The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-07-20
THE Cost of sReco obstruction.

-
The following is the principal part of the
message of the President concerning the cx.
penses Of Reconstruction:
In answer to that'portion' os The resolution
which inquiries whether the sum of money
heretofore appropriated for carrying thcsc Acts
into effect il probably sufficient, refofehco is
made to the accompanying report of the Secre-
tary of War. 1t will be seen from that report
that the appropriation of five hundred thousand
dollars made in the Act approved March 30,
1867, for,th purpose Of carrying into effect
the Act to provide for the more cfficicnb gov.
crnment of the rebel States" passed March 2,
1867, and the Act supplementary, passed
March 23, 1867, has already been expended by
the commanders of the several Military Dis
tricts, and that in addition the sum of 81 .64S,-
277 is required for present purposes. So ;e4!
1t is exceedingly difficult, at the present
time, to estimate the probable expense Of carry
ing into full effect the two Acts of March last,
and the Bill which passed the two houses of
Congress on the 18th instant. IF the existing
Governments of ten States Of tho Union are to
be dcposcd, and tlicir entire machinery is to be
placed under the exclusive control and authori-
ty of the respective District Commanders all
the expenditures incident to the administration
of such Governments must necessarily be in
| CURED by the Federal Governments 1t is be.
licvcd that i'll addition to the 81, 100. 900 al
ready expended or estimated for, the sum which
would be required for this purpose would not
be less tlEn fourteen millions Of dollars-thc
aggregate amount expended prior to the re-
bcllion, i'll the administration Of thoir respcc-
tive Governments by the ten States embraced
i'll the provisions Of these Acts This sum
would no doubt be considerably augmented if
the machinery of these States is to be operated
by the Federal Government, and would be
largely increased if the United States, by abol-
ishiny the existing State Governments, should
become responsible for liabilities incurred by
| them before the rebellion. in laudabc efforts to
develop their resources. and in nowisc created
for nsurrcctivnary or revolutionary purposes
The debts of these States, thus lcgitnatcly i'll
cured, when accurately ascc,taincd, will, it is
believed, approximate hundred millions Of
dollars: and they arc held not only by our own
citizens. among whomarc residents Of portions of
lie country which have ever remained loyal to
thc, Union. hut by rcrso::s who arc the subjects
of foreign Governments i. :, :. worthy the c.,i-
sidcration of Congress and the country whYth-
err If the Federal Government by its action.
were to assume such obligations, so large IN ad-
'ltion 70 our public expenditures would not
seriously impair the credit of the nation; or,
on the other hand, whether the refusal Of Con-
grcss to guarantee the payment of the debts Of
these States, after having displaced or abolishcI
their State Governments. would not be viewed
as violation Of good faith, and il reputation
BY the National l.c. stature Of liabilities which
these States had justly and legally incurred
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washington, ID. c. July Is, 1867.