Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-07-21
From the New York Herald. I
Income of the Government

tnat the lncomc ot the Government from n
sources Tor the fiscal year Which ended Satu
day, June ~, will reach the enormous sum
hve hundred and fifty millions of dollars. {
this three hundred and fifteen millions arc d,
rived from the internal revenue, and two hu,
dred and thirty-ive millions from other sour,
es. 0pe hundred and seventy millions cnu
rom customs Five or six years ago, iu.
previous to tho war, the total income of Il
government, and consequently the cxpcnd
lures, did not reach one-scventh or one eight
OF this SUN. Sixty or seventy millions YEA
wos considered then large revenue. Wha
revolution in our financial affairs as we'll \
N our social and political condition, With,
the brief period of few years The customs
yield nearly three times the amount of our en-
tire revenue anterior to the war. One hun
drcd and seventy millions year in the wa,
OF duties on foreign importatons ought to b,
protection enough to home manufactures yc
we hear the rich manufacturers of New Eng
land and Pennsylvania crying out Justify 70,
more 1t is timc that the masses of the pco
pIe--thc consumers who have to pay this in
increased high prices, and that the great az
rlcultuinl interests of the West and Middle
States, and of the South, if it had voice in
the matter, should look into system of lcpis
latlon that benefits a few and particular sec.
ton at the expense Of the rest of the country.
Congress has been for some time, and is now,
under the control of New England and Penn.
syIvana protcctonists 1t will be we'll for the
mass OF the people everywhere, and particu-
larry IN the West, to remember this at the ap.
preaching Congressional elections This great
country notwithstanding its many and varied
interests, has been governed long enough for
the benefit of one class and small section.
The statement Of such an extraordinary
amount of revenue must be highly gra,fyin
to every American, for it shows the wonirful
resources of the country, and our ability to
meet without difficulty all our liabilities, or to
pay the entire national debt within q rcasona
bic period. These resources, too, will.incrcasc
less weighty, it VIC nave pvausu,A.L .Iec".nn
Union, and if our finances be properly man
aged. But with all these mcans and wealth,
with all our capabilities and the. bright pros
poet before us, We may throw away tho advan-
tages VIC possess, and be plunged into bank.
ruptcy and ruin. The mbccility, corruption
evils we have most to fear. The members of
the present Congress are, for the most part,
as ignorant of the duties of legislation, and
especially of national finances as children
They are mere local politicians and cannot
raise themselves up to the height of great ma
tional or international questions. Their Wis.
ion is limited to mere party politics and their
own selfish schemes.
Any one who has taken notice of their pro.
ccedings during the present session can come
to no other conclusion. Then, as to corrup-
tion and reckless extravaganza, we have only
to look over the list of bills passed and before
that body to be convinced that it is the most
corrupt and reckless Congress that ever sat in
Washington. Tens of millions arc appropria-
ted with less thought or consideration than a
few thousand dollars were in former times,
and that for the most Infamous jobs. The
very atmosphere of Washington recks with
corruption We st,te what is notorious tc
every one acquainted with that city or watch
/ cs what is going on there. Here, then, lies
the danger, that all our resources may be dis
sipatcd and only help to make a corrupt ant
cxtravagant Congress more corrupt and reck
less still. Our only hope is in the people
is, that they will be sufficiently enlightened t.
return at tho forthcoming elections diflcren
and better set of men.
But we not only need thorough chang
in Congress, but want more capable admins
trativc officers. Mr.. MeCulloch, doubtless, i
very respectable man and good country bank
or, but can he grasp the vastsubjcct of ma
tional finance? Oh, how much in need O
statesmen is this great country. Imagine
man like Mr.. Gladstone having the control q
orr rasources-of an income of five hundrc
and fifty millions and what would he do wit
it? Taxation would be lightened, our lcga
tender currency would soon be at par wit
gold, and tho national debt would be but
triAc, and would be put in process of liquids
tion at once Our actual situation may b
compared to that of rioh argosy freighte
full of tho most valuable treasure, but in tn
hands Of incapable efioers and a stupid Grew
We ought to begin to retrench in every d
partment of tho Government, and reduce th
q revenue down to three hundred millions. tt
liking two hundred and fifty millions ye'
from the burden of taxation would bo an in
a mense relief. Three hundred millions ougl
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