Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1852-10-27
Gen. ScOtt.-GOvernme EcOnO-
INV.

| chicftains to obtain the honors and emoluments
of high and responsible civil stations as re-
ward for deeds of aims. Cabals and combna-
tons of men, whose natural element was war,
! in their contests for the prize Of power and
place, array their fellow citizens into hostile
factions either personal, sectional or social, re-
sulting in civil war, where the fortunate and
successful ride into power, crushing their enc.
mics and the liberties of their country together
We might elaborate this idea by sketching
the history of the Republics referred to through
both the good and evil times, did not the gen
eral intelligence Of American readers render il
unnecessary; foI these are truths so promineN
on the face Of history that if they have ~
lx6rn1 ex. ~ W. - n lsasi y. -
Ians msk6 Their name and reputationQ0
ability and success IN advocating measures1 &
the advancement of the wealth and happines
OF their fellowcitizens, and developing thos
great ideas and principles which form the has il
OF civilized society. 1t is the only field il
which they hope to perform public services
which will rescue their names from oblivion
they seek public station as a means and no. a.
an object or an end. On the other hand, when
successful military men, who have inscribed
their names in prominent characters on the
scroll OF fame as generals and warriors, seek
these high and responsible stations of civil life
they do it, not with the view of discharging the
duties in snch a manner as to add any add.
tlonal lustre to their names, but as a reward
for the services which they have rendered in
another and different capacity. The reward is
| what they seek and as they are not generally
disposed to underrate their own services they
encourage the grateful liberality OF partisan
friends rather than the stringent economy
which looks only to the public good Perhaps
no man that ever lived has more of this obiec
tlonable and dangerous trait of character than
Winfield Scott. Perhaps no man who ever as.
PRED to the Presidency was surrounded by
friends SO obnoxious to those who desire TO
bring the government back to cheapness and
economy. So palpabe was this that the wing
papers now advocating his election bitterly op-
posed his nomination on this ground. The
Ne~ York Express said in SO many words that
the election of General Scott would restore to
power the Galphin Cabinet who had become so
odious and VIGOROUSLY unpopular that Mr.. Fill
more, on his accession to the Pres dency, refu-
sed to retain them in office. The people ma,
be able to form some ideas of the corruption
and extravaganza which might be apprehended
from such an administration when they con.
slider these active Scott men were intolerable
even to Mr.. Fillmore, and that Fillmore's adj
ministration is the most extrayagant and ex-
pensive the nation has ever known, either in
peace or IN war. The expenditure, erciusice of
public debts, is for the annual average of Folks
S2G, 706 ,69l 80, and for Fill
more's $40, 1877 .020 difference against Fillmore,
Sl3, 46S,4 3S 62. That is, the annual average
expenditure of Fillmore's administration Is
sl3, 46s ,43S 62 more, during period of pro-
found peace, than it was under Mr.. Folks ,who
1ad an expensive foreign war on his hands
But suppose We add the public debt, i. would
tand for Polk $40 ,s97 ,9l6 81, and for Fillmore.
s55 Az, 4Sl, making difference against Fill
more of 81 ,54I, 564 40. But we will deduct
rom this difference the sum of IS 500 900,
ehich has been the annual average payment
made to Mexico under the treaty of 1913, and
ct the balance of difference against Fillmore
5 1864 ,5G4 40. BY this it will be seen, that
costs nearly sir millions per annum more to
ay the expenses of the government under Wing
ule than under Democratic administration,
With an expensive forei On war on its hands,
Alarming as this certainly should be to the
'eople who are compelled to pay it by indirect
axation on imported goods, and astonishing
S it may seem to many honest friends of econ
my in the Wig party, the friends of Scott do
ctually intend to increase largely the already
immense expenditures. The platform of their
arty allows the collection of duties only for
evenue to support the government; but as
here is at the present time more than enough
5 collected to pay the expenses of the govern
nent. extravagant as they are, being a surplus
Ilready collected and lying in the sub. treasury
II the city of New York Of more than I 1000 900
If dollars and is still accommodating, under the
present tariff of duties, while the wings every
where in the North are advocating an increase
If the tariff and conseq, emily an increase of the
'evenues. What is to be done with all this
money? Mr.. Fillmore is as profuse and waste
III as he dare be, and it is accommodating on his |
lands. Does it not absolutely follow that If
heir platform is true, and their stumpers speaaa
heir honest sentiments, these Scott men,
De IN favor OF the most magnificent scheme %
government corruption that has ever been de- |
vsed
But should We be surprised when we have |
abundance of historical evidence that this is in |
exact accordance with the principles of |
Gen. Scott. and the principles Of those active
trier DIS by whom he is surrounded. When he |
has received in the aggregate for his personal |
services S29O,OOO; when he retains in his hands |
oveT TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLARS of public money
for, and nearly EIGHT thousand dol
lars mithou authority Of law. This avaricious,
sraSpng spirit has been trait of his character
from the time he entered public life to the pre-
sent day. The first instance on record was re
aiming two months pay of the poor soldiers
inder his command for which with many other
Kings he was court martialled found guilty,
md suspended from his command for one year.
A gain in 1922 when he was a Brigadier Gene.
al 10y commission and command and Major
ienoral by Breyet, he claimed the pay of his
orevet rank, and was refused as being contrary
o law and the usages of the government
Again in 1886 he applied to Congress, by petit
ion over his own signature, <whlle in command
md receiving his regular pay of 81 800 per an
'nuum,) to be put on the invalid pension list,
md his petition was rejected, the committee to
whom it was referred reporting again st it unan.