The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1868-12-17

vexatious on account of their in
quisitorial character. One hundred
millions annually are expended for
the military force, a large portion
of which is employed in the execu-
ton of taxes, both unnecessary and
unconstitutional; one hundred and
fifty millions are required each year
to pay the interest on the public
debt. An army Of tax gatherers
impoverishes the nation, and public
agents, placed by Congress beyond
the control of the Executive, divert
from their legitimate purposes large
sums of money, which they collect
from the people in the name of the
Government. Judicious legislation
and prudent economy can alone
remedy defects and avert evils
which, if suffered to exist, can not
fail to diminish confidence in the
pnblic councils, and weaken the at
tachment of the people towards their
political Institutions. Without prop
er care the balance which, it is es-
timated, will remain in the Treas
ury at tlie close of the present fiscal
year will not be realized, and addi
tional millions be added to g debt
which is now enlarged by billions.
It is shown by the able and com
prehensiye report of the Secretary
of the Treasury that the receipts
for the fiscal year ending July 30,
1868, were S405, ,636, sos, and the
expenditures for the same period
were S377,34O,2S4, leaving in the
treasury a surplus Of $s2S,797,979.
1t is estimated that the receipts
during the present fiscal year. end
ing June 80, 1869, will be S341 1892,
S6S, and the expenditures 1886, 1852 :
40, showing small balance OF
SIS, ,24O,39S in favor Of the Gov
ernment. For the fiscal year Ell ding
June 80, 1870, it is estimated that
the receipts will amount to 1927,
100000, aud the expenditures to
$303, 100000 leaving an estimated
surplus Of S24,OO0,00O. 1t seems
proper in this connection to make
a brief reference to our public in
debtedness, which has accumulated
with such alarming rapidity and as
sumed such colossal proportions
In 1889, when the Government com
menced operations under the Fed
eral Constitution, it was burdened
with an Indebtedness of seventy
five millions of dollars, created
during the war OF the revolution
This amount had been reduced to
forty-fve millions Of dollars, when
in 1912 war was declared against
Great Britain. The three years
struggle that followed largely in
creased the national obligations.
and in 1916 they had attained the
slmof one hundred and twenty-sev
Ell millions. Wise and economical
legislation, however, enabled the
Government to pay the entire
amount within a period of twenty
years, and the extinguishment OF
the national debt filed the land
with rejoicing, and was one of the
great events Of President Jaclson's
administration. After it's redemp-
ton large fund remained in the
Treasury, which was deposited for
safe keeping with the several States,
on condition that it should be re-
turned when required by the public
wants.
In 1S49, the year after the ter
mination of an expensive war with
Mexico, we found ourselves in a
debt of $4,000, 900, and this was
the amount owed by the Govern
ment in 1860, just prior to the out
break of the rebellion. In the
spring of 1861 our civil war com
menccd. Each year of its contii1
uation made an enormous addition
to the debt, and when in the spring
Of 1866 the nation successfully
emerged from the conflict the obi
cations of the Government had
reached the immense sum Of s2,-
S73,992,909.
The Secretary of the Treasury
shows that on the first day of No
vember, 1867, this amount had been
reduced to s2,491, ,5O4,45O, but at
the same time his report exhibits
an increase during the past year of
$35, 5,625,l02; for the debt on the
first day of November last is stated
to have been S2,527, ,129,552. 1t is
estimated by the Secretary that the
returns for the past month will add
to our liabilities the further sum of
S11, 100000, making total increase
during the thirteen months of S46,-
100000. In my message to Con-
gress Of December 4, 1865, it was
suggested that policy should be
devised which, without being op-
pressive to the people, would at
once begin to effect a reduction of
the debt, and, if persisted in, dis
charge it fully within a definite mum
ber of years. The Secretary of the
Treasury forcibly recommends leg
islatiol of this character, and justly
urges that the longer it is deferred
the more difficult must become it's
accomplishment, We should fol
low the wise precedents established
in 1890 and 1915, and without
further delay make a provision for
the payment Of onr obligations at
as early period as may be practi-
cable.
The fruits of their labor should be
enjoyed by citizens rather than used to
build up and sustain monopolies in our
own and other lands. Our foreign debt
is already computed by the Secretary
of the Treasury at $S50,00O,000. Citizens
of foreign countries receive interest
upon large portion of our securities,
and American taxpayers are made to
contribute large sums of their support.
The idea that such debt is to become
permanent should be at all times dis