Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-09-30

; The aggressive acts on the part of Eng
! land towards us, IN the Gull of Mexico,
last spring, aroused tie attention of Con-
| gress and the whole country, to the impor-
lance of placing the country at once in a
position to defend her sovereignty and her
honor. The usual appropriation for the
navy was increased nearly. 80, O00, 600.
Now, gentlemen, with what show of fair
ness can Republican question these ex-
penditures, SO far as the amount is con
cerned? If you say that money has been
improperly expended. or without authority
of law, you are detedito present the proof.
Was not every dollar which has been ex-
pended by this Administration up torthe
30lh of June last, save and except the De-
fciency bill. appropriated by the last Con-
yress? And did not the Republican party
have the control Of the House. during that
Congress, with Mr.. Banks Speaker to ap-
point the Committee, aud with Lewis d.
Campbell at the head of the Ways and
Means Committee? and if the appropria-
tions were ex;rayagant, (and believe that
ir many particulars they were grossly
so, that Republican House must Dear the
responsibility. charge the responsible
tres on the House for, under the practice
of the Government, appropriation bills as
well as revenue measures originate in the
House and that body has very large con-
troll over he National Treasury. Then the
expenditures made by Mr.. Buchanan up to
the 3Otli Of June last, were by authority
and command of laws which originated in
the Republican House of Representatives,
and which received the sanction Of that
body.
But we will look farther into this For
the expenses Of the Government for the
year ending June 30th, 1857, the late
Democratic Administration estimated and
asked for S54, ,OO5.757 76, and Congress
appropriated S73,352,59 AZ, being an
excess of appropriation over the estimates
of SIC, ,82G. 733 68. This does not inclnde
the Post Office appreciation, of about So,
100000, to be paid out Of the proceeds of
that service. This excess of nineteen mill
ions was sanctioned by the Republican
House OF Representatives. If Congress,
by law, appropriates money for particular
purpose, is it not the duty of the Presi-
dent to execute the law, and apply the
money to that purpose?
These large appropriations were made
at the first session of the Republican Con-
Egress, amd it is proper to add that daring
that session they granted to States, for rail
road purposes, about 100000 acres OF
the public lands, which, at $ 25 per acre,
woull amount to S25, 100000, and carry
the amount Of money and public properly
disposed of at that session to near $780,
OOO,OOO This includes large increase
'of expenditure for printing, lithographing,
public building, &c,giving large and val
liable jobs.
I will notice some of the specific charges
made by the Republicans, and then | will
dismiss this subject.
| They are principally basedlupon the ex.
Epenses of collecting the revenue, and il
sustained. would have rhuch force, for ]
understand that the Secretary of the Treas
ury has much discretion in the expendi
J lures connected with that service. A dis
: proportion Of the revenue collected at pal
ticukr post with the expenses of that
post, proves nothing, for the reason that
much Of the cost is oceasioned by the
lprotction Of the revenue and not its callcc-
tiOn. See what an extent of exposed bor
} der we have adjoining Canada, along which
we receive but little revenue; but, If left
unprotected and exposed to smuggling,
our revenue at other points would be de-
stroyed. Upon the lakes and along tha,
border our revenue has been greatly re.
Iduced by the operation of the Reciprocity
treaty; yet the Treasury department has
been unable to reduce lis force in that
quarter, the trade having been increased,
and the labors of the officers of the Gus
toms increased in every respect, except the
receipt of the money, and an equal force
being still requir to prevent the SNUG
Cling of goods not made free by the treaty
The Republicans institute comparison
between Mr.. Filnore's administration and
the late Democratic administration. Let
us pursue that further. l will read from
the same Treasury Report from which they
read We will take the year ending June
goth, 1859, that being the last whole year
of the Fillmore administrations:
CAT wilmington, Delaware, the rese-
nue. collected was S4.481 80. Twelve per-
sons were employed at cost of S28, ,13I,-
TO-" The Republicans give the cost OF
that port in 1857 as an instance of extrava-
gance. But why do they neglect to state
that the greater portion of the cost was in
maintaining revenue cutter for the pro-
lection Of the revenue? The report from
which they read shows the fact. 1t may
Iappear remarkable that Mr. Fillmore should
lexpend S28, 900 to collect $4,000, but
truth compels me to say that the greater
portion went to the protection of the reve-
nue.. Annapolis is next cited. During
the last year of the late administration but
1915 25 revenue was collected, four men
employed, at cost of $683 AZ; while the
same report shows that at the same port
during the last year of Mr.. Fillmore's Ad-
ministration but 1923 60 were. collected,
FIVE men were employed, at a cost of So
1873 80. At AtOcracoke, i'll North Carolina,
the Republicans charge that in 1857 but
| S82 45 revenue was collected, seven men
employed, at a cost of SO, 3O1 SO, but they
declined to inform the people that the same
4 document, showed that in 1852 but AZ 73
ldolls was collected, two men were employ