The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-11-08

Few people ever think Of the expense in cash
OF Presidential contest Yet Il IL really some
thing enormous. The vast machinery necessary
to carry on such . acanvass-she number Of organ.
izations which Il requires-she amount of print.
ing, OF writing. of postage, and Of labor Of every
Kind which Ia brought into service, Il far beyond
any estimate usually formed. Let US state few
facts which may aid In forming N opinion.
There are about 800 counties, and not far from
900 towns in the thir.yone states composing the
Union. Every town has one political club of
each party-and many towns have many more
There were undoubtedly during the lat canvass
over Ia,ooo organized clubs, belonging to each Of
thegpoltical parties within the United States:-
the number Of Fremont clubs may have been five
thousand less since the Republican organic alton
did not extend into the Slave States. Each Of
tnese clubs was in active operation for ut least
three months. Each of them required rooms.
printing, postage more or less travelling of their
oheers and committees;-and these, with other
Incidental expenses, could not have amounted on
the average to less than 500 month, or $500 for
the canvass.
The labors performed by their secretaries, pres.
idents and committees would certainly amount to
the steady services Of at least three men each.
worth not less than 500 each for the whole three
months. No less than 1000 persons have been
scuVeiy engaged, for nearly the whole of the can.
vass, IN making speeches and public addresses-
travelling from place to place, and always at an
expense which must be met by somebody-and
entitled OF course. to have their own services ed.
.iL~s0u Al y tair price:-proDaoiy $5OO fer each,
including their expenses, would not be low es.
innate. -
Then on election day, there are opened in the
United States not less than so 900 polls-at which
eacn party stations not less than fre men, besides
the inspectors, policemen and other legal ofcers.
who average, perhaps, oe more, making ten in all,
whose services are worth at least two dollars
each.
Let us sum up the aggregate of all these items:
incidental expenses of 10000 clubs at $500
e@cu ''''sss' .Sl2, ,OOO,0OO
Services OF three men each, for three
months at SlUO. .....................1 IL, ,000 600
One thousand speakers three months
y @ooV' .'..s s........s.ss............ 5OO,OOO
Officers, challengers. &C., At the polls 100000
AOt&ls 90, ,oUU,OOU
Here IL total of mors than tpenty Jfue millions
OF dollars expended in the canvass-au of it the
voluntary offering of the people, to secure the
choice of such a President as they desire to see
elected. The aggregate is much more likely to
exceed this estimate than to fall below it-as it
does not include the money raised by exactions
upon Office. holders or contributed in large sums
by candidates. to be used for purposes less legti-
mate, but more costly than those we have enume-
rated. Much of it goes into the hands of working
men-printers, laborers, and others, who fairly
earn it. But immense amounts 60 to fill the pock-
cts. of politician gamblers and swindlers, who
look upon Presidential election as the harvest
of their professionally y Times.