The Portland daily press., 1869-01-08
i'm the National Expenditures.

made some remarks as chairman of the appro-
priaton committee, which are of great public |
interest. We give such extracts as we can |
find space for below:
The condition of the country. the vast nub- |
lie debt, the weight of TAXATION the deprecia-
ted ana huctuating currency the enormous |
expenditures OF public money, the NAL admin |
lstrauon OF the government, the extortions of
nonopolles, press upon our attention with
most crushing force. The people elected Gen.
Grant to the Presidency not only on account
of the great and inestimable services he has
rendered the country in subduing the rebell-
ion; not only on account of his devotion to
the great principles of the Republican party,
but because they believe him to be emphati-
cally an honest man and an enlightened
statesman, who would faithfully administer
the laws without fear, favor, or affection.
The time has come when we are imperative
ly called upon to take new departure. Add
ed to other terrible evils brought upon the
country by the war for the suppression of the
great wars and to the expenditures of vast and
unheard of amounts of public money; to the
giving out ofimmense contracts by which sud
den and vast fortunes were made, the lnf1a-
ton of the currency, which engendered specu-
lation, profligacy, extravaganza, and corrup-
ton, blythe intense desire to get suddenly rich
out of the government and without labor, and
the inventions and schemes generally to get
money out of the Treasury for the benefit of
individuals without regard to the interests of
the government.
While the restless and unpausng energies
of patriotic and incompatible people were de-
voted to the salvation of their government, and
were pouring out their blood and treasure in
its defense, there was the vast army of the
base, the venal, and unpatriotic, who rushed
in to take advantage of the mislortunes of the
country and to plumber its Treasury. The
statute-boOks are loaded with legislation which
will impose burdens on future generations.
Public land enough to make empires has been
voted to private railroad corporations; subsi
dies of untold millions of bonds, for the same
purposes, have become charge upon the peo-
pie, while the letters of vast monopolies have
been fastened still closer and closer upon the
public.
1t is time that the Representatives of the
people were admonished that they are the SER
wants OF the people and are paid by the peo-
pie; that their constituents have confded to
them the great trust of guarding their rights
and protecting their interests; that their po-
sition and their power are to be used for the
benefit of the people whom they represent,
and not for their own benefit and the benefit
of the lobbyists, the gamblers and the specu-
lators who have come to w ashngton to make
a raid upon the Treasury, The time has also
come, in my Judgment when public men are
to be held to more strict accountability, to
more strict discharge of their duty, and when
their actions will be scanned by more crit-
cal eye. 1t is no new lesson that the public
men of this country must learn. 1t is a les
son which has been taught in other countries
and at times even when there was little to
boast of in the way of public virtue.
1t is recorded in history that in the most ter
rible days of the French revolution, for it was
on the Hath of May, $685. nine teen days be-
fore the passage of the celebrated decree of
the national convention on the I'd of June,
placing in accusation the Girondsts, that Blu
Of fbn OF nd 1ncfn amin 81
those gifted and brilliant men, pronounced
these memorable words, which should be en-
graved in letters of gold over the entrance of
every public Office and every hall of legisla-
ton:
"No public man can be justified in profting
position. 1t is his duty to consecrate exclu-
sively to the public interest the knowledge
which such position furnishes him."
Much is expected of the new administra-
ton, and the public expectation will not be
disappointed. But as much as General Grant
can do, and as much as he will do in his own
sphere of action, it is idle to suppose that he
can do everything that the country requires to
be done to secure those reforms in the public
service which are so imperatively demanded.
AS President, General Grant must have the
earnest and cordial support of the other
branches of the government, particularly of
the legislative branch. The responsibility of
this Congress, SO far as the next admnistra-
ton is concerned, is complete.
n 1t is for Congress to keep down
the expenditures, and it is for the President to
see that the laws are faithfully executed and
that the revenues are collected; but it is for
Congress to see also that they do not keep the
letters upon the limbs of the President so as to
render it impossible for him to faithfully exc
cute the laws.
1t is well to recur to the total expenditures
of the government for the last three years, and
it is encouraging to observe that they have
been gradually decreased:
In 1866 they were $520,0O0,000; in 1866-67
they were S346 600 900; in 1S67-68 they were ex-
elusive of bounties, $334,O00,000; in 1867 68, or
inclusive of bounties ($430 000), $377, 900 900;
in 1868 SO they are estimated exclusive of boun-
les, at 100000 600; in 1860, or inclusive of
bounties 1926 O0O OOO) 1896 900 900; for the next
fiscal year, 186970, these are estimated at $685.
100000; and this latter estimate the committee
believe will be materially reduced.
The amount for bounties is not properly
chargeable to the expenditures of the govern
mentr and it's matter of congratulation that
there are no bounties estimated for the coming
fiscal year 1869, 70.
The amount voted for deficiencies for the
year 1876 was $15O0O,O00 and that amount
Is included IN the total OF expenditures for
that fiscal year.
The amount called for as deficiencies for the
present fiscal year, and which is included in
the total of expenditures as given above, is
$21. 100000
1t is worthy of note that on the I'd day of
December, 1867, the Secretary of the Treasury
estimated the appropriations required-for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1869, 1872 900 900;
on the 9th of December, 1863 he states that
the expenditures for the first quarter of the
same fiscal year were $105y 100000; he estimates
for the next three quarters an expenditure of
1921 900 900; total, including interest and de-
fciencies, 1886, 900, 900; expenditures less than
estimated by the Secretary of $360O0,000.
DEFICIENCIES.
And I now proceed to the consideration of
the interesting question of what this Congress
will be called upon to appropriate for deficien-
1869 and to carry on the government for the
next fiscal year ending June 80, 1870.
First, as to the estimates made by the Secre-
tary of the Treasury "of additional appropria-
tions required to complete the service of the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1869, and previous
years" 1t is for Congress to inquire rigidly
into the necessity and propriety of voting
these deficiencies which the Secretary esti-
mates at the enormous sum of $21 100000. OF
this amount $14 100000 is for the army, neces-
STATED, in great measure, by a consuming
Indian war, which is entailing extraordinary
expenses on the government The next cur
rent amount is the estimated deficiency for
the Postoffce Department of over four and
half million dollars, incurred by extravagant
contracts for unjustifably extended mail SER
vice.
Then there is the scandalous estimate of
nearly 1866, 900 for deficiencies for public build
ings where we were promised that the large
amounts appropriated last year should finish
the buildings. Add this amount of 1865 900
demanded as deficiency for this fiscal year to
the amount demanded for the same purpose
for the next fiscal year of 81, 434, 900, makes
$3,O99,OOO which we were asked to vote for
public buildings at this session OF Congress-
And in the present State of the Treasury, or.
indeed, in any state of the Treasury, feel
bound to denounce it as one of the most ex-
travagant unjustifable and profligate expen-
ditures of the public money ever asked of Con-
gress There are other Deficiencies which have
been made, and which we are called upon to
make up, that are without justification if it be
considered that Congress has any power over
the public treasury. In view of the state of our
finances, and deeming it indispensably neces-
sary to reduce our expenditures for the present
year in every way possible, and in full light of
all the facts, Congress appropriated given
amount-which was $45O, 0OO-for the Coast
Survey this year. -
There are other deficiencies estimated
which will be scrutinized by the Appropria-
ton Committee before it reports any bill. But
one thing is clear, if Congress cannot control
not curb the executive officers of the govern
ment in spending the public money, and if
such officers are to be LETT practically to de-
termlne the appropriations, then, l say let
Congress abdcate, and let the people be saved
the expense of keeping up this expensive and
somewhat ornamental institution.
APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1889-7O.
Mr.. Washburne then gives in detail the esti-
mates of the Secretary of the Treasury for the
year ending June so, 1870, amounting in the
aggregage to $303, 900 900, and shows how in