The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-09-15
Iieving. they reiec. the tessinonr oI al his

lieVing, they reject the testimony ol all his
rory. '' s'io5'.'
| do not hesitate to say tiat there has
been more reckless disregard Of the pub :
tic interest in the management Of our finan-
clal affairs since our opponents came. into
power in l84J, than at any former period
/ propose to review the conduct Of the ad-
iministration in this respect, in the briefest
manner. am aware that the subject has
no other attraction than It's Importance. It
is not one should have selected for discus
sion, as a matter of choice, before so numer-
GUS an assembly. I know how difficultit is
to gain the public esr through any appeal TO
q spirit Of retrenchment and economy when
the country is soprosperous as it is now, and
now every vessel, which enters our harbors
from henewly discovered Ell Dorado, comes
bnrthened with golden freight These are
the great eras Of danger to governments, and
especially to those which are republican in
form; and at the peril Of wearying you with
a discussion not altogether in harmony with
the prevailing spirit of the times, | nnst,
nevertheless, call your attention for few
moments toa sober investigation Of figures
and facts. 7'.''
! intend 20 show you that the present ad- !,
ministrarion mean thewhig administration
beginning in March 1349 IN coming down
to this time) has been more extravagant in
the gross, and more reckless and unscrupu-
lous in the detail, than any other from the
foundation of the government to the present
! day. 0'' 4''
| wish TO say first, by way of admission
, that as our country increases in population
and territory, some permanent addition to It's
annual expenditure may beexpended New
custom houses are to be established, new
administrative officers are to he appointed,
and these must be provided for by contribu-
tons from the public treasury. But this
additional expenditure need not necessarily
be very considerable In amount Indeed.
with single exceptioo, it has happened,
doubtless because we have had Democrat
ic a!ministrations) that, after vcry.large ac-
cessions Of territory, the public expenditures,
instead Of being augmented, have been act
ua!ly diminished. Thus after the purchase
of louisiana in 1909, with territory of over
five hundred thousand square miles, Mr..
Jefferson redHced the expenditures of the
preceding administration under the elder
Adams, aboHt two hundred thousand dollars
per annum. When we condisder that the
aggregate expenditure at that time, exclu-
sive OF the payment of the public debt, was
but five millions Of dollars, the extent of this
'retrenchment will be better appreciated. 1t
is about equal to million and half at the
present day; and we all know it was affected
iby introducing rigid system of accounta-
blity into the administrative departments of
of the government, and by closing up useless
outlets to the public funds. @ q.
! In 1919, under Mr.. Monroe's administra-
u, ton, Florida was ceded TO us by Spain, with
a territorial extent Of nearly sixty thousand
square mics-oue fourth more than the
whole geographical area of the State Of New
York; and in three years the public expendi-
Itures were reduced about two millions Of
',tolars, averaging about two millions year,
notwithstanding the expense Of providing
for the government. OF the new territory. 40 l
In l845, during the very last days Of Mr.
! TyIors administration, Texas was annexed
! to the Union with territory of more than
three hundred and twenty thousand square
miles; and during the very first year OF Mr.
Pulk'S administration, there was a reduction
of over two million of dollars in the public
expenditure. although the government had
been administered by Mr.. Tyler with pru-
dent regard TO economy. eH..r .u.s
In these three instances, notwithstanding
enormous "ccessions OF territory and u rapid
Il ly increasing population, there were very
large reductions in the scale of expenditure.
In l048, the lasty,ar OF MFR. Polk's admin.
istratiun, California and New Mexico were
acquired, with territory of more than five
i, hundred thousand square miles; and this is
the first instance IN which an extention uf
our geographical boundaries has been follow
ed bya large increase in The public cxpen-
ditures. During the four years Mr.. Polk's
term, with foreign War prosecuted alta dis
tance, under circumstances the most unfavor-
able as 10 expenses, and continuing more
than two years. the average annual expens.
dture. exclusive Of The payment OF the pubs
lie debt, WAS less thar thirty three millions
eight hundred thousand dollars. When we.
consider the enormous cost of transporting
troops and ammunitions OF war to Mexicol
hHu VI Manufacturing bItIIItS dii tHtfDv 3
country. at Ii distance OF thousands of miles
fr m our commercial centre, this amount,
large as tits. will not seem excessive How,
then, will you be surprised to learn, unless
you know it already, that during the three
years which have elapsed, OF the present aa-
Iministration, the average public expcnpiturc.
in u state ot profound peace. has run up TO,
Ithirty-six millions five hundred thousand
dollars per eanum! | exclude from this
statement the pa. ment ofpubIic debt, ,institu4.
ting the comparison between these objects
only which fall legitimatcly within the class
Iof ordinary expenditures. With no extra.
ordinary demand on the treasury, without
wN either with foreign nations or the In,
: dian tribes, with nothing, in short, TO call
for amy large additional expenditures, theyl
r have actually increased over the averageex-
5 penses OF Mr.. PoIk's admins itrations, mere
Than two millions sevea hundred thousand
a dollars per annum. sa .. ,ssaos 4 a..
i state these facts chiefly on the authority
: of very able speech made by MIR. RaFlasad
e of Arkansas in the Senate of the United
Q States in May last. am aware that attempts.
S have been made by the administration and
: It's supporters 10 throw the odiBm. Of this adj
ditional expenditure on their predecessors by
b charging several millions to the Msxicail
: war and the acquisition of tesritory, which