The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-08-14
WIG EXTRAVAGANZA.

|
administration of JOHN Quincy ADAms,
whose annual expen ditures averaged
about twelre millions of dollars. But,
so soon as change of rulers took place,
the average annual expenditures for the
! first term of General JACKSON was four
teen millions, for his second term twen-
ty-tC0 millions, and for the four wears of
Mr.. VAN BUREN's administration about
thirty millions. The practice of the
Democratic party, when in power, in
this respect, has always differed very
greatly from their precepts when out of
Office. Yet, notwithstanding the notorie-
ty of the fact that the " higs have al
ways administered the Government on
more economical terms than their OPP
ponents, the old charge is still continu-
ed, and is already made one of the bat
theories of the campaign.
| We have on a recent occasion allud-
ed to the subject, but now propose to
take it up more in detail as regards Mr..
lFlLLMoRE's administration.
In Congress the assertion has recent
ly been made that the Administration
was spending sirty millions per annum!
One member, having stated a rather less
sum, subsequently begged to correct his
statement, acknowledged that he had ov-
errated the amount, and requested per-
mission to reduce his estimate to fifty
three mUiioaS We will not attempt
TO explain why either of these assertions
were put forward to the world, when
the facts OF the case were so perfectly
accessible, in the annual Treasury
Report for the fiscal year ending the
Both June, 1851. This, the latest Off
cial documents at the time these aSSer-
tons were gravely made, exhibited the
exact amount to be SIS, O05, S7S.6S,
with full details of the sums under each
) separate head of outlay.
| This amount is only tweirc millions
less than stated by one member, and
only ,tce millions less than what was
stated by another. These handtuls of
millions might have been considered
small amounts in the eyes of the gentle
man referred to, but the facts might as
well have been stated, particularly as
correct information on the subject was
at the very time lying on their own
desks in the printed Report of the Sc
cretary Of the Treasury.
The accounts for the expenditures of
the fiscal year which closed on the Both
June, 1892, have just been completed,
and they amount to about $40, 100000
of which sum $1,S67,639 was tor re-.
, demption of the public debt, whilst the
amount for this object included In the
expenditure Of the preceding fiscal year
was only S52l,265, being a difference
Of $1,3l6,374. TO this should also be
added $4,000 interest paid on the
new issue Of five per cent, stock to Tex
as, no portion of which was included in
the payments for the year lS50-'51,
making together $l,721,374, whic n
being deducted leaves for the year
1872 the sum of $li, 125, goo, be-
ing deduction of nearly four million $
OF dollars upon the expenditure of 1880
81.
But it is continually asserted by our
opponents, when comparing these ex-
, penditures with those of Mr.. Folks adj
ADMINISTRATION, that the latter included the
heavy expenses of q war, whilst that OF
Mr.. Fillmore has been in time of
peace. In making this assertion, how
ever, no allowance Is made for the
heavy items arising from that war le-
gacies which Mr.. Folks Administration
has left as heavy burdens upon the
Treasury, some to continue for years,
and some probably to be perpetual.
We are willing, however to compare
r the present Wing expenditure with that
of MIR. Polk, not during the war with
} Mexico, but previous thereto, making
due deductions from the wing expend-
lures Of those items of increased outlay
r which the Polk administration has en-
tailed on the nation in consequence Of
that war, and the payment of which is
unavoidable, and such other items as
r have necessarily become additional
charges upon the Treasury, which had
no previous existence as such; or of
f sums winch really do not form any
portion of the usual and regular expen-
SEES of the Government. Or, in other
words. TO compare the expenditures OF
Mr.. Fillmore's administration with those
of Mr.. Folks for the same objects.
That there may he no mistake on the
subject, we will proceed to state them
on III official authority of the annual
Treasury Report, LAID before Congress
at the opening OF the present session.
First let us observe, however, that
the peace expenditures under Mr.. PoLK's
administration for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1s46, previous to the Mexican
war, by official accounts, was 500, 500,
ia, and we will make the comparison
with the Wing expenditures for tn e
fiscal wear ending June 80, 1851. though