The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-07-14
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
I FRIDAY, JULY Q, 1852.

CORRECTION OF ERRORS.

here on The 27h OF May and since published 10 panpb
let form, presented statements OF the receipts and
rendufes OF the several administrations OF the govern
ment, from 1889 10 1851. Those statements appear ~
Two tables, marked and b. on the 10Th. last page OF
the pamphlet speech. AS the facts which these state
nents exhibit have been deemed Of value, in the
present aspect Of public affairs and that value is de
pendent upon their accuracy have, at The suggestion OF
respected friend carefully revised them since their pub
caiion am thankful TO that irienl for the suggestion
upon which have done for has enabled me 10 dis
cover error which have risen al the first avail
This error will be found in the table OF expend-
lures Under the head OF military service the annual
average Of expenditure Of Mr. polks administration is
set down AT 600 81 and that oil the present ad
mins,raion al $i5 coo 45.
Upon examination, il is found that these respective
amounts are large, and that they have been made
IN he calculations by Inadvertently adding into the COL
umn the columns OF pensions and Indian de-
parnent." Deductng these amounts from their improper
association, and the true annual average oil Mr. Folks
administration Tor military service" is $20122 22o 46
and that of the present administrators is l2057,lA 65.
The correction thus made IN that column OF the table
necessarily carries reduction OF The amounts set down
TO the Administrations. respectively in the column
headed Expenditures exclusive OF public debit which,
for Mr. Polk, is set down at $3.50 7os6Ol 80. but should
be S33, mi 221 6l and for MIR. Fillmore is down
SlOl77o30 but should be 595 90 And reduces,
aso the corresponding amounts in The column headed
ss Total expenditures which, for Mr Polk is down
at $40 9Io but should be SAC ,536 10 and for
Mr. Fillmore is set down at s554i24sl, but should be
$5l, 1923 SAG 20.
These corrections extend TO pages 10 and IA OF the
pamphlet speech where deductions from the tabular
statements will be found Thus in the last paragraph
Of page 3, the sum of S2305360o must be reduced to
S2Jl22, ,220; and $l5,6I6 609 $12O57,l74. In the
second paragraph page a. 34l6 762 must be reduced
10 $27s0373. n The fourth paragraph of the page
S4O6S6 1877 must be reduced 10 3S $50; and the
paragraph $7oe,207 must be Increased TO $l76l,
2s5 In the fifth paragraph OF the page 4 ,6s5 Sl2
must be reduced to 3S 066, ,377 and in The para
graph 79957 be reduced to 1885 503 and the word
more mutt be changed 10 the word "iess" And in
the paragraph but at the top OF the second couma
OF the page, $346s. .42e must be reduced 10 2 72o374
These errors, which | have now corrected, although
they through considerable number of figures and
may 10 be numerous. are, in TACT but parts OF
single error. and consist in deductions from it and
thai single error, have already stated resulted from
no want Of knowledge Of the facts and no purpose
could have had TO missale ihem but from inadverlence
BY which, the midst oil great number and variety OF
estimates, and in the course o very complicated cacu
laons, two comparatively small items added into
the wrong column.
To show that I could have had no motive to commit
the error which have corrected il will be seen
that it made in the OF both the administrations
of Mr.. Polk and Mr.. Fillmore, between which was
instutng comparison under those particular heads of
expenditure; thus making The former $23 053,600
when il should be only $40, l22 220; and the latter
Sl5.676 SOC, when it should be only sl2,o57l74
Il will be observed, further, that the error left
unconeced did not materially aid the purpose for which
| made the comparison, which exhibited the exrava
gance OF administration by showing its expenditures
and its circumstances by the side OF those OF another.
This cause me 10 overchage zach OF those admin
isiratons three millions OF dollars Tor army expend
itures, and show expenditure BY Mr.. Fillmore only
services" As correctly stated the difference is Just
ss O65 056 under that head, and still shows that the
peace administration OF Mr. Fillmore. exclusive Of the
amount OF public debt paid has cost the country 2.720
37I a year than the war administration OF MIR
Polk and, including the public debt Sl0,s573l9 year
more -
often told during The with Mexico that the govern
ment would be made bankrupt by its expenses Some
politicians in spirit OF very peeuiar economy. refused,
think TO vote the necessary supplies to prosecute that
war and since It's termination ieremiads have not
been wanting celebrate its runous expenses In the
light Of the figures have exhibited, however, the true
character OF the war thai respect al least clearly
shown that the occupation OF class o orators IA gone,
and certain blue lights" have paled their Intellectual
fires; for while the war with Mexico admirable
Tor the eonomy OF its financial as for the branty
Of lis military conduct IL has been followed by cvl
administration which in a tune OF profound peace, has
increased the expenditures at ieISf fueatgfoe per
psr annum! So, If war, al Si0.0000 900 year, would
have made the government bankrupt what Is TO become
Of as now. when peace costs us S5O,O0OO0e2
A poet has somewhere said:
peace has its victories as well as war"
Had that poe, lived unit, now the achievements Of this
whig administration of would have enabled him
add with perfect truth
And tho more bloodess, more srpersipS far.
To make tbi. explanation the ineligible and
clear 10 every mind which may have been Tor moment
msled by my nadveIent error, will append 10 my
marks those paris OF my former speech which have
here corrected:
Errads from speech, eorrsoted
"During hfr. Polks administration the expcnditu
for large army, service IN a foreign country,
averaged 82ol22 40 10; whereas, during Mr.. Finoe's
peace adm'nistraon with skeleton Of an army, we
have bad pay, Tor its supporr, l7l 90 per
annu Aud this without counting In the present year,
which, far as can be asceained viii greatly exceed this
large average -,
as kept always ready and the of actively engaged
In sea and the highest expense
ysraye ex only 81 sol i65 whereas during
hs three years OF Mr. Flllmores peace with
nanv of Our ships nehrr needed engn ged active
service has cost SIS 500 o7e per annun-hat is, ST.
~ SOS for peace more than Tor war
Thus striking the balance under these three heads
,iaoe we fad that Mr. Flmore's three years peace with
M the World has ip actual money just 81 313 80
,rr annum more than Mr. Pok's year Of peace and
hrec years Of without oonotng the s2ovso square
miles o territory embracing I,VVo mics OF seacoat sc
quired by the war
To show that right In this, let usook at the Items
Of that account During Mr. Pok's adminuauon OF lour
years ,e annual average oil tepnbc debt created by him
Sl 733 s7l white the annna average snoph. o. ,ue
balance against him of l6b9-iha u, an aggregate
Whole term OF S7 5os7S2, about the amount Un-
cindng 500 900 OF inreres) which has since oeen
paid to Mexico, under the treaty OF Guadalupe Hdhgo
But adding this whole anountto that already charged 10
his and carries bis annual average NJ TO
g3s $50 which IL only 81 76i 2s5 more than have
heretoote stalled Mr Filnore.s lobe
+" A similar statement for Mr. fiinore's STANDARDIZATION
shows that he has created for his three years an anoua
pablo debt Of Sl0s7s 2S3 while the annual agerake
amount OF the same debt paid by him has been Syvs ~
leaving an annual balance against him Of
s counting his l term OF four years and, niibereVto
him assuming no for this than the average o. 'ne
other three an Aggregate OF SB035 lS ms, added 70
his other expenditures in the ot Mr. Pot, carries
Nr Flmores annual average up to yil 6sJ,s2, which
lrups q. I..Nxn ~. m