The Government Expenditures

The country was some time ago informed on what seemed to be “reliable authority,” that the expenditures of the Government were fully three millions of dollars per day. – A great deal of astonishment and some apprehension was felt at the statement.  People were justly puzzled and alarmed at the idea of the nation plunging into debt at the rate of one thousand millions of dollars per year.  It now appears that the average expenditures of the Government have not been one million of dollars per day.  The New York Commercial Advertiser says of a speech made on Tuesday, by Mr. Dawes of Massachusetts.  He showed on authority which is entirely trustworthy, that the whole expenses of the present Administration, and for a period of fourteen months and eighteen days, amounted only to $441,000,000, which was three millions less than one million per day on the average.  The entire indebtedness including the seventy millions bequeathed by the last Administration was $482,796,145, on the 22nd of this month.  The speech of Mr. Dawes was in reply to Voorhees of Indiana, who made out that our National debt would soon amount to six thousand million dollars.

Mr. DAWES said:

The expenditures of all the departments of the Government outside of the war and navy, since the Administration came into power are as follows, For the Interior Department, Indians and pensions to the 22nd of May $8,681,860, civil list, foreign intercourse and miscellaneous $21,635,010, making a total of nearly $25,367,000.  The expenditures of the War during that time amounted to $374,172,000 and the navy during the same time $42,055,000, or a total of $416,227,000.  The average daily expenditures in the War Department have been $897,295, and those of the navy $100,852 making the average in both departments $998,147.  No requisitions are unpaid, excepting a few thousand dollars for illegality or disloyalty.  The payments last Thursday were only $864,917 yet the day after when the paymasters came in the expenditures were $2,000,000 but on Saturday only $500,000.  So the expenditures of the government up to the 22nd of May inst. in round numbers, were for the military $374,000,000, navy, $42,000,000, all other expenditures, $25,000,000 – a total of $441,000,000.  From the 4th of March, 1861, till the 22nd of May the public debt including $70,000,000 old debt bequeathed by Buchanan, amounted in the aggregate on Friday last to $481,796,145.  Mr. Dawes run [sic] a parallel between the expenditures under the former administration and the present showing as to the civil list, this administration has been far more honest and economical than that.

The expenditures of the Government have been greater in the past than they will be in the future.  Vast sums of money have been laid out in ships and arms.  The creation of the enormous artillery force which is now so effective an arm of our military department involved lavish outlays of money.  Our coast expeditions have cost us extravagantly.  Arms have been procured at great cost.  In fact we were not prepared for war, and have been obliged to make up for our want of preparation.  We have now made our permanent investments in war material and the current expenditures will be diminished.  The estimate that the war was costing us three millions per day, was made just at the time that hundreds of vessels were charted for the transportation of McClellan’s army from Alexandria to Fortress Monroe and while an immense fleet of steamers were conveying Gen. Grant’s army up the Tennessee river the great cost of these vessels of course swelled the aggregate daily expenditure greatly, but yet the three million estimate was much too large even for that time.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, June 7, 1862, p. 1

A Liberal Discount

The Vallandighammers have been very earnestly laboring to make the people believe that a debt of twelve hundred millions of dollars has already been contracted in the prosecution of the war.  It is unnecessary to say that there is a liberal discount upon this as well as a good many other statements of these disinterested and pure minded patriots.  The total expenses of the Government on account of the war amount to $441,000,000.  The total debt of the Nation, including $70,000,000 inherited from Buchanan’s Administration, amounted on the 22d day of May to $481,796,145 – more than seven hundred millions of dollars reduction from their statement.  Knowing how concerned they were and are about the debt and how much they fear the people will not stand up to it, were are certain they will be greatly rejoiced to hear it is so small.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, June 7, 1862, p. 1

The Government Debt And Expenditures

Numerous exaggerated statements have been published in reference to the current expenses of the government.  They were reiterated yesterday by Mr. Voorhees, in his violent speech against the administration, placing the present expenditures at three million of dollars per day, and the present debt one thousand five hundred millions, with twelve millions more to be added for the emancipation of slaves.  This astounding announcement occasioned several calls upon the Secretary of the Treasury for accurate information on the subject.

An examination of the Register’s accounts shows that our expenditures, from the 1^st of April 1861, to April 1, 1862, do not average more than one million dollars per day, and that the total expenditures for the fiscal year will not exceed the estimate made in the able report of the Secretary of the Treasury. – There is reason to believe that the actual figures will not vary ten millions from the estimate. –{N. Y. Herald.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 31, 1862, p. 1

Congress - Second Session

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.

SENATE. – Mr. Carlisle presented a petition numerously signed by citizens of Boston asking Congress to leave the negro question alone and to attend to the business of the country.

The bill to define the pay and emolument of the officers of the army was taken up.

Mr. Sherman said the bill did not meet the difficulty.  A year ago we were physically weak with no public debt, now we are physically strong, but financially weak.  The total amount of the expenses for next year will probably not be less than $500,000,000.  This is a greater expense than ever was borne by any nation.  The highest expenditure of Great Britain was never $500,000,000 a year, not even in the war with Napoleon.

Mr. Sherman here quoted from the London Post, the Government organ, which said that we (the U. S. Government,) were approaching national bankruptcy.  In his judgment these propositions were needed: first, the prompt levy of a tax of not less than $150,000,000.  Second, a careful revision of the laws regulating salaries and compensations.  Third, rigid scrutiny into the disbursement of all public funds, and prompt punishment of every officer taking money or allowing others to take it for property in the service of which the Government does not receive benefit.

Mr. King presented several petitions asking 300,000 copies of the Agricultural Report be printed in the German language.

HOUSE. – Mr. Conway, of Kansas, asked leave to offer the following, to which Mr. Maynard objected, and a unanimous consent was required to introduce it:

            Resolved, That the President be requested to furnish the House, if not incompatible with public interests, with the names of all persons arrested under order of any executive officer without legal process and confined in any of the forts or other prisons of this country as prisoners of war, the names of forts or other prisons in which said persons have been and are confined respectively, the date of the several arrests, together with a full statement of the charges and evidence upon which they were arrested, also the names of all such persons who have since been discharged, the date of their several discharges and the reasons for the same.

The House then took up the Treasury Note Bill.

Mr. Thomas, of Mass., gave the reasons which would induce him to vote against the bill as it now stands.

– Published in The Dubuque Herald, Dubuque, Iowa, Friday Morning, February 7, 1862, p. 1

A Straw

The day on which President Lincoln was inaugurated, March 4, 1861, U. S. six per cent. stocks sold at 92 1-2.  After increasing the public debt, which then stood at $76,455,000 to some $350,000,000, that same stock is now selling in the market at 94.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 29, 1862, p. 2

Local Matters

BOY WANTED to learn the Photographic business, at Morse’s Gallery.

TO BEE KEEPERS. – We are requested to state than an Apiarian Convention will be held at Tipton, Cedar Co., on the 10^th prox. at 9 o’clock A. M.

CHOICE STRAWBERRY PLANTS. – We refer to the advertisement of Mr. W. H. Holmes in to-day’s paper.  The plants are the best varieties in market.

VICTORINE LOST. – On Wednesday evening, on Rock Island street, between Fourth and Sixth streets.  The finder will confer a favor by leaving it at this office.

R. KRAUSE, at No. 36 West Second street, has now a nice stock of ready made clothing for spring wear, all of his own manufacture, which he will sell cheap.

THE TELEGRAPH was down again yesterday between Ottawa and Chicago.  We perceive that Chicago is not much better off than we, for dispatches.  The lines east of that city have also worked very poorly for some days, and news from the seaboard published by the papers of Chicago has been very meager.

SNOW. – Denizens of this region were much surprised on awakening yesterday morning to find about two inches of snow on the ground and everything outdoor presenting the appearance of midwinter.  Under the warm rays of the sun, however, it nearly all disappeared before night.  May we not say that this is the last snow of the season?

THE FEDERAL TAX. – The first installment of the tax due from our citizens toward liquidating the interest on the war debt, which is now called for, is two mills, or the same amount as the State tax.  Those who have paid their taxes, by examining their receipts, can tell exactly how much is now required of them.  The whole amount thus received from our State will be $354,901.93.

BAD ROADS AND MAILS. – The roads are just now in an awful condition to travel.  The stage that started for DeWitt yesterday morning, returned after reaching Duck Creek, the driver declaring he could not proceed further, as the roads were worse than the day before, when the mud and water were leg deep to his horses.  The carrier of the mail to LeClaire went up on horseback, while the one for Buffalo refused to go at all.  A few days of sunshine will make the roads passable.

THE RIVER was clear of ice at Burlington on Thursday evening, and was thought to be open as far up as Oquawka at that time.  The steamboats Hannibal and Die Vernon arrived at Keokuk on Sunday last, the ice having gone out that day.  We cannot find that there has been any movement of the ice at this point at all; it was reported to have started above the bridge, but we think incorrectly, as the meteorological authorities on that structure have seen nothing of the kind.  We are now having our semi-annual trouble about crossing, but it cannot last much longer.

COLLISION. The freight train coming to Rock Island, and that going east from Peoria collided not far from Ottawa on the R. I. R. R. night before last.  No lives were lost, but the road was blocked up, so that the express trains could not pass. They consequently exchanged passengers and mails, and each returned, the cars not reaching here till yesterday afternoon, several hours behind time.

DIED.

Of Consumption, on the 21^st inst, at  6 ½ o’clock A. M. at residence of Dr. J. McCortney, SAMUEL A. GREEN, aged 24 years.

The funeral will leave the residence of Dr. MCortney on Harrison street, Sunday, at 2 o’clock P. M., for Ste. Marguerite’s church, where services will be performed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 22, 1862, p. 1

What They Ask

The staple of the Democrat’s leaders of late is an attack on the Republican party, the members of which by way of stigma it terms abolitionists, because it will not agree to leave the slave states at the close of the rebellion in the undisputed possession of all the rights they enjoyed before they turned traitors to their country.  Under the shallow plea of a violation of the Constitution, it takes up the rebel cry of certain partisan editors of the baser sort, and proclaims, that unless you concede to the Southern States the rights they possessed before this war, you trample upon the Constitution – you must let them alone.  Yes, that was all the rebel States asked for in the first place, simply to be let alone; but our Government did not choose to let them alone in their treason, hence this civil war.  Yet here are a parcel of “Northern men with Southern principles” springing up at this late day, and re-echoing the cry of the South to be let alone.

The Southern States have made war on the Government, have slain thousands of our bravest young men, have sown misery and woe broadcast over the land, broken up households, robbed families of their means of livelihood, involved our nation in debt a thousand millions of dollars; and now it is claimed they should come back into the Union, bringing with them the cause of all our troubles, more overbearing than ever from the strength it acquired in withstanding the fiery ordeal through which it passed.  Nor is this all; the people of the North, who have suffered so much from these miserable traitors, are to take them back into the Government upon their own recognizance, install them in the highest seats of the synagogue, and bow down to the blood Moloch that has just now converted our fair country into a second valley of Tophet.  Nor do their exactions end here; while we carefully guard the possessions of the Southerners from all harm, we, self-sacrificing Northerners, are all to dispose of our homesteads and rob our families of every comfort, in order to pay the debts contracted in prosecuting this war.  Woe be to our country and to our people, if ever such a curse befall it as these miserable, misguided editors for partisan purposes would bring upon it.  It would make us a by-word in the mouths of the nations of the earth, and the once glorious flag of our Union would droop in shame over a people conquered by their own vices.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, March 6, 1862, p. 2

The Grand Result of the Rebellion

The Democrat from day to day is harping on the Constitution.  It takes the ground that Republicans and all others who are not pro-slavery in their views are abolitionists, and any measure tending to a prosecution or close of the war, unless it leave slavery intact, is unconstitutional.  It interprets the proclamation of Gen. Halleck to his soldiers, “to impress upon the minds of the rebels that the object of their mission is not to violate, but to restore their laws,” to signify that the rebel States are to be restored to the Union just as they were before they seceded from it.  In plain terms, our neighbor desires to see the rebel States brought back into the Union possessing all the rights, privileges and immunities they had before they colleagued together to overthrow the Government; the rebels secured in all their possessions, and the institution of slavery standing just where it did, before with high-hand they sought to destroy our liberties.  They are to be forgiven for all the bloodshed, sorrow and misery they have brought upon our country, and the loyal people of the North are to be burdened with taxation to pay the monstrous debt these miscreants have entailed upon the nation.

We know not how many Northern sympathizers this editor finds with the abominable doctrine he promulgates, but if in the course of events such a thing should come to pass, it would be a triumph for the South that would not only disgrace us in the eyes of the world, but lay a firmer foundation for future rebellion than the South had before it.  So ineffectually sought to disrupt the government and build up a slave oligarchy on its ruins.  If we are to gain nothing by this war and to saddle upon ourselves a national debt to be entailed upon our children for generations to come, and still to foster among us the festering sore that caused all our troubles, then we would appeal to the common sense of every one, if it would not be virtually a Southern triumph.  The North would be the vanquished party, and the South would glory in an institution firmly established at the point of the sword. – We would be in a far worse condition than before the outbreak of the rebellion.

This idea may suit one who has periled nothing in the contest, who has esteemed the preservation of slavery superior to that of his country, who has looked upon the war as one waged for the abolition of slavery, and hoped in his heart that that object might not be accomplished; but it finds no approval in the minds of those who have taken more enlarged views of the subject, and thrown their lives into the scale for the preservation of the Union.  We are not fighting for slavery; but, as it caused the war, if in the contest it is eradicated, root and branch, God be praised; our republic will be planted on a basis so firm that it will stand until nations cease to exist.

We have not the remotest idea that the President, his Cabinet, Congress, or the people, have any wish to see the rebellious States come back into the Union with all the rights and privileges guaranteed them that they possessed before the rebellion.  It would be an outrage upon the North, after all it has suffered at their hands, to admit them again into the Confederacy on an equal footing. – We believe in the old principle of criminal law, that they party found guilty shall pay the costs of prosecution.  They never can be made to liquidate the tithe of the debt the Government holds against them for the loss of life and the vast suffering they have inflicted upon the country, but the property of the rebels can and should be made to pay the pecuniary indebtedness that their satanic course has entailed upon us.  The rebel States should, and no doubt will be, reduced to territories, and the property of the rebels be confiscated to pay the war debt. The settlement of the slave question will then be an after consideration, to come up when these territories again apply for admission into the Union, if not previously settled by the people, or the wise legislation of our Congress.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, March 3, 1862, p. 2

Tennessee --- Confiscation

Political matters in Tennessee have begun to assume shape.  The poor, down trodden Unionists, who have stood up for the Government amid the most terrible oppression, once more have the recognizance of their rights.  Tennessee would gladly take her former position in the Union, but that cannot be.  She has been one of the most violent of the Confederacy and she should not be permitted to return again to her allegiance, possessing the State rights she had before she raised her parricidal hand against the Government.  She is one of those States that have brought so much misery, bloodshed and debt upon our country and it will be an outrage upon the loyal States, if she be permitted to return to the Union vested with all the rights, privileges and immunities she possessed before she sought to overthrow the Government.

In quelling this attempt of certain states, banded together as a separate Confederacy, to dissever the Union, our Government has contracted an enormous debt.  The question now arises, who is to pay this indebtedness?  Shall the citizens of the loyal States be assessed to cancel a debt incurred in defending the Government against an attempted subversion by a few rebellious states?  Or shall the rebels who have brought the debt upon the Government be made to liquidate it?  Common sense teaches the latter, and no one, unless he directly sympathizes with the rebels will object to the passage of an act confiscating their property for that purpose.  Some discrimination must be made in favor of those citizens of these rebellious States who have not participated nor sympathized in the movement.  A general tax would effect all alike.  We can see no alternative but a confiscation for the use of the Government, of all the property, both real and personal, of every man in the Southern States who has aided or abetted in any shape whatever in this monstrous treason against the Government.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 27, 1862, p. 2