The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-03-23

A PhuSs ~ ~ " OC kSuICtuOCTCu tudS IVA
Jefferson was now writing his farewell adj.
tdress. and considering MA determination C
retire, and his time of lie it was the last
address, which, il Could be expected he
would ever make to that body as President
In this situation what was more raturai than
to look beyond the present moment, to the
time when the freedom of our commerce
should be restored and judging by the ex-
perience OF the six and a half preceding
years. TO anticipate the period when the re
would be no public debt to which the annu
| al surplus of revenue could be applied p
The subject which he was then upon, and
the situation in which he stood, led him most
naturally and directly to such course of
thought; and it is only in the prospect of the
restoration of commerce., and, of course, the
wonted revenues Of the country that he con-
templates the existence of an annual surplus,
and proposes to Congress the varioas means
of using it for the public good
These are his words Immediately follow
ing the sentence above quoted-"'rhe hro-
6a6ie accumulation of the SURPRISES of re
venue, beyond what can be applied TO the
payment of the public debt, zvhenever the
freedom and safety Of commerce shall be
restored, merits the consideration of Con-
gress." Now although he is here, in ex
press words, speaking of PROBABLE accu.
u.
hereafter. zvheneuey The freedom and safe
~. Of commerce shat be restored, this dis
ingenious writer represents him as speak
ing OF an existing surplus now on 1and -
Mr.. Jefferson proceeds thus, in the next sen
tence: "Shall it lie unproductive i'm the
public vaultsl Shall the revenue be rednc
ed? or. shall it not rather be appropriated
to the improvements of roads. canals rivers,
education and other great foundations of
prosperity and union under the powers which
Congress may already possess, or such "a
mendment OF the Constitution as may be APP
proved by the States? White uncertain, of
tire course Of things. the time may be adj.
vantageousiy employed in OBJ .aining the
powers necessary for system of improve
ment, should that be thought best" This
is the whole passage; and it is on this pa
triotic anticipation Of the future, that Mr..
john Randolph or whoever else is the au-
thor OF Philo Laos, has given the lie direct
to a man who has grown grey in the faithful
and jealous service of his country. Behold
here, specimen of federal candor aud
dignity! Are these the men whom you
would invite again intopower.
Will this writer or his federal echoes, ask
me for this promised surplus of revenue -
ask them, "are the freedom and safety of
commerce restored ?" Since 1t is on this
event and no other, that Mr.. Jefferson bot.
toms the expectation of any such surplus
But as to a fresnt SURPLUS. so far was
Mr.. Jefferson from stating the existence
OF any SUCH that after showing the balance
actually in the Treasury, he communicates
the report of the Secretary of that depart
ment; report founded, not on the pros
pect of commerce being restored, but on
the state Of things as it really existed, and
on the prospect of the continuance of that
state; and that report was so far from
promising surplus of revenue, in case of
the continuance OF the Instructions to COM
merce. that it proposed loan or an increase
of duties as rendered unavodably necessary
By those distractions. And this exposition
of this state of the finances, the very same
IN su6st'lce with that Of December, 1909,
on Which Phiio- Laos comments, as taking
The nation by snr7trize, was made on the 10th
December, 1908. year and thtee months
before Mr.. Jefferson's retreat to the noun
tains.
So yanishes the charge of deception against
the late President of the u. States. But
what will you say TO the disngenuous writer
who advanced t, and his equally disingenu-
Gus supporters? Who, some of his support
ers are, in the City of Richmond and State
OF Virginia. the cause of truth and Justice
may, hereafter, make it proper to enquire.
Euata in The Centine!, No W.
TO lift the mountain weight from the heart
of the farmer"-for heart read breast
In the quotation from the Presidents first mes
sage Tor" Imports" read imbosts-and so, in the
corresponding Passages.
In the paragraph before the last" exclusive
OF loans prior to '95 amounting to near four mill-
ons, (to wit 1900, 900" for " near fou, mil
liors" read near five millions.