Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-03-23

know, sill, this is attaching great import,,
the subject Of our expenditures, but not 'als
than what is due, or greater than the truth s se
tory will justify. Permit me to call the attsns
the House TO an extract from one of Mr. Jo@
messages, in reference to economy. 1t brea,h.S
spirit of purity and patriotism, and will apnlu
with equal, if not greater, force and proprie,y,
Considering the general tendency to mn,.
offices and dependencies, to increase expenses !.
ultimate term Of burden which the citizen c.,,
it behoOves US to avail ourselves of every ~.
which presents itself for taking off the sur ro
that it may never be seen here, that after la.n
labor the smallest portion of its earnings IN "
it can subsist, Government shall itself consn.
residue of what it was intended to guardn
If there was this tendency to extravao,,.
ring MIR. Jefferson's adminstration-the mro'.
brightest period of our history-which called
from him such earnest remonstrance and yu,
ceasing vigilance, how much more are We CALI,
on at the present time, when the expcnditnr4
greatly increased, and the opportunities for av,s
gance have greatly multiplied, to watch with y
less vigilance the Treasury, to investigate woS
appropriations, and lop off every dollar Which,
be shown to be unnecessary? l have beon
gratified, sir, to know that the President is wG
in this reform. He is statesman of the .Jps.s
an school, and of large experience. He has ss
up with the Republic, whose age scarcely esn
his own; and, in showing his appreciation o
subject. has not only invited us 10 rigid scru
into all the Departments, but promised us bisI
aid Let us hear him. After exhortng CONF
to the practice Of the most rigid economy, he 3
"The objects of expenditure should be limite
number, as far as this may be practicable; and
appropriations necessary to carry them into d
ought to be disbursed under the strictest accO
ability" NS''
Again. sir, he says:
81 invite Congress to institute rigid scrutir
ascertain whether the expenses in all the De- !!
ments cannot be still further reduced and M
Use them all the aid in my power in pursuing ,b
vestigatlon."
Then, sir, with the President with us, with
cry on every side that there must be rctrenchul
shall we not commence the work, and rid the 4!
eminent of many abuses which have been for nj
growing up, and which can only live by the n
ton of Congress?
But sir, it will be asked, where we shall c,
mence? What shall we cut down? answer,c \
mence with those appropriations for which Cong
is alone responsible; those large and extraor,E
demands upon the Treasury which have robbed
its substance, and added so much to make w
large amount of the public expenditures End
with bold and fearless step, the wide and undet
boundary of your contingent fund, which Of
years has increased so much; explore the ain
boundless field of appropriations for claims, vI
so many greedy, hungry, and fraudulent clainl
and their agents find pasture, and roll in the rid
which negligence and extravaganza on your
have thrown in reckless profusion around III
Look to your printing; your exploring expedti1
your coast surveys; your employees and their
aries; your French spoliation bill, involving an
preparation of millions of dollars; the honest
bill and lastly, by way of testing our sincerity,
Thanking privilege our mileage and our saar
Let us investigate all these. Let us prune with
unsparing hand; and when We get through We
exhibit to the public an important work of relM
ton, and a saving to the Government of million
dollars. After this we will then enter the Deg
ments, and wherever there is an abuse, lop it
Wherever there is dollar unnecessarily spent
it to the Treasury. Much can be done, even
but cannot go so much into detail We have
committees, who are better posted up on these
jects; they will aid US in making such reform
will not injure the public service.
The receipts from the present tariff, during
next fiscal year, will amount according to the
mates of the Treasurer, to about ffty-six million
lars; which, together with the receipts from p,
lands and miscellaneous sources, will make the
Of SOL 100000 This ought to be sufficient ar
properly and economically used, will be suiiicien
all the purposes of the Government.