The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-12-24
$679,S25,l25

Amount paid for Alaska 1900, 900
Total $679, S25, l25
After giving these figures, the Secre-
tary says:
TT is thus shown that within period
of three years and seven months, the
revenues or tie receipts from all sources
of revenue reached the enormous sum of
1862. 1876, O62. and that $3.50. All, l25
we're paid on debts which were actually
due at the close of the war, and for boun-
ties which, like the pay of the army, were
. part of the expenses Of the war. Ad-
ding the amount thus paid to the debt
rs exhibited by the books of the Treasury
on the lst day of April, 1865, it appears
that the debt of the United States at that
time was $2,997, 1856 203, and that the
actual reduction has been $40, 250.6
and but for the advances to the Pacific
roads, and the amount paid for Alaska,
would have been S5l9, $50, GOO.
From these official statements it will be
seen that the war debt, on the first of
: April, 1865, was almost $3,OO0,OOO, 900
and that it has been reduced by the pro-
ceeds of taxes, $500, 100000. But the
interest that has been paid on that debt
and the money expended for pensions are
part and parcel of the cost of the war
The interest has averaged $40, 900, 900
. year since the close of the war, and the
pensions 500, 10000 which, for three
years and seven months, amounts to $685.
100000. Add this sum to the $500, 43l,-
125 of war debts paid. and the total maks
$l,2l3. 73l, 1875. which, being deducted
from the whole amount procured by tax
Is and sale of war materials, viz, 81,
662. 1876, 062, the balance is S44S, 765, 93S,
rs the amount expended in three years
and seven months for all purposes except
reduction of debt, payment of interest
and pensions, or an actual average of
$l2l, 900, 900 per annum in currency,
which, with gold at 40, represents an
annual expenditure of Ss7,070.0OO in
coin This covers all that has been paid
out for reconstruction purposes for sup
port of the Freedmen Bureau; expen-
ses Of collecting the internal revenue,
which alone costs from eight to ten mil
lions year the cost of the Indian wars
In lS66-7-S, and of the extra number of
troops required in the South to preserve
order and peace.
Turning to the report of the Secretary
of the Treasury for 1867, we find on page
$50 statement of the expenses of the
government under the Democratic ad-
ministeration of the pure and loved
Buchanan, viz,
For 1857, in geld $7l.274. 5S7
For 1853, In gold $4,000, lS6
For 1889, in gold S3,67S, GA
For 1860. in gold 77,055, l25
The amount paid for pensions averaged
but $1'l2O, 600 per annum, and the inter
est on the debt, $2.l5O,OOO per annum
The Union then numbered eight millions
of inhabitants less than it does now,
showing that the expenses of the govern
mont for the past three years and half
aside from the cost of the war, interest
and pensions. is less per inhabitant than
it was under the much Wanted economi-
cal Democratic administration of Buchan-
m. But we are not claiming that ex-
penses may not be largely reduced.
General Grant will most certainly cut
them down considerably !; but we do not
insist that the hue and cry Of ''extrava-
gance and profigate waste of money!
raised by Seymour and his party during
the late canvass, had no better basis than
eleotioneering SANDER and partisan