The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-09-22

the administration asked for. When
John Quincy Adams, thirty years ago,
expended some 5000, 900 annually,
the outcry against his extravaganza was
loud and lncessant, Mr.. Buchansa being
among those who raised it for political
effect; hut he has not only nearly sex
tripled, but las, in time OF profound
peace with ali nations, far exceeded the
annual expenditures when the country
was engaged in foreign war, with fleets
on the enemy's coasts and an army IN
in his capital. If these expenses were
indicious and legitimate, there would be
less cause to complain; but unofrtuuate-
ly, they have been made for lmproner
purposes, and to effect partisan designs.
The navy yards at Brooklyn and Phila-
delphia were cramned with unnecessary
men by the hundred, in orcer to carry
the election to Congress of the friends OF
the administration, and It's supporters IN
attempting to conspmmate the Lecompton
fraud and outrage; contracts for building
ships and supplying coal for the navy,
were awarded, not to the lowest bidders,
but to family connections Of members Of
the Cabinet, or to establishments whose
recommendation, referred by the Pre<i-
dent himself to the Secretary Of the Navy,
was that they exercise strong influence
in Congressional District, and ought to
be rewarded for desertlng old political
associations to contribute to Mr. Buchan-
an s election, and as an encouragement
to them to work for the reelection of lis
friends to Congress. Large purchases of
mules. wagons and other materials for
the Utah Expedition, we're made Of near
relations Of the members Of the House of
Representatives, who pleased the Admin
istratlon by supporting it, Kansas meas
ures, or of members ofthe party supposed
to WELD political influence in particular
localities.
a mail line is kept up across the
continent at an expense of more than
threo millions over the revenues, while
in other parts of the country-and espep-
tally in the free states-the postal ACCOM-
modations Of the people are diminished,
though the revenues Of the department ip
those States exceed the cost Of carrying
the mail. In the department Of PUBLIC
printing, large defalcations and frauds
Ilpon the Government have been detected
and exposed by committee of Congress,
and it is shown thatthe press which sup
ports the administration, lacking the
support and sympathy Of the people, is
subsidized from the profits of the printing
and binding done for Congress and ether
departments. This specification ofabuses
and acts Of mal-administration might be
greatly extended, but We must content
ourselves with the examples given, and
ask the people whether the administra-
ton and the party which sustained it
are longer worthy of their confidence and
support, Public Yirtge is the life blood
of free government, and without It rePub-
licap institutions hasten to ruin. The
task Of reform is the work of the people
themselves they must achieve it by
dismissing Qntaithful PUBLIC servants, and
replacing them with others of firm ipteg-
rity and patriotism. While the Govern
ment is thus Gemoralized by extrayagant
expenditure en- unworthy objects, for
partisan ends, vasciilation and uncertainty
mark many Of It's public acts. The nat
uralized citizens of the Union, to whom
the administration was so largely if not
entirely, Indebted for its. access to power,
and whose exclusive friends its party
prcfe8ses to lie, were shocked by an
official declaration that they could rot
claim the protection Of this Government
should they visit their native countries
aud be their required to render military
services and they could not be else than
disgusted, when terrified at the possible
result of such declaration, the Presldelt,
Secretary Of State and Attorney Gel1ral,
put forth three subsequent official pub
locations on the same subject, each diff
fering from the ether, and all intended
to avert the political consequences of the
first .taur pas, and rather to prevent the
alienation of former friends than to guard
their rights which they had first com
promised, and under their official sigma
ture had placed IN the hands Of foreign
monarehs an admission which would be
retorted upon them with irresistible effects
when they should attempt to contest
with them the doctrine of the inalienabIc
allegiance which they claim to be due by
their native born subjects.
Proceedings OF The Republican