Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-02-15

Post Office, 5000, 100000
Grants :" 299,0Oo,000
Excess of Johnson's estimates, S4 900, 600
There is also another item of S725 600
for subsidies % certain mail steamships,
which was included this year in the s324.-
600, 900, but WAS not included last year
in the 5000, 600, 600, although apprcpri-
atod by Congress, having been submitted
by Postmaster General Randall as sep
arate item.
Although these items are sufficient to
show that upon comparison OF estimates
the advantage is with the present admin
istration, they do not show this advantage
in the strongest light OF which it is sus-
ceptible, for it will be recollected that
the official report of Secretary Boutwell,,
which WAS extensively published about
the time of the meeting Of Congress put
the estimated expenditures for the next
fiscal year at only s29l 600, Geo, or sl2,-
less than those of Andrew johnson year
ago.
As this estimate of the Secretary was
undoubtedly made with due care, it seems
to be far more worthy Of reliance than an
estimate book prepared by u clerk, in
which typographical error of $1,000
600 has been shown in single item. 1t
can hardly be doubted that the discrcpan-
ey of $4,000, 600 or 81, ,000, ,000 between
Secretacy Bodtwell's report an the esti-
mate book, as corrected above in respect
to the Post Office accounts, is oceasioned
by similar errors, or by the inclusion of
certain items estimated fer by subordinate
officials, which ought not to have been so
included.
1t must be admitted, however, that if
these few millions were all we had to show
as the difference between the prohigatc
administration Of Andrew johnson and
the administration Of General Grant, We
should have slender cause Of congratula-
ton.
But it must be remembered that the
comparison above made is between csti
mates made by Grants administration fol
the fiscal year commencing on the first
day Of July next, and those made by
Johnson's for the year commencing on the
first Of July last, a year wholly outside oi
his own term Of office. 1t was vesy easy
to make economical estimates for his sue.
cessor but the proper criterion by which
to Judge Mr.. johnson is his own cxpendi
lures while in Office. These, in the las
whole year Of his term, the fiscal yeal
: ended june 80, 1868, we're upwards o.
$377 100000. This does not ineLud'
the postal expenditures, and must therefor,
be compared with the 1929. coo, 900 of thu
present estimates which remain after sub
tracing the estimates for the Post Ofic(
Department.
1t Is necessary to explain here tha
both these amounts include the postal de
ficiency, that is, the excess of the expen
ditures Of the Post Office over its own re
ceipts, which, of course, is all the expense
this department is to the country. Tht
comparison then, is a perfectly fair one
and ihows A DIFFERENCE OF $4,000, ,O0(
IN FAVOR OF GRANTS ADMINISTRATION.
, A similar result would be shown by ;
companion of the present estimates witt
the expenditures of Johnson's adminstra
ton from July /, 1868 TO March 4, 1869
the expiration Of his term of office. L
would make this letter too long to 60 int
3 details upon this point, but the fgure
may be found in full in the able and ex
haustive speech delivered in the Hous'
by General Butler last week, in reply Il
Mr.. Dawes.
The latter gentleman, in his speech o
the 9th ultimo, admitted the point which
We have shown above, viz that the Pos
Office account was not included in thu
1903, 100000 which he had prreviously
stated as JChnson's estimates, and that i
,cas included in the estimates submitted
by President Grant. But he did no
state frankly, as he ought in fairness tc
have DONE that this difference completely
vitiated his comparison between the esti
mates of the the administrations, and
= threw the balance on the other side In
deed, il is due to truth to say, that he
J showed far stronger desire to justif,
himself in the position he had first hastily
taken, that he did todo exact justice to tn,
administration.
In his second speech, he gave no prom
} incncc to the comparison of estimates will
! estimates, (Which, as we have seen, resul