The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-12-18

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Consultation. The act Of March, 1857
making an appropriation for the sup.
| port of the army for the year ending
June 80, 1867, and for other purposes
cohthihs provision which fnterferes
with the Presidents Constitutions
functions as 0mmalfder-in.chief of the
army and navy. 'illsl3 'Hl i'l 3 "
It is believed that the repeal of all
such laws would be accepted by the
American people az Mt least a partial re.
turn to the fundamental principles ol
the government, and an indication that
hereafter the Constitution Is TO be made
a safe and unerring guide, while they
can be productive Of no permanent bene.
fit to the country, and should not be
permitted to stand as SO many monu.
ments Of the deficient wisdom which
has characterized our recent legislation
THE FINANCES.
The consideration of our finances de.
mand the earnest consideration of Con.
gress. Compared with the growth OF
our population, the public expenditures
have reached an unprecedented amount
The population of the United States in
1870 was nearly four millions of people.
Increasing each decade about 30 per
cent, it reached in 1860 thirty-one mil
lions, an increase of 700 per cent. on the
population in 1870. In 1863 it is esti.
mated that 1t will reach thirty-eight
millions, or an increase of 868 per cent.
in seventy-nine years. The annual ex-
penditures of the Federal Government
in 1791 were $4,200,OO0; in 1920, $1O,-
100000; in 1850, Sal 100000; in 1860,
500, 100000; in 1865, nearly S1,3OO,O 900,
coo; in 1869, 1t is estimated by the Sec
retary of the Treasury, in his last annual
report, that they will be $372, 100000.
1t will be seen that the increase of ex.
penditure since the beginning of the
Government has been 8,618 per cent,
while the increase of the population for
the same period was only S6S per cent.
Again, the expenses Of the Government
in 1860, the year of peace immediately
preceding the war, were only $61 600
600, while in 1869, the year of peace,
three years after the war, it is estimated
they will be S372,0OO,O O,OOO-an increase
of 4S9 per cent, while the increase of
population was only 81 per cent. for the
same period. These statistics further
show that in l79l the annual national
expenses compared with the population
were little more than one dollar per
capita, and in 1860 but two dollars per
capita, while in 1860 they will reach the
extravagant sum of nine dollars and
seventy-eight cents per capita. 1f
1t will be observed that all of these
statements refer to the exhibit Of the
disbursements of peace periods. Itmay,
therefore, be of interest to compare the
q vi op1st,.poc - \
the war with Great Britain, the Mexican
war, and the war of the rebellion. In
1914 the annual expenditures incident
to tho war of 1872, reached their highest
amount about thirty-one millions, willie
our population slightly exceeded eight
millions, showing an expenditure of
only three dollars and eighty cents per
capita. In 1849 the expenditures grow
ing out of the war with Mexico, reached
fifty-four millions, and the population
about twenty-onc millions, giving only
two dollars and sixty cents per capita
for the war expenses of that year. In
1865 the expenditures called for by the
rebellion reached the vast amount of
twelve hundred and ninety millions,
which, compared with the population
of thirty-four millions, gives thirty.
eight dollars and twenty cents per capi-
ia. From the 4th day of March, 1883 to
the Both of June, 1861, the entire expen-
ditures of the Government were seven
teen hundred millions of dollars. Dur
ing that period we were engaged in
wars with Great Britain and Mexico,
and were involved in hostilities with
powerful Indian tribes. Louisiana was
purchased from France at cost of $15,-
.OO0,OO0. Florida was cedcd to the Uni
ted States by Spain for $5,O0O.000 Cali
fOrnia was obtained from Mexico for
S15,O0O,OO0, and the territory of New
Mexico was obtained for the sum of
$10OO0,O00. Early in 1861 the war of
the rebellion commenced, and from the
LIST of July, of that year, to the 3Oth of
June, 1868, the public expenditures
reached the enormous aggregate of
$1,000, 100000. Three years of peace
have interviewed. and during that time
the disbursements of the Government
have successively been five hundred and
twenty millions, three hundred and for
ty-six millions and three hundred and
sevcnty-three millions. Adding to these
amounts three hundred and seventy-two
millions estimated MS necessary for the
fiscal year ending the 3Oth of June, 1869,
we obtain total expenditure of sixteen
hundred millions of dollars during the
four years succeeding tho war, or nearly
as much as was expended during the
seventy-twO years that preceded the re-
belliOn, and embracing the extraordi-
nary expenditures already named.
These facts clearly illustrate the ne
cessity of retrcnchment in all branches
of the public service. Abuses which
were tolerated during the war for the
preservation, will not he endured by
the people now that profound peace
prevails.
The receipts from internal revenues
and customs have dnring the past three
years gradually diminished, and the
continuance OF useless and extravagant
expenditures, will involve us in nation
al bankruptcy, or else make inevitable
an increase Of taxes already too enor
nous, or in many respects obnoxious on
account of their character. One hun
dred millions annually are expended for
the military force, large portion of
which is employed in the execution Of
laws both unnecessary and unconstitu-
tiOnal One h n rod nd A ffv min inns are