The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-07-12

There are some items Of expenses, too,
which you have omitted. There's the
$50, 900, 900 recently passed to settle up
Cameron's ackounts. Then there is a
500, 100000 of outstandin debts. Then
there was SIC, 100000 extra, given to tie
navy for iron clad boats Then there is
500 bounty to each soldier, which, by
the time the war is over, will amount to
500, 100000 any how. Then there is
81, 100000 given to buy the niggers in
this District. Let us see now how much
that makes. I'll add it up $3.50, 000,-
600 which, added to the $700,000,000,
makes $95O,OOO,OOO, as the present
debt Uncle Sam has on his shoulders
You might jest as we'll call it THOU
SAND MILLION OF DOLLARS and be done
with it."
When I got through, the Seckatary
looked amazln red in the face, and ses he,
"Majer, the truth is, where .ther is SO
many people spendin money it's nifty hard
to keep track of all the items" Wal,
ses I, there amt only one more pint on
which want to show you you have made
a mistake. In December last you calke-
lated that the war expenses for 1868
would be $36O,OOO,0O0, but the House
has already passed bills for the army
amounting to 520,000,0O0. Then you
thought, Mr.. Seckatary, that the war
would be ended by July, but here it is
about that time, and we only seem to be
jest fairly getting into the shank Of the
fight.
oval, to tell the truth, Majer, this war
has disappointed the hull Of us, but think
I havn't been so foolish as Seward. |
never sed it would end in sixty days."
"That's So" ses I, "but you see there's
nothin like tellin the truth rite out, and
its allus very bad to deceive the people on
money matters. You may love the mig
gers, Mr.. Seckatary, as much as you
want to, but don't try to pull the aoooI over
white folks eyes, or let other people do
it, for it will break down the administra-
ton as sure as my name is Majer Jack
Downing"
oval" ses he, "Majer, that's so, and
when | send in my next report I'm goin
to jest speak rite out. I've tried to do
my best to keep down expenses, but I
cant, and when I get another chance
I'm goin to put the blame where it be-
longs"
SEES I, CHATS rite, Mr.. Seckatary.-
Don't let the raskils git clear without
bein exposed. But eff you undertake to
cover up their tracks you will come out
jest as old Squire Biddle did in that Uni
ted States Bank matter"
/ then bid the Ssckatary "good mornin''
and started back to the White House.
He was very perlite to me, and sed he
hoped the President and me would look
at the subject favorably. / telled him
that the Kernelwould do what was jest rite,
and that eff he would only keep sharplook
out on the plunderers and stealers I
would be his friend till death. He sed
he would, and we shook hands and parted.
Wen got back Linkin sotina cheer fast
asleep, with his feet up on label Igiv
the label rap with my hickory, and the
Kernel stratened up jest like openin
jack nife, and ses he, twas j asleep; Ma
jer 7" eyes, jest as solid as sawlog.-
What on arth makes you Sleep" SEES
'srite in the middle Of the day :" "Wal,"
ses he, "Majer, the truth is, | was readin
the Nashinal Intelligence? r aSure enuf,
ses |, "that's worse than opium" "But,"
ses be, "what about the finances n Then
I showed him the slate, and how / had
fgered up the debt, and told him all Ised
to Mr.. Chase. Irsver see man SO fus-
trated as Linkin was.
"Wal," SEES he, "Majer, Elf I was only
back to Illinoy safe and sound, you would
never ketch me runnin for President agin.
had no idee that the debt was anything
| like this. But eff the music has to be
faced, I'll face it. There's one thing,
Majer, that we've got the advantage Of
any other administrative in. We ken say
that this debt was q military necessity 7
That cuts off debate. " wal SEES T,
ssKernel, perhaps the people win be satis-
fed with that, and perhaps they won
ANY how, that won't make il any easier
to pay che taxis"
HWal, |" SEES Linkin, sswe'll leave that
subject to posterity.D SEES ], ssis that
fair, Kernel, to burden posterity ID that
fashun :" ssWall, \ ses be, whats pos
Itesity ever done for Us 4"
sHhe Kernel chen took down the fggers
oif my slato in his book, an 'sed he would
KEEP EN- for bis mex message.
Then Linkin sea hc, Major, you've