THE CIVIL LIST EXPENSES: THE CONTINGENT EXPENSES OF CONGRESS:
AND THE REVENUE COLLECTION EXPENSE.
Pursuing the instructive political lesson to be found in the study
of the progressive increased expenditures of the government, we
take up, in this chapter, the civil list in the gross, and two
of its items in detail--the contingent expenses of Congress, and
the expense of collecting the revenue--premising that the civil
list, besides the salaries of civil officers, includes the foreign
diplomatic intercourse, and a variety of miscellanies. To obtain
the proper comparative data, recourse is again had to Mr. Calhoun's
speech of this year (1842) on the naval appropriation.
"The expenditures under the first head have increased since
1823, when they were $2,022,093, to $5,492,030 98, the amount
in 1840; showing an increase, in seventeen years, of 2 7-10 to
1, while the population has increased only about 3/4 to 1, that
is, about 75 per cent.--making the increase of expenditures,
compared to the increase of population, about 3 6-10 to 1. This
enormous increase has taken place although a large portion of
the expenditures under this head, consisting of salaries to
officers, and the pay of members of Congress, has remained
unchanged. The next year, in 1841, the expenditure rose to
$6,196,560. I am, however, happy to perceive a considerable
reduction in the estimates for this year, compared with the last
and several preceding years; but still leaving room for great
additional reduction to bring the increase of expenditures to
the same ratio with the increase of population, as liberal as
that standard of increase would be.
"That the Senate may form some conception, in detail, of this
enormous increase, I propose to go more into particulars in
reference to two items: the contingent expenses of the two
Houses of Congress, and that of collecting the duties on
imports. The latter, though of a character belonging to the
civil list, is not included in it, or either of the other heads;
as the expenses incident to collecting the customs, are deducted
from the receipts, before the money is paid into the Treasury.
"The contingent expenses (they exclude the pay and mileage of
members) of the Senate in 1823 were $12,841 07, of which the
printing cost $6,349 56, and stationery $1,631 51; and that
of the House, $37,848 95, of which the printing cost $22,314
41, and the stationery $3,877 71. In 1840, the contingent
expenses of the Senate were $77,447 22, of which the printing
cost $31,285 32, and the stationery $7,061 77; and that of the
House $199,219 57, of which the printing cost $65,086 46, and
the stationery $36,352 99. The aggregate expenses of the two
Houses together rose from $50,690 02 to $276,666; being an
actual increase of 5 4-10 to 1, and an increase, in proportion
to population, of about 7 2-10 to one. But as enormous as this
increase is, the fact that the number of members had increased
not more than about ten per cent. from 1823 to 1840, is
calculated to make it still more strikingly so. Had the increase
kept pace with the increase of members (and there is no good
reason why it should greatly exceed it), the expenditures would
have risen from $50,690 to $55,759, only making an increase of
but $5,069; but, instead of that, it rose to $276,666, making
an increase of $225,970. To place the subject in a still more
striking view, the contingent expenses in 1823 were at the rate
of $144 per member, which one would suppose was ample, and in
1840, $942. This vast increase took place under the immediate
eyes of Congress; and yet we were told at the extra session, by
the present chairman of the Finance Committee, that there was no
room for economy, and that no reduction could be made; and even
in this discussion he has intimated that little can be done.
As enormous as are the contingent expenses of the two Houses,
I infer from the very great increase of expenditures under the
head of civil list generally, when so large a portion is for
fixed salaries, which have not been materially increased for the
last seventeen years, that they are not much less so throughout
the whole range of this branch of the public service.
"I shall now proceed to the other item, which I have selected
for more particular examination, the increased expenses of
collecting the duties on imports. In 1823 it was $766,699, equal
to 3 86-100 per cent. on the amount collected, and 98-100 on
the aggregate amount of imports; and in 1840 it had increased
to $1,542,319 24, equal to 14 13-100 per cent. on the amount
collected, and to 1 58-100 on the aggregate amount of the
imports, being an actual increase of nearly a million, and
considerably more than double the amount of 1823. In 1839 it
rose to $1,714,515.
"From these facts, there can be little doubt that more than a
million annually may be saved under the two items of contingent
expenses of Congress, and the collection of the customs, without
touching the other great items comprised under the civil list,
the executive and judicial departments, the foreign intercourse,
light-houses, and miscellaneous. It would be safe to put down a
saving of at least a half million for them."
The striking facts to be gleaned from these statements are--That
the civil list in 1821 was about two millions of dollars; in 1839,
four and a half millions; and in 1841, six millions and a fraction.
That the contingent expenses of Congress during the same periods
respectively, were, $50,000, and $276,000. And the collection
of the custom house revenue at the same periods, the respective
sums of $766,000, and $1,542,000. These several sums were each
considered extravagant, and unjustifiable, at the time Mr. Calhoun
was speaking; and each was expected to feel the pruning knife of
retrenchment. On the contrary, all have risen higher--inordinately
so--and still rising: the civil and diplomatic appropriation having
attained 17 millions: the contingent expenses of Congress 4 to
510,000: and the collection of the customs to above two millions.