Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1870-08-20
Radical Desperation.

RdQlcal desperation.
The sub'oined paragraph, from The New
York Herald shows the alarm felt blythe Eadj-
Gals as to the results Of the coming Congress
soual elections. North Carolina has given a
f5retastc Of the future
Evidently politicians believe that figures
cannot lie, and In the approaching canvass In
tend to oyeywhe,m their opponents with terri
bic arrays of statistics Vice President Cl.iaN
asks the clerks Of the Treasury Department
for @ statement Of the receipts and eNpcudi-
lures of the last eighteen months Of Andy
Johus0us reign and the first eighteen months
OF Grants administration. Senator C1uk,ug
wants 90 go over more ground thlu any other
politician and therefore asks Tor the statistics
for the last ten years. Anthony Morton and
other republicans are c.1uOroUs for the tg-
ureS while the democratic Senators are turn
ing over the accounts az q fearful rate, hoping
o. Unelrth some cEtrlvlgauces which will tel,
againstthe administration. A ceykship jn the
Treasury Department Is no siDecUrc about cleo
ton times. Happily for the United States
there is never q je3rtb of men willing under
an CircUmStauces Oh serve their country In any
position where either money or fame is 60 be
secured
The dul'est man in the nation can see at a
glance the false gloss about TO be put upon af-
fairs by such demagogUes as Co,fx. Coukiug
and Morton The o}iect is TO show that In
the last eighteen months Of J0hus5us admin
istration the expenditures were greater than in
the first eighteen months Of Grants. A SIM
pie statement viii scatter TO the winds the IA
bic of s7phisns by which it is attempted to
mjslcai the people
In the first place le. It be remembered that
much Of the heavy war debt came mp for set
Element En- johnson time, matter over which
he had DO control whatever Congress had a
majority Of over tr0-Hinls against him in both
Houses, overriding his vctoes Of cytrayagsut
measures In every instance in which he exer-
cisedhi constitutional prorogatiye The Gadi- |
cal Congress made the appropriations, and the
disbursement Of these was through the account |
ing officers Of the Departments. Neither
johnson nor Grant could order money to be |
paid in defiance of law.
uugari t5iucreascl collections Of Internal
Revenue, boosted Of as a great achievement Of |
the present Administration, we need only re-
mind the reader that, under " the tenure Of
Office law. most Of thcjucumbcuts. Liuco'n's
app9iutccs, stuck to their places. aad de-
fed johnson. Independent Of this, it may be
stated that the reduction Of the whiskcy tax.
from - Co so cents. lesscacl tire indictment
f5rcyasi9as Of the law, and as was predicted
the small tax yields more revenue than the
large. For this. Grant as an honest man. can
claim no credit.
Blu. the most impuleut claim Of credit for
the administration is that Of a reduction
Of the annual expenditures It would be
strange indeed. if the current expenses Of the |
government were not Tess at present thanattlc I
close u the war, or for thc three years succeed
ing the war The Tretcasioa iu this respect is .
a shameless obsslu,.oaot facts.
Bullet the intelligent reader probe ,,e alb |
s0rI claim for economy sa.up by the Jajl,er>. f.
Tn wha. does it cousiste Some four or five
thousand clerks, mechanics and 4J5rars have F.
been dropped, oae-leggeI soldiers ami helpless
women. whilst immcuseIa land grants were made
20 spectators, and Congress took good care 60
increase the compensation Of most Of los own
employees. And their great hurry TO get
home to take care Of their own elections. they
r-tuIy failed % make appropriations frr lust