Glasgow weekly times., 1858-09-23
DEMOCRATIC EXTRAVAGANCE,

The Chicago Democrat contains full re-
port Of the speech delivered in that city by
the Hon. Lyman Trumbull, on the 9Th of
August.
We invite The particular attention of our
readers 10 the following extract on the sub
ject OF the Federal expenditures. TIE facts
and figures are all obtained from official re-
ports Of Government officers, and are there
fore undenisble:
"The expenses Of the Government, as
you have probably often heard, have in
creased enormousi y within few years.
The amount of money at the disposal Of
Government this year is more than one hun
dred millions Of dollars. This, / know,
has sometimes been disputed; but l have
the official statement made by the Clerk of
the House OF Repres entatives, showing that
more than eighty-one millions were specif-
cally appropriated at the last session Of Con-
gress, and there are indefinite appropria-
tons 10 pay claims, the precise amount oi
which is not yet known; which amount at
the lowest estimate, TO three millions and a
half, making over eighty four millions, and
and there is an unexpended balance of ap-
preparation made last year, amounting 10
more than sixteen millions. These sums
altogether make more than a hundred mil
lions Of dollars, at the disposal of the Ad-
ministration for the present fiscal year. /
know it is said that it is unfair to charge
all this 10 this year; that a surplus will re-
main at the end Of this year, TO be carried
TO the next list; but think it Is much more
likely that the Administration will come in
with deficiency bill, and ask for some ten
millions more, as they did at the last Con-
gress. than that any surplus will remain
The expenses of the Government during
the administration OF General Pierce were
1922, ,S20,6 This is more than all the
expenses Of the Government from 1880.
when it was organized, for thirty years to-
gether, including the war with Great Bri-
tain in 1913. General Pierce expended
more money during four years of peace than
our Government expended for the first thir-
ty years after its organization. In 1923,
the expenditures of the Government, for
all purposes, exclusive Of the public debt,
were So, ,7S4,l54 SO, In 1857, the expen-
ses OF the Government, exclusive of the
public deb, were $65 O32 $50 76. The
pro rata, according 10 the population in
1923, was ninety-lour cents on each indi-
vidual. The pro rata in 1857 was two
dollars and twenty-eight cents per man
ninety-four cents TO two dollars and twenty
eight cents, according 10 population
These facts ought to attract the attention Of
the country; but perhaps if / were 10 state
in detail some Of the wastefulness of this
Government, some Of the means by which
these expenditures have been increased, il |
would strike some minds more forcibly. /
will call your attention 10 the city of Chi
cago. You have a custom-house located
here. In 1852, or for The fiscal year end
ing in June, 1852, the last year of Fill
more's adm nistration, there was collected
at Chicago $111. sos Sc. Six men were
employed to collect it, and they were paid
So, $50 II. That was a little over two
per cent. For the year ending June 3Oth,
1856. there was collected al Chicago $l45,-
662 40. Sixteen men were employed in
its collection, and they Were paid $l4,-
349 20 for doing it. Now, ask you, liy-
ing right here as you do, is there any rsa-
son for this increased expenditure? Can
you tell me any reason why it cost ten per
cent. the last fiscal year 10 collect the rev.