Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-21
Governments Expenditure Dem o.
cratic Extravagauce,

Government expenditures Demo-
cratic Extravaganza.
DnriDg the last session of Congress. Mr.
GARNET. one of the Democratic representa-
tives from Virginia, made speech, the facts
and figures Of which show the rapid and
unnecessary increase of the Government ex-
penditnres for the last six years, embracing
the four years of President PIERCEs term
and the two first of President BUCHANAN's.
From this speech we quote as follows:
"But a few years ago. in 1852, the ex-
penditures, exclusive of payments on account
of the public debt and awards under the
then recent treaty with Mexico were $780,
022.099; and in 1928 the expenditures.
exclusive OF the same payments on account
of the public 6ebt, were S43.544.262. Last
year, in 1878, they were S71 1872 39S; and
the estimates asked for, for the next fiscal
year, exclusive of payments of public debt
amount to $71 ,254, 633.
Now / beg the committee to remember that
this country is as large at this moment as it
was in 1851 81, with the exception of the
Gadsdpn purchase. / beg the committee to
remember that, il the country now extends
from ocean to ocean: if it stretches from
Puget Sound to Key West and the Tortugrs;
lift now spreads from the Aroostook TO San
Diego, beg them to remember that 20 1t did
in lS5l-52. If you have to protect and
defend and maintain your Government
throughout the whole Of this vast region
which W" now occupy, we held the same
region and had the same duties and functions
to fulfill six years ago.
Can any gentleman pretend that il is fair,
that it is just. that it is legitimate, that the
expenses of this Government, in time of
profound peace, should have doubled in six
years Look through the list of items, and
you Will find that the expenditures have
doubled in almost every item"
These questions it is beyond all the powers
swer satisfactorily. Mr.. FILLMORE went out
of Office on the 4th of March. 1853. For the
fiscal year ending June Both of that year,
the expenditures. exclusive of the public.
amounted to S43.544 262. Since that time,
under the Democratic administrations of
Presidents PIERCE and BUCHANAN, they have
increased until they have very nearly doubled
in amount.
Replying to a Democratic Representative
from Pennsylvania, Mr.. PHILIPS, who had ar
gued that the Government expenditures could
not well be reduced, Mr.. GARRETT said:
First. there are the legislative expenditures.
In six years they have grown from 81 ,24S,-
0lS to S3,5S3.524 Does the gentleman from
Pennsylvania think that nothing can be lOp-
ped off there? Why continue yonr vast
printing expenses? Why should Government
enter into the book publishing business, I'M
less it be to maintain party presses here, and
10 ,fah Il nd
books for electioneering
During the whole of these six years the
public printing done by Democrats. 1t
was, therefore, Democratic partypaper that the
vast increase in the expenses of the public
printing went to maintain.
Again Mr.. GARRETT says:
Your lighthouse establishment has, in six
years. increased in expense from S597 ,466 to
Sll62.S57. Why? Not in consequence of
necessary lights. On many parts of the
northern coast the lights are so numerous
that they are a source of danger to the navi
gators. Instead of guiding them through
the shoals and rocks. they mislead them to
their destruction. fear it was not the lights,
but the patronage that was needed.
Patronage! Democratic patronage for
Democratic party purposes. There, Mr.. GAR
NETT 'ht the nail upon the head" That
affords a true explanation of the vast in
crease in the Government expenditures
since Mr.. FILLMORE went out of Office six
years ago. In those six years the annual ex-
penditure has nearly doubled. In every de-
partment of the Government the public
money has been poured ont with a lavish
hand. and in many cases corruptly squander
ed. In the navy yards .'gfiring abuses"
have been admitted to exist by the DEM
Ocratic members of an Investigating COM
mittee; while in an another important branch
of the public business, requiring an immense
outlay for carrying it on-the Public Prin-
ting-another committee of investigation, a
majority OF which were Democrats, unani-
mously reported the commission of gross
frauds and peculation. There can be no
doubt from what has already come to light
respecting the system upon which the public
business has been conducted. and the CONSIDER
atoms that have governed the dispensers of
the government patronage in its distribution.
that the grossest abuses have been habitually
practised to an extent unparalleled in the
history of this Government. So great and
manifold have been these abuses as to draw
from the Hon. ANDREW JOHNSON declaration
on the floor OF the Senates MIR; in his opinion,
more corrupt uses were made of the public
money under this Government (and that
when the Democratic party had possession
of it for six years!) than under any other
Government on earth. That that party
should be continued in power, in full view OF
its extravaganza, abuses aud corruptions,
would be u reflection upon the Intelligence
of the people"