The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-10-28
EXECUTIVE MANSION,

ing Il the letter In full:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. %, 1868.
DEAR SIR:--In recent conversation up.
on the subject of finances, you expressed a
desire to be furnished with some of the
leading facts, then mentioned, touching the
national expenditures and the public debt.
now comply with your request regret.
ting, however, that other and more pressing
matters have prevented me from more clear.
ly illustrating the absolute necessity for an
immediate reform in the financial operations
Of the government.
In l776 our national independence was
proclaimed and, after an exhaustive bloody
struggle, Of seven years, was, in 1888, &C.
knowledged by the parent government In
1887 the federal constitution was framed,
and in 1889 the government went into ope
ration under its provisions, burdened with
debt Of $75,O00,O00, created during the war
of the revolution. Immediately upon the
organization Of congress, measures we're de-
yised for the payment Of the national obi.
CATION, and the restoration Of the public
credit; and when in 1873, war was declared
against Great Britain, the debt had al.
ready been reduced to $45, 100000. 1t was
then largely increased by the three.years
struggle that ensued between the two ma.
| tions, until, in 1916, it had reached the sum
| OF 1927 100000. Peace again established,
| provision was made for the earliest practica.
BILE liquidation Of the Indebtedness, in order
that 1t might not become permanent in.
cumbrance upon the people. Under wise
and economical legislation, the entire
amount was paid in period Of twenty
years; and the extinguishmeut Of the na.
tional debt filled the land with rejoicing,
and was one Of the great events OF Presl.
dent Jsckson's administration. Even after
its payment, a large fund remained in the
treasury, which for safe keeping was depos
tied with the several states, On condition
that it should BE- returned when required b,
b the public wants.
In ls49, the year after the termination 0
an expensive war with Mexico, we fouu,
ourselves involved in a debt of $6i 900 900
aud this was the amount owed by the gov
eminent in 1860, lust prior TO the outbreak
Of tle rebellion. In the spring Of 1861, the
: war of the rebellion commenced. Each
year of its continuance made an enormous
addition to the debt; so that, when, in the
spring of 1865, the nation successfully
emerged from the dreadful conflict, the obi
cations Of the government had reached the
. vast amount Of $4,000, 100000. They haC
4 not yet, however, attained their highes
point for, when the army and navy had
been paid, the volunteer forces disbanded,
and the navy largely reduced, it was found,
in February, 1866, that our Indebtedness ex.
ceeded $2,SO0,000 900
Having thus referred to the Indebtedness
Of the government at various periods Of TIA
! existence, il may be well TO call attention in
a brief statement Of facts connected with
its expenditures From the 9TH day Of
March, 1889, to the Goth day of June, 1861
q the entire public expenditures were $l700,
, 100000. Although covering period Of u
j years, this amount seems small when com
b pared with the expenses Of the government
y during the recent war Of four years dura
ton, which, from the lst day of July, 1861,
to tho Both of June, 1868, reached the
enormous aggregate of $4,000, 100000. An
! investigation into the disbursementssince the
. lst day Of July, 1865, further shows that,
by adding to the expenditures of the last
three years, the estimated cost Of admins
, terng the government for the year ending
! on the Both of June, 1869, we obtain the
/ sum of 81 900, 600, 900 as the amount re.
= quired for the four years Immediately fol.
lowing the cessation Of hostilites,--or near.
o ly as much as was expended during the Y
d years that preceded the war.
e 1t will be seen, from this brief review,
!. that from 1871 to 1851 our public debt was
at no time more than l27,000000; while,
subsequently, four years of civil war OK
= pauded it to $2,S00, 100000. 1t will also be
perceived that, while prior to 1861, the larg
est annual disbursement was not quito $7i,.
6 000, 600, for the year of 1853, the eXpendi.
, lures during the last three years of peace
] have, successfully, been $500, OO0, 600; $346,.
+ 100000; and $393,000,000; 1872, 00O,O
being the amount which it is estimated will
be necessary for the year ending on the 3Oth
3 of June next.
In making this comparison we should re.
, member that during the long interval be
tween 1889 and 1861, tho government was
ot frequently required to make expenditures o
1t an extraordinary character. Large sums
., were paid to the Indians, rs annuities, and fol
the purchase of their land. Expensive wars
were wRged against powerful tribes; land
J. was acquired from France at cost Of So,
A. 100000 Florida. in consideration Of So,
10 000,0 600 was ceded to the United States b,
SPAIN; California became part of our pos
sessions, on payment to Mexico of $4,000,
600 while for $l0.000,O00 our governmen
~ secured from Texas the territory Of New
is Mexico. During these periods Of our histo
IN ry We were also engaged in wars with Gres
n. Britain and Mexlco-the FIRST waged sgsins
one OF the most powerful nations of thu
- world; the other made additionally expen
le sive by the prosecution of military opera
IS tons in the enemys territory.
o. The startling facts thus concisely stated
suggested an inquiry as to the cause of thi
rs increase in the expenditures and indebted
p ness of the country during the civil war
C The maintenance of the federal goverumen
was the one great purpose that animate
our people, and the fact that econom
should always characterize our financial OF
d rations was overlooked in the great effort
d of the nation to preserve its existence
= Many abuses, which had their origin in tn
war, continued to exist long after it had bee,
e brought to a triumphant conclusion and tn
s people, having become accustomed to q Law
ish expenditure of public money for an OBJ
ject so dear TO them as the preservation 0
:. the integrity of their free institutions, having
f patiently borne taxation of the most oppres
=. sive character, large sums Of money contn
ed to be extorted from them and squAndered
in useless and extravaganza expenditures
J. Enormous expenditures are demanded fol
's purposes, the accomplishment of which re
quires a large standing army. The subver
e sion Of the constitution and the subjugator
le of the states to negro domination with mil
te itsry establishment, costing in time of peace
al not less than $lO0, 100000 annually, and a
debt, the interest upon which draws from the
treasury each year nearly $4,000, OOO,-