plies only to a
single year and to one part of the public charges; but it has at least
the merit of not being conjectural.]

The authority of the Federal government cannot oblige the provincial
governments to throw any light upon this point; and even if these
governments were inclined to afford their simultaneous co-operation,
it may be doubted whether they possess the means of procuring a
satisfactory answer. Independently of the natural difficulties of the
task, the political organization of the country would act as a hindrance
to the success of their efforts. The county and town magistrates are not
appointed by the authorities of the State, and they are not subjected
to their control. It is therefore very allowable to suppose that, if the
State was desirous of obtaining the returns which we require, its design
would be counteracted by the neglect of those subordinate officers whom
it would be obliged to employ. *l It is, in point of fact, useless to
inquire what the Americans might do to forward this inquiry, since it
is certain that they have hitherto done nothing at all. There does not
exist a single individual at the present day, in America or in Europe,
who can inform us what each citizen of the Union annually contributes
to the public charges of the nation. *m [Footnote l: Those who have
attempted to draw a comparison between the expenses of France and
America have at once perceived that no such comparison could be drawn
between the total expenditure of the two countries; but they have
endeavored to contrast detached portions of this expenditure. It may
readily be shown that this second system is not at all less defective
than the first. If I attempt to compare the French budget with the
budget of the Union, it must be remembered that the latter embraces much
fewer objects than then central Government of the former country, and
that the expenditure must consequently be much smaller. If I contrast
the budgets of the Departments with those of the States which constitute
the Union, it must be observed that, as the power and control exercised
by the States is much greater than that which is exercised by the
Departments, their expenditure is also more considerable. As for the
budgets of the counties, nothing of the kind occurs in the French
system of finances; and it is, again, doubtful whether the corresponding
expenses should be referred to the budget of the State or to those of
the municipal divisions. Municipal e