Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-04-27
MORNING, APRIL a7, 1859
"Canvas Economy,


"CanVas Economy"
The Opposition when seeking Office are always the
warmest advocates OfeeOnOmy. When in Office, they
the most outrageous and abandoned spendthrifs.
During political canvas they manifest the greatest
about Wasteful expenditures of the peoples
money. When they get into power they take care
that there shall be none left to quarrel about 1t
has become as habitual with them to charge waste
and corruption on the Democracy, to practice it
themselves. They seek to cover up their own ini-
quies by inVentiBg and circulating ISLANDERS against
their opponents There never yet was corrupt
scheme to seal squander the public treasure that
members of the Opposition party did not participate
in the guilt and share in the profits.
In FillmOres administration the government was
plundered through the agency and fundamentally
of Cabinet officers. The Know Nothing Black Re-
publican Opposition Congress which assembled in
1856, was organized band of public plunderers.
Five Of its members convicted of the most
atrOciOus and unblushing corruption, and one of
them testified that large majority of his Black Re
publican brethren had taken brides The Clerk
of the Same Heuse Of observation-disclosures
CULIoM-as was proved on his trial, realized about
$4,000 out of bis office, when his salary was only
$4,000 per annum. In the State of Wisconsin, it
was proved by the report of an investigating CONS
mittee, that the Opposition Governor, Secretary of
State and other officers had taken brides from Rail
Road Companies, to very large amount. In the
State Of Tennessee but two members of the Know
Nothing psrty have held executive Offices about the
capitol. In both of those Offices the mos. outrageous
frauds and thefts we're committed.
1t would be hard to point to q blacker record than
the present Opposition has made, both in the State
and Federal governments. The difficulty is, not to
find instances Of crime in the history OF the OPPOSE
tion party, but examples OF official honesty. While
there may be isolated cases of corruption among
Democratic office holders, we can scarcely fnd eu
instance of official integrity among those of the OPP
position.
But the organs and orators Of thai party have
raised the old cry of extravaganza against the ADJ
ministration. They hold up their hands in holy
horror at the expenditures of the last few years. and
raise knsvish clamor against the Democratic party
the authors Of that extravaganza. The injustice
the recklessness, the falsehood of this charge has
been again and again exposed. It has Leen proved
by the Journals Of Congress and by the official
records of the government that the largest ezpend
iture of money made in any one year Of peace.
y
Speaker BANKS presided and of which WILLIAM
CULLoM was clerk. The payments for the fiscal
year, ending 3Oih June, 1858, amounted to $751;
SIS, 667.76. (See Report on Finance for 1873,
page 30.) These payments were ordered and ap-
prOpriated by the Thirty-fOurth Congress at the
session of l856-7,-the popular branch of which
was controlled by opposition majority and pre-
sided over by Black Republican Speaker. These
appropriations were voted for by a large msiorily
of the opposition in both branches of Congress- and
the opposition is responsible for the expenditure Of
this enormous sum. More than q million of dollars
was appropriated by this opposition Congress vetoed
by q democratic President and finally passed over
hisvetO. If ell the bills for which the opposition
voted, and which we're opposed by the Democratic
members, had become laws, the appropriations of
that Congress would have been increased about
Sl5,OOO,OOO.
Such are the fruits of opposition rule. If that
party had controlled all the departments Of govern
ment, if the Democracy had not had power enough
to exercise partial restraint upon their Profgacy
and waste the expenses of government for the year
1878 would have exceeded hundred millions of
dollars. Every extravagant appropriation that was
defeated, was defeated by Democratic votes. Every
useless and wasteful expenditure was supported by
majority of the opposition These are facts which
no man dares dispute They written upon the
public records of the country and will remain there
an everlasting memorial Of opposition extravaganza
and corruption.
We come now to the ifs cal year of 1859. the
year in which we now are and which will expire on
the 3Ob Of June next. The appropriations for this
year were made by the Congress of 1878 The /
appropriations for this year, stated officially by
the clerk Of the House Committee of Ways and |
Means and published shortly after the close of the
session of 1878, amount to Sos, OPS, 774-a re-
ductiOn by Democratic Congress gilmore than
S13, O0O, 900 from the expenditures Oftheir Oppo~
nents
At the beginning of the last session Of Congress,
President Buchanan sent in message, recommend
ing that Congress should institute rigid inquiry
with a view of reducing the expenses Of government
still further. In accordance with this recommends
ton both branches of Congress commenced the
work of retrenchment and recommending off many |
items of expense which had been created by the
Opposition Congress and reducing appropriations
wherever it could be done withoutinjury to the pub
lie service AS the result Of their labors they show
an actual reduction ofthe appropriations for the year
ending Both June 1860, bringing the expenditures
down to S54, coo, OOO The amount actually appro-
priated at the last session of Congress, was only
Sal 900 900, but we add IN estimate Sl3 100000
for the postal service of this year, which was not
provided for
We find therefore that Democratic Congress has
diminishedthe annual outlay S27 600 900 below the
expenditures of the Opposition Congress of 1866
u. In this work Of retrenehment they were resist
ed st every step by the Opposition members, and
every thing that has been done to husband the re.
sources of the nation, was done in despite OF their
votes, and efforts. '
The statement we have given is fair and candid ,