Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-05

1873 290000,OOO 43,OOO,OOO
1874. 319,652,O00 None.
The figures for the present fiscal year
show the amount appropriated. The
debt instead of being reduced had been
increased S9,OOO,OO0 up to that time.
The March statement OF the public
debt shows decrease of a little over
$4,000, 900; so there has been an actual
increase of about 100000 the present
year. Mr.. Dawes had list of twenty
ports of entry read, where the receipts
do not equal the expenses for salaries,
and referred to the extravagant action
of the last Congress in creating sixteen
new inland ports with retinues of Off
Gals whose places are nearly all sine
cures. He had letter read from
man who was appointed at one of
these places at $4,000 a year, and
who, finding there was nothing for
him to do but to draw his salary,
had written to his Senators that the
Office ought to be abolished, whereupOn
they had him turned out and another
man appointed. This is Republican
testimony, it should be borne IN mind,
as to the manner in which the revenues
have been collected and applied. The
traces of the financial panic of last fall
are still to be seen in the widespread
ruin inflicted upon the country pam
ic that might have been averted had
the Secretary of the Treasury met 1t as
it was his duty to have done. The
dalliance of Congress with the fnan-
cial question is said to be greatly en-
barrassing trade in the Northern cities.
and in the uncertainty which exists as
to what policy viii be adopted-wheth-
erornotthere WILDE an expansion of the
currency-business men are greatly re-
strained in their operations. The NelC
York Bulletin, of the 9th ult. says:
''The spring trade, a year ago, was
substantially a failure, owing to the
dearness'o money, which made it mac
cessible to people engaged in regular
trade; then came the panic IN the au-
| tumn; but the merchants as a class
bore up nObly under that succession of
disasters, and have been looking for
ward to the spring trade this year, as
promising to redeem losses of the past.
They had a right TO that anticipation;
but, We regret to say, thus far, there is
but little promise of its realization.
The season is rapidly slipping away,
and as regards the great dry goods
trade, dealers generally agree that the
season is already three weeks behind.
Country merchants, while the present
suspense exists, hesitate to lay IN
stocks of goods, not knowing what IN
| fiuence contraction or initiation may
have on the future of prices. This
threatened paralysis of business must
act seriously on the Government rev.
enues, ere long-and hence, if there is
any wisdom left in Congress, it cannot
too speedily make itself manifest in a
final disposition of the financial ques-
ton, one way or another"
These are some of the pledges and
performances of the party III power.
But they are not all. The Detroit Tri-
bune, Republican Journal, is holding
up before its party certain planks in
the platform of the Philadelphia Con-
vention, and asking the Republican
majority in Congress if it means will
fully to ignore them. 1t recites that
beautiful resolution about the speedy
resumption of specie payments" and
asks why the leaders of the party ''who
arrogate to themselves the possession
of craftsmanship" are urging measures
which will indefinitely postpone re-
sumption. 1t finds the same
trouble IN reconciling the resolutions
on civil service reform and the abOli-
ton of the franking abuse with the con-
duct of Congress, and in conclusion
says: Seriously, the time has come for
the Republican party to speak in plain
terms to those of its representatives
who are practically repudiating its
avowed principles. For the sake of its
own honor and fair fame, our party
must protest against being thus mis-
represented" But will the party thus
protest, and having protested, will it
give effective force to that protest?