The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-09-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. DC. Sent. Is. 1S16.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. Is, 1876.
The National Republican this morn
ing published a letter written by Asis;
ant Secretary ofthe Treasury, Conant, il
reply to some verbal inquiries made b.
Senator Cragin. With all the data be
fore him, Mr.. Conant has conclusivel.
shown that Mr. Tilden with many othe
Democratic organs, has willfully misrep
resented the administration, and pur
pOsely sought to deceive the public, Il
advance his partizan interest, in his char
ges Of waste, improyidence, corruption
multiplication of needless Offices, 'inef
ficiency peculation, fraud and malversa
ton of the public funds from the highes
places of power to the lowest onadt
from time to time during the presen
campaign, or that he was grossly ignOr
ant of matters of the great public inter
est to every American citizen. Mr. Con
ant says that from the books of the De
partment it appears that from the frs
day of March, 1869. to the thirtieth day
of June, 1876, the public debt has beer
reduced s426O23,915.O2, and that the
annual interest charge on the debt dur
ing that time has been diminished S31,
2S5.2S1. From August 81, 1865, when
the debt was at its highest point, tC
March l, 1869, the reduction is given AT
S230, ,96S, ,33I42. Total reduction to
June last: $656, ,992, ,24644 Expenditur-
es of the Government have decreasted
from $500, ,SO9,416.99in in 1866, to S25S;459,-
1878, i'll 1876, with a progressive de-
crease each year, with the single excep-
ton of 1873. Average annual reduction,
S2S.S49,96542. Expenditures of 1876,
less than those of 1866 by $262, $40, ,61967,
while there has been an increase for
pensions and Indians of S15,471 1865.
The increase in the above two items
came from increased allowances to dis
able soldiers. and from the cost of sup
pressing frequent Indian outbreaks, and
from increased gratuities to some of the
tribes. Increase in the amount of civil
and miscellaneous expenditures So, ,901, :
1924 The itemized account of these
expenditures are, in part, as follows
Postage in lieu of franking privileges,
S1,150,19O4G Refund of proceeds of
captured aud abandoned property, 81
026,6i6.61. Deficiencies in postal reyen-
ues, principally from reopening mail
routs and post offices in the South, st,
81, ,54036, Centennial Exposition, 1873,
1896, 6,347O6. Congressional expenses
from increased number ofmembers, ST.
4S7, ,7347S Increased cost of courts,
chiefly from those established in the late
insurrecionary States, 81, ,755. 1910. In
creased cost of printing notes, mostly to
replace the old and mutilated issues, ST.
05f ,14707. Increased cost of collecting
revenue, chiefly due TO reOpeT-
ing Southern ports and the abolition of
the moiety system, S1.4S4,40O42. In
creased debentures on drawbacks strict
ly speaking not an expenditure, the
being merely a return to oimpor-
ters ofmoney previously paid by them.
Is duties, the return of which they are
entitled to, upon the re-expOrtatiOn of
he merchandise, IS, 1853 40S.73. Increas-
ID cost for lighthouse service, chiefly
llong the Southern coast, 81 .324 .433. %.
Increased expenditures for public works
'44S3,155.37. In reply to the specific
,hargc that during eleven years Ofpeace
here have been collected through Fed
raj taxation thirteen times the amount !
# the legal-tender notes, and that four
lines their amount have been squander-
d in useless expense, it is shown that /
he amount of legal-tender notes out
landing is s36961922S; thirteen times
his amount, sf,SO6O49, ,964-is the alleg
d amount of taxation; and four times the
mount Of the legal-tender nOtes-s1,-
912-is tine alleged amount
luandered; but during the time, there
as cen received from taxation in fact,
:1ly S3,S09722,7 1851, which is 1895, ,327,
$500 less than the amount alleged.
OF the money collected by the Govern
lent during the past eleven years there
ave been paid as follows For interest on
le public debt 81 ,335, ,345, 5,S4621. For
edemptioD of the public debt, $3.50, 1922
i644 For pensions, 1896 2298G5.S6.
or payment of warclaims, bouniespre
liums, on loans as against the received |
far as ascertained by acareful examin-
ion of the books Of the Department
jOj25S. .4O7.S2 Total - 2S93y52j, ,365.33,
aying for payment Of all expenses of i
overnment for the eleven years, army,
civil list, Indians, foreign in {
recourse, including the purchase Of :
laska; the largely multiplied expense I
handling the debt, collecting the rev :
lue, &c: only 81 29S, SOS, 1861, which is ?
S by S179GGS, 1859 than the alleged
Mount squandered. As to keeping a
thin its income, Tie Government is i
own to have met the expenses Of the c
lr and all other current Obligations, ?
ID TO have had a surplus total income :,
er expenses during the eleven years, Of /.
"a I6j, ,12619 Taxation reduced since y
e war, accordingt estimate Of finance ;,
port Of 1872: $3O9,35O171. \ detailed ,.
tement Of the loss Of each adminis,ra- n
N from the fret tOpresent one is given,
appears that the ratio Of loss per $1,000 =.
the amount involved, has been less
ring President Grants administra
N than during that Of any Of his pred :
essors, from deflulting officers. 1t is :
o shown that while, prior to 1561-
: average loss per 1000 ON amount in
Iyed was S5,17. since that date il has :
en- only 81 cents The present cOndi- >
II Of the credit of The country Is un- :
rallied, bonds selling above par in the
ncipal commercial centres Of the u
rid. / Is also shown that for the
ven years Immediately preceding ST
- the average annual expenses of The p
vernment were increased 50 per cent CT
with the eleven years i'm 2
.dia,ely Succeeding iha: date. ei
)ne Of The most severe storms visited oi
: city yesterday, known for many Y
lrs, inilicting some damages by The h
.rffow of sewers, high tides, unroofing fe
lses. blowing down ciimners e;,,,,g IL