The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-07-20
EThe Cost ofgRecoilst

rs
Tho following is the principal part Of the
message Of the President concerning the ex-
penses of Reconstruction
In answer to that.portionI of the resolution
which inquiries whether the sum of money
heretofore appropriated, for carrying these Acts
into effect il probably sufficient, reforchcc is
made to the accompanying report of the Secre-
tary'of War. 1T will be seen from that report
that theappropriution of five hundred thousand
dollars made i'll the Act approved March 30,
1867, for,thc purpose of carrying into effect
the ';Act to provide for the more efficient gov.
crnment of the rebels States" passed March 2,
1867, and the Act supplementary, passed
March %, 1867, has already been expended by
the commanders Of tho several Military Dis
trcts, and that in addition the sum of 81 ,648,-
277 is required for present purposes. 80 'eeii
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 the Union are to
be dcposcd, and tlicir entire machinery is to be
placed under the exclusive control aud authori-
ty of the respective District Commanders, all
the expenditures incident to the administration
of such Governments must necessarily bc in
CURED by the Federal Government 1t is be-
licvcd that i'll addition to the S2,1O0. 600 al
ready expended or estimated for, the sum which
would be required for this purpose would not
be less than fourteen millions Of dollars-Athc
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 pro, 'sions Of these Acts. This SUN
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 Uuited States, by abol-
ishimS the existing State Governments, should
become responsible for liabilities incurred BY
them before the rebellion in la,,dabc efforts to
develop their resources. and in nowsc created
for insurrcctivnary revolutionary purposes.
The debts of these States, thus lcgitimatcly in
curTcd.' when accurately ascc,ttincd, WILL it is
believed, approximate hundrcd 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
the ljniou hut BY rcrso::s who arc the subjects
of foreign Governments 49,; 49,, worthy the ,.,.l.
sideratlo', Of Congress and the country whYth-
or; If the Federal Government by it's action
were to assume such obligations, so large an al-
Idtion 70 our public expenditures wouIu NOT
seriously impair the credit of the nation; or,
OH the ether hand, whether the refusal Of Con-
grcss IT, guarantee the payment of the debts of
these States. after having displaced or abolishcI
their State Governments would not be viewed
as u violation Of good faith, and Il population
by the National cs;slaturc of liabilities Which
these States had justly and legally incurred
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washington, ID. c. july ID, 1867.