Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-12-17
POLITICAL.


powers have assailcd hun, the President has still
found safety in his reliance on the people.
! Gov. Floyd of Virginia, declares the Tariff law
"to he violation of the Constitution" and TO
consider that the President, in falling to give his
countenance to the new doctrine, that each State
may "intepoSc 10 arrest unconstitutional measure
has turned usurper. The ground of complaint urg-
ed against the President, is. that he has not adopted
as principle of his administration, the doctrine of
Notification. We think that Gov. Floyd ought TO
make some allowance for the Presidents peculiar
situation. Ii the Chief Magistrate of the Union
were to declare the revenue laws unconstitutional,
and admit that each State ought of right to- inter
pose to arrest them. the immediate effect would be
to reduce the General Government to bankruptcy,
to dsband all its officers, and leave nothing of
system in existence, but the Sovereign State, and
their Sovereign Governors. This might suit the
views of Governor Floyd and Governor Hamilton,
but would b. altogether out of keeping with those
which naturally belong Chief Magistrate of the
United States.
Gov Floyd next objects to SHE propositions chicl,
haze been mate 10 seize upon The surplus revenue of The
Treasury Of the United States, TO be ,iUided among
The Ses according to representation, though some OF
them export nothing and consequently contribute little
to that ftnd ,rch is, reality reducing the States to
The condition Of rassdls and pensioners, paid by funds
what his Exccllency denominates "a scheme" he
says:-
owe must now prepare 10 combat scheme which has
strong interest in its support refer 10 the scheme of
distributing the surplus among the States. The
Legislatures of of the largest States have al
ready expressed for it their apprOval-and the Pre-
sdcnt of the United States has recommended il TO Con-
gress, in his two last annual Messages. No scheme
could be devised more runouS to as and the other south
cTn states hd1 tins Should IL be adopted all hope of
relief from this oppressive system of measures will have
vanished, each year will show results which will pre-
sent the strongest alurcmens their increase Those
who contribute least will be tempted to urge forward the
most oppressive expcdentS 10 increase their portion of the
spo-whle those who pay most, at best receive back
nall fba,,,5
ducing the combination OF large States, tax the small
or for local purposes, and draw money from the pock
cts of portion of this confcdcracy enrich another
M other questions tchch hare already Ggaed Congress
anil the people, ic be lost in this most terrible Of ALL
and calculated to Gppdi the stOuteSt mnd-A iudici-
Gus tariff will then mean, that system which will lead TO
the greatest eXacon upon the South and must if per-
severed in lead the utter subvcrson of the entire frame
oil government Ii the lingering hope which is still en-
teralned should again be Disappointed will with the
people, and with you their representatives adopt such
measures as may be deemed necessary 10 guard them
against the evils of system not only unconstitutional but
unjust oppressive and runous-nor will you be deferred
by threats from any quarter, from pursuing the course
which duty requires. The strong OF power will never
be able to crush the spirit OF ireemcn, deter them
exercising their rights and in exposing barriers TO the Dro
gress OF USURPATION.'
How unfortunate it is for the high personages who
seek to sow discomfort among the people of their
respective States, with view TO promote the nd
vanccmcnt of particular individual TO the Presi-
dency, with whom they have dubbed their interests
that they are obliged to draw their imaginations
WI du VIC HOlToIS winch lilcN nave cOnltreu
All men of all parties are obliged to admit, that no
country was ever blessed with more unbounded
prosperity than ours ut this timc-al confess that
the present Chief Magistrate has been universally
successful i'll accomplishing the great purposes of
his Observation-Disclosures which have been frank
~ presented in successive Messages and which have
been received with universal appreciation by the peo
pie. But in the midst of our good fortune Governor
Floyd loreSees that every thing is threatened with
ruin. We are told that g all other questions i!,ich
hare oredCy 0gitded Congress ami the people icH be
lost an S most terrible odU and cucuntedto dppdl e
Sto,deSt mind" And what is this fearful matter?
why the President is anxious to reduce the revenue
as near as may he to the wants OF the Governments
but he is conscious that tariff of duties can be so
regulated as TO ensure always an adequate supply
TO the Treasury without sometimes producing an
amount beyond the estimates, and leaving a surplus
i'll the Treasury; that a continual unseting of the
tariff to accommodate it such circumstances must
have bad effect and that to leave the surplus TO
increase from year to year in the public Golfers
would lead again to the ScrGnbiing and corruptino
system which Mr.. Clay introduced into Congress
and he has therefore invited the attention of the ma
ton 10 this subject the approach of the payment
of the debt, that some mode may be early devised
10 prevent the introduction Of the old mischief
new circumstances. The President has merely sur
gestcd, that a proper apportionmcnt among the
states OF the surplus which may unavolabIy arise
would be good mode of disposing of it. And how
would Governor Floyd dispose oft? He has not
told the Legislature of Virginia how he would ret
flu OF nus most alarming question III IT should occur.
The President would avoid it i'm the first place bv so
adjusting the financial balance as to leave as little
surplus as possible. But if it should Accumulate i'm
the Treasury under the system of duties adopted
by Congress, he advises Just distribution so as TO
leave nothing to the Central Government to tempt
to wars abroad, or corruption home. An accII-
mutation OF treasure in the hands of prohipae adj
mlnisraion would be bad as the system lately
vetoed, which predlcated consolidation of all pow
or AT Washington, upon the creation of a National
Debt; to supply national expenditure; 10 be lavish
cd IN the name of Internal Improvement i'm support
OF government authority founded on patronage
and monled Influence.
The restoration Of the uncxpcnded revenue among
the States, would leave tie General Government
bare, and would render the State Governments
strong IN tier resources. The revenue which
might belong 10 each State i'm the general Golfers
would not be taken as a boon, but as a right. I'm
stripping tie General Government of money which
1t had no right to retain, we cannot see how if
"oodd be reducing The States 10 the condition of rus
Sdts anu pensioners" In receiving their respective
quotas OF arms from the National Armories are the
states reduced to the condition of "yassas and pcn-
sloncrs?" Or are they not rather thus prepared TO
maintain their independence and sovereignty from
Whatever quarter gssailcd?
But why should his Excellcncy hold that " mn
scheme cot be dCUised mare ritous 10 us (Iirgiuin
Qnf the Oiier SJtiberH Suites Han His2" The scheme
which Mr. Clay and Mr.. Calhoun devised OF cxpeud-
ing all the surplus revenue and millions beyond it,
IN" system ofnicna improvements few Of which
were made, or likely to be made in the South was
we MINK, moro rulnous TO these States than that
Wh'D Ro'sto give them their fair share of the ma