Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1868-09-05


of th public debt made by the Secre-
tary the Treasury on the 31st of Ju-
ly, aGompared with his official state.
mentn the 3lst of March, 1865
July., 1S68.. ,523, ,534 ,4SO 67
Marol3lst; lS65..... 1866, ,955,077 81
--
In@ase.. se................sl56,5 SIS, ,4O3 S3
Uee we have an increase of over one
hundsd and fifty six and half mil.
lions the public debt since the close
of th, war, as shown by the official
stateIonts from the Treasury Depnrt-
ment and thirteen millions of this was
addeeduring the month of July. The
ascenined public debt is over two
thousnd five hundred millions. A sum
SO vas that it almost impossible to COM
prehed it. The unascertained debt
is We to be added to this enormous
sum. What that amount will be is un-
certal. But the unascertained debt
was. estimated by Thaddeus Stevens,
who had charge of the subject of
fnare, or ways and means appropria-
ton, for several years in the House of
Representatives, including all the war
and ince, and who therefore, had the
verybest means of information on this
subict, tc amount to the astounding
sun Of S5,000,000,000! This esti>
maj of Mr.. Stevens probably includes
the)rivate claims for the destruction Of
proerty North and South, debts arising
oupf breach 'of contract by the gov
ernent, and spoilatious at home and
abpad, growing out of the prosecution
of be war, and probably, in his con-
teiplation, also, the assumption by the
geeral government of the war debts of
tb several States, counties, towns, etc.
Oners, again, have estimated the debt,
al things, included, as high as $4,000,
10000.
What an interesting prospect docs
as present to the laboring men Of the
5untry. For labor must pay every
dllar of the debt. Labor gives value
everything, The laboring men must
| py this debt by the sweat of their
rows.
Looking at this great debt, and con-
idering the taxes we are already COM
Lelled to pay, it is natural to inquire
low fast it is being paid. At the COM
Inencemont of our Investigations we are
itartled with the oflici, announcement,
hat while. the war ended more than
hree years ago, yet the national debt
Is increasing, and that over thirteen
millions of dollars was added TO it du-
ring the last month !
Now let US see how much the Radi-
cal destructives have taken from the
peoples money, The National hteiH-
geacer, published at Washington, and
having peculiar facilities for access to
official figures, shows what has been col
Iected and what has been expended, as
follows:
First, as TO revenue:
They have, from the 30th of June,
1864 to January lst, 1868, collected
from the people revenue amounting in
all, as set down in the official record,
81, ,6S7, ,80l, ,064, including the $685.
462, 2,30S from loans and Treasury notes.
AS going to make up seven billions,
etc, are put down under the head Of
"direct taxes" (but these only from
3Oth of June, 1862 )Sl2, ,I6l, 1927, hav-
ing collected in 1867 alone, for direct
taxes, 81 ,200,233.
Under the head of "miscellaneous,"
$3.50, ISL ,953 {; having collected in the
one year, lS66-under this "miscella-
neous" head, mark you-S67 ,ll9, 1863.
They wrung from the people in the
one year of 1865, total revenue, the ap-
palling sum of l,S05,939, ,345,
Thus much on the subject OF money
collected. Now a few figures as to
money paid out--oxpenses of carrying
on the Government.
They have expended from june 30,
1861, to January l, 1868, total, ST.
557, All, ,295, having spent in 1865,
alone 81, 1907, ,674, ,224.
AS going to make up this sum they
expended for the War Department 49,
lS0,36S, ,4O6 having paid out in one
year-lS65--Sl, ,03l ,223, 800.
For the Navy Department, s4l4, ,OS3,
2S5 having spent for the year 1865,
sl22, ,565776.
For "ordinary expenditures" 49,
045, ,29l, ,l57 having spent under this
head of "ordinary expenses" for the
one year of 1865, Sl,2l2,9ll,2S0.
For "miScellaneous" expenditures TO
June 80, 1861 Sl5S, ,06l, ,452.
Somewhat swallowed up in these
amazing sums of money, which stagger
the mind in the effort to realize them,
the amount squandered on the Freed
mems Bureau would probably reach ff.
ty millions. At least, for the year end
ing January /, 1867, as estimated by
General Howard, Commissioner Of the
Bureau, near twelve millions were re-
quirod. At this rate, for the three
years the Bureau has been in existence,
it has consumed thirty-six millions /;
and we know that u vastly greater
amount-at least fifty millions-have
been spent upon it, all to keep the Rad
ical party in power,
The rate at which We are going to
ruiu-the astounding sums Of money
drawn by the tax'gathcrer from the
hard labor of the people, and spent
can be better understood when we say
say that during the seyenty>throe yoais
proceeding the war Gas estimated re-
eently) the whole expenditure Of gov.
ornment amounted TO less than fourteen
hundred millions Of dollars, while the