All history tells us, that the minister who attempted to reduce the public burthens, by the dismissal of useless Officers; by the reduction of pensions improperly granted; by the destruction of sinecure Offices; in fine by Reform however salutary, has been disgraced and a man with more liberal Ideas (as the Blood suckers term it) is brought in. Your Administration is an exception to this general Rule. But your situation, your high Standing in the confidence and the Affections of the people, added to the hostility to the federal measures, operated highly to favour your plans of salutary Economy—you had Scarcely gone into private life until what Gallatin said to me was Verified—“We (said he) are Starving ourselves—another set will Come in, that will expend all we save by our frugality”—In fine it Can scarcely be denied, what Mr Harper has written, “that our measures are so Closely allied to those of the federalists, that no good federalist can object to them.”—Mr Calhoun who has Spent the public money ad libitum has the Ear of the President, is Eulogized by the Press, and every where puffed—Whilst Mr Crawford, who is anxious, that the Expenditures should be brought within the means of the Government, is traduced Vilified, and Stigmatized with the name of Chief of the Radicals—And why? Because his friends have Checked the extravagant and in some instances illegal expenditures in another department—The Course pursued by the two last Congresses has gained for them the Nick Name of Radicals, and the name has its influence among the people—How much does Colo Monroe owe to those who reduced His public Estimates five million in three years? and that without injury to any one of the institutions of the Country, suppose it had not been done, he must have applied for another loan of five million for the service of 1822 and the Revenue of 1823 would only have been adequate to the Expences—How is it now? A full treasury, not Created by new burthens on the people, but by retrenchment of needless expenditures—He will probably have a good treasury when he goes out of Office, but there will not be means adequate for the service of 1825, for then the Stocks will be redeemable at pleasure, and the sinking fund will have the Object on which to operate—a Reduction of the sinking fund to the Eight million of your day, might relieve us for the year 1825—but we Cannot (I think) meet even that, in the subsequent years without an increase of Duties, or an Excise on Whiskey—25 Cents ⅌ Gall. would give us five million of Revenue, from which ought to be deducted One million for a loss of Revenue on spirits imported, for if we lay an Excise, we ought to lay additional say nearly1 prohibitory duties on Imported Spirits. That system would Encourage our produce of Rye and Corn.—This ought to be recommended by Colo Monroe as a fair Relief to his successor and if adopted, would give us means fully adequate, to meet the [tempory?] expences and the demand for the sinking fund.

I had thought that I would never again after Mr Madison’s first Election, have concerned myself about the Presidential Election. But I fear, that I shall be involved in it—I am decidedly of Opinion, that Mr Crawford is the best Candidate for that Office, and I shall give him my support. He may at present calculate on N. York. 362 N. Jersey. 8 Delaware 3 Maryland 4 perhaps more, Virginia, 24 N. Carolina 15 Georgia. 9 Tenessee 3 (at least)—102 Votes

Mr Adams’s Chance is only, the NE. States 49 and in Maryland 6.—in all 573—Indeed I think it highly probable, that Maine and R. Island will Vote for Crawford—I Cannot bring myself to believe, that the democratic State of Maryland will Vote for a Gentleman who was among the highest toned federalists, whilst in senate, the Embargo Vote only excepted, &4 has in no instance recanted—I do not believe in Men after 40 years of Age—Changing a principle of their political Creed—Could you or I Change ours to federalism? I judge of others by myself—With sincere Esteem