Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-05-18

S94, 74.270-the exact amount that would
have been saved to the pockets of the people.
had the Democratic administrations of Pierce
in the publicexpenditures that was practised
by the Taylor and Fillmore administration
THE RESPONSIBILITY.
We have seen that during the Taylor and |
Fillmore administration there was no annual
increase of expenditures-that the aggregate |
expenditure of the two last years of that ad- |
ministration exceeded the aggregate of the |
two first years by only little over one mil |
lion ofdollars, and that the expenditure of the
second year was the highest of the four years.
We have seen that the enormous increase of
expenditure which has since taken place, COM
menced with the first year of President
Pierces administration, and has been going
on annually ever since-the expenditure of
each successive year exceeding that of the
preceding year by from four to seven millions
eff dollars it has run up from S43,554.-
1862 in the year ending the 30th of June, 1858,
to ST. ,9Ol, $50 in the year ending the 30th of
June, 1853
We have seen that during that entire period
of five years, the Executive Department of
the government in all its departments,
branches and ramifcations has been exclu-
sively conducted by Democratic functionaries
and officials.
We have seen that during that entire period
the Democrats had overwhelming majorities
in the Senate, and large or decided majorities
in the House of Representatives,, with the ex-
ception of the two sessions of the 34th Congress.
With that single and inconsiderable exception,
the De nocrats have had uninterrupted posses
sion of the House of Representatives for the
last eight wears, and of the Senate for still
longer period.
How, in view of these undelid6le facts, any
upright mind can hesitate one instant in adj
hitting and affirming the responsibility of the
Democratic party for the enormous increase
of the public expenditures during the last five
years. is utterly incomprehensible to us. 1t
was as party that the people confided to
them the conduct of public affairs, and as
party they are responsible for the discharge of
the high trust. We will quote a single Dem
ocratic authority on this point, not to estab-
lish the point, which is self-evident, but for
another purpose. That authority is one OF
the organs Of the Democratic party at Wash
ington-the States. On recent occasion it
said:
'.In point of fact the Executive department
is chiefly accountable for the amount and d.
rectiou of the public expenditure. This is
not the theory of the Constitution; but in
the progressive aggrandiZement of admins
trative power. Congress has come to perform
hardly any other service than to accord an
absolute sanction to the estimates of the EX-
ecutive. In truth, its Intervention is very
frequently invoked to vote supplies already
appropriated. :
Intelligent persons will at once admit the
impracticability of any plan or system of re-
trenchment which does not originate with the
Administration. The Executive officers make
up the estimates. They alone understand the
Indispensable wants OF government. They
alone know in what particulars reduction
of expense is possible. They initiate nearly
every scheme of appropriation they fix the
sum of compensation on contracts and for
service. They alone can say which eXpendi
ture is superhuous. and which essential to the
public interests. In view of these facts, it is
manitestly unjust TO hold Congress responsible
for the absence of economy in the Adminstra-
ton, except it can be shown that the Execu-
tive has vainly urged retrenchment.
In it's effect on the interest of the party, the
course of the Union is equally Objectionable
The harmony aud efficiency of the Democratic
organization cannot be promoted by inhlming
a feud between the Executive and the popu-
lar Representatives.. They are of the same
party, and no matter which is responsible
the burden Of blame falls at last on the Denocr0cy
To acquit the one at the others expense. is
simply to shift the weight from one shoulder
| Al
quence, however, that the reciprocal crimina-
tiOns of a Democratic Executive and Dem
ocratic Congress, will only advance the inter-
ests of the common adversary"
The burden OF the blame of the unparallel-
| ed extravaganza and enormous and unneces-
| sary increase of expenditures which have &C.
Cured during the last five years, falls at last,
says this Democratic organ, upon the DenocrG-
| co." no matter whether the chief responsible.
| ty rests with the Executive or the Legislative
| Departments of the Government. There is
much of truth in what the States here alleges
as to the responsibility of the Executive De-
partment of the Government. but it is not
| the whole truth. 1t does not go to
THE ROOT OF THE EVIL,
Which we will now proceed to lay bare.
The executive power has the custody of the
Treasury, and disburses all the moneys APP
prOpriated by Congress. 1t is responsible for
faithful, honest application of the funds
placed at its disposal by Congress. in the ex-
ecution of the laws, and for the objects for
which the appropriations are made. The true
! secret of the enormous and unnecessary in
crease in the public expenditures of late years
and the very root of the evil are to be found
| in an habitually wasteful, unfaithful, dishon-
est and corrupt application by the executive
power of a very large proportion OF the
funds placed in its hands by Congress to car
ry out the objects for which the appropria-
tons were made. On the subject of this
shameful misapplcation of the public money
we will cite one or two high Democratic au-
| thorities.
Hear Democratic Senator, Mr.. PUGH, OF
! Ohio, declaring on the floor of the Senate =
There must be abuses in the Navy-there
must be shameful profgacy at some place, if SIS
600 900 cannot give us navy that does not
even rise above the dignity of sham.'
Hear Mr.. CIIGMAN, one Of the Democratic
Senators from North Carolina, on the same
subject:
"a Democratic member of Congress from
the State of New York, in reply 10 a remar k
of mine about the large expenditure and
small return, told me that, in his opinion in
one of the navy yards, | shall not specify
which, t,eo-6hirds Of lte money ,eas logsted.''
Mr.. Pugh- II think that is very probable,
for il Is my experience, that ftnothi'ds Of The
money nc rOte for any purpose IS lrdsted."
Now, we ask, in the name of common sense,
If this enormous, habitual waste of the public
money does not necessarily imply corruption in