Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-03
PUBLIC EXPENDITURES.
Speech OF Mr.. Letcher, Of Virginia,


Speech Of Mr.. Letcher, Of Virginia,
In reply to Mr.. Sherman, Of Ohio delir.
ed IN The House Of Representatives,
June II, 1858.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: In the discussion whicl,
took place some days since between the gen.
tleman from Ohio Mr. SHERMAN and my,
self, | then stated to the committee that
would seek some suitable occasion between
that time and the close Of this session O
Congress to present my views fully on The
interesting subject of government expendi
lures. His speech exhibited all the evil
dences Of careful preparation, and is inter
sper sed with tables Of figures that must
have cost him immense labor in their con.
struction. Withouta moments preparation
and without even the advantage of hearing
the entire speech, | was called upon by sew
eral of my political friends to reply. I'm
der these circumstances, | entered into the
debate, and amid constant Interruptions
from the gentleman himself, and several
others, replied briefly to some Of the leading
positions which he had assumed. The
speech, which was doubtless intended fo1
general circulation. as campaign docu-
mcnt, preparatory to the elections that will
take place this fall, demands, from its abili-
ty and ingenuity, a more elaborate reply
than it was in my power then to make.
This speech, and others made in the lat
ter part of this session, gives reason to be-
lieve that the questions which divided par
ties in other days are again to be revived.
Since the adjustment of the Kansas contro-
vcrsy, and its removal from the congress
ional halls, gentlemen in this and in the
other end Of the Capitol have directed their
attention to subjects of more practical i'm
portance and OF more immediate interest to
the people. In the past two months our
discussions have been mainly confined to
questions within the range Of legitimate
congressional action. Questions of finan-
cial character and bearing, the tariff and
its revision, the disposition of the public
lands and their proceeds, the compreheg-
Lsive subject Of internal improvements, the
best mode Of raising revenue to defray the
expenses Of the government and the pur-
poses and objects to which it should be APP
piled, and last, but by no means least in
Importance, our relations with foreign gov
ernments-these now furnish the topics for
speeches, and claim from us that consider
alton which has been too long withheld from
them, and too often directed to exciting
sectional questions, miscellaneous in their
tendency and ruif1bus to the peace, pros
perity, and fraternity Of the people who
Constitute the States and organized Terri
stories Of this great nation. These things Ill
dictate a return to the policy Of the earlier
and better days of the republic those days
in which representatives of the people legis-
lated practically within the limits of the
constitution, exhibiting that manly patriot
ism which embraced the whole Union and
its interests and repudiatcd all attempts to
interfete6Tith the rights and institutions Of
the States. They recognised and acted up
on the doctrine-the Union of the States is
secure so1ong as the rights Of the States
are respected. | trust most sincerely that
these indications are not deceptive, and that
they presagc calm and happy future,
when sectional controversy and strife shall
be banished from the national councils.
The bill now under consideration pro-
poses a loan Of SIS, 600, 900, which is alb
solutcly necessary to enable the government
to meet it's obligations. The gentleman
from Ohio admits the necessity Of the mea-
surc-admits that the government must
have the amount provided for in this bill,
or the obligations incurred cani,ot be met
as they mature. Yet, strange to say, be
avows his opposition to the only feasible
measure that has been or that can be pre-
sented to furnish the means required = sus-
tain the credit of the government! After
voting with vast majority of his party
friends to create this necessity for
NAL complaint that we would not increase
the expenditures by voting 81, 500, 900 to
the improvement OF rivers and harbors in
the Northwest now comes forward to
resist the passage of a bill to furnish the
means required to meet appropriations made
by the two houses of Congress. The
policy of that side of the House seems to
be to vote expenditures, ard then refuse the
means to meet them-to impose burdens oh
the government, and then repudiate all the
measures proposed for it's relief | antici-
pated such result, and hence it was that
have on several occasions during the ses-
sion proposed to engraft upon the bills a
section providing for loan sufficient to
cover the expenditures provided for in
each. It is my deliberate opinion now that
such section should have been engraftcd
upon all the appropriation bills, and then
those who voted the expenditure would have
been compelled to take the responsibility Of
providing the means to pay the sums ap-
propriated. The House, however, did not
concur in this opinion, and hence it is that
many of the most liberal voters for expen-
ditures of money will now refuse to give
their support to this BILL If it shall fail,
those appropriations must remain unsatisf-
ed, until it shall please Congress to provide
the necessary means. Neither the Presi-
dent nor the Secretary Of the Treasury has
authority or power to furnish the money
for that purpose beyond the provision made
by the treasury bill, and the accruing
revenue from customs and lands.
The gentleman charges that on the Is,
day Of July last there was surplus Of ST.
TO, ia in the treasury, and that Congress
has already granted $40 100000 Of treasu-
ry notes, making an aggregate sum Of
means Of $37, 7l0,114 in a single year,
which, together with the current revenue,
hoe oil hoon ovnnpdad hv th;c nr,Air.tn al