The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-08-06

R1zm1.@
DEMOCRATIC PRODIGALITY AN
OTHER TABLE FROM OFFICIAL
SOURCES.
The Baltimore Patriot publishes table Of
the appropriations made during the first ses-
sion Of the s5th Congress, giving circumstan-
TALLY the items and objects Of each. 1t shows
the amount to be, exclusive of the Post Of
flee account, S67,O67,672 78. The expenses
Of the P. o. Department, together with The
permanent aPpTopriations-which are over
looked in the ordinary comp utation Of the
amount placed at the disposal of the Ad-
ministra,ion-and the probable deficiencies"
make grand total of something over a hun
bred millions at the command of the Pres-
dent for the fiscal wear ending the 30th of
next June. The table goes further, and sets
forth the amount proposed to be appropriated
by the respective Houses, which shows that
the sum Of SsS,l77,9O5 81 was sought to
be appropriated by the Senate, When it is
remembered that the Senate is oyerwhelm-
ingly democratic, the argument that any COM
bination may have run the amount beyond
the desires of the democratic party falls TO
the ground. We have not space, just now,
for the entire table, but subjoIn the com
ments of our Baltimore contemporary, in
which the whole subject is pointedly brought
to view. 1t saws:
"The people of Baltimore in these hard
times are sufficiently alive TO the necessity of
economy. We avail ourselves of the occa-
sion to show them what the National Ad-
ministrrtion has cost and is costing; and
this we do exclusively from official docu-
ments.
We invite their attention to table pre-
pared from official sources and by hands
alone competent to do it, exhibiting the
course and results of the fnancia, legislation
of the last session of Congrcss-which, with
the addition Of the permanent appropriations,
and the indefinite appropriations carefully
estimated, and the amounts by former appro-
priation bills left at the disposal of the gov.
eminent, will show the actual gross means
placed at the disposal of the government
These last items are usually overlooked or
kept out of sight in such estimates, are
touched only cursorily by official documents
and seldom laid before the public. The peo-
pie TINS almost always have an inaccurate
idea of the actual aggregate cost of the gov.
eminent.
Another important topic necessary TO
fair appreciation of the conduct of the Gov.
eminent, is the objects of appropriation;
and that is especially necessary now TO be
considered, because the present admnistra
;ion, while greatly exaggeraling some, have
greatly reduced or entirely expunged others;
and il is important to know that these latter
are those in which the actual industrial inter-
ests of the country are most deeply inter-
ested.
The wriggling of the administration under
the enormity of its expenditures is quite sig
niicant.
They try to withdraw this, that and the
other item from the list; they construe words
sharply to deceive people; they distinguish
current and permanent appropriations; they
shut their eyes to the POST Office charges, and
vince under the expenditure for public build.
ings but still these are money expended, the
Democrats and the Democratic Wigs have
the lingering of the money; the people have
to pay the money, and it is quite as well that
the people should know it.
!. We propose simply what is the actual
amount of money placed at the disposal of
the Administration BY the appropriation
laws.
2. What amount was appropriated for the
fiscal year lS5S-'59.
8. How that compares with former appro-
priations for other years.
4 The character Of the appropriations.
The Report of the Secretary of the Treas
ury shows that President Buchanan, in his
first year, spent--that is, took from the PEG.
pie and paid away about S75,O0O,OOO, or, as
the Secretary puts it, actual and estimated,
S74,963,05S Al: but that estimate omits
about Sl4,O00,OOO paid by the people for the
mail service, which would bring up the cost
of that first year to about S8s,963,O5S Al.
Now, with this first year to start with, as
a sample, how much has been placed at the
disposal of the Administration BY their two
democratic Houses of Congress for the ex-
penses of the Government.
The President approved bills appropriating
the following sans, according to The table,
viz:
Sums specified in the bills, S67,067,762 70
Indefinite appropriations care
fully estimated from official
sources 3,382,2 %
Making, $70,450,000 90
Sums in which pprmnnpnt laws