Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-08-28
pohtital.
FIGURES foR EVERY CITIZEN


Cost of the RebeIiion-EBtire Receipts
and Expenditures for Seven Years
The Public Debt-Federal Taxation.
We have applied to official sources for
exact information on certain points Of con
siderable interest to the tax paving people
and the results Of our enquiries are en-
bodied in the statements annexed. Every
fact cited and figure repeated in this article
are taken from the Annual Reports Of the
Secretary of the Treasury, submitted to
Congress for the fiscal years ending respee-
lively and seriatinl from June 80, 1860 to
June 30, 1867, with the data for the year
ending in June last Ito be reported by the
Secretary to Congress in December next
which are from the recent official statement
of Commissioner WELLS, the authenticity
of which no man can question, and for tie
current year, ending June 80, 1869, from the
estimates Of the various departments, as re-
vised, cut down and appropriated for at the
last session. These appropriations, be II
re membered, limit all drafts upon the
Treasury, and not a dollar can be lawfully
expended beyond the authority thus given
By the representatives Of the people, and
the amounts thus authorized are therefore
assumed, under the uniform practice of the
Government from its earliest days, as max
ing the extent of probable expenditures.
We propose to show
1 The money cost Of the late rebellion, in
Guiding therein the expenses of the War and
Navy Departments, interest paid on the
public debt, the cost of Reconstruction and
of the Freedmen's Bureau, up to the period
when ali these expenses, except for interest
on the debt, shall have ceased.
III. The aggregate receipts and expendi-
lures of the Government for the eight years
ending June 80, '6l to June 80, 6S, inelu-
siye.
Ill Where the money came from, which
we have thus expended.
". How this money has been expended.
Y. i statement Of the Public Debt at va
rious periods from July /, 60, to August
l, '6S
VI The present condition Of our system
of Federal taxation.
We invite TO these statements the fullest
consideration Of every reader who is tax
payer, and challenge the most critical exam
ination of the figures submitted, in reference
/ to the official reports of sworn officers of the
+ Federal Government The widest and
most absurd Misrepresentation Of the real
state Of facts have been INDUCED in By Dem
I ocratic presses and public speakers, the
/ greater part Of whom err through simple
! ignorance, their incompetency to under
stand the details Of financial questions, or
/ their willful and reckless disregard Of the
truth. The country is already vocal with
( these persons, many Of them candidates for
I Office, for Congress and the State Legisla-
lures, who either knowingly and purposely
state what they know to be untrue, or who
exhibit degree Of ignorance and incapacity
not only disqCalifyiDg them for the positions
I they have the assurance and vanity to ask
for, but establishing their entire uuitness
to be trusted as political teachers, or to be
respected as men Of ordinary veracity and
( common sense
l. THE COST or TIE REBELLION.
EepRses Of the Var Department, Years
Ending J1ae 50h
ls62...-S S94, Sos, ,407 Se IS66.S 81, ,f4a,70I So
is63...-. 599, ,29s, 600 IS 1851. 95,2244I5 63
( ls64...-- 6s0,79l, S42 g. ls6s...- I23,24G6ss 62
! lS65...-. Io5I. .32S,360 7s -
Expenses for the year ending June Both,
1861, we're estimated at 1900, 900, for the
year ending June30th, 1869, there we're es-
timated and appropriated for, S33,0SI, ,IIS
4 small part Of this latter sum is estimated
for war claims remaining unpaid, bat we
will accept it as representing the proper ex-
penses Of that Department when peace shall
be fully restored, all the war debt Hquidated
into another form, and the military service
Of the Republic brought back to its normal
/ condition, commensurate with the material
growth Of the people. The Department
cost, for the year ending June S0th, 1850,
/ SIG, ,409, 767 10. 1t is fair to assume that
its proper expenses, had no rebellion or civil
disturbance required their expansion, would
have averaged, for the seven years from
July lst, 1861 to July lst, 1868, not over
i $4,000, 900 per annum. Deduct therefore
s2l0,000,o00 from the above aggregate and
I it leaves the proper expenses of the Rebel
hon ia that Department at $3,O0S, 702, :
OBS O2.
Expenses Of The Nary Depaameat-sanse
years.
( fs6f-'62 42.s74. $40 60
1862 % s321Ii05 q
1855 64 ...... 57S3 292 II
isss65 .-.....-.-...s.-...-....... I22.567,776 ~
1863 &c -...... 43,z24I lis 50
lS56-6s sl0S40It 04
ls676s 25,TT5 500 rs
Totsi..........-................. s2p.346 Is
Tha N.-,r, - srf 30 ~, ~ =, AZ, go,