The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-11-11

rebellion. sac.
! In the 81; spring of 1861 the war of
tho rebellion commenced. Each Year
Of its: continuance made all enormous
addition to the debt !: 50 that whcn, in
the spring Of 1865, tho nation success
fully emerged from the dreadful con
J Aict, the obligations Of the govern
mcnt had reached the vast amount of
ltwonty-six hundred millions. They
had not yet, however, attained their
highest point; for, when the army and
navy, had been paid, the volunteer
forces disbahded, qnd tho navy large
! ly reduced, it w@s found, in February.
1866, that our indebtedness exceeded
| twenty eight hundred millions Of dol
\ lars. ~
Having thus referred to the indcbt.
| edness of tho government at various
periods of its existence, it may be
woll to call attention to a brief state
ment of facts connected with it's cx-
penditures.
FroM the fourth day Of March,
| 1889, to tho thirtieth of Juno, 1861,
tho entire public, expenditures were
seventeen hundred millions of dollars.
Although covering g period ,of, soSoM>
ty.tMo years, this amount seems small
when compared with, the expenses Of
the government, duriEg .hc recent war
or four years duration; for, from the
first of July, 1861, to the Thrift ,th of
June, 1885,. they reashed the enor.
nous aggregate of thirty.thrcc hiih:
drcd millions of dollars. An tnvcs.
tigation into tho disbursements since
the, first day of July, 1865, further
shows, that by adding to tho expcndi-
lures Of The last three years the csti-
mated costs of administering tho gov.
crnmcntfor tho year ending the thir-
tieth of June, 1869, wo obtain the sum
Of sixteen hundred millions of dollars
as the amount required for the four
years; imme iatoly following tho ccssa-
tion of hostilitics, or nearly us much
as was expended during the seventy
two years that preceded tho war.
1t Will be seen, from this brief re-
view, that from 1871 Co 1861 our pub
JIG debt #ah ut no time more than one
hahdrea ,Ana. ;tWenty.soyen millions of
dollafs,while subsequently, four years
of civil war expanded it to twenty
| sight hundred millions. & IT, will a,sa
be perceived that while; pri5t to 1861,
| heilargest annual disbursement was
not quite seventy-four millions for
the'yc 1858, the expenditures dur.
Ing the last thrcS years Of, peace have
successfully Pcen five hundred and
twenty millions, three hundred and
| forty-six millions, and three hundred
and nipotX-threS biillions-t hire c
hundred and q soyenty-tw6 :. millions
being the amount Which it is estimated
will bc necessary for. tic year ending
{ the thirtieth Of June next.
In making, this; comparison, we
: should remember, ,tliat during, the long
interval between 1885 and, 1861 the
| government was frequently required
to make Expenditures of an extraoydi-
nary characters. large sums were
paid to Indfans as. ,annuitics, and for
the purchase Of their. lands, and ex-
1 ponsiyo wars wore iwaged against pow.
{ Icrful tribes, Louisiana was acquired
. fssomm Eraheo at ascost Of fifteen mil
, lions Of dollars; Flofidas IN considors!
tioit.of fte,hdillions was coded to us
! by Spain; California became a part Of
!! our possessions on payment to Mexico
of fifteen fii{lll596$s Willie f9g teG s,hil-
!: lions Soif goysrHmeht Secured, from
;, Texas TIC territory Of New Moxico.
| nnr;po +i,noo Eorsoaa ~ DIV fkt.to.,S,
we were also engaged, III wars with
Great Britaih ahd McXico--tho first
waged5against' ono tho most powerful
} nations Of dftheiRorldsth.o. other made
additionally expensive by the prose.
cution of military operations in the
eneniy's territory, tslfs
! The startling facts, thus concisely sta,
Sed, suggest All inquiry as TO the cause O
this imiiense increase in the expendi
|. lures and Indebtedness Of the country
, Durlng the civil war the maintenance 9
. the Fedora Government was the one
] great purpose that animated our people
and that egonoply which ,sllonla always
claracterize o,ir, financial operations VA.
: overlooked in The create effort of the ma
j tion topressrve its existence. Many
labiises, which had their origin in tli'
. E%ar,, contlnuedto to oxistlong afteriL hae
; Ebeen' en'bromsbtsto a;8triumpbanta conclu
Esion, and The people having become &C
, egstoniod to a lavish expenditure Of lll,
] Ipublicsmoney for an object 80 dear 1 !,
themiss tlle, Observation-Disclosures integri
) ltyReftheir free jnStitGtipns, have patient