The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-12-25

/ in 1871 were four million two hundred
/ thousand dollars, in 1920, eighteen
million two hundred thousand dollars;
in 1850, forty-one millions; in 1850
/ sixty-three millions in 1865, nearly
/ thirteen hundred millions; and in 1863
/ it is estimated by the Secretary of the
I Treasury, iE his last annual report,
I that they will be three hundred and
/ seVeBty-tWo millions. BY comparing
/ the public disbursements of 1863, as
I estimated, with those 1871, it will be
+ seen that the increase of expenditure
since the beginning Of the government
/ has been eight thousand six hundred
and eighteen per ccntum, while the in
I crease Of the population for the same
! period was only eight hundred and
I siXty-eight per centum. Again: The
/ expenses of the government in 1860,
! the year of peace Immediately pre-
ceding the War, were only siXty-three
/ millions; while in 1869, the year Of
I peace three years after the war, it is
/ estimated they will be three hundred
( and seVen-tWO milliOns-an increase
/ Of four hundred and eighty-nine per
! centum, while theincreaSe ofpOpulatiOn
was only tWenty-One per centum for
the same period. These statistics fur
+
tional expenses, compared with the
I population, were little more than one
dollar per capita, and in 1869 but two
dollars per capita; while in 1869 they
viii reach the eXtravagant sum of nine
dollars and seventy-eight cents per
/ capita. 1t will be observed that all of
these statements refer to and exhibit
the disbursements Of peace periods. 1t
may, therefore, be of interest to COM
pare the expenditures of the three war
periOdS-the war with Great Britain
the Mexican war, and the war of the
rebellion. In 1914 the annual eXpen-
ses incident t0 the war OF 1872 reached
their highest tamOunt-ab0att thirty-One
, millions while our population slight
~ exceeded eight millions, showing
an expenditure Of only three dollars
and eighty cents per capita. In 1917
the expenditures growing out Of the
war with Mexico reached fifty-five
millions, and the population about
tWcnty-one millions, giving only two
dollars and sixty cents per capita for
the war expenses of that year. In 1865
the expenditures called for by the re-
; bGiiiOn reached the vast amount of
twelve hundred and ninety millions,
which, compared with a population of
thirty-lGur millions, gives thIrty-eight
dollars and twenty cents per capita.
From the fourth day Of March, l7S0,
10 the thirtieJh Of June, 1851, the en-
tire expenditures OF the government
were seventeen hundred millions of
dollars. During that period we were
engaged in wars with Great Britain
and Mexico, and were involved in hos
tilities with powerful Indian tribes
Louisiana was purchased from France
at cost Of fifteen millions of dollars
Florida was ceded TO US by Spain for
five millions; California was acquired
from Mexico for fifteen millions; aud
the Territory of New Mexico was OBJ
tanned from Texas for the sum of ten
millions. Early in 1861 the war of the
rebellion commenced; and from the
first OF July of that year to the Both Of
June, 1868, the pubic expenditures
reached the enormous aggregate of
thirty-three hundred millions. Three
years OF peace have intervened, and
during that time the disbursements of
the government have suCcessiVely been
five hundred and twenty millions,
three hundred and fOrty-SiX millions.
and three hundred and ninety-three
millions. Adding to these amounts
three hundred and s5venty-tWo mill
lions, estimated as necessary for the
fiscal year ending the Both of June,
1869, we obtain a total expenditure Of
sixteen hundred millions Ofd0Ilars du-
ring the four years Immediately sue
cecding the war, or nearly as much as
was expended during the seventy-tWO
years that preceded the rebellion,
and embraced the extraordinary ex-
peHditures already named. These
startling facts clearly illustrate the ne
ccsSity Of retrenchment in all branches
Of the public services. Abuses which
We're tolerated during the war for the
preservation Of ;he nation will not be
endured by the people now that pro-
found peace prevails. The receipts
from internal revenues and customs
have, during the three past years,
gradually diminished, and the cOntin-
uanca Of useless and eXtfavagant cX-
penditures viii involve Us in national
bankruptcy, or else make inevitable an
increase Of taxes, already too OnerOus,
and in many respects obnoxious on ac-
count Of their inquisitOrial character.
Ohe hundred millions annually are eX-
pended for the military force, a large
portion Of which is employed in the
tAtthliDl OA laws LjDAlt uiiiiCtt1-dgA v
and unconstitutional; one hundred and
fifty millions are required each year to
pay the interest on the public debt an
army of taX-gatherers impOyerishes
the nation and public agents, placed
by Congress beyond the control Of the
Executive, divert from their legiti-
mate purposes large sums of money
which they collect from the people i'm
gf n TnAi
CiOus legislation and prudent economy
can alone remedy defects and avert
evils which, if suffered TO exist, cannot
fail to diminish confidence in the pub
lie councils, and weaken the attach
ment and respect of the people towards
their political institutions. Without
proper care the small balance which it
is estimated will remain in the Treas
ury at the close Of the present fiscal
wear will not be realized, and addition
al millions be added to a debt which
is now enumerated by billions. 1t is
shown, by the able aad comprehensive
report Of the Secretary of the Treasury,
that the receipts for the fiscal year end
ing June 30, 1868, were $40J ,633 ,033,
and that the expenditures for the same
period were S377, 7,3i0, 2S4, leaving in the
Treasury surplus of S2S, ,2)7 ,793. 1t
is estimated that the receipts during
the present fiscal year ending June 80,
1869, will be S3l1 1892, ,85S, and the ex-
penditures 1896, l52, 40, showinga small
balance of $, ,2l0, ,398 in favor of the
government. For the fiscal year end
ing June -, 1870, it is estimated that
the receipts will amount to 1927 900, ,000,
and the expenditures to $}D3, 900, 900,
leaving an estimated surplus of $24,-
0J1,O0O. 1t becomes proper, in this
connection to make brief reference to
our public Indebtedness, which has &C.
cunulated with such alarming rapidi-
fN and assumed Sncn cnlnssal nronOr-