The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-06-19
PUBLIC EXPENDITURES.

PUBLIC EXPENDITURES. 81
sprrCH OF MIR. LETCHER, OF VIRGINIA,
,,,ay 10 Mr. Sherman, Of Ohio; deiserad ia The H0sss e
Representatives, June IL, 1858.
n. o..mxAS: In the discussion which took place
- ays since between the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
saUrAS, and myself then stated to the committee
RAT would seek some suitable occasion between that
time and the close Of this session OF Congress 70 present
nv iaws fully on tho interesting subject OF government
nditres His speech exhibited all the evidences Of
.sul prepar.ton and is interspcrsed with tables OF
6gurs that must have cost him immense labor In their
construction Without moment preparation and with
t ey.n the advantage OF hearing the entire speech,
- called upon by several of my political friends to re-
NV Under these circumstances, entered Into tho de-
hate aud snid constant interruptions from the gentle
man hmsef and several others, replied briefly to some
~ the leading positions which he had assumed. The
ech which Was doubtless intended for general circula
ton as campaign document preparatory to the cleo
fiona thst will take place this fall demands from Its abili
" and ingenuity elaborate reply than IT was in
my power then to make
This snech and Others made in the latter part of this
..ssion. gives reason to believe that the questions
which divided parties ia other days are again TO
La revived. Since tlss adjustment Of the Kansas
oontroyersy and its removal from the congressional
nails gentlemen in this and the other end Of the
Caitol have directed their attention to subjects Of
more practical Importance and OF more immediate inter
eat to the people, In the past two months our discus
ths range Of legitimate congressional action. Ques-
tons of financial character and bearing, the tariff and
its revision the disposition OF the public lands and
their proceeds the comprehensive subject of internal
improvements the best mode of raising revenue to
deray the expenses of the government and the pur-
poses aud objects to which it should he applied and
last but by no least in Importance, rela-
tons with foreign governments these now furnish the
TOPICS for speeches. and claim from that consideration
which has been too long withheld from them and too
often directed to exciting sectional questions mschievons
In their tendency and ruous to the peace prosperity,
and fraternity Of the people who constitute the States
and organised Territories Of this great nation These
things indicate return 10 the policy Of the earlier and
better days of the rcpublcthose days In which repre-
senatives of the people egsated practically within the
limits of the consttution exhibiting that manly patriot
ism which embraced the whole Union and Its interests
and repudiAed all attempts 10 interfere with the rights
aud institutions Of the States They recognised and act
cd upon tho the Union OF the States il
50 long the rights OF the States respected trust
most sincerely that these indications not deceptive
and that they presags calm and happy future, when
sectional controversy and strife shall be banished from
the national councilsr s93hNHF, -f
Ths bill now under consideration proposes loan Of
SIS OOO which Is absolutely necessary to enable the
government to meet its obligations The gentleman from
Ohio admits the necessity Of the admits that
the must have tho amount provided for in
this b the obligations incurred cannot be met
they Ye strange to says, he avowy his 0ppos
ton to the only feasible that has been tat
the credit Of the government After voting with vast
majority Of his party friends TO create this necessity
ter formal complaint that would not increase the
expenditures by voting 900 to the Improvement Of
rivers and h6ors in the Northwesthe now comes for
ward 10 resst the psssage Of bill to furnish the means
required to meet appropriations made by the two houses
Of Congress- The policy Of that side of the House
to be to vote expenditures and then euss the means TO
meet them to impose burdens the government, and
then repudiate all the measures proposed for Its relief
anticipated such result, and hence It that have
several occasions during the session proposed to
engnft upon the bills section providing for loan
sufficient to the expenditures provided for In
each It 10 my deliberate opinion now that such sec
ton should have been engraed upon all the appropra
ton blls and then those who voted the expenditure
would have been compelled to take the responsibility OF
providing the means to pay the sums appropriated The
House. however, did not concur in this opinion, and
hence 1t that many of tho most liberal voters for
penditures of money will refuse to give their sup
port to this BILL If 1t shall fail these appropriations
must remain unsatsed until 1t shall please Congress to
provide the necessary means Neither tho President
the Secretary Of the Treasury has authority power to
furnish the money for that purpose beyond the provision
made by the treasury BILL and the accrung revenue
from customs and lands
The gentleman charges that on the LIST day of July
last there surplus Of 77l0ll4 in the treasury,
and that Congress has already granted $40 900 Of
treasury notes, making aggregate Of means Of
31,7lO, ia In single year. which, together with the
current revenue has all been expended by this proigate
administration These facts, in his opinion make out
clear and undAniabls extlavagance against the
party In power Accompany me In tho investigation Of
these facts and will ascertain the precise weight to be
Tho Secretary OF the Treasury informs In his annual
report that the public debt amounted the ls day Of
July last to the sum of $29 1856 9O and since that
timo the Of s. 1886 232 80 of the debt has been
deemed This sum- then Is to be deducted from the
plus in the treasury At the date xed by the gentleman
from Ohio Making this deduction wo have the sum Of
sssl4 ssl 81 instead Of the sum with which we are