The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1868-12-21


militia.
These provisions should be at orce au-
nailed, for while the first might, in times
Of great emergency, seriously emGarrass
the Executive in the cflort 10 employ
and direct the cammon strength OF Tie
nation Tor its protection ard preservation,
the other is contrary 10 the express dccla-
ration OF the Constitution that . well reg
u'a;cd militia being necessary 10 III" secp-
ri'y Of free State. inc right Of 'le peo-
pic to keep and bear arms shall not Be- in
iringld. IL is believed that the repeal Of
all .ucl; laws wsuii be accepted by the
American people as, at least, partial re-
turn to the fundamental principles of the
government, and an indication that here
after the Constitution is to bc made tie
nations $ afe and uncrling guide. They
cali be productive Of no permanent bcne-
&; to the country, and >houldEot be per.
mit:cd to stand rs so many monuments Of
;hc deficient wisdom which has character
iaed cur recent legislation.
rAcrs froM our FINANCIAL HISTORY.
The condition of our finances demands
the early NJ d earnest attention of Con-
gress. Compared with the growth of our
population, public expenditures have
reached an amount unprecedented in our
history. The population Of the United
States in 1890 was nearly four millions
of people. Increasing each decade about
ihirly-,bree per cent, it reached in 1850
thir,y-onc millions, an increase 6f 100
per cent. on The population in 1880. In
1869 it is estimated that it viii reach
thir,y-eight millions, or an increase Of
eight hundred and sixty.cight per cent.
in scycn,y-ninc yeats. The annual cS-
pcrditurcs OF The Federal government in
1871 were four millions two hundred
thousand dollars; in 1920 eighteen mil!
lions two hundred thousand dollars in
1850 forty-onc millions in 1869 sixty
three millions; in 1865 nearly thirteen
hundred millions, and in 1868, it is esti-
mated by the Secretary Of the Treasury
in his last annual report. that they will
be three hundred aud sevcniy-;wo mil
lions. BY comparing thc public disbursc-
nen;s Of 1869. as estimated, with those
of i791, il will be seen that the increasc
ofcxpend;,urcs since the beginning cf
Tic government has been eight THOUSAND
six hundred and eighteen per cen,um.
Again. Tie expenses of Tic government
in 1860. the year Of peace Immediately
preceding ti'c war. were only .ixiy-thrre
millions, Willie. il 1869, the year Of
peace three years after the war, i, is csti-
mated, they viii be three hundred and
sevcnty-;wo millions, an increase of four
hundred and cigl'ty-ninc ptr cen:um,
while the increase of population was on'y
ninety-ono per cen,um for the same peri
cd and The statistics further show that
in 1871 tie annual national EXPENSES,
compared with the population, were u
little more than one dollar per capita, aud
in 1850, but two dollnrs per capita, while
in 1869 thcy will reach the ex,ravagant
sum OF nine dcllrrs aud seven'y-ivo cents
per capita. 1t will be observed that al!
OF these statements refer to, anl exhibit,
the disbursements Of a peace period. It
may, therefore, be Of interest 10 compare
the expenses of the three war periods. IKE
war with Great Britain, the Mexican
war. and the war of the Rebellion. In
1914 the annual expenses incident 10 the
war of 1872 reached their highest
amount, about ,hiriy.onc millions. while
our population slightly exceeded eight
mi.l.oi!s. showing an expenditure Of on!y
three dollars and eight cents per capita
In 1877 the expenditures growing out Of
the war with Mexico reached about fifty.
i've million dollars, and The population
abou. ,wen;y.onc million, giving only
two dollar. and sixty ccuts per capita for
the war expenses of that year, In 1865
the expenditures callci for by The rctei-
lion reached tic vast amount
of twelve hundred and ninety miii;o",
which, compared with population OF
tiIirty-four millions, gives tmrty-cisht
dollars and twenty cents per capita. From
the 9Th day Of March, 1889, TO the 3O,h
day of June. 1851, the entire cxpcndi-
lures ofthc government were seventeen
hundred millions ofdollnrs. During tha;
period W. were engaged in wars with
Great Britain and Mexico, and we're in
VOWED in I.ostiliics Hith powerful indian
t'ib,s. Louisiana was purchased i'om
{ France, at cost OF fifteen !uillions Of Gol.
/ lars Flcriia was ccdrd to the United
States by Spain for i've millions; Cali
Eorria was acquired from Mexico for ff-
teen millions, and the Territory cf New
Mexico was obtained from Texas Cor the
sum Of ten miiIion.. Early in 1861 the
wer nf the rebellion commented, and
the lst ofJCly of that year to the 9th Of
June, 1865, the public expenditures
reached the enormous aggregate Of iIiity-
three hund.cd millions. Three years OF
peace bavc interyencl, an! dLring that
| time the disbursements of the govern.
meut have succcssiycly been FIVE I'nndrel
and twenty millions, three hundred and
forty.six a,illions, and three hundred and
nineiy-.hrec millions. Adding to these
amounts three handscd and scvcniy-two
millions. estimated as necessary for The
fiscal year ending june seth, 1869, we
obtain total expenditure Of sixteen
hundred millions. Of dollars during the