The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-26

Fiscal IeDr end
ing Sept 80 appropriations. Expenditures. Esccs.
ls4i .............. s596aOo $eis, 76sos si74es os
lSiS .......... ooe3 300 400 " 80 a i o. o,
ls4s MINIMUM. 100000 6sSso ssi S6soSS i
1860 ............... $4,000 1876 o66 81 1855 06S 81
1851 .............. 100000 9o7 7so 20 loI 1so 20
Total. s4165 .e76 81 e7s, 49, 50 ss2s 4s; So
The appropriation, in ls47, was for the calendar
year, while the expenditure is for the fiscal year.
The actual appropriation for lS4s was iS,oOo lot
the nine months ending September 80 Inc sum put
down above the appropriation Tor the iui nscM
wear is formed by the addition of one quarter OF Its
amount to the sis7 600, making the sum Of $00a375
With these exceptions the appropriation and expen-
diture for the precise fiscal year Is given.
II il seen that in each OF the SIX years since the
adoption Of the constitution the expenditure has
cecded the appropriation, ranging from $50 900 to
s46 0OO making an aggregate excess in the six years
OF $s22 4s7 g. This whole excess OF expenditure has
been in violation of section OF article Of the con-
sttuon, which declares that mo money shall ever
be paid out of the treasury Of the State except in
pursuance OF an appropriation BY law 1t is not
seen that the excess any one year mas ever peen
al appropriation has ever been made to cover such
excess.
In reference to the excessive expenditure of the last
fiscal year. ending Sept. 80, it the duty of the
Auditor to refuse payment Of the drafts of the Canal
Commissioners and Superintendent on account OF
repairs when they reached the sum OF $3.50 0oO the
limit OF the appropriation, which happened in the
month of August To have done 80 would have per-
illed the navigation of any portion Of 500 miles OF
canal. and jeoparded interests, State and indivdu
al, which can hardly be calculated. While no othe.
justification be offered, and while the Auditor
cannot cay that he would feel impelled to take
the same course again, he owes it to himself
to state that when his warrants on the treas
ury had reached the amount of the appropriation.
1 and when it had become question whether
/ there should be suspension of payment of the
drafts Of the Canal Commissioners and Superin-
tcndents for the purpose OF repairs and as possible
consequence the suspension Of the navigation Of the
/ Ersa rano in mid eli
| the meeting of the Legislature, he made every rea-
sonable effort and made use Of all the power which
the law gave him, to keep the expenses down to the
| lowest limit, as is fully shown in communication
which he addressed to the Canal Board aud the
I Commissioners of the Canal Fund under date OF
August %. See No. IS, annexed.
is seen that the appropriation OF no one year
has been sufficient to the expenditure OF the
year, and that the expenditure Of each year differs
from 900 900 to 5000 from that of the year upon
either side Of it. This fact together with the various
and uncertain character of the expenses for repairs
ordinary and extraordinary, on eight hundred miles
Of canal makes it very difficult matter to estimate
with precision, what expenditures will be necessary
for coming year. 1t is seen that in no one year
since the adoption of the constitution except 1S49
has it it been safe to assume that its expenditure,
would not exceed that of the preceding one. The
intention Of the Legislature in making the appro.
priatiOn would seem to have been to keep 1t down
/ to sum which they supposed would be rea-
sonable limit of expenditure In one year
has the original appropriation for the succeeding
one exceeded s650,G0O Attic extra session 0fJuy.
1851, $4,000 was added to the original appropra-
ton Of $500 900 for that year, and still the expendi
ture exceeded both appropriations slO $50 TO- The
Legislature OF 1852 added $3.50 900 to the original
appropriation of 5000 900 for the past year, and yet
the expenditure is to be nearly 5000 900 beyond
both appropriations The estimate made by the last
Legislature for the year commencing LIST October
last is $3.50 000-nearly $780, 900 less than the ex
the current year indicates that the expenditures
to be than 81 049 045 which is the amount for
the preceding year. Should such be the case, and
should the appropriation remain at its present
amount, the Auditor is to be again reduced to the
alternative of drawing warrants on the treasury in
favor Of Canal Commissioners and Superintendent for
mole than 500 900 in excess Of the appropriation for
the year. or OF suspendng payment therefor until an
additional appropriation be obtained ola Legisla
ture to meet six months, probably thereafter there
by perin2 the navigation Of the Eric Canal for two
OF three Of the busiest months of the season. This is
alternative to which public officer should not be
subjected, II it can be avoided.
Upon the superstition that the present rate OF ex
ponditUlc cannot be reduced, the difficulty may be
remedied, for succeeding years, by making an ap.
proprison for two years in gross. The practice has
been 70 make a distinct appropriation for each dis
tinct fiscal year-so that although there was an ap
preparation for year IN advance Of the current
one. il the appropriation for current year
hausted before the close OF the year. the appropra
ton of the succeeding year did not apply. By
making such an appropriation as the Legislature
shall deem sufficient for two years gross the diff
Guilty would be avoided. Another course would be.
to have a reasonable appropriation made for the
year az heretofore and have the constitutional in
bibtion against any payment beyond it enforced by
such legal penalties as mould relieve the Auditor
from the responsibility Of what many disposed to
consider justitiable violation of duty, under the
pressure Of strong public necessity, and as would
efectualy prevent the commission of an act, every
repetition Of which serves bat TO weaken the habit
nal reverence due 10 the fundamental law, and
especially to one of the most important Of its pro-
visions, and in relation to which its trainers mani
tested the EXTREMIST jealousy.
The following statement shows the actual receipts
and payments for the first quarter Of the current ifs
cal year from the 30th September to the lst Janua
~ account of the repairs and maintenance of the
canals. And for nine months from lst January to
Both September inclusive, making full year, the
actual receipts and payments, Of the previous year.
for the same purposes. are given, viz
Tolssrom LIT October 1852, TO list January
1853. .....................s1 1872 204 20
Repairs nd collection of tolls,
Oct, Nov. .nd Dec .......... S3I5 1858 90
Payment 70 General Fund three
months. Observation-Disclosures. 137, 500 90
Payment 10 Canal Sinking Fund
three months ............. 325, 900 90
sos 1903 90
surplus 1T January, 1853 .35l3, Sal 20
Repairs ana collection Of tolls
jim Feb. and March. ..... S116,3ss 81
PAYMENTS under the constitu
ton, three months. ......... 49, 800 90
S57s. 1888 81
Deficit 1T April 1853 ....... sos DAT 81
Repairs and collection Of tolls April and May, 206 6l3 90
nefcit lst June 1853 .$2yl SOL 90