Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-10-24
A Defense Of the Economy and
Fidelity Of the Administration.
Can the Greeley Party be
Trusted?
Cogent Speech of Hon. Ii. l.. Dawes to
His Constituents.

House OF htpTtselitdolNes, Ie'oheiy au'
dressed large meeting Of his constitu-
ents, and as his speech touches upon
some points of unusual interest, we
quote q portion of it. His answer to
the charges of extravaganza made by
the opposition against Grants admin
istration, based upon one Of bis speech
es on the estimates of the departments
in 1870, is very forcible, and conclusive
" disposes of the Democratic argu-
ment on this head. The allegation
that Johnson reduced the public debt
more than Grant, is most etlectually
answered. After explaining acts in his
Congressional career, he proceeded as
follows
DAWES VERSUS DAWES,
now pass to the charge OF inconsistency
in my statements concerning the pubic cX-
pcnditures When | declared to yon and the
public that "the Administration Of Gen. Grant
is faithful i'll collecting the revenues and
frugal in eXpcnding them" | was confronted
with what / said two years ago abouf It's extra
yagancc and asked to explain what | now
state is true. The Springfield Republican
thus confronts me: Perhaps in his next
speech Mr. Dawes will indicate the precise
point Of time at which an Administration
which he rebuked for extravaganza and pro-
tiigacy III 1870, became the pattern Of frugall-
ty which he describes it IN 1S72' | do not
deprecate the inquiry. You have right to
the answer. | did declare on the 18th day of
January, 1870, that "tho estimates for the
public expenditures were most extravaganza
That they exceeded those for which the people
had condemned the Administr ton of Andrew
johnson. These were my words:
" / have Il right to complain of the other
end Of the avenue that with all its professions
of economy and reduction If unnecessary
for &c in the Departments, with all the herald
mg, by telegraph or otherwise, of its purpose
of reduction, there is not one OF these Depart
ments that does not estimate to-day, in the
book have before me, for an increase OF eN-
pendituro over the appropriations OF last
year
| now assert that the Administration OF Gen.
Grant is the most economical in the public eX-
peuditures that has existed tor the last sixty
wears and has cost less for every man, woman
and child, than any Other Administration IN
that time Both declara tons are true, and |
ablte nothing from either. II | ever served
this Administration 1t was when | made the
first, and should be- false to it and to You If
| now failed to make the other. On the Is h
OF January, 1870, was taking not OF actual
expenditures. but OF "estmatesh for eXpendi-
lures. | said there Is not one Of these De
partmeuts that does not estimate to-day, in
/ the book | have before ne, for an increase OF
| expenditure The Departments estimate IN
/ advance for the expenditure Of each year. Ii
was these - estimates made in the first year
of this Administration for its expenditures IN
the next year which denounced. They had
been made bv the heads OF the different bu-
rcaus, some If them Johnson. appolutees, and
then AL sent into Congress for appropriations.
When these estimates were all aggregated
they were found to exceed by many mil
hons of dollars the appropriations of tdc year
before. In the copy they sent to Congress, by
a clerical mistake, they made that aggregate
81 600 600 larger than It actually was. Bui an
estimate for many millions more than what
was actually appropriated for the year preyl-
ouS was bad enough, and denOuncedIt As un-
[ Unsuitable and extravaganza in the strongest
terms | could use, just as You denounce the
tNraVagaut estimate OF an architect for pro-
posed expenditures on our house. And hat
was the consequence. just what II would be
in the case OF an architect. Ihc eXpcus 5
were curtailcd Within SIX weeks from he
time | made hat speech took from tine Presi-
dents own lips his message 10 the people OF
Sew Hampshire. Tell the people Of New
I Hampshire that wherever il can be shown
that the public expenditures can be reduced
one dollar hat reduction shall be made
And faithfully has he redeemed that pledge.
I Now look at the facts, Althou.h the esti-
mates which denounced were 1924, 0g7. S25 62
the actual DETERMINATIONS for that yrar We're
only $500 G37 OS6 a. cutting down that wear
/ s33 400 73sIS
I.rt me mere answer specifically the inouiry
publicly pressed IN the columns Of the krpub-
han awn,t drrs Mr. Dave. neon IN SAVING
/ maj Tobnsnn's 4 Administration Maid orl, st39
mil | answer HIN question. / "sbonId not he
grrnntcJ nv amy marty os mn aptb,rIty ON fine
/ subject OF the finances Of the government"
/ So | proceed; Andrew Johnson became
/ President after the loody murder OF Mr.. Lin.
7 coin, Anil 10, 1865, The first public official
/ statement OF the public debt thereafter was on
I the 3Oth day OF April, as follows:
p.ht heorit,, interest i'm ram - nuo f99 81 u