Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-02

security Of the people is impaled TO b
Knocked and jeered at by lyrants. Unde
its rule the industry Of the State has beel
crushed, the property Of an unoffendipi
people has beep blighted, an enormou
debt has been imposed, the monetary credi
/ of the State has been furnished, and thu
tax-gatherer throws dark shadow OF
every doorsill.
il Fellow. citizens, we seem TO have for
gotten the principles of true govern
ment. II is time they were being relearned
Ii they are not soon put in practice, oul
downfall as q republic is sure. Congress
sional tyranny and corruption will over.
throw us in one prodigious ruin. Upon
our shoulders, and those of our children
these usurpers, federal and State, are
piling a load of debt that will crush out
the last vestige of our liberties, and leave
us worn and miserable slaves. Let me
call your attention for a brief while to the
alarming financial condition. These
usurpers glaze it over, and affect
TO deride the cry Of danger. IL is q
part of their grand and nefarious scheme
| to erect monopoly of the national
| debt, that will ultimately assume control Of
the country. 1t has we'll nigh done &c
| already.
Let us review its rise aud progress The
| population of the United States 10 1890
| was nearly four millions of people, in
crossing each decade about 80 per cent il
reached 10 1860 thirty-one millions, an
increase of 700 per cent. on the population
of 1890. In 1869 il is estimated il will
reach thirty eight millions, or an increase
| Of S68 per cent in 79 years, The annual ex
penditures of the Federal government 10
1871 we're 81, 200, 900; in 1920, SIC, 200, 900;
| in 1850, 81, 000, 900; in 1860, $63, 900, 600;
in 1865, nearly 81, 800, OO0, 900. Iu lS69it is
estimated by the Secretary ofthe Treasury
in his last annual report, that there will
be 1872, 100000. By comparison Of the
public disbursements of 1869 as estimated
with those of 1871, it will be seen that the
increase of expenditures since the begin
ming of the the government has been S,6l8
per cent, while the increase of the popula-
lion for the same period was only S6S per
ceutum.
Again, the expenses Of the government
ia 1860, the year of peace, immediately
preceding the war, were only sixty. one
millions, while in 1869, the year Of peace,
three years after the war, 1t is estimated
they will be three hundred and seventy
three millions-an Increase Of four hun
dred and eigbly-nine per centum, while
The increase of population was only TWEEN
ty,one per cent. for the same period. These
statistics further show that in 1871 the an
nnal national expenses compared with the
population was little more than one dollar
per capita, and in 1860 but two dollars
per capita, while in 1869 they will
reach the exiravsgant sum of So 73
per capita. Ii will be observed
that all these statements / refer to, exhibit
the disbursements of peace periods; it may
therefore be Of interest TO compare the ex-
penditures of the three war periods, the
war with Great Britain, the Mexican war
and the war of the rebellion. la 1915, the
annual expenses incident TO the war Of
1872, reached their highest amount, about |
thirty one millions, while our population
slightly exceeded eight millions, showing
an expenditure of only three dollars and
eighty cents per capita. Ia lS47 the ex-
penditures growing out of the war with
Mexico reached fifty four millions, and the
population about twenty-one millions, Civ 4
ing only two dollars and sixty cents
per capita for the war expenses
of last year. In 1865 the expen-
ditures called for by the re-
bellion reached the vast amount of twelve
hundred and ninety millions, which COM
pared with 3 population OF thirty four
millions gives thirty-eight dollars and
twenty cents per capita. From the 4th
day of March, 1889, to the 30Ih day of |
June, 1861, the entire expenditures Of the
government were seventeen hundred mill
lions of dollars. During that period, we
were engaged in wars with Great Britain
and Mexico, and were involved in hos
Iilities with powerful Indian tribes. Louis |
lana was purchased from France at cost
Of fifteen million dollars. Florida WAS coded |
to the United States by Spain for five mil
lion dollars. California was acquired from
Mexico for fifteen millions, and the Terri /
tory of New Mexico WAS obtained from
Texas for the sum of ten millions. Early
in 1861 the war of the rebellion COM
menced, and from the LIST of July Of that
year TO the Goth of June, 1865, the public
expenditures reached the enormous aggre-
gate Of thirty three hundred millions.
THE EXFRAVAGANCE IN TIME OF PEACE.
Four we ars of peace have interviewed,
and during that time the disbursements of
The government have successfully been five
hundred aud twenty eight millions, three
hundred and fOrty-six millions, and three
hundred and seVenty-three millions. Add
ing 10 these amounts three hundred and
seventy-two millions estimated as necessa-
~ for the fiscal year ending the 30Lh of
June, 1860, we obtained total expendi-
ture of sixteen hundred millions of dol
lars during the four years Immediately
succeeding the war, or nearly as
much as we expended during the
seventy years that preceded the re-
bellion, and embraced the extra
ordinary expenditures already named.
These facts clearly illustrate the ne
cessity of retrenchment in all branches Of
the public service, Abuses, which were
tolerated during the war for the preserya-
ton of the nation, will not be endured by
the people now that professed peace pre-
walls.
TIE receipts from internal revenues and
customs during the four years past grad
ually diminished, and the continuance of
useless and extravsgant expenditures will
involve US in bankruptcy, or else make
inevitable an increase of taxes already
too enormous, or in many respects obnox-
ious, on account of their questionable
character. kOne hundred millions annu-
ally IRE expended for the military force,
large portion of which is employed 10 the
execution of laws both unnecessary
and unconstitutional. Sl50,O00,OO0 are
required each yesr to pay the interest on
the public debt. 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 leg
l IslaliOn and prudent economy can alone
remedy delects and arrest evils which, il
suffered tn exist, cannot fail TO diminish
confidence In the public councils, and
| weaken the confidence and respect Of the
| people toward their political institutions
Without proper care the small balance
which il Is estimated will remain in the
Treasury at the close of the present year,
/ will not berealized, and additional millions
added TO debt which ia now enumerated
10y billionR Ii il shown by the able and
comprehensive report Of the Secretary Of
the Treasury that the receipts for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1868, were $405.-
63S, 0S3, and that expenditures for the
ameperiod were$377 ,340, 234 leaving in the
Treasury a surplus Of So, 297, $40. 1t is esti-
mated that the receipts puring the present
fiscal year ending June SO, 1869, will be
S34l 1896, 667, and the expenditures 1885,
152,47O, showing a fmall balance of S.
240, 1877 in favor of the government. For
the fiscal year ending June &c. 1870, ii is
estimated that the receipts will amount TO
1927 900 and the expenditures 10 1868, OOO,-
900, leaving an estimated surplus Of $24,-