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Editorial
November 1, 1848
Rutland County Herald
Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont
What is this article about?
Editorial critiques high government expenses under Democratic (Locofoco) administrations from Jackson to Polk, contrasting with lower Whig spending from Washington to J.Q. Adams, suggesting funds could support infrastructure and education; sourced from New Bedford Mercury.
Merged-components note: Merged all related tables into the editorial component as they provide the detailed recapitulation of government expenses referenced and discussed in the editorial text.
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Expenses of Government under All THE ADMINISTRATIONS. -We take the following from the New Bedford Mercury :
I deem it important to call your attention to the following exposition and statistics of expenses of our government taken from the journal of Congress, for every administration, commencing with George Washington's and concluding with James K. Polk's. It will be found correct, with the exception of the expenditures under President Polk's administration, which are probably under-estimated at least some $50,000,000-it being stated on competent authority that the Mexican war cost us two hundred and fifty millions of dollars, which is the amount placed in the schedule below. By giving Mr. Polk the benefit of $50,000,000, still, it will be observed, the increase of the expenses of government have become tremendous.
What is very remarkable, and yet true and beyond contradiction, is, that every locofoco administration has cost and taxed the people of this Union vastly more than either of the Whig administrations. Thus it will be found, that the whole expenditures of Whig governments, commencing with Washington's and ending with J. Q. Adams's, during a period of forty years, (and be it remembered the expenses of the revolution, much of them were paid under Washington's government, and all the charges
In consequence of the last war with Great Britain, in Mr. Madison's) locofoco governments, commencing with General Jackson's and terminating with General Polk's, a period of twenty years, are run up to the enormous sum of $313,752,47, over and above the Whig governments for forty years!! A sum sufficient to have made internal improvements, deepening harbors and rivers of the West and South, and building piers for the harbors on the lakes and seaboard, to an extent that would have been for all time to come of immense benefit to our country; a sum sufficient to have educated millions of poor children and placed school houses in every city, town, and village and paid for teachers for many years. It is of vital importance to every friend of his country to probe this subject to the bottom, and ask why is it, and who has caused this exorbitant expenditure of national treasure. -
Shall our hard earnings continue to be thus squandered by Locofoco misrule?
Recapitulation of United States Government Expenses.
(George Washington,
John Adams,
Thomas Jefferson.
James Madison,
John Quincy Adams.
Andrew Jackson,
1 hour, $2,100,000
1 minute, $35,130,000
JOHN TYLER.
James K. Polk.
Look to it one and all, throughout the Republic, and say whether you will any longer countenance such lavish and wicked extravagance.
I deem it important to call your attention to the following exposition and statistics of expenses of our government taken from the journal of Congress, for every administration, commencing with George Washington's and concluding with James K. Polk's. It will be found correct, with the exception of the expenditures under President Polk's administration, which are probably under-estimated at least some $50,000,000-it being stated on competent authority that the Mexican war cost us two hundred and fifty millions of dollars, which is the amount placed in the schedule below. By giving Mr. Polk the benefit of $50,000,000, still, it will be observed, the increase of the expenses of government have become tremendous.
What is very remarkable, and yet true and beyond contradiction, is, that every locofoco administration has cost and taxed the people of this Union vastly more than either of the Whig administrations. Thus it will be found, that the whole expenditures of Whig governments, commencing with Washington's and ending with J. Q. Adams's, during a period of forty years, (and be it remembered the expenses of the revolution, much of them were paid under Washington's government, and all the charges
In consequence of the last war with Great Britain, in Mr. Madison's) locofoco governments, commencing with General Jackson's and terminating with General Polk's, a period of twenty years, are run up to the enormous sum of $313,752,47, over and above the Whig governments for forty years!! A sum sufficient to have made internal improvements, deepening harbors and rivers of the West and South, and building piers for the harbors on the lakes and seaboard, to an extent that would have been for all time to come of immense benefit to our country; a sum sufficient to have educated millions of poor children and placed school houses in every city, town, and village and paid for teachers for many years. It is of vital importance to every friend of his country to probe this subject to the bottom, and ask why is it, and who has caused this exorbitant expenditure of national treasure. -
Shall our hard earnings continue to be thus squandered by Locofoco misrule?
Recapitulation of United States Government Expenses.
(George Washington,
John Adams,
Thomas Jefferson.
James Madison,
John Quincy Adams.
Andrew Jackson,
1 hour, $2,100,000
1 minute, $35,130,000
JOHN TYLER.
James K. Polk.
Look to it one and all, throughout the Republic, and say whether you will any longer countenance such lavish and wicked extravagance.
| 8 years, | $15,892,098.00 |
| 1 year, | 1,986,524.00 |
| 1 month, | 165,543.00 |
| 1 day, | 5,548.00 |
| 1 hour, | 229.00 |
| 1 minute, | 3.82 |
| 4 years, | 5,362,587.00 |
| 1 year, | 1,340,646.00 |
| 1 month, | 111,720.00 |
| 1 day, | 3,724.00 |
| 1 hour, | 155.00 |
| 1 minute, | 5.58 |
| 8 years, | $41,300,788.00 |
| 1 year, | 5,172,598.00 |
| 1 month, | 430,216.00 |
| 1 day, | 14,340.00 |
| 1 hour, | 597.00 |
| 1 minute, | 9.95 |
| 8 years, | $144,684,930.00 |
| 1 year, | $18,085,617.00 |
| 1 month, | $1,507,135.00 |
| 1 day, | $0.237.00 |
| 1 hour, | $3,093.00 |
| 1 minute, | $34.88 |
| 8 years, | $141,463,400.00 |
| 1 year, | $13,057,925.00 |
| 1-month, | $1,088,160.00 |
| 1 day, | $36,272.00 |
| 1 hour, | $1,511.00 |
| 1 minute, | $25.00 |
| 4 years, | $50,501,914.00 |
| 1 year, | 12,625,478.00 |
| 1 month, | 1,052,123.00 |
| 1 day, | 85,071.00 |
| 1 hour, | 1,461.00 |
| 1 minute, | 24.35 |
| 8 years, | $145,792,734.00 |
| 1 year, | 18,225,092.80 |
| 1 month, | 1,518,674.00 |
| 1 day, | 50,622.00 |
| MARTIN VAN BUREN. | |
| 4 years, | $136,406,963.00 |
| 1 year, | $4,101,741.00 |
| 1 month, | $2,841,812.00 |
| 1 day, | $94,727.00 |
| 1 hour, | $3,947.00 |
| 1 minute, | $65.78 |
| 4 years, | $91,158,177.00 |
| 1 year, | 22,780,544.00 |
| 1 month, | 1,899,129.00 |
| 1 day, | 63,304.00 |
| 1 hour, | 2,637.00 |
| 1 minute, | 43.95 |
| 4 years, | @302,500,000 00 |
| 1 year, | 75,625,000 00 |
| 1 month, | 6,302,083 00 |
| 1 day, | 210,069 00 |
| 1 hour, | 8,758 00 |
| 1 minute, | 145 88 |
What sub-type of article is it?
Economic Policy
Partisan Politics
Taxation
What keywords are associated?
Government Expenses
Administrations
Whig
Locofoco
Polk
Mexican War
Extravagance
Internal Improvements
Education
What entities or persons were involved?
George Washington
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
John Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson
Martin Van Buren
John Tyler
James K. Polk
Whig Administrations
Locofoco Administrations
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Comparison Of Government Expenses Under Whig And Locofoco Administrations
Stance / Tone
Criticism Of Extravagant Spending Under Locofoco Rule
Key Figures
George Washington
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
John Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson
Martin Van Buren
John Tyler
James K. Polk
Whig Administrations
Locofoco Administrations
Key Arguments
Locofoco Administrations Cost Vastly More Than Whig Ones
Total Locofoco Expenses For 20 Years Exceed Whig For 40 Years By $313,752,47
Excess Funds Could Finance Internal Improvements And Education
Polk's Administration Expenses Underestimated By At Least $50,000,000 Due To Mexican War
Urges Probing Causes Of Exorbitant Expenditure
Calls To End Squandering Of Hard Earnings Under Locofoco Misrule