The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-02
THE NATIONAL MrELLIGENcER AND THE PUB


THE NATIONAL NTELLIGENCER AND THE PUB
Lie EXPENDITURES.
If the most proaigate and abandoned man in this
city had taken public position in the market place
and commenced discourse on the beauties of yir-
tue and the horrors of vice. it would not have been
greater cause for establishment than tho sensibility
of the Intsigencsr at the expenditures of the public
money az displayed in the issue Of that paper on
Saturday last. II any ono journal in this country
has exhibited more undiscrminating zeal in advo-
eating schemes and policies involving an cxtrava-
giant expenditure that journal is the National Intel-
gcncer. 1t is not 30 much in its positive advo-
cacy but ia it's systematic neglect to oppose and pro-
pose distributions of the public funds that it has
rendered itself conspicuous, no matter by what man,
or set Of men, the policy may have been initiated
Its proprietors have been the recipients of more
money from the general treasury than any other men
in the United States, and, save and except the
solitary case to which we have referred, we
never have before known Of their raising their
voice for that economy for which the democratic
party have long been contcndng, or in opposi-
ton to that extravaganza against which the same
organization has been continually protesting But
it is not desire to rebnke our neighbors for the
change which seems to have come over them We
are reioieed that their eyes have been opened, and
we trust in future that the democratic party win
have their active cooperation in any and all efforts
to stop the leaks which unwise and uncalled-for
legislation has created in the treasury We trust
their repentance is genuine, and that their CONVEX
sion will prove permanent If they and the politi-
cal sentiment which they represent can exercise
their usual influence with their political friends on
this subject to do what is right that they have here
toforc exerted in promoting or toleratng what was
wrong, we shall be inspired with norc hope for the
welfare and prosperity Of the finances than we have
derived from any other circumstance that has taken
place during the past thirty years of our national
history. The National InteAigeacer in favor of an
economical expenditure of the public money! we
know it will be hard to believe but we have read
II IN their issue OF the 26th ulmo, and most heartily
DO we congratulate the country that such is the fact
we might fill our columns, for many issues, with
recitas Of the extravaganza schemes and measures
upon which our neighbors have advocated the most
profuse and the most needless and useless expendi
ture OF public moneys. Witness the grand national
system OF internal improvements by the general gov
eminent of which they were SO many years the lead
ing editorial champions The national turnpike which
runs hence, through Cumberland the Lord knows
where IN the Northwest, which has become as obso-
iefe and neglected as the old stage.coaches which
used to be run upon it at much risk of limb and
life and upon which six or eight millions of federal
treasure were expended, is conspicuous instance
OF the extravaganza and folly for which the name Of
the National Iaieltigencer is butn synonyme in the
public recollection. The Chesapeake and Ohio canal.
work with very ambitious name but most hu,,il
iating financial history, and which we suppose has
cost the country ten twelve millions of dollars
furnishes another sample of the system of expend.
ture Of which the lnelgcncer has been the ingatua
ted aud unfagging champion from time mmemorial
in spite Of railroads, telegraphs and steam
Coming nearer home, we might enumerate large,
sums OF money that have been voted by Congress-
directly into the exchequer of the Maternal Igsneer
establishment in which votes, leading and inluen.
tial democrats have participated out of a generous
consideration for journal they esteemed as an Gle
waited and dgnihed foe but we will not go into the
SUBJECT for these matters belong to the amenities of
politics OF which our neighbors seem to have taken
hnal leave, so far as the democratic party is con.
cerned in it's paper Of Saturday Those of our dem
ocrats who have been heretofore induced to vote
with tho opposition to sustain the National Ieieen
GER in this manner, should be taught lesson in the
future, that they may not wound the scnsbility of
Messrs Crittendcn, Trumbull, and the National Intel
kgenisr, IN wasting the public money and violating
the public justice. The country may know too.
how to estimate the sincerity of those who now
preach economy, but who knew any thing of it
from practice, and who will form any coalition to oet
possession of the treasury. They may, however.
yet do great deal Of good, if they will second the
struggling efforts Of the Democratic party to bring
about reform in the expendturesn every department
OF the government If Messrs Trumbull and Crit.
tenden will cooperate with such men as Messrs |
Toombs Hunter, Clay, and others Of the democratic
members of tho Senate, and win influence their
friends Of the House to join such mon as Mossrs
Letcher, Burnett, apd others of that kind in this
glorious work, we shall have no cause for alarm or
concern at the periodical diminuon of the receipts
from customs; we shall have no necessity for i'm /
posing additional taxes upon the people, and we
shall be much happier aud more prosperous COM
munity, because our representatives will have adj
the government for the general good.
without reference TO particular and partisan favor
itss