The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-20
Total area at this time

1850 23257713
Showing an increase OF fraction nine per cent pei
annum aggregate increase oil about Hpe hudred ana
seventy per CENT "a fraction less than old) IRON 1880
TO 1850.
Thrdy, of the revenue, receipts Of the government
from all sources:
The following table, [see table A, in Appendix com
piled from official documents shows those receipts, undeI
the head of the respective from which they
derived Will be observed that this table does not CIV
the receipts in detail Tor every year. the amount slated
being the ANIMAL average OF each administration, ascer-
tanned by dividing the aggregate of all The years OF the
administration by the number OF years o lis continuance
From this il is that in WAsHKcToS's time our
average annual receipts were SO ,609 0S 80; whereas
now, under Mr.. Fillmore, they ale $53, l32,6oS al
showing increase OF nearly irean per cent per an.
nun, aggregate increase OF traction ora eigh hun-
drsi per ceni (o eight iod) from 1883 10 1881 This
estimate shows the gross amount OF taxes paid annually
by the people OF the United States Tor the support OF The
government. Compare this with the exhibit have Just
made OF the Increase OF our population, and It will be
found that the ratio Of iaerease OF taxes W is The bur
dns upon iabJr and popriy) for the support ol govern
ment has sresded the ratio OF increase OF population about
ni1fy,Iow per ceni.-ur than ae-thrd Thus, n
$780, with population oi 3929S27, our average receipts
So 56090s IS per annum. being fraction less Than
an average OF dollar and seventy cents sl 7o) apiece
collected from each individual; while now, III 1851,
with population of 23257,723 our average receipts are
$50 1872 COS AZ per annum being fraction more than
dollars and irsntfrt cents (2 2j) apiece collected
from each individual.
In view OF these facts and tested by the paines prin.
cipes of political economy the practice o our govern
nent IN lls system OF unWlst lls
tendency alike injurious 10 The interest OF the people
and dangerous to its own existence And this, Tor rea.
sons which are obvons to every intelligent mind, and to
which shall recur more particularly hereafter,
But IT, in the matter OF receipts, compared with popu
atlon, find cause OF objection aud complaint from
similar comparison OF expenditures that cause will derive
more than hreefod force, and become absolutely alarm
ing.
FourhIy The course and amount OF expenditures are
exhibited in the following table, see table Il. the Ap-
pendix,l also compiled from official documents, Like
ha tahiY ihp
into the average Of each administration, by dividing the
aggregate of each by the length Of its term.
From this Il Is seen that IN WAsHIS6ross time, our
average annual expenditures, exclusive OF the amount oil
public debt paid Oft, 81 ,9s6 1897 90; whereas
In iS5l) under Mr.. Fillmore, they amount 10 Si0,l77,
IO30!-showIng an increase OF about huy-ons PEI cent
per annum, aggregate increase oi fraction ove
rsy hundred per cent, (or more than osnfyJod) from
1859 10 1881
Institute here the comparisons suggested, and we
find that, while territories have increased less
than two hundred per cent Tor hree-iod,) our popia
lion less than SIX hundred per cent, (or sx-old and our
receipts large they have been, fraction more Than
eight hundred per cent, (or eght-fold) our expenditure
have exceeded csniy hundred per cent (or twenty
ltdoes seem enormous, as have shown, that not only
the actual increase OF 0res is more than four times greater
than that OF territory, and more than one-ihtrd greater
than that Of population and in this latter relation ncreas
ing the rate which each individual has TO pay, from
dollar aud seueny ue ocn (Sl 75) TO too dollars and o
fire cents (S2 % But here IN the matter OF erpendrt
ind the increase far greater in the general proportion
and further so still, pro rata, Tor each individual Thus
IN Washngtons time, with population OF 3s29,S27, the
srpenditre Tor administering the government was only
$50 1877, at about y cents cost to each individual
whereas now, under Mr.. Fillmore, with population o
% 257,723, the txpendts amount TO Sl077O3O, or a.
the oil about dollar and seventy cents (Sl 70l
each iudivdual-beng increase Of three hundred
fOriy per cent in the rate OF expenditure, from 1870 to
IlS5i
II will be observed here that while the increase Of ex
pendltures enormously out Of proportion whethe
compared with that OF territory population, receipts
still the actual receipts are now, as IN $780, much gfeaie
than the actual expenditures. An examination OF The
tables and b, already referred TO- 10 the Appendix
will explain this, without essenng the force OF my
charge that these expenditures excessive to degree
which must alarm every who deems economy neces
sary or desirable in the government. Ii will there bt
found that while have given ~ my remarks as trptnt
ires, only the amounts expended IN the current dnnua
adm sTai1n there are large sums besides which
applied in part to the payment OF interest and prncpa
OF the HaJndi debt This debt - incurred IN the Torn
OF public loans and by the issue OF treasury notes L
some amount IN every administration, except Gen. Jack
sons and only S25GO6 % in Mr. Jeferson's and III,
amounts received from Il 20 TO swell the receipts Du
ring the last three administrations receipts from thu
have been considerable, and not Tar IRON equal
Thus, in Harrison and Tyers term, its annual average
was Sl0,72l,327 81; in Pok's II was ll,733,g74 81
and IN Taylor and Fillmores, i has been Slo,s7S,
233
| have thus excluded the amount paid the public
debt as part Of the expenditure TO avoid the
ing injustice OF charging one administration with an ex
pendture which liability incurred by another
could not do from any purpose to lnlure me pesen
administration political opponent tor II VIII be seer
by the table (B that, taking the total OF expenditures, IN
cuding the paid the public debt, respectively
by Mr. Pok's and the present administration the dispsr
| ily between them, and asant Mr. Fitmue, is create
than by excluding that amount, as TO both. Thus, th
expenditures encusiUe Of public debt Vs. Tor the snnua
average of Polk's administration, $50 ,60l 80,
Tor FIllmores S40,ls7 030 difference against Fillmore
/ a. 46s 42S Gl This is bad enough, considering tha
4 Polk's administration was engaged ~ most eKpenslv
orpign war, and fIllmore's has had no war. But u
added the public debt in each case, II would stand 10
Polk, si3,s97,s8 81, and for Fillmore, s55,4i24sl