Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 13.djvu/313

 CALHOUN AS SECRETARY OF WAR 305 administration. He planned to accomplish this by placing some medical expert at the head, to whom all the surgeons should make quarterly reports. The same system was to be carried out in the Quartermaster's Division. 16 Several times Calhoun impressed upon the commanders of the, army the necessity for strict economy. ECONOMY IN March 15, 1820, he wrote to Andrew ADMINISTRATION Jackson: "Each head of appropriation has been reduced to its lowest amount, and it will require much economy and good management to meet the ordinary expenditure of the year. You will accord- ingly take no measure, in the present state of business which will much increase the expense of your division/' 17 These two letters illustrate Calhoun's plan of action through- out his entire administration. Every man in office must be responsible to the head of the department and in the perform- ance of his work, observe the most careful economy. This did not mean that Calhoun wished to reduce the military force as a means of lessening the expenses. To his mind it was far more economical to have a well prepared army in case of a crisis, than to waste time and money organizing one when the nation was thrust into war. The basis for the practice of economy in the War Depart- ment may be found in the efforts of Con- LACK OF PUBLIC gress from 1818 to 1823, to reduce the REVENUE CAUSE expenses of the Government. One ex- FOR ECONOMY planation for this policy was given by Mr. Butler of New Hampshire on March 14, 1820, when he asserted in a speech before the House, that the Treasury showed a decrease in revenue of fifty per cent, and that the exports of the United States for three years before 1820 were only one-half their usual amount. 18 16 Letters of Calhoun, House Documents, Vol. 115, Am. Hist. Ass. Vol. II, 133-4- Calhoun did not take up the duties of Secretary of War until December 5, 1817. Hunt, John C. Calhoun, 43. 17 Letters of Calhoun, House Documents, Vol. 115, Am. Hist. Ass. Vol. II, 171. 1 8 Annals of Congress, i6th Cong., ist Sess., II, 1836. Turner, F. J. Rise of the New West, Am. Nation Series, 140, states that customs receipts fell between 1816 and 1821 from $36,000,000 to $13,000,000 and the revenue from public lands from $3,274,000 in 1819 to $1,635,000 in 1820.