Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-08-07
Facts and Figures for Taxpayer
Republican EcOnomy 5. Demo-
cratic xtraYagance.

| Facts and Figures for Taxpayers
Republican Economy . 5. Demo-
cratic ExtraFagance.
spEECH OF 1HE HON. JA1EEs @, BLAINE
or 1EAINE, IN TIE HOUSE or KEFEsIzsEg-
TAEEvEs. JULY 9 1865
The House being IN COMMITTEES Of the
/ Whole on the Deficiency Appropriation
bill, Mr. Blaine said:
| Mr.. CHAIRMAN; We have entered
upon a new fiscal year, and the last Ap-
preparation bill 70 provide for its ex-
! penditurss has been reported and is now
before the House. The occasion seems
/ a fit one for q brief survey of our fHnan-
/ eiaI situation and for pertinent ans
Wer TO the many MISREPRESENTATION so
/ industriOusly set afOat in regard to
/ Governmental expenditures. A very
| lao0red attempt has been made
/ throughout the country, by certain par
4 ties and partisans, to create the impress
sion that the expenditures of this Con-
gress are on scale of needless and
7 reckless extravaganza. propose to
show that such is not the fact, but that,
on the contrary, the expenditures are
made with far more regard TO economy
/ than distinguished the last Democratic
Administration that was in power in this
country. The question is one of figures
and not of argument, and hence I pro
ceed AZ once to the figures. It is impor-
I tant at the outset, to clear understand
/ ing and clear comparison of Govern
ment expenditures at the present time,
and the period Immediately preceding
| the war, to distinguish between those
expenditures which were the inevitable
i consequences of the Rebellion and there
fore unavoidable, and those which may
/ be to certain extent controlled by the
discretion and the fidelity of Congress.
EET- IL
direct outgrOWth of the Rebellion,
count the interest on the war debt and
the pensions and bOunties to soldiers
and sailors. These are expenditures
which are not discretionary out are inn
| peratively demanded, unless the ma
ton IS prepared on the one hand TO de-
fraud its creditors, or on the other to
turn its back on the brave men who
risked everything that the Republic
might survive. The annual interest on
the public debt amounts to SI2g. .67g, ,0S7-
so. The pension roll for the year will
/ be $50, $50, 600, and the bounties due and
payable viii require about $4,000, 600.
These three items which are not discre-
ti0nary, amount to the large aggregate
! of nearly $3.50, ,O00,0 600, well nigh two
/ thirds Of our total outlay for the fiscal
year upon which we have just entered.
The fact that so large a proportion OF
our expenditure is the result of the war.
and IS unavoidable unless we repudiate
our obligations to our public creditors
+ and our heroic soldiers, cannot be too Of
ten repeated or too thorough hlY impress
ed on the public mind; for il is Idle to
| denounce these expenditures as extrav-
agant unless we are prepared to with
/ hold them and whoever proposes TO
/ Withohld them proposes thereby to put
the nation at the same time under the
| doubly disgraceful stigma of repudia-
/ Gion and ingratitude. If the Demo
cratic party choose to assume that posi-
ton it is welcome to all the glory of it.
For the ordinary expenditures of Gov
ernment for the fiscal year which has
ljust begun the appropriations are as
| follows a - Tfr z-- E. 4