The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-04-22
EXPENSES OF GOVERNMENT.

EXPENSES OF GOVERNMENT.
The Wings thought the administration Q
Mr.. Polk very extrayagant, though be only eA
pended about ffty-icor millions per anuum
while carrying on . foreign war. and supporhn
armies in an enemy's country, 10 the numeet Q
,hirt, OF forty thousand men, Now, IN Tim
| &c profound peace and with the military astAb
llshmen, +. duced TO the lowest poss BILE poin,
Mr. FiILwoRE manages to spend as much none.
rs did Mr. Polk. The question is, where doe
Fl, % 10, Will our Wing advocates Of 'sre
l,rsnchmcnt and reform" be kind enough 10 in
form us!--Ban,er.
| Asa "Whig advocate Of rctrenchmen
aud reform We will she kind enough" L
answer our neighbor, though We are III
lie surprised al the simplicity OF his qnes
ton, No money can DO drawn from th'
Treasury OF the United States but in con
ormi,y with appropriations made by law
md the Legislative powers Of our Govern
meut are vested in the Senate and House
Il Representatives Of the United States. =
This is a part Of orr Constitution, witt
which every tyro in politics should Be ia
milisr. Congress then has enacted law:
sppropria,ing money for certain objects
and the Administration has executed those
laws by applying the money to the pur-
poses specified. II Congress have been
extravagant in its appropriations il should
be held strictly accountable, but tho Ad-
ministration is no more responsible Tor
such expenditure than is the Teller Of q
Bank, for The disbursement Of money IN
compliance with the written instructions
If his superiors. Congress being largely
i.ocofoco and wholly responsible for the ex-
penditures OF the Government, It comes
with an III grace from an exponent OF the
Locofoco Party to expose their extrasa-
gance.
The expenditure Of Mr.. Folks AID
during the Mexican War
was S59,45l,l77; tina, Of Mr. Fll'more's
Administration did not reach that amount
by Sill 100000. Let us now look at the
question as though Mr.. Fillmore were as
responsible for his expenditures as Dir.
Polk, and see il il does not even then show
iayorably Tor the Wings. The amount OF
indebtedness growing out Of the Mexican
war is Sls4.o0o,OOo; upon ibis vast cum
The Wing Administration has to pay inter
est. Our Territory by that war has been
extended TO tho Pacific Ocean and millions
Of additional expenditure have been incur
red to maintain the army and navy and t.
sustain civil government in California and
New Mexico, all Of which The Wing Admin
istration has 10 meet. Subtract all 81 the
increased expenditures Of our government
contracted III consequence Of the Mexican
war, from the appropriations Ct last year,
and we will do our present Locoioeo Con
press the Justice to say it has been as fru
gal as it's predecessors.
Since writing the foregoing we perceive
from speech Of Dir. Brooks Of New York
on the Deficiency bill, that since the pres
eut Wing ADM nistra,ion came into power
il has paid of about screntecn millions Of
dollars OF tho national debt! The items
are given from official sources. The Ad-
.ninistr alton then has not only paid all Of
the increased expenditures Of our govern
meni, Blu, since il came into power has
Iiquids,ed the above large amount Of the
debt contracted under the Administration
Of Jas. X. Polk.