The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-01

It's lighthouses aud heasons dottng oil our naNgg
hle waters with its naval establishment guarding
a commerce which whtens every sea- that enters
every open port in the world with its diplomatic
and consular representation at all important States
Of the earth, civilized aud uucvilized with It's ciyl
government overlooking vast empire az home. and
charged with the protection and welfare Of our PEG.
pie throughout the universe with lis federal ia.
dietary exercising jurisdiction every square mile
Of our territory and every deck in harbors and
on the sea Ito conduct such system requrtse1.
pendihres an imperial scale.
And these things are all for the benefit aud the
glory Of the people, They are institutions created
by them, in which the pride Of the nation is enst
ed; aud the representative who would trim these
! great establishments down ill they meet the narrow
views Of counycourt aud crossroad polite aus and
reduce the greatest nation earth to spectacle
before the world Of impotcpcy and penuriousness,
while vainy surprising that he thus recommends
himself to noble aud proud people, only insults
their dignity, aud degrades the commission which
in misplaced confidence they conferred upon him.
We shall not be understood MS advocating or sus.
tanning extravaganza in the public administration.
Wise economy, not less than sound morals requires
that every needless expenditure should be cnt on
But discretion and good required in ,he
wolk Of retreuchneut. Those who would strike ut
the organic system WHO would impair the vital OF.
gaus Of the body politc-io order to effect reduc
ton in the gross expenditures OF the government
are quacks, to be needed only to be avoided
i What now is the spectacle? We have proceeded
in past legislation more upon the idea Of avoiding
the collection of too much revenue than upon efforts
to enlarge receipts. In this work by the tariff act
ofls57 we reduced the revenue scale too low to en-
able the treasury to obtain to defray ordinary
expenditures Meeting deficiency instead of re-
sorting to the exercise Of the proper and usual
means of recovery, many Of tho representatives
raise the cry Of extravaganza, and set to work 10
depIcto the government to mere skeleton" With
boundless resources and multiplied interests grown
into prosperity under the existing SYSTEM effort
is made to change IFS very organism. There is no
want of resources We cannot do better than quote
Mr.. Toomb5 in reply TO Mr.. Seward on this subject
g The question is not with This republic now where
are we to get money from but financial system
the last fifteen twenty years has been effort how
not to raise it. Even when you have drawn tariff bills
with the express view OF putting down SURPRISES of
ducng the revenue Of getting less Of IL than ordinary
system would bring you have failed in the effort Most
Of the nations of the world have been driven to
dinary shifts certainly in and often in peace TO
know how to raise the wind-n what manner 10 raise
money enough to carry on their governments The
who could invent tax, in England, has been
awarded great financial talent
. But in this country the whole ingenuity and talent OF
all sides, especially Of gentlemen holding the political
opinions OF that senator have been devoted the prob
lem how to raise money enough. Such Ii the wealth
of the country, such its vast productions, that the
question is not of raising enough for the economical
wants OF the government or even for the extayasant
wants of the government but the question with that
senator and bis friends Is how raise revenue so as 10
benefit particular branches Of industry the expense
other branches Of industry. We should have trouble
vt all about raising revenue, il that the object
should have difficulty about knowing what rate Of
taxation would produce sufficient amount for s
would bring ina greater amount lesser amount than
was necessary but VIC have complicated ii b, schemes 10
lay taxation III such way 10 benefit particular inter
es!s, that persons to Congress and seek BY cg
ation to obtain benefits in their private pursuits
That is the difficulty We have.
Nothing can be more just or true than these
marks. II personal interests were excluded from
Congress we OF reisr TO those classes
which are always claiming special bcncbts--there
would be no difficulty in adjusting a revenue system
to the actual wants Of the government Az present
it is found by crpriente that The scale of duties has
been guaged loo low. Why not then, so alter it as
10 meet eXSuug Wants Us III wise, III view OF Inc
facts, to assail our organic system, TO op off neces
sary establishments, TO impair the efficiency Of he
general administration, VI by stint to paralyze its
members Whatever has been done looking TO the
emolument of individuals con'radstipgushed from
the pubic interest may well be discontinued But
in pursuing this work it would be wise in the
legislature not to copfound those engaged in
the discharge of necessary duties with tho
droncs of public life And it would be equally
wise not to charge deficiencies of the revenue to
the extravaganza Of the government. The former
may down TO twenty millions a year With
all cur vast resources and all the necessities for
public service which are apparent, would il then he
sound economy aud good management TO trim the
administration 10 tc act Of 1851 instead of adjust
ing that act to the public wants? Is the ship to be
sailed BY the chart Of law Of Congress Arc the
great interests of the country to I've tackled to meas
ure of questionable fitness at the time of its enact
ment and Of unquestionable failure at the present
momentg Is the legislation of 1857 to be sustained
by the Issue ofhe bonds of the government there
no other way by which money can be raised than to
resort to loans? What has become Of the resources
of the country to which Mr. Toombs referred?
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