The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-09-10
Contrasted Administrations.
I.isn faynrite ar,nment ri,


tae Democracy, when abiding 10
the heavy taxation which the war
forced the Government to levy to
preserve the public faith and cred
it, to point to the cheap admins
tration of Buchanan, and compare
it with the assumed extravagant
one of President Grant, as an evi-
dence Of the greater economy of
the party. No one is deceived by
this pretense. 1t is well under
stood that the interest Of the Natl
onal debt, the immense pension
list, the cost of National hospitals,
and small increase in the army and
navy arc matters extra, and out
side of the ordinary expenses of
the Government; and, except the
two latter. are 10 process OF steady
and rapid reduction
Coming then to the ordinary ex-
penses of the National Admins
tration, and allowing for the in
crease of population, and it is not
true that Buchanan'ss administra-
ton cost less per capita, than Pres
ldent Grants, but on the contrary,
it cost more. From statement
made out in the Treasury Depart
ment, and officially promulgated,
it is found that the last year of Blu
chanan's administration cost the
people So OIL for each man. wo-
man and child in the country;
while taking the expenses of the
past year, estimating on basis of
forty millions of population, and
reducing the sum to a gold basis,
and the expense per head amounts
to only S1.64
In Buchanan's time, the receipts
and expenditures of the Treasury
were both in gold, or coin exclu-
sively. Very much Of the appar-
ent excess in expenditures since
the war, grew out of the deprecia
ton of the currency. This showed
itself in every contract made,
either for public works, buildings,
or supplies-and added to the
bulk of the figures without really
adding to the value actually re-
| ceived. The war itself cost in pa
per one-third, if not half, more
than it would had specie pawn ents
| been possible. 1t is the penalty
the nation had to pay to save it
self from destruction; and it is an
especial grievance that the De-
mocracy point to the result of
| their own Vaccinations and trea-
! son, as an evidence OF dishonesty
among loyal and patriotic men.
To first incite rebellion, then to
| apologize for, and justify it, and
finally to charge the cost of sup
pressing it to those who shed
their blood for the salvation of the
country. is eminently characters
tic OF the party. But when to this
they add deman to be reinstated
il authority because they created
This enormous mischief, the affiont
10 pupiic intelligence exceeds all
bounds of belief. Long years Of
toll and labor will be required OF
the people to earn the money to
pay the great aggregate debt
| which Democratic weakness and
teachings entailed on them; and
yet, when President Grant has but
barely made fair commencement
and put the finances in a way to
render certain the speedy extin-
! guishment of the burden, they are
already asking the tax payers to
trust them again, and give them 6
chance to undo all that has beer
done. IF the people are as wise
as we believe, whenever they cas-
a ballot they will remember WHIT
made the debt, and, until it is fully
extinguished, will never venture
the experiment Of trusting it:
authors in position to infiic
more harm and misery on the coun
try Chicago Republican.