Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-26

sions of personal friendship and respect-obvl-
ously and clearly, our objections were to the
manner of his piece. He intended, as we under
stand from him, to have urged the propriety of
retrocession to'Virginia. Let him write upon
that subject, and he shall see with what readi-
ness we insert his articles. But we think quite
enough is 6 being said' on the topics touched
upon by '.We the People, " in the article present
ed: and more TRADE 1--WE hope the Working Man
will not be offended, and open his batteries upon
us) would be Objectionable and out Of place
We hope, notwithstanding our difficulty with
..We the People," that We and the People
will always be good friends.-ED. GAZETTE.
-aee9ean.
To the People Of the United States.
Ny FELLow-CrrIzENs: Your Representatives
in Congress do not think it premature to con.
slider what should be the Legislative policy
after the public debt shall be completely paid.
Anticipating this political phenomenon, it
has been proposed to repeal moiety of the
taxes On foreign merchandise. The mo
tive is not so much to relieve the people from
the payment of these taxes, as to take from the
Treasury the ability to carry on National i'm
provements--the wish of every advocate OF State
Rights. Essential as internal improvements are
to the general convenience, they have always
been unwelcomed by all those who are more par
tial to foreign than to native trades and the chief
reason why it has already been proposed to re-
duce the fiscal income to twelve millions, is that
no such evidences of nations prosperity may be
awarded to the wisdom Of Congress. IF the fe-
deral revenue shall be reduced as now contem-
plated, there scarcely will remain as much as
will be necessary to pay the common acquisitions
of the army, navy, and civil list-consequently
there will not be dollar to appropriate to inter
nal improvements. If they are made, the States
and corporate societies will have to make them
If the States shall undertake to do what is so ar
duous and expensive, they will have to 90 in debt,
and to tax the people more than agreeable-and
this should never be, but when absolute necessity
shall require it. If they are made in conjunction
with corporate companies, that will not prevent
an application to unpleasant taxes, or prevent the
highest foliage the law may allow. The States
will seek a revenue, and the individual stock
holders an income; neither of which can be real
lied without expressing the prosperity of internal
trade. Rather than what is worse than indis-
Greet would it not be better that the present Fe-
deral income should be retained? Congress
would then retain the pecuniary ability to prose-
cute National improvements; and the monuments
of National prosperity would not be the cause of
State taxation.
| The improperly of making State Internal I'm
provements is effectively illustrated by the pecu-
MARY difficulty of two of the most potent and
opulent States of the Union--New York and
Pennsylvania. They together, at this time, are
in debt not less than twenty millions; and before
the national debt shall be paid, they will owe
about twenty-five milliOns-the annual interest
amounting to million and half. The foliage
on those State improvements will probably never
pay more than this interest; and this incum
brance will be permanent tax on the internal IN
dustry of these two States. The Federal Con.
stitution imperatively declares that Congress shall
warrant to each state Republican form of gov
eminent. This high duty is not one left to the
caprice of expediency, but it is one of peremp
tory command-unlike all other Federal obliga
tons, which can be complied with as expediency
may advise. A State in debt may have, in form
Republican government, and the people may b
deprived of its comforts. Extravagant taxes may
do this, and make them very discontinued, ant
be excited to disregard State institutions. Their,
is no reason why this should be, as the the Fede
raj Government can, without any Oppressiv,
taxes, provide whatever is essential to the gene
raj welfare and it is officious for the States t,
undertake TO do any matter connected with thu
prosperity ofinternal trade. In power, they ar,
weak-in wealth, they are poor: they cannot ge
dollar of treasure but by some kind of disagree
: able direct tax. To make internal Improvement
they are not bound by any obligation of their gov
. ernments. The right to tax creates no such pr
vilege; and lift did, it should not be used, as tn
h Federal Government is charged with the genera
l welfare. and endowed with an unrestricted RICH
Of taxation, that it may do whatever will promote
foreign and internal trade, or whatever will b.
subservient to common prosperity. Therefore
the States should, by opposition, prevent Con
4 gress doing what they themselves can only do b.
4 harrassing taxes. Whatever is so unnecessar,
D and extremely imprudent, ought to be avoided
e The must Distinguishing glory of all government
. is to be out of debt; and this should be one mos
desired by the republics of this extraordinary Re
}, public. 1t is what the people have most at heart
4 as that would relieve them from what they dis
e like-taxation; and they are adverse to natiOna