The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-20


the money is expended Could Congress, when J, made
the appropriations for the year $780, have foreseen and
provided against The fact that escort was 20 be sent
across the plains 10 carry MIR Coyer 10 Calhofnia 10
carry collector to his posi- expense OF $4,000 or
935 000 with such corege and equpage as might nave
behited Persian sallap, going TO his proynce Gould
ternasters department, for the same year I549have
foressen that barracks would be put up in California out
Of lumber at $500 thousand' Could Congress provide
against the fact that the army in New Mexico would be
posted in where everything expensive and
difficult be obtained instead Of being posted in places
where they could have easy TO fuel and provisions
and have the TO obtain them upon cheaper terms
Could Congress oesee prevent the fact that one quar-
tenaster in New Mexico should have expended, in the
dscal year ending June 3d. 1881, for forage alone
1866 S92 when, in the year 1874. believe, the whole
OF the expenditures for the Quartemaslers department
was not quite 100000 (See Quarermaster Generals
Mr. Mr. BRoDHEAD. What is the name of that quar-
termasteri
Mr. HUNTER His name. believe. though am not
sure, Is Reynolds The name is not given but the
amounts He was an assistant quarermaster In New
Mexco-not California as stated, by mistake.
SENATOR. Was il at one post
Mr. HUNTER. There were about seven or eight posts
will refer 10 the papers TO get al the exact State OF The
case. mud that this expenditure Tor forage IN mill
ary department No. 0. New Mexico
was asked what the entire expenditure OF the
quareImaser's department in New Mexico. for the year
ending June 80, 1851 believe il was sso6l5i But
viii come to that subject presently have merely re-
erred these items for the purpose OF showing that is
impossible that Congress be held responsible for the
mode in which the money was expended, and that its
sole responsibilities, in appropliang money only Tor
necessary 10 carry them out although they might be
somewhat too large, owing to maadminlstraton. But
sir, have been asked in private, what is the remedy, II
there has been naladmlnlstraton, and how shall we
hold the Executive responsible! Why sir, we can do SO
by exposing the facts TO the public. But II is asked,
" How shall we ascertain those facts! There may be
abuses and Congress may not be able to reach one In
ten" admit that fact and yet, when there has been
great expense and extravaganza there will always be
mode OF reaching it, One method is to expose the sum
tota TO hold up the aggregate result and It be OF
character calculated to sartle the public mlnd then the
administration must explain how that expenditure is
made Another mode OF reaching and correcting such
extravaganza IS by going into specific items, and show
Ing thai these expenditures were extravagant and I'M
proper, may sometimes be done believe that, when
we look at the subject in either way we shall find there
has been extravaganza and maadmnistatlon. Some OF
these extraordinary expenses might perhaps appear 10 be
necessary in the administration of the government, in
distant portions OF the country; and was, at all events,
difficult Tor the Executive to prevent abuses but these
abuses do exist. 10 fearful and alarming extent, and
propose presently call the attention of the Senate TO
some OF them.
In the report made year ago last December for the
year 1885, the Secretary of the Treasury for the purpose
OF showing the expenses OF the Mexican war, made
table, from which il appears that the average expenses
for the years 1913, 1884, and 1915 taken table
by way o comparson and then the years ls46 S47 and
1885, and then three other years. The average ex-
Office Department, and the payment OF the principal and
interest OF the public debt Tor the three first years was
$254l0,000. The average annual expenses during the
what - the e sum ,oa OF hs exsaduses now
According TO this statement, there was expended the
last year $3s,2S0,s0l, after deductlng payments on ac.
count OF trust funds and tbs public debt In the Quarter
masters department, there expended according to
statement furnished me by its head, S52s5,l42 Tor the
fiscal year ending June, 1851 By statement furnished
me from the Registers Office appears that OF this
$i,o6i ,202 drawn from the treasury; that the
residue OF 81 22l $50 probably derived from Mexl-
can contributions and the civil fund in California Now,
The statement OF expenses in the Secretarys report
was taken from the Registers books, must add this
$50 to the 3S $50 500 TO find the real expenditure
oil S39,3o2.65l for that year. SUCH sir, were the dis
bursemenls OF year, and that in time OF peace The
estimated expenditure for the present year, exclusive oil
debt and interest," Sal 1893 00o and since that statement
new and large additions have been proposed N THIS de
cheney bill Now il will not do 10 say that this expense
was account OF these distant possessions We bad
large armies atoo during the Mexican and accord
ing TO the statements OF The present Secretary oil Tue
Treasury, the annual expense them appeared IRON the
Registers books about SIS 00o about ten per
cent more than the sum estimated Tor The present scdl
year. say then, that these results show something
which requires an explanation.
! | find, on comparing the expenditures Tor the army
proper Tor the year ending the 30h OF june 1872 and
the year ending June, 1851, that in si5 The whole ex-
pense under that head S3,l35027 and IN 1851 the
expense OF the army proper was Ss,9i9,000 When you
TO add 10 that ~ $50, 10 be Tor expenditures
The Quartermasers department, not appearing, IN the
Registers books, you have an expenditure Tor The army
proper oil upwards OF ,000beng more than three
times much as Il wasin ls45. We have the estimate
lor lU,o00 troops IN Inc held anu When we come 10 taKe
the expense for the Qnartermases department tor the
last fiscal year, mud IT comes very nearly $500 per
man under tina, head alone. In the army proper the
expense, when the OF 600 is added above
10 the Secretays statement about 1855 per And
the whole military expenditures OF that year are 81 1Sll,
1872 stated in the report OF the Secretary OF the Treas
ury. l,22I 000 appears from the evidence to which
have referred and $4,000 267 for military pensions,
would amount 10 Si 81 per man
But the fair mode OF estimating these expenditures Tor
purposes OF comparison is TO take those for The army
and mpIe bath aaI huva have befp
stated S965 per for the last fiscal year But when
we come TO look al OF these items, lind they
OF character that must OF necessity sarteu During
the last fiscal year they spent in the Qnariermas-
ers Department. in Texas alone, 5000 900; in
California, 1927 900; in Oregon, Sls7000; in New
Mexico, SS06 ,l54-and how does all this about
Why results from the TACT that there has been no elias
ITCHY, fexbliy in the system OF administration as APP
piled to and entirely different circumstances They
old and ihickly.se,ted country and applied II 10 a
wilderness. Every other people, exhibiting any admin
srave genius, and having distant possessions, have
adapted their system OF administration 10 the cucum
stances TO which II 10 be applied The old Roman
soldier marched with his implements OF labor as well
as with his weapons OF war, designed TO cover him
self at night after the march OF the day was over.
The soldier of the French imperial army, when his OBJ
ect speed, dispensed with the cumbrous cqupage OF
oIvouac And il something OF this sort OF administrative
genius and talent had been shown in our service, how
much might have reduced the expenditure oil The
army at these distant posts But nothing OF this sort
done until very lately. Nothing was done towards
making the soldiers help to and subsls themselves
until very recently. Now, there is change. Do the
sh Of January, 1851, order was issued requiring the
..lsi tl..r th. nfltZ