Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-07-13
Government Expenditures.

The pamphlet entitled "What it costs 30 hesG Cow
erned" which is in circulation in the various Con-
gessional Districts of this State, abounds in the
most glazing falsehoods, intended to mislead and
deceive. I'll,
For example, great outcry is made over the cost
of the Capitol at Washington, and the furniture of
the various rooms and the whole of this cost is
charged upon the Democratic party. Now, the facts
are that the improvements on the Capitol were ad-
vsed and planned by Mr.. Fillmore; that he appoint
ed the officers who allowed the accounts and made
the disbursements; that the appropriations were
made by an Opposition Congress and that much
of the fitting up" was carried on by Culom, the
Know Nothing Clerk of the House, who was de-
tected in fraud and who has been indicted for mis-
applying funds entrusted to his USE During that
whole Opposition Congress the great body of
the Democratic members voted against all extrava-
CANT appropriations, the journals will show; but
these appropriations were carried by the friends of
Fillmore and the black Republicans. These are
the facts and yet in the face of these facts Messrs
Leach Gilmer Smith, Vance and others are attempt
ing to hold Mr.. Buchanans administration response
BILE. We tell the people that they owe it to them
selves and to the cause of truth, to receive with
many grains of allowance any political statement
which Know Nothings make. They were sworn
to mislead and deceive in 1885, and we do not think
they are better now than they were then.
1t is also charged in the pamphlet referred to- that
the expenditures of the federal government increas
ed from 1852 to 1858, some $45, 5000. This is
not true. We have taken the trouble to investigate
the matter, and we find that this pamphlet contains
the grossest falsehoods as we will show. 1t states
for example, that the expenditures under Mr.. Fill
more in 1852, were $s6,552OsO 81; under Mr.
Pierce in 1856, $50, 172, 401 g. under Mr. Buchan-
an in 1857, S64, IT'S, 1913 SIS; and under Mr.. Buch-
anan in 1858, ss3, s56,727 90. Now, what are the
facts? Why the entire expenditures for 1852, as
Mr.. Fillmore himself states in his message, were
$46007, S96 20, from which 3d. ,S15 SO are to
be deducted on account of payments on the public
debt; leaving the sum as above given from the
pamphlet. Now, if the authors o. this pamphlet
had given the expenditures of subsequent admins.
trations in the same way-if they had deducted the
payments on the public debt their statements would
have been fair and true; but they have done nc
such thing The expenditures for 1856 were $50,
172 4O1 "a, as given in the pamphlet but from this
is to be deducted the sum of $4,000, 900, paid in
execution of the treaty with Mexico,-leavng ST.
1T2, 401 Ga as the amount for 1856 The amount
for 1857 is given correctly in the pamphlet We
find on reference to Mr.. Buchanan's message; but
the amount for 1858 is greatly overstated The
expenditures for 1858, as stated by Mr.. Buchanan
in his message, were SS1, 5s5 667 76 1921 059 "a
less than given in the pamphlet; but from this is tt
be deducted the sum of $9,6S4,537 80 on account
of the public debt which leaves ST., 9O1, 129 n al
the amount for.ls5s, showing difference of clever
millions nine hundred and ffty-fve thousand tiv'
hundred and ninety-seven dollars and twenty three
cents between the real amount and that given in tn
pamphlet. The authors f'the pamphlet deductet
for Mr.. Fillmore, without stating the fact so t.
exhibit small expenditure for him; but the,
added for Mr.. Buchanan, without stating the fact
as to show large expenditure for him during tn
last fiscal year. Was that honest? Can the peopl
, believe or confde in such men?
! Bear in mind, therefore, that the appropriation
for the federal Capitol were advised by Mr. Fillmor
and passed by an Opposition" Congress; and tina
the statements made by the Opposition as to tn
expenditures under Mr.. Fillmore, Mr.. Pierce, an
; Mr.. Buchanan, are, as a genera. thing unfounde
and false.