Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-08-20
E,,r.v.eanc. OF tho Government.

if he states facts in relation to the operations
of government, we must hear and learn:
"The expenses Of the government, as you
have probably often heard, have Increased
enormously within few years. The amount
of money at the disposal of government for
this wear is moro than one hundred miilons
of dollars. This know has sometimes been
disputed; but have here the official state.
mont made by the clerk of the House of Rep
resentatives, showing that more than eighty
one millions were specifically appropriated
at the last session of Congress, and there are
indefinite appropriations to pay claims, the
precise amount of which is not yet known,
which amount, at the lowest estimate, to three
millions and half, making over eighty.iour
millions, and there is al unexpended balance
Of appropriations made last year, amounting
to more than sixteen millions. These sums
altogether make more than hundred mil
lions of dollars at the disposal OF the admin
istration, for the present fiscal year. l know
it ia said that it is unfair to charge oil this
to this year; that surplus will remain 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 10 with def
cheney bill, and ask for some ten millions
more, as they did at the last Congress, than
that any surplus will remain. The expcn.
ses of the government during the Admins
tration of General Pierce were 1892 S2O632.
This is more than all the expenses OF tho
government from 1890, when 1t was organi-
zad, for thirty years together, including the
war with Great Britain in 1872. General
Pierce expended more money during the four
years of peace than our government expen-
ded for the first thirty years after its orgaui-
cation. 10 1923, the Expenditures OF the gov
ernment for all purposes. exclusive OF the
pu bile debt, were S9,7S4,l54.59. In 1857,
the expenses of the government, exclusive Of
the public debt were SOS ,032 ,559.76. The
pro rata according to the population in 1875
was 81 cents ON each individual. The pro
rata 10 1857 was SOS per man-94 cents
to 50 %, according to population. Now
these facts ought to attract the attention OF
the country; but perhaps if were to state in
detail some Of the wasteiulness OF this gov
ernmeDt--some of the means by which these
expenses have been increased, it would strike
some minds more forcibly. | will call your
attention to the city Of Chicago. You have
a custom house located here. In 1852, or
for the fiscal year ending in June, 1858, the
last wear of Fillmore's administration, there
was collected at Chicago Sill, SOSS6. Six
men were employed to collect II, and they
were paid 81, SS2l2 That was little over
two per cent. For the year ending June 80,
1856, there was collected at Chicago 9ll5,'
662.40. Sixteen men were employed IN Its
collection, and they were paid Sl4. 3l9.2J Tor
doing it. Now l ask you, living right here
as YOU do, is there any reason for this 10
creased expenditure? Can you tell me any
reason why it cost ten per cent the last fiscal
wear to collect the revenue at this port, aud
only little over two cent four years ago? Is
there any reason for it except that the gov
ernment wants to shower the money upon
favoritesY ("Yes, there is reason.") l
don't know what 1t is. ("Tbe democratic
party must be sustained. Laughter and
applause.) think that is the best reason.
(Renewed laughter.) They must sustain tho
ofioe-holders. But Chicago is only single
case. | have the official report here, and
will state u few other cases to show you how
the government expends money. There ara
some other points where the expenditures i1r
collecting the revenue are much w0rse than
at this point. At Wilmington, Delaware,
there was collected in 1857, $2,OO4.95.-
How many men do you suppose 1t took to
collect that amount, and how much do sup.
pose they got for it? 1t took eight men, and
the expense of collecting was SIS, S4S.3S.--
Laughter Gentleman you begin entirely
too soon. These are the better sort CT cases.
At Annapolis, 10 Maryland, there was col
Iected same wear, S374S 90. (Rencwed laugh
ter) How many men do you suppose 1t
took to collect that? 1t took four. and they
were paid for their services $3.50 IL at
Ocracok, in North Carolina, $S2.55 were col
l. cted in 1857. (LaughteF.) 1t took seven
men to do it. (Laughter.) Aud an econom
ical government, under Democratic admin
istration, priding itself on its economy, paid
seven men to collect this $50 So, the sum of
s2,3Ol.52. (Laughter.) At Port Oxford,
Oregon Territory--now, you would expect
something extravagsnt over there-thero was
collected $685., and it took two men to col
lect it, and they were paid for collecting 81
703.OS. (Great laughter.) Can any of you
make the calculation of the per centage that
was paid to collect IS 50? | believe 1t was
about five hundred to one. DON'T you think
the government ought to get rict? AT Mon
terey, California, the amount collected IN
1857 WINS S45.25. Three men were employ
ed 10 collect it, ard paid for doing i. SI,U3n J.
| 95. At Buffalo, there was collected in 100 I
SlO,l4O53. There we're ten men emnloyed
in it's collection, and they were paid SlO, o9o.-
81. will not weary you by reading this
report further. 1t is the official report from
the Secretary of the Treasury, in answer to
a reouistion of the Senate calling upon him
to know how many employees he had az the
different Custom Houses; what be paid them;
how much they collected, &C., and here Is the
official report from every collection district
in the United States. ] have singled out
part of them as examples. "Whe can we
have the reporl?"l You can have this pub
Iisbed--it is a public document. Has
Douglas got it?'l suppose be has, Tor be
sustains the administration on every point
save one. l will now give you some account
of the total expense Ct collecting tie revenue
for several years past. In 1850, Congress
passed law appropriatiog $3.50, 900 an
nually to defray the expenses OF collecting
the revenue east of the Rocky Mountains
During Taylor's and Filmore's acninistra-
ton, the whole revenue east OF the ROCKY
Mountains was collected for about two mil.
lion dollars per annrm, leaving surplus Of
more than Sl,600,000 at the end Of the four
years. During the four years cf the admin
istra,ion Of General Pierce he used up the
50, $50, 900 per annum and every dollar of
the Sl,600,000 remaining over from the ~