Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-01-13

pars OF it, ihoald be required by tie rub.
lie agencies of the United States, and
mould be 70 appropriated by fpecial "sets
OF congreis." While a, this early period
OF cur finances it was not though, e>pedi-
ens to appropriate this iurplus a5lolutely to
the /Gnkxg fund, it was contemplated that
il Glould not be diverted except for tabhe
eriysxeies. Gratui,oudy to relinqu'lh it
is, therefore, contrary to the letter as
well as to the fpirit OF the original inei'a-
tor CT the fund. The like observations,
though with iefs force, apply to the pro-
viion noticed in anothe, number, reipet'-
ing the !1rpluacs OF the revenue general
Il, which, as we have, ieen, are all aP-
prapria,ed to the Grking furd. At the
ieGion Of Congref Immediately fucceeding
any year in which farplu6es may accrue,
they may be ipecialiy opt,op,iaiea CT re-
forced by law, for other urpoies !; bu. II
this be not done, they are then to go OF
cougfe to the Gnki:5 tnri. To nht'ap,;-
ate or to ,sIerve, plainly, can never
mean to rrl,nguy@. The true meaning
Of the proviiion appears, therefore, to be-
that though congrefs, under the reitrittion
exp-eGed IS TO time, may Gbpro3'i2t or
r:Ierve thofe iurpluGes for other objects
Of the public iervicc, yet if not wanted
for fuch other Objects, they fhall con':nae
to endure to the fund fer the reduction OF
The debt, 70 long as by the laws resulat-
Ing ,,lr:. duration they are to continue TO
- levied.
Thus, on whatever fde it is viewed,
there is ,emerity and levity in the pro-
pofi,ion which confounds and arazes. 1t,
uahappily it a,a!I receive the fanetion ct
congyei;, there will remain nothing In
principle CT our {yRem of public credit
nothing On which the confidence OF the
creditor can iafzly repoie. The precedent
Of fatal innovation will have been eta
biihed; and its exteniion to total ami
hiiation of the iecurity, would be itep,
rot much more violent, than that by
Which the iaroad had commenced! But II
is dcvcutly to be hoped, that the delirium
ofparty fpirit will not 70 far tranfport the
leg liza i've representatives of the nation, as
to induce, th>m to pat tie zeal to meaiure,
as mo;ivelels- rs precipitate-as impolitic
as faitblrG-as could have been dietat-
cd, even by deliberate hoitility to the
vital principles of our national credit
PecuIiarlyths guardians of the PUBLIC
FAITH, and ofshe public paye, they iure-
ly will net csnient to impoveri!h the one,
and the other, through an abjeft ard cri-
minal conY'siiancc.
1t is a fat not unknown to himfelf,
that abroad as we'll as at home, a difiidence
has been entertained Of the opinions and
views of the perlon now at the head of
our government, with regard to our iyf-
tenn Of public credit. This undoubtedly
oush, to have been with him troog rea-
foo for caution, Especially at 70 early a
ssce of his administration, as to any itep
which might frengthen that diAidenee,
which was in the leaR equivocal In Its
tendency, Nor ought it to have been
overlooked, that the interef OF the fate,
and a regard for his own reputation, de-
m ,nasd thi, caution. The appearance of
,naab;Iity in the plans of government,
particularly Rejecting its finances, can
never fail to make injurious impreaiens.
To government, the character Of which
has rot vet been efablifhed by time, the
example of iudden and Objectionable limo
va,ioas, may be expected to be in the
hiehea degree detrimental: Prudent men
every where are apt &c, take the alarm at
great changes not manifetly beneficial
and proper difpoition which has been
much incrS-!ed by the terrible events Of
he preient revolutionary EZRA. Yer, dill
regarding theic alusary and obvious re-
sections, the PRECEDENT has ven'ured' IN
the very infancy of his administration, up
on the bold and unjuai6able aep of recon-
mending to the Legislative body, re-
nunciation Of the whole Internal 'eUfnut
Of the country; though the nation is at
this moment encountered with coniiders-