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The US Budget – A Glimpse into the Past

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Monies wanting for the year 1800, Treasury Department. December 17, 1799

Since the budget of the U.S. Government is the current hot topic on Capitol Hill, I thought I would share this U.S. Treasury Report on Monies for  1800.

The image is a bit difficult to read, but there are lines for military expenditures for the Army, the Navy, and arms. Further expenditures are indicated for the “Civil department, including Mint, valuation of lands & lighthouses” and the Indian department.  Then there are those “Resources to meet those wants on the supposition that the taxes &c [et cetera]  yield in 1800 what they did in 1799” like impost and lands sold.  For a closer look just expand the picture.

This is just one item from the Thomas Jefferson Papers, held by the Manuscript Division.  If you want to know more about Jefferson and see his papers this collection is definitely worth a look.

Comments (3)

  1. I’m torn. Would that our budgetary dilemma be so simple and small, yet if it were, we wouldn’t be nearly the country we became.

    Thanks for the perspective.

    mavenandmeddler blog

  2. What a budget as compared our budget this year. Nevertheless we’ve gone far.

  3. Can somebody clarify.. is this not Ron Paul’s FY 2012 budget proposal? But this is fascinating, in 2010, the federal deficit grew by nearly $2.5 million per minute, compared to $10 per minute in 1800.

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