Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-02-04
An An1eoedept Of Iames Ruehanan.

Some cruel person has dragged to light let
ter from "our venerable chief magistrate. y
written at Wheatland, February 23d, 1852, and
addressed to committee of Democratic gentle
men in Maryland, in which he breaches eeono-
my violently Mr. Buchanan lamented that
the expenditures had ''reached the enormous
sum of fifty millions per annum," and the poor
man was impressed that unless the career OF
profigacy twas arrested by the strong hand OF
the Democratic party" the expenditures Of
government would soon reach one hundred
milions He was convinced that government
should not spend so many millions. The ex-
penses should be very considerably reduced
Such reduction could be effected with positive
advantage to both people and government
The following paragraphs we copy entire
They will be read at this time with especial
unction:
An excessive and lavish expenditure of pub
lie money-though in itself highly pernicious-
is nothing when compared with the disastrous
influence it may exert upon the character of
our free institutions. A strong tendency to
wards extravagance is the great political evil
of the present day, and this ought to be firmly
resisted. Congress is now necessarily impor-
tuned from every quarter to make aPPropria-
tOns for all sorts of projects Money Ironi
the National Treasury. IS constantly deInahoeu
to enrich contractors, SPECTATORS, and agents.
and these projects are gilded over with every
ailurement which can be impaired to them by
INGENUITY and talent. Claims, which had been
condemned by former decisions, and had be-
come rusty with age, have been again revived,
and have been paid, principal ana interest. In
deed there seems to be one general rush to OBJ
tain money from the Treasury on any and every
pTetence.
What will be the inevitable consequence of
such lavish e1penditurel Are they not calcu-
lated to disturb the nicely adjusted balance be-
tween the Federal and State government, upon
the preservation of which depend the harmony
and efficiency of our systeml Greedy exPec-
tants from the Federal treasury will regard
with indifference, if not with contempt, the gov
ernment of the several States. The doctrine OF
State rights will be laughed to scorn by such
individuals, as an obsolete abstraction, unwor-
thy the enlightened spirit of the age. The cor
ruptinp power of money will be felt throughout
the length and breadth Of the land, and the De-
mocracy, led on by tho Hero and Sage OF the
Hermitage, will have in vain put down the
Bank of the United States, if the same fatal IN
fuence for which it was condemned shall be
exerted and fostered by means drawn from the
public treasury.
This was written six years ago. The writer
is now begging for thirty millions of dollars to
be used at his discretion-he is at the head OF
an Administration which is expending that aw-
full sum of one hundred millions per annum,
which was the high water marx of extraya-
gance he once piteOusly lamented would be
reached-the national debt is on the increase,
and money is "copstantly demanded to enrich
contractors, spectators, and agents" and the
'corrupting power of money is felt through the
length and breadth Of the land"