the States, and raise what is
needed for the whig party to carry. on the
government for the next year?
Prentice has the impertnence TO assert
that these enormous appropriations were
made 10 pay the expenses.of the war. This
is utterly false. The expenses of the war
have been paid. There is nothing left but
the interest Of the debt, about $3, ,0O0, 900;
the indemnity to Mexico foraterritory, 3d.
000 900; and the additional charge OF the
acquired territory, say Sl,50O,000; put all
together, and you have only seven and a
half millions. The expenses in time of
pence, before the war, were only about
$25, 100000. Thirty-two or three mi
lions should be amply sufficient now
The claims that may be decided to be due
to our citizens for Mexican spoilations
reach perhaps $3, 100000. The overplus
of about twenty millions is mere corrup-
tien fund to reward parlizans-to Crawford
ize, Ewingize, and Galphinize upon.
We are asked to name one item to be
retrenched. That is the duty Of the depart.
menls, and not ours. 1t is not even posi-
BILE for Congress TO perform it judiciously.
The country knows that $53 100000 are
not needed. The federal government
isn't worth the money. There is not
enough for the federal government TO do,
of any benefit 10 the States, that's worth
that sum annually; and party that can't
get along with less should be scourged out
of Office and political power. Depend upon
il, the next Congress will apply the prun>
ing fknife. The hypocritcal simpering
about the Mexican war, to hide reckless
profigaey, will no, answer the purpose.
We are referred to Corwin's report-a
shallow partisan production-of whicn any
party ought to be ashamed. Corwin made
out the expenses of the Mexican war about
$3.50, ,000000.5 And how sdoyou su ppcse
the cunning calculator made it out2 He
computed the expenses of some years be-
fore the war, and guessed what he would
want to get along for an equal number of
years now. The balance was formida-
BILE sum. We don't know why he stopped
where he did. If the whg party should
keep power twenty years, the expenses
will be a thous and million over what they
have been for the lasttwenty. This, how-
ever, would not be the expense of the Mex
ican war, but the expense of the whig ad-
ministration. 1t will cost the country
more than the Mexican war. Ii our from
Tier suffers, SET il down TO. the mismanage-
ment of whig administration. The rev.
enues of the world would hardly support it,
lift and its pariisans had their way. If
the wings had passed all the schemes they
labored for ut thesfast Congress-, the expens-
es would have amounted upt atleast S75..
0o0, ,000. If they had The next Congress,
they would break up all nature. They
would mortgage the government, bat they
would get the millions to Galphinize upon.
-. q. "a