Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-12-09

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purpose. The question therefore now comes
forward, to what other objects shall these
surplusses be appropriated! and the whole
surplus of impost after the entire discharge
ofthe public debt. and during those intervals
when the purposes of war shall not call tor
| them Shall we suppress the impost and
give that advantage to foreign over domes>
tic manufactures. On few articles OF more
general and necessary use, the suppressi-
( on, in due season, will doubtless DC right;
hut the great mass of the articles on which
IiyaDost IS paid, are foreign luxures, por-
| chased; by those only who are rich enough
| to afford themselves the use of them.
| Their patriotism would certainly prefer
! its continuance, and application to the great
purposes of the public education, roads,
rivers, canals, and such other objects OF
public improvement, as it may be thought
| proper to aud to the constitutional cnumc-
ration of federal powers.
BY these operations, new channels Of COM
miunication will be opened between the
states; the lines of separation will disap-
pear, their interests will be Unidentified, and
their union ccmente.l by new and iadissoiu-
bic ties. Education is here placed among
the articles of public care, rot that it would
be proposed to take its ordinary branches
oft Of the hands of private enterprize,
which manages so much better ali the con-
Germs TO which it is equal: bnt public in
stitution can alone supply those sciences,
which though rarely called for. are vet ne
ccssarv TO complete the circle, all the parts
OF which contribute to the Improvement Of
the country, and some of them to it's o-cscr-
walton. The subject is now proposed fer
the consideration OF Congress, because, if
approved, bv the time the state legislatures
shall have del;beratcd On this extension Of
the federal trusts, and Che laws shall be
passed, and other arrangements made for
their execution, the necessary funds will be
on hand, and without employment sup
pose an amendment of the constitution. by
consent 81 the states, necessary; because
the objects now recommended are not a
mons those enumerated in the constitution,
and to which il permits tue public monies
to he applied.
The preacnt consideration of national
establishment for, education particular
", is rendered proper By this circumstance
also, that. if Congress, approving the pro-
position, shall yet think il more eligible to
found it on a donation Of lands, they have
1t now in their power to cndow it, with
: these which will be alnons the earliest to
! produce the necessary income. This foun-
: dation would have the advantage of being
independent on war, which may s.spcnd
: ether improvements by requiring .or its
: own purposes the rcsources destined for
them.
This, fellow citizens, is he state Of the
public interests, Vt the present moment,
: and according to the information now pos
sesscd. But such is the situation of the
!. nations OF Europe, and such too the pre-
dicament in which we stand with some 81
them, that we cannot rely with certainty
: on the present aspect Of our AFFAIRS, that
may change from moment to moment, du-
ring the course of your s. ssion, or after
; you shall have separated. Our duty is
therefore to act upon the things as they
arc and TO make a reasonable provision
for whatever they may be. Were armies
! to be raised whenever specS of war is W
sible IN our horizon, we never should have
} been without them. Cur resources would
have been exhausted on dangers Which
have never happcned, instead of being re-
served for what is really to take place. A
steady, perhaps quickencd pace, lii pre-
psrations for the defence of cur seaport
towns and waters, an early settlement OF
tie most exposed and vulnerable parts OF
our country, a militia so organized that its
effective portions can be called TO any point
in the union, or volunteers instead Of
them, to serve q sufficient time, are means
which may always be ready, yet never
proving on our resources until actually
Ecal,ed into use. They will maintain the
public interests, while more permanent
force shall be in course of preparation
But much will depend en- the pronptitude
with which these means can be brought in
to activity. If war be forced upon us, in
spite Of our long and vain appeals to the
Justice of nations, repid and vigorous move
ments, in its outset, will so far towards Sc
curing Us in its cotirse and issue, and TO-
wards throwing It's burihens on those who
render necessary the resort from reason to
force.
The result of our negotiations, on such
incidents in their course as may enable us
TO infer their probable issue such further
/ movements also en- ouIt western frontier
I may sbcw whether war is to be pressed
there, while negotiation is protracted else
/ where, shall be communicated to You from
tiIac to tine, as they become known to me !;
with whatsoever ether information / pos
sess or may receive, which may aid your
deliberations on tho great national interests
comHaittcd to your charge.
Fri JEFFERSON.
Dec ?. 1906.
/ II REAT BARGAIN in two hundred