Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-11

and that when the States surrendered certain
| great rights for the sake Of a more perfect
| union. they retained rights as valuable and i'm
portsnt as those, which they relinquished for
the common veal.
This sound old doctrine. far different from
| the teachings that led to the attempt to seeede,
and kindred theory that States were
taken out of the Union by the rash acts OF
eonspirators that happened to dwell within
their borders, must be received and adyOeat-
I cd with the enthusiasm of early man.
hood, or the people will be RULED by cor
rupt combinations OF the commercial CEN
tiers. who. plsthoric from wealth. annually mi
crate to the capital Of the nation to purchase
sPecIa: legislation. Untilthe representatives of
the people in Congress more fully exhibit the
| diverse views and interests of the whole nation,
and laws cease to be made without full discus
sion at the beheSt of some party leader, there
viii never be proper respect shown by the
| iaw-making power either to the judicial OF ex-
eeutive branch of the Government.
THE NATIONAL FINANCES.
The population of the United States in 1870
! was nearly four millions of people. Increasing
| each decade about 20 per cent. it reached in
$500 thirty-One millions. an increase OF 200 per
cent. in population in 1870. In 1869 it Is esti-
mated it viii reach thirty eight millions. or az
Increase of S6S Per cent. in 70 years. The annual
expenditures OF the Federal government in 1871
were Sf.2OtO0; in 1870, $40, 200 00J: in 1850 SAL
00l.00O; in 1860, $50 0O0.l00; in 1865. nearly
Sl,SO0.000000. Ia 1869 it is estimated by the
Secretary of the Treasury in his last annual re-
port thas at there TIE MI 6s By Yo CON-
estmsted with those of 1871, it will be seen that
the increase of expenditures since the beginning
1.-THE government has been 8.6is per cent, while
the increase of the population for the same Pc
| riod was only S6S per centum,
Again, the expenses of the Government in
tsoO, 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 etimated they will be three hundred and
seventy-three millions-a1 increase Of four
| hundred and eighty-niue per centum, while the
| increase OF population was only twenty-one
| per cent. for the same period. These statistics
further show that IN 1871 the annual national
| expenses compared with the population was
little more than one dollar per capita. aud in
1850 but two dollars per capita. while in
| 1862 they will reach the extravagant
sum Of SO % per capita IT viii be observed
that all these statements refer to, exhibit the
Endorsements Of peace periods; it may there
lore be OF interest to compare 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 expenses incl
| dent to the war Of lsll, reached their highest
amount, about thirty-one millions, while our
population slightly exceeded eight mil
dollars and eighty cents per CAPITA
In lSH the expenditures growing ont
| of the war with Mexico reached ffty-four mil
lions, and the population about twenty-one
millions, giving only two dollars and sixty cents
per capita for the war expenses Of that year.
In 1863 the expenditures called for by the re-
bellion reached the vast amount of twelve
hundred aud ninety millions, which compared
with population of thirty millions gives
thirty eight dollars and twenty cents per capita.
From the fourth day OF March l7s9 to the 3Oth
of une 1861, the entire expenditures Of the gov
eminent we're seventeen hundred millions OF
dollars. During that period we were engaged
In wars with Great and Mexico and were in
v0lved in hostilities with powerful Indian
tribes. Louisiana was purchased from France ut
cost OF ftteen million dollars; Florida was
ce1ed to the United States By Spain for five
million dollars. Calif0rnis was acquired from
Mexico for fifteen millions, and the Territory of
New Mexico was obtained from Texas for the
sum OF ten millions. Early in 1861 the war Of
the rebellion commenced, and from the LIST OF
July OF that year to the SUth of June, 1865. the
public expenditures reached the enormous ag-
greg1te of thirty-three hundred millions.
THE ExrRAVAGANcE IN TINE or PEACE:
Four years of peace have intervened, and
during that time the disbursements of the gov.
eminent have successfully been tive hundred
and twenty millions. three hundred and forty
six millions, and three hundred and seventy
three millions Adding TO these amounts three
hundred and seVenty-tWo millions estimated as
necessary for the fiscal year ending the Both Of
June. 1863. we obtained n total expenditure of
sixteen hundred millions of dollars during the
four years Immediately succeeding the war. or
nearly as much as we expended during the sew
enty years that preceded the rebellion, and en-
6raced the extraordinary expenditures already
named. These facts clearly illustrate the ne
public service. Abuses (which were tolerated
during the war for the preservation of the na-
ton, viii not be endured by theDeOpe now that
protested peace prevails.
The receipts from internal revenues and Gus
toms during the four years past gradually
diminished, and the continuance of useless and
extravagant expenditures will involve US ~ ns-
tiOnal bankruptcy. or else make inevitable an
/ increase of taxes already too enormous. or IN
| many respects obnoxious, on account Of their
| questionable character. One hundred millions
4 laI FIR fha mil fnrea a
| large portion of which is employed in the ex-
eeution of laws both unnecessary and une0nsti-
1 tutional. One hundred and fifty millions are
required each year to pay the interest on the
public debt. An army of X-gatherers i'm
pOVerishes the nation. and public agents placed
| by Congress beyond the control of the Exeeu-
tive divert from their legitimate purposes large
| sums of money which they collect from the pe0-
pie in the name OF the government. JudieiOu5
legislation and prudent economy can alone
remedy defects and arrest evils which. ii suf-
fered to exist. cannet fail to diminish confidence
L in the public cOuaciis, and weaken the con
| fdence and respect Of the people toward their
political Institutions.
| Without proper care the small balance which
i it is estimated will remain in the Treasury :at
the close Of the present fiscal year. will not be
/ realized, and additional millions added TO q
debt which is now enumerated by billions. 1t
l is shown by the able and comprehensive report
| of the Secretary Of the Treasury that the re-
1 ceipts for the fiscal year ending June 30. 1868,
we're S405. 63S OS3. and that expenditures for the
| Treasury a surplus Of S2s, 297.sl9 II is e3ti-
mated that the receipts duTi0g the present
fiscal year s1dlng June 90 1863. will be S3i 3d.
| S67. and the expenditures s336. l52470, showing
| a small balance of s. 24O.3yl 10 favor Of the
i government. For the fiscal year ending jane
| 30. 1870 it is estimated that the receipts will
amount to 1872. 0OO0 coo. and the expenditures to
/ 1903 00O0D0 leaving an estimated surplus Of
| 81, 100000.
| IL becomes proper in this connection to make
1 brief reference TO our public nc debtednessI
l which has accumulated with such alarming ra-
1 pidity and assumed such colossal proportions.
4 In 1789 when the government commenced OPP
i Grafton under the Federal constitution, it was
| burden ed with an Indebtedness of sevsnty-fiye
| million dollars, created during the war OF the
| revolution, This amount had been reduced to
forty-fve millions when, In l3l2, war was de,
| clared against Great Britain. The three years
| struggle that followed largely increased the ma
| tiOnal obligations. and In 1916 they had attained
| the sum of one hundred and twenty seven mil
| lions. Wise and economical Legislation, now
| ever enabled the government to buy the entire
| amount within the period of twenty years. and
the extinguishment of the national debt filed
| the land with rejoicing, and was one of the
greatest events Of President Jackson's admins
| tratiOn. After its resumption large sum re-
| manned in the Treasury. which was deposited
for safe keepins Win tne seyera5 S1hte on CON
| by the public wants. In lS4g. the year after the
termination of an expensive war with Mexico.
| we found ourselves involved in q debt of sixty
four million dollars, and this was the amount
owed by the government in 1850, Just prior to
the outbreak of the rebellion.
| BEGINNING OF CIVIL WAR.
| In the spring Of 1861 our civil war commenced;
| each year of its continuance made an enormous
| addition to the debt, and when, in the spring OF
1865 the nation successfully emerged from the
| conflict, the obligations of the government had
| reached the immense sum OF s2.S43, s92,S~9. Inc
| Secretary Of the Treasurz sho~s that, on the
| LIST day of November, 1857, this amount had
been reduced to s., 49l SUI. 45S, but at the same
time his report exhibits an increase during the
past year Of ,5,625 l02, for the debt on the Isl
day of November last Is said to have been e.
527.l29 $50 Il is estimated BY the Secretary that
returns for the past month will add TO our habll-
tiles the further sum of $ll ,OO0,COO; making q
total increase in thirteen months OF forty
In my message to Congress Of December 4,
1866 il was suggested that the policy be revised,
which. without being oppressive TO the people,
| would at once begin TO effect a reduction of the
debt, and if persisted in. discharge 1t fully
within a definite number Of years.
The Secretary of the Treasury fOreibly recon-.
| mended legislation of this character. and
: Justly urges that the longer it is deferred
the more dificult must it become Of accomplish
Established in 1889 and 1916 aud without further
delay make provision for the payment OF Ouf
| obligations at as early period as may be pTac-
ticable, The fruits OF Their labOrs should 9s
| up and sustain m0neyed monOpolles IN our own
and other lands. Our foreign debt is already
computed by the Secretary OF the Treasury at
$3.50 0OO,0OO. Citizens Of foreign countries re-
| eeiye interest upon n large portion OF our secu-
rites, and the American taxpayers are made
| to contribute large sums for their support, The
idea that such debt is to become permanent,
should at all times be discarded, rs involving
| taxation too heavy to be borne, and payment
| once in every sixteen years at the present rate
| of interest Of an amount equal 10 the original
| sum.
This vast debt. if permitted to become per-
| manent and increasing. must eventually be
gathered into the hands of a few. aud enable
them to erect a dangerous and controlling pow
er in the affairs Of the government. Ii the Dor