Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-05-29

IN
to cast oil considerable portion of that burden -
taxation which We have found So liuht 1, avail
ourselves "i tins happy mumont to break down Tho
fundamental system of policy from which that very
Domestic Industry.
From the first establishment of the Govcrnmcn,
OF The u States, thu payment of tho debts aud the
protection OF manufactures have been primary OBJ
Jccts OF the action OF Congress. These two objects
have been uu'trdy pursued, but they were in their
nature totally distinct from each other All tho
duties hitherto levied upon the People by the lcrsl,
ton OF Congress have beer to pay the debts and
provide Tor the common defence and general VOL
Fare. The time is at hand when there will be no
further occasion for lcvying moneys pay the debts
OF the Union, for there viii be no debts to paw
out the obligation incumbent upon Congress TO
provide Tor the common dccu O and the general
welfare w'H not cease by the cNtinguishmcnt of
inc dcDt On the contrary, il will bear upon them
WIN acumutcd weight The payment OF debt has
reference to the past-thc common defence to tho
iu'"re. we have disincumbcrcd the inheritance
received from our fathers of the burdens which their
necessities had imposed upon it. We are now to
''""'S go the ucot due from us TO postcrity, by
Improving the condition OF the estate we are to
transmit To them The improvement of the condi
,ioh Oh the whole community is the first object of
human association III civil society. 1t is for this
mat governments are instituted among men," 10
Is lne hrst OF moral Obligations which attaches it.
sell to the Institution Of Government II * tb.
purpose for which intellectual powcr WA. rive, IN
man by his Maker and were it possible to conceive
of AN aggregation of men, who i'm tho vcr, com,
pact by which they should unite themselves to-
gcthcr, should deny to themselves the exercise of
the faculties by which alone their cond;,;on could
be improved, we should sec society founded upou
the violation of the first law of nature, social
compact OF barbarlsm--a community cf sclf.degra
datIon, abdlcating the distinctive glory of the spc
cies, the capabuy of sclf-improvcmcnt and exhi
biting the uncomfortable spectacle of a corporat,
body formed of individuals eager i'm the pursuit of
ihcir own Improvement, booming themselves in thor
~. toe f,n CT,
brute creation,
The people of the u. States have not so cops,i.
tu,cd themselves. Inhabting territory of vast
cAch'' ana existing already at the period of their
national Union in distinct communities with con-
siderable dvcrsitics of municipal lcuslatiou thew
adopted government of complicated machinery
Out 'orhou OF simple and homogeneous principles
TO form more perfect union 10 establish iustce to
insure domestic tranquility, to provide for the com
mon defence, to promote the general welfare and
to secure the blessings of liberty to themselves and
| to their postsrity. Is there one of these objects
| but Includes in its worry conception the mower and
tho purpose OF seli-mprovemcnt, external and in-
| ternal, for the future and for the past-for afer
| ages we'll as for present time?
| We are so far from considering the extinction Of
| the public debt as presenting occasion for cast
ing oil that portion fthc burden of taxation which
| is devoted to the common defence, that the Com
mlttcc do not hesitate to declare their belief that
1t is the duty of Congress to retain portion Oft tho
revenues, which have been applied hitherto to thu
discharge OF the debt, for the purpose of charging
the appropriations for the objects of internal inn
provomcnt, already recognized as objects of great
| national Importance. Relieved entirely from tho
| buroen OF the debt, it would neither be n wise nor
salutary policy to relax INTO anguor and inacti-
witty the energies which have been exercised for
| the accomplishment of that end. 1t cannot be
| doubted that the whole amount the annual ap-
proprfatlon which, from the close of the late war
with Great Britain, has been applied to the gradual
extinction of the debt, might, with the greatest adj
vantage to the nation, for an equal number Of years
to come, be applied to those great works to which
| the sanction OF Congress has already been pven
and to others already suggested and equally enti-
tied to engage the attention and TO occupy the re-
sources OF the country. This, however, they nei
| Their recommend nor deem oxpcdent. They re.
commend remission of existing duties cquiya-
lent to little less than the yearly en- millions of the
sinking fund; hut they would ..aem it great i'm
providence to give up 4, once taxes to that whole
amount.
The experience of own history has amply
confirmed that maxim Of political wisdom which
relies upon preparation for war tho most effect
I've security for the continuance of the BLESSINGS
| OF peace. The situation of the Elropean world,
especially of those portions of it with which our
relations are the most extensive and the most liza
bic to be affected by changes of policy among them
selves, adnonish us to beware of hazardng our
own peace by inctiicicncv. A revenue
founded almost entirely upon impostG vanshes at
the first sound Of war. A large annual rcserva-
ton OF the revenues raised by taxation, for pur-
poses OF defensive preparation and of national i'm
|
in promoting the safety, the comfort and well
being CT the whole community, during the con-
tInuuncc OF peace, and serve ut the same time as
Il fund OF reserve, ut all times susceptible, on a
| sudden and unexpected emergency, of being con-
vcrted to fund of more direct and Immediate
| common defence, at the approach of war. 1t is Il
shortsIghtcd policy, forgettul of all the lessons of
human experience which in profound peace n
motive for nation to sumbcr, in the security that
the approaches of will be slow and long fore
seen. The revolutions, now in progress among
the principal nations OF Europe, have one aspect in
which it may he prudent for the People of tho
United States to contemplate them, at once with
dclibcraton and composurc. 1t is impossible not
| to perceive, in those revolutions, the agonzinr
| struggles of human rights against ancient and
| abusive human institutions. While that struggle
| continues, all our warmest sympathies have been
| are, and will be, on the side of the energies oxcr-
ciscd for the recovery of rights. We wish we
hope, and we trust that the result will be the sir
nal and glorious triumph of human lights, and We
| believe that when it shall be achivcd, the nations
| by whom tins mighty change shall have been ac-
| complished will emerge from the contest greater
wiser, happier aud more formidable than they nave
ever been before And what will then be their re-
| lations towards oursclvcs2 We may perhaps rcat-
| sonably hope, that, among the great IMPROVEMENTS
effected in their condition. will bc that of their no.
Utica! morals That in re-sctng their Governments
upon principles of natural right and equal Justice,
they will be deeply impressed with the sense Of
their obligations TO others, with that of the
maintenance OF their rights that their love Of
peace will expand in proportion their acquisitions
of power and that in tho enjoyment Of their new
liberties at home they will nusc into their deport-
ment towards their brethren and nephbors of tho
| human race the spirit of the good Samaritan tho
spirit of good ncghbnrhood of cancellations and Of
peace. That their Legislators will no longer nar4
row down their l,bcraty to the Puny ambition Of
/ t,,,,,r Al.