Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-01-16

NorE OF the above sum il will appear by this
statement that considerable part of the sum thus
appropriated became necessary to satisfy claims
that were contracted by the action of the 33d and
34th Congresses and 10 benefit the proprietors Of he
National Inelligencer, Who to say the least, have
not heretofore been considered as 'partzan favor
ties" of the democratic party.
An examination of these estimates for which the
administration is responsible exhibits the fact that
the government would, if confined TO them, be con-
Quoted upon a basis of the strictest economy The
increase Of expenditure, about which so much has
been said is limited to three sources: LIST, the ex
penses of the army I'd, the inc case Of the navy;
and, Sd, the expense Of the Pest Office Department
A word upon each Of these points: The increased
expense Of the army was occasioued, every one
knows, by the Utah war aud our Indian troubles.
Not only was the deficiency provided for at the ale
session created in this war; but the increase in the
regular annual estimates required 10 meet these
contingencies. LetthOse complain of these eXpen>
ditures who condemn the energetic policy of the
President in restoring peace law and order, IN
Utah, and in atfarding protection to frontier
citizens against the ravages of hostile Indians On
the other hand, every good citizen in the land wilt
give his sanction and approval to the wisdom iof
that policy, and the energy and success with which
il has been carried out
I'd. The increase in the expense of the navy
arises from the amount expended 10 the consruc-
til n of new vessels and in giving additional
is not individual throughout the country who does
not feel that the number and efficiency Of The navy
is wholly dspTOportionae to our commercial inter
ests and national importance Let those who de-
sire a smaller aud less efficient navy complain of
these expenditures. We venture the prediction
that there is not a congressional district in the
Union that would sustain its representative in
ducing the force and weakening the efficiency OF
our small, but gallant navy.
Sd. The increased expenses Of the Post Office De-
partment Two causes have produced this resuli, TO
wit: the reduction Of postage and the increased
mail facilities afforded TO the country. If those who
complain Of the expenditures of the gorerr as Is
tiated J9r By the administration, desire ment
and reform in this department, The remedy is a
plain one-ether increase the postage reduce the
mail facilities But, long as Congress refuses TO
do the one or the other the country must look for
the increased expense rendered necessary by the
law. which requires Che dep rtmont 10 furnish the
facilities aad refuses to provide for the expense
The abolition of the Thanking privilege would be
measure of retTeuchment mere.
We have referred to these causes of increased exA
pendtures in the appropriations for the purpose Of
exhibiting to the country the fact that notTithS
standing these increased expenses-mostiy of tenn
p)rary chsracter-yet the estimates Of the present
administration do not exceed those of It's eco
n ,mical predecessors. But il we deduct from tie
estimates those Of extraordinary character, such
we have referred to- 1t will be found that period
our history mas ser CUT Win q.
more thorough spirit Of economy than the present.
In this respect its and policy challenge the
closest scrutiny aud iuvstigatiOn-
There is one other point upon which We DIES reto
give the facts, and we shall have done Much HIS
been said of late By senators and the press relative
10 the specific item of expenditure known = ex-
pense of collecting the revenue from customs y and
the present Secretary of the Treasury has been
charged with requiring more for this purpose than
his predecessors This is not true as the facts will
show, which these Prior to the last session of
Congress the ezpeuse of collecting the revenue from
priation of 81 $50 000 together with such sums in
addition may be received from storage, carriage
drayage and labor. This appropriation by law was
confined to the expense Of collecting the revenue
upon the Atlantic coast and the gulf. The expenses
on the Pacific by law, paid out Of the col
eetions directly and the net amount only paid into
The treasury. The present Secretary of the Treas
ury thought that if the system for the Atlantic coast
was proper, the same should be applied to the Pa
ci6c and hence he recommended to Congress that all
districts in the United States should be
placed on the same footing regards the mode of
iefrsying the expenses of collecting the revenue from
customs, and he consequently obtained from Con-
yress an appropriation for that purpose amounting
o So, GOO 600 which will embrace the expenses of
III the collection districts Of the United States He
ixed upon that amount in accordance with the data
furnished by the actual disbursements under his pre-
ecessors for series Of years past will more fully
ppesr by the statement given below
Gtement exhibiting the amount ofrsUeaue from Customs
for each of the gears from 1852 10 1857, inclusive,
aadths amount expended in collecting the same for the
same period