Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-12-10

tatives, to be applied by them to objects of
internal improvement.
Although this plan has met with favor in
some portions of the Union, il has also eh-
cited objections which merit deliberate con-
sideratiOD. A brief notice Of these obiec.
lions here will not, therefore, 1 trust, be- re-
garded as out OF place. :
They rest, as far as they ha 10 come to my
knowledge, on tho following grounds ;-ist,
an objection to the ratio Of distribution I'd,
an apprehension that the existence OF such a
regulation would produce improvident and
oppressive taxation TO raise the funds for dis
tribution; Sd, that the mode proposed would
lead to the construction of works of a local
nature, TO the exclusion Of such as are &c.
neral, and as would consequently be Of u
more useful character and, last, that it
would create a discreditable g. mi urious de-
Pendence, on the part of the State Govern
msnts, upon the federal power. OF those
who object to the ratio of representation as
the basis of distribution, some insist that
the imPortations of the respective States
would constitute one that would be more @.
qnitaoie and others, again, that the extent
OF their respective territories would furnish
a standard which would be more expedient,
and sufficiently equitable. The ratio of 70.
presentation presented itself to my mind,
and it still does, as one of obvious equity. be,
cause of its being tho ratio OF contribution
whether the funds to be distributed be deri-
ved from the customs or from direct taxa.
ton. 1t does not follow, however, that it's
adoption is indispensable to the establish.
ment OF the system proposed. There may
oe considerations appertaining to the subject
which would render a departure. to some ex
tent, from the rnle of contribution proper.
Nor islt absolutely necessary that the basis
OF distribution be confined to one ground.
IL may, 1t, In the judgment IF those whose
right II Is to hx 1t, be dee. ned polite and
just to give it that character, have regard To
several.
In my FIRST message, I stated it TO be my o.
pi"ion that :. 1T is not probable that any adj
Jastment OF the tariff upon principles s., ~.
factory TO the people of the Union, will, un.
tai a remote period, ifeve., leave the Govern.
ment without a considerable surplus in the
treasury beyond what may be required for
ITS current service. lave had no cause
TO cha"s~ thst opinion, but much to confirm
IT, should these expectations he realized, a
suitable fund would thus be produced for the
plan under consideration to operate upon
ana II there be no such fund, its adoption
VIII, In my opinion, work no injury to anv
interest for l cannot assent TO the business
OF the apprehension that the establishment
OF the proposed system would tend TO the
encouragement OF improvident Legislation of
the Character supposed. Whatever the pro.
per authority, III the exercise Of constitu-
tionai power, shall, at any time hereafter.
decide to be for the general good, will, in that
as IN other respects, deserve and receive the
acquiescehce and support of the whole coun.
try and we have ample security that every
ABUSE OF power in that regard, by the agents
OF the people, will receive a speedy and eff.
iectuai corrective ut their hands. The views
which l take of the future, founded on the
obvious aud increasing Improvement of all
classes of our fellow. citizens, i'm intelligence.
ana IN pubic and private virtue, leave me
"ithout much apprehension on that head
oo.ho doubt that those who come after
US VIII be as much alive az we are TO the oh.
hgation upon all the trustees of political
po"'r 70 exempt those for whom they act
from all unnecessary burthcns and as sen.
sioie OF the great truth, that the resources
OF the nation, hey ond those required for the
immediate and necessary purposes of Go
Vefnhnent, can no where be SO we'll denositet
as in the pockets of the people.
u may sometimes happen that the inter-
ests OF particular States would not Re deem
edto coincide with the general Interest: in
ieiation to improvement within such States ::
but II the danger to be apprehended from
THIS source is sufficient to REQUIRE il. a dis
cretion might be reserved to Congress- to di.
rect 10 such improvements of a general cha
ractel as the States concerned might not be
oisPosed TO unite In, the application of the
quotas OF those States, under the restriction
or conhning to each state the expenditure of
It's appropriate quota. 1t may, however, be
assumed as a safe general RUE, that such i'm.
provenents as serve to increase the prosper
lty OF The respective states in which thew are
made, by giving new facilities to trade. and
thereby augmenting the wealth and comfort
OF their inhabitants, constitute the surest
MODE OF comforting permanent and subsian-
tlal advantages upon the whole. The
strength as well as the true glory of the con-
federacy is mainly founded on the prosperity
and power of the several independent So
VereigDties of which it is composed, and the
cert ainty with which they can be brought
into SUCCESSFUL, active cooperation, through
the agency of the Federal Government.
it's, moreover, within the knowledge Of
such as are at all conversant with public af.
fairs, that schemes OF internal improvement
nave from time TO time been PROPOSED, which
from their extent and seeming magnifcence.
were regarded as of national Government !;
but which, upon fuller consideration ard fur
Their experience, would now be rejected with
great unaDimity.
That the plan under consideration would
derive important advantages from its certain.
~, and that the monies set apart for these
purposes would be more judiciously applied
and economically expended under the direc-
ton of the State Legislatures, in which eve.
ry part of each state is Immediately repre-
sented, cannot, l think, be doubted. In the
new states particularly, where a compare
lively small population is scattered over an
extensive surface, and the representation in
Congress consequently very limited, it is ma.
tural TO expect that the appropriations made
by the Federal Government would be more
likely to be expended in the vicinity of those
members through whose immediate agency
they were obtained, than if the funds were
placed under the control of the Legislature,
IN which every county of the state has its
own representative. This superstition does
not necessarily impugn The motives OF such
congressional Representatives, nor is it so
intended. We are all sensible of the bias to
which the strongest minds and purcst hearts
are, under such circumstances, liable. In
respect to the last objection, its probable eff
feet upon the dignity and independence of
the state Governments, it appears TO me on
ly necessary to state the case as it is, and as