Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-04-29
STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1859.
Democratic Extravagance--The Plea
Il had.


duced to the most technical and unsubstan-
tial pleas in bar of the indictment the people
are bringing against the leaders and Office
holders of the present administration on ac-
CONT of wastefulness and extravagances. 1t
is an ncontestible fact that the expenditures
Of the last few years have increased to an
G enormous and appalling extent. The profit
gacy and corruption which it has engendered,
constitute one of the most alarming symptoms
of the times, and are doing more to break
down the government than any other one
cause, excepting perhaps the wicked and mis-
chievOus agitation If the slavery question.
And even this agitation may be referred with
propriety to the Influence of personal ambi-
tion, unprincipled and INSCRIPTIONS, united
with greed for spoils and plumber When
these facts are made undenably manifest
when it is shown by the public documents
madc up and SUBMITTED by the officers of the
administration, that two years ago the
Federal treasury was overlooking, while now
il is empty. and the government has been
brought to the last resort of the bankrupt,
that of making promises to pay at some
future time, by what manner Of facts and
logic are these exposures met? AZ unspeak-
= ably absurd as it may appear, and in fact is,
the democratic organs are denying the res
possibility of the administration for the
money it has expended. They would make
the people believe that because there was a
Black Republican elected Speaker of the
House of Representatives for one Congress,
Z therefore the administration and the demo-
cratic party were innocent of the apprOpria-
tons made during that Congress. These
organs are cxpending vast amount OF labor
in tnrning over the Journals of Congress,
and bringing forward the votes on various
measures involving the expenditure of money;
and a singularly favorable circumstance to
them. they say they find these measures gen
orally supported by majority of the Oppo-
siticn and opposed by a majority of the
dcmocracr. They parade this statement with
infinite satisfaction, and base upon it the
allegation that the democratic party have
favored economy and the Opposition have
favored extravaganza.
Let US examine this position; let us lift
from il its mask of sopbislry and hold up the
naked facts to the people. In the first place
then during the whole period in question,
when il is claimed that the House of Repre-
seniatives was in the hands of the Republi-
cans, the Senate has been largely Democratic.
Thi4 Democratic Senate has had 1t in its
power to arrest the extravagant appropria-
tons made by the House of Representatives.
at any and all times it might have been desi
rable according TO democratic ideas of econ
omy. But so far from showing a desire to |
check or curb the spirit of waste, it has lent
helping hand in the work II the affirma-
ton is true that the democratic party has
been the champion of an economical conduct
of public affairs, how does it occur that |
democratic Senate has aided the Opposition |
in thus violating the principles by which they |
profess to be governed? This is one great
fact in deadly conflict with the theory now
propounded by the democratic organs.
In the next place, since March 4, 1853,
period in which the most stupendous extrav-
agance has grown up, democratic President
has constantly occupied the Executive chair.
After originating in the House, and having
passed that body, the appropriation bills must
obtain the concurrence of the Senate, and af
ter that must have the sanction and written
approval of the President. These are all in
dispensable steps to the perfection and eff
cheney of every measure for the expenditure
OF the public money. Why has not the dem
ocratic President, and especially he who now
OCCUPIES that position, since he pirates Of his
great desire for economy, thrown himself in |
this torrent OF extravaganza, by the exercise |
of the veto power! He, like the Senate, has
constantly had it in his power to kill |
every appropriation that did not ac-
cord with d, mocra,ic notions Of economy.
II il be true. as alleged. that the Opposi-
tons the authors and the responsible
agents of this Wholesale misrepresentation of
the peoples treasure, how does il happen
that the Presidents sign manual appears as
endorsing aud approving these measuress,one
BY one. aud that too in the face of bis declara-
ton To the last Congress. that he did not in
tend To approve any bill of the kind which he
did not have time TO examine. and which did
mol meet with the sanction of bis judgment.
Will any democratic organ or speaker in Ten
nehset or out of 1t answer this question to
the satisfaction Of an Intelligent and outrag-
ed peopleg This is a second great fact which
utterly destroys the theory which is SEE up 10
avoid the terrible scourage Of public indigna-
tion. |
Then We have the lesser fact that the
democratic leaders Office holders and lobby
jobbers eagerly received these moneys afier
they had been appropriated. and instead OF
utterng complaintsag.inst the matches waste
gulped il down with inenable satisfaction.
Indeed they grew hungry by the FEEDING, and
more impatient and more exorbitsntly vora-
cious at each succeeding meal. Not in all
thai cormoraat swarm was there n voice
rsised against these appropriations, until
after the Opposition began to expose the
prufigaey and corruption which was general
ed among the benefciaries. The first impulse
then was, after the manner Of the thief n no is
caught with stolen good upon bin, 10 deny
tb, fast that the expedilures were extrava-
gant or Unnecessary. The fallacy Of this
plea xgloded Of itseli;and these othe $ have
been pat Ia afr the trial had commenced,
aud are mere .fserthoegbt aud subierfege.
-aear y &C. y