The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-25
APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE ARMY.
SPEECH OF non. RAUsEN DAVIS,

IA As On ptisg appropriations or he fmgj derd ~ the
HDpss " RPreeaaftes, fa,SDayy IL, 1882
The us suspended and the House resolved itself
into the Committee Of the Whole on the state Of the
tlnlon tsfr JoDN cocnRASg in the chair and resumed
the confederation of the bill "a II No GG7) making
appropation COR the support of the army for the year
ending Jane 30, 1860
The CHAIRMAN. If there be no objection, the FIRST
reading OF the bill VIII be dispensed with.
Mr. SEWARD. object
The bin read a firNt time
Tue Clerk then proceeded TO read the bin by para.
rraphs flr amendment -
Mr. DAVIS of Mississippi, said
Mr cnARMsS, the gentleman from Virginia Mr..
G,nNErrI made aidi, - to The House few days ago
which propose to-day to examine and review. lie sot
ont With the declaration thn Nr Calhoun had said that
alrountres divided into two classes the tax pay
e,s and the consumers and he announced that he ar
yd himself the side Of the tix-payeTs yeiy natu-
mi because believe that is the strong side Of the ques
lion But ana not certain that MIR Calhoun on the
gentleman right especially in regard to its appl cation
d, this government Who are the taxpayers OF this
country The people Who consume the taxes The
people through their agents OF whom the gentleman
NOM virginia Is one Tho paid by the people
for their owa benefit or the purpose of sustaining this
government for the purpose Of deinyng The expenses
incident to the machinery of government Taxes are
not paid here they are paid in monarchcs, and IN
Countries where the government is not republican con-
soneutly the distinction drawn y The gentleman is in
correct 50 ctr people na government afc CON
cerncd The gentleman himself is taxpayer and Is
also a tax-consumcr and regard as improper the et-
fo.t made by him this floor to array one portion ot
the people against another That gentleman pays his
share Of for the support of the government, and he
consumes his proper por ton Of the taxes also
However that is not the subject to Which desire to
direct The att non Of the n'mittec to-day ID Is to
the charge extrnyagancc preferred by the gentleman
from Virginia against the drmoGatic party. IL is
true II is made direct, but by isinuation yet no
less Objectionable He undertakes to sustain il by con-
tn.stin the last year Of Mr. Fmores administration,
1852 53 which he put down at Si2 5ii 2G2 With the
present fiscal year Of MFR buchanan administration, the
expenditure which S7I,492, SOS. The motives Of
the gentleman in making this contrast may be satisiacto
~ to himself, to they shrouded in mystery Which
only the revelations of the future dispc BY us il Is
felt the pungeny, the dagger with Which the
wound is inflicted found in tho uid of friend 1t
does the democratic party great injustice, as will pres
entity show whist it hestows cuugy upon enemies
to which they are not entitled
This contrast il sustained by argument well ccn-
lated msead the popular mind. Ii is this The gem
tIsnan says That the territory o the United States
tue same in 1852 that Is, with the addition Of The
Guisen Purchase and therefore ners there is
why the expenditures should have increased. Do you
see Mr. Chairman, how deceptive this Argument is Z
The gentleman has suppressed the important fact that
although the territory is the the machinery Of gov
ernnent has increased beyond all comparison with any
previous decade in the history OF this any other co'
try About eight additional States and Territories were
admitted into the Union about that time and since, all
which have been Of great additional expense to
the government California not until about that
time hny expense TO it requires about 50 000,
GOO annually To supply her with mail facilities besides the
costs of her Indian Then there is Oregon uiah
New Mexico Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, &c
Then look at the cost Of marching and coun
marching armies this vast region Of country
in suppression Of Indian hostites and defending nr
frontiers against their agressions The admission Of
these States and the organization Of these Territories liz
not ciagcahe to the democratic party than to the
opposition. The President and his cabinet could not
have done IT, and did not 1t was the act of Congress
he penflc 10 have talxr
into consideration, aud should not nave withheld them
especially as lie, democrat making these important
charges against his party What motive has actua
ted him cannot determine. Docs the gentleman desire
to destroy the party in order save himself ut home
Loyalty required that he should have stood by those
whose battles he commissioned to fight and shared
their fate in victory and defeat shall not be guilty Of
the ucharitabl.ness to suspect him for this motive 1t
to be found, apprehend, in real desire to promote
reform and encourage retrcnchment; but he should have
had due regard 10 furnishing the popular mind with all
the facts
The gentleman says that while the expenses Of the
government only S43, 900 900 in 1852 3d. they
reach in lS5T5s S7l 000 900, and thst the estimates
for the next fiscal year about the same auG then he
asks, any gentleman pretend that it is fair, that it
isjnst that il legitimate, that the expcnsex OF this
government, in time OF profound peace, should have
doubled in six years Now, let us examine the reab
iy Of this comparison of remote years and see il it af
iors just foundation for the charge of cxtravagancc
IN 1882 5i the expenses Of the government Si3
600 000 in 1853 81, 35I 600 600 in 1854 55 they
$50 900 600 in 1858 so they were $50 900 900
and in 1856 81 they SOL 900 600 and this is the
year when the opposition had majority upon this floor
had the control of the legislation Of the country de
tested the democratic party with fcndisli magnity and
would if il had been possible, exposed extra,agance
aud reduced the expenses OF the governments but instead
oi,ucing, they Increased 81 900 900 and reck
leSsy Adjourned Congress without making provisions for
the support Of The army. M
Mr. GROW would like 20 ask how The army b
passed at lust
AIR DAVIS Of Mississippi Wei. perhaps some Of
yoar votes did help TO la t hnsll;;, ss IL after
called session.
Mr. MORGAN IwouId say 10 the gentleman that
the largest vote that Che opposition a in that Congre
was one hundred and thrre out of two hundred and
!hniy three ipsinbers How docs that make
ionlYi
Ar RAYIs, Of Mississippi You had the organization
ai ihis iieuse, You elected the Speaker.
MI MohaAN BY plurality only. We never had
majority
Nj DAVIS, OF Mississippi should like TO know
how you succeeded in elccting your Speaker by pu.
Mr. MORGAN ny the votes of democrats, Who gave
Us the plurality rule
Nj DAVIS, OF Mississippi. II has always been uodor-
stood and the record shows the fact that there was
majority upon this floor opposed to the democratic, ,,,rtv
LIDO not know whether that majority was composed on.
tfely Of black ck-relulcans Of adcs and abctors but
There was majority opposed to the democratic admins
tfation ant 70 the dclnncriaic party
Now then sir, during that memorable year the sum OF
900 was expended or the support of he govern
ment Ani wlyit is my friend fou Virginia dill not
discover The important fact that this increase in The
expenses Of The government Is uo cargcaulc aenc TO the
democratic party am unable To tell
sh'' sir nm not airaignnB The opposition or these
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