Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-08-21
From the National fntelligencer.
Wing Extravaganza.

tv'b WV ttHtt9tut stt'NftfENsNEst
Wing Extravaganza,
II Ia n f~avofite theme will, the opp
nonts Of the present Administration
charge IL with extfavsgHnt expenditure
The same cry was raised against the A,
ministfation Of John g. Adams, who's
aiinttal expenditures averaged about ttcets
millions Of dollars. But, 40 soeu M
change OF rulers took place, the averag
annual expenditures for the fret term
General jackson was fourteen mttiion,
for l,is second term tteeaty ttro million,
and for the four years Of Mr. Van Buren,
Administration about thirty mttitons.-
The Practice Of The Democratic party
when In power, in this respect, has Away
differed very greatly from their ptecej,s
wileil out Of office. Yet, notwithstanding,
the noiotiety OF the fnct that the Wing
have always administered the Government
on more economical terms than their Oh
roret,ts, the old charge IL still continued
aud Is already made one Of the battle.crie'
OF the campaign.
We have OH a recent occasion ALLUDED
10 the subject, but now propose TO take i
Up more in detail az regards Mr.. Fillmore,
Administration.
In Congress The assertion has recent,
been made that the Administration war
spending SIXTY mtittoas per annum. One
memlIer, having stated n rather less eum
sul,seh aently begged 10 correct his state.
inent. acknowledging that he had over
rated the amount, and requested permits.
sion to reduce lis estimate to fftysthyvs
millions We will not attempt to explain
why either OF these assertions were put
forward TO the world, when the facts oil
the case were 20 perfectly accessible, IN
the annual Treasury Report for the fscai
year ending the 30th June, 1861. This,
the latest official document at the time
these assertions were etavely made, exhi.
bited the exact amount TO be S4s, COS.
S7s 6s, with full details Of the sulns I'm.
der each separate head Of outlay.
THIS amount IL only tneire mtittoas
less than stated by one member, aud only
fire. millions less than what was stated BY
another. These handful Of millions might
have been considered small amounts In the
eyes u t'Es gentlemen referred TO, but the
facts might ms well have been stated, par.
ticularly AZ correct information ou the sub.
lecs was az the very time lying on their
W desks in the printed Report of the
Secretary Of the Treasury.
The accounts for the expenditures Of
the fiscal year which closed on the 3Oth
of June, 1852, have just been completed,
aud they amount to about $4,000 600,
III which sam 81 ,S67, 639 was for redemp-
tson OF the puSlic debt, whilst the amount
fos this object included in the expenditure
of the preceding fiscal year was only $521..
265, being n difference of 81 $40. 374. To
this should also be added S375.0dO inte-
rest paid on ti,e new issue OF five per cent.
stock to Texas, no portion Of which was
included IN the payments for the year
1s50.51, making together 81 1871, 374,
which being deducted leaves fr the year
1872 the sum Of SID, l25, 200. being a
reduction Of nearly four millions Of dol
lars upon the expenditure of ts5u.'5l.
Bat Il is continually asserted by u on.
roneuts, when comparing these expendi. |
lures with those Of Mr.. Polk administra.
ton. that the latter included the heavy ex.
penses Of a teus. whilst that Of Nj. Fill
,uorc has been in a time of peace. Tn max.
ing this assertion. however, no allowance |
Is made for the heavy items arising from
tina; war. egaoies which Nj. Folks Ad.
m'nistration has LEFT. as heavy burdens
upon the Treasury, some TO continue for
years, and some probably to be perpetual.
We are willing, however, to compare
the present Wing expenditure with that
of MIR. Polk, not during the wa with
Mexico, but previous thereto, making due
deductions from the Wing expenditures
for those items of Increased outlay which
the Polk Administration has entailcd OH
the nation IN consequence of that war, and
the payment of which is unavoidable, aud
such other items us have necessarily be-
come additional charges upon the Treasu.
ny. which had no previous existence as
such OF of sums which really do no. form
any portion Of the usual and regular ex.
penscs OF the Government. Or, in other
words, to compare the expenditures of Mr..
Flllmoros administration with those of
MIR, Folks for the same objects.
That there may be no mistake ON the
we viii proceed to state them on
the official authority OF the anuual T'rea-
Report, laid before Congress at the
opening of tile present session.
First let us observe, however, that the
peace expenditures under Mr.. Folks Ad.
mlnlstration for the fiscal year ending June
W. 1916, previous to the Mexican war. by
Official accounts. was sac, 500, TIA, and we
VIII make the comparison with the Wing
for the fiscal year ending
June so, 1851. though that. as already
stated. is nearly fur miilions more than
y The last fiscal year, ending the 3Oth nit.
iahe preceding expenditure for the fiscal
Fear 1856 included no portion OF the
payments for either principal or interest Of
he public debt, or for trust funds. !.
Though hostilities commenced In Mexi.
a few weeks prior to the end Of tina,
fiscal year. aud though arrangements for
war were Immediately commenced,
very little if any actual payments for
war We're made from the Treasury pre-
70 the then new fiscal year; aud ii
is made on that count aud the
'eai peace expenditure placed at the redu.
led inc round sum Of SIC, 500, 900. it will !,
probably be very nearly or quite correct.
In the expenditures, then. Of The present
Administration for the fiscal PEAR ending /.
3oui June. 1851. we find the follow.
isS wal items. viz:
-. III @l&M