The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11
HE REPU BLIC.


Polk s time Who was it that gave the construc-
ton TO which the Senator ects in regard to trans
ters, under the act Of 1895 Who first practically
adopted that construction which the Senator thinks
is so palpably violation Of law IN regard 10 the
act of 1912; Who appointed those quartermas-
ters who have held back their accounts so long
Who appointed Mr.. Reynolds quar,ermaster in
New Mexico; Who but Mr.. Polk Under
whose administration was il that one Of the
quarermaster's accounts were kept back for thir-
teen quarters, as the Senator said in his speech /;
The administration of Mr. Polk.
! will not multiply these instances, because do
not wish to seem to be -tempered; but what wish
to say is this: that if these things be abuses they
are traceable to somebody else than to this Adj
mlnistration. | do not see any occasion for cali
ing upon the people 10 correct abuses which do
not exist. We do not call upon Hercules until
The wagon is mred. The fact is, that if this Ad-
mInlstraton goes out of power, il will leave things
IN an exceedingly good condition for It's success
ors. IL will leave them in a very different condi-
ton from that in which it found them. How was
it when General Taylor's administration came
into power in lS49 Who was it that struck
down the estimates from the Quartermaster's De-
partment for that year, 1t is very well known
that the reduction of those estimates was required
by the late President Polk himsef-that he re-
qulred the Quartermaser General TO reduce his
estimates; and the incoming Administration was
lelt with deficient appropriations for that reason.
w ho was il that, Just at the time when Mr.. Folks
administration was expiring, and General lay
lor's was coming into power, suddenly, without
any sufficient data, without any detailed inform
alton, without any of the inquiries into the sub
lect which ought 10 have been demanded in such
case, changed entirely the system of paying the
officers concerned in the collection Of the revenue;
Who was it that then forbade the system which
had. existed from the foundation of the Govern
m pn and a1npted annthar md nm
tried, and brought down the scale of expenditures
10 an amount entirely Insufficient! One million
five hundred and sixty thousand dollars APP
proprated for that purpose, and the Secretary of
the Treasury was told that he must collect the
revenue with that amount What was the con-
sequsce; He had to reduce important public
services--to bring them down below their proper
requirements; and Congress, at the very next ses-
sion, had to give the Secretary some 500 000more
IN order to enable him to collect the revenue, and
mad to give HIM very large powers in regard TO
the collection of the revenue on the Pacific coast.
How happens it that these things come out when
we are just on the eve of presidential election,
or just al the moment when an Administration not
favored by majority in Congress is coming into
power: Sir, should not have mentioned these
tfings if il had not been that the Senator seemed
to intimate that this Administration had done so
much wrong that the people should rise III their
majesty and turn them out of power. That is the
English of what he said, although he said it much
more mildly, admit Now, | defy the Senator
10 show that there are any abuses 10 be charged
to this Administration half as enormous, it there
be any at all, as those which can be shown to
have been perpetrated by administrations which
preceded it.
This Administration came INTO power with all
the enbarrassments which the close Of the Mexican
war threw upon il. There was new and untried
state of things upon the Pacific coast. We had
received an immense accession Of territory which
was entirely unprotected. There were new mill
tary and naval establishments to found, and new
civil establishments to erect. After the lapse Of
nine months from the peace, there. had been
no government provided for New Mexico, or for
Utah, or for California. Who provided for them;
Under whose auspices was the quiet of the coun-i
Try established Under whose auspices was ST.
fenced that dscord which threatened the very dis
ruption of the Union; Ii was under the auspices
of this Administration, which the people are inv-
led 10 turn out Of power. There is scarcely
branch of the public service in which this Admin
lstraton has not shown, as think, signal energy
Look at the Navy Department. Why, you are
eXpendlng now no more money for the Navy De-
partment than you were in 1881 mean for the
Navy proper; and you are keeping larger squad
rons aioat now than ever before, and the COM
merce of the country is vastly better protected,
while the steam service is largely increased. IL is
nartment have increased; but how BY legisla-
tive action--by congressional contracts. You
nave made contracts for ocean steamers chargeable
On the naval to nearlya million per annum. You
have made contracts, or directed them 10 he made,
or floating docks, costing more than million in
a single year. You have authorized expenditures
be made for the naval school NJ Annapolis, for
he navy-yard at Memphis, and various perrns.
neni Improvements at other yards. ! have in my
possession a table showing the expenses Of the
Navy Department, for a number Of years past.
This statement contains a list Of the appropria-
lions for the Navy proper: and it is prepared from
the annual statement Of appropriations, submitted
q Congress pursuant 10 the provision Of the sec
md section of the act Of Congress passed on the
first Of May, 1870. have statements for the
years lS4l, &C., down to 1851, inclusive. Here
IS the table, which shows the Details and groups
he results The total expenditures Of the Navy
proper, and marine corps, are as follow:
le4l ...................... s5bb2r'03