The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-10-24

stands up Congress 10 call Tins operation INC lay
ing tar the imposition Of burden, and the whole ofihese
purchases and payments taken together, are represented as
ntoerabe drain the money and the industry oil he
States not sir which deserves TO pass Tor the
original and which The copy; but this reasoning Is not
unlike ha which maintains that the trading community OF
The West Will be exhausted and ruined BY the privilege Of
borrowing money the Bank of the United States al SIX per
interest This interest being is sad in the Veto Mes
sage, burden upon their industry, and drain OF their cur
rency which country bear without inconvenience
and distress.
It was in forced connection with The reduction Of duties
of mpos that the subject of the public lands referred 10
the Committee Of Manufactures in the Senate at the late ses
sion Of Congress This legislative movement calcu-
lated to throw Mr. Clay who taking leading part on
the SUBJECT OF the Tariff and the reduction OF duties new
and delicate responsibility. From this responsibility ho~eV-
err Mr. Clay did shrink He took up the subject and his
report upon it, and his speech delivered afterwards IN de-
fence of the Report are my opinion among the very a
bcs of the efforts which have distinguished his long public
life desire TO commend their perusa every citizen of
Massachusetts, They will shew him The deep interest OF all
the States his among the rest in the security and prop
er management and disposal of the public domain Found
ed on the Report of the Committee MIR. Clay introduced a
b providing Tor tie distributor among all the States ac
orng numbers of the proceeds OF the sales of the public
lands for five years first making deduction of consld-
cradle per centae in favor OF the new States the sums thus
received by the States TO be disposed by themselves IA
vor of Education, Internal Improvement Colonization
each State might choose for itself This Bill passed the SEN
ate If was vigorously opposed in the House Of Represent
aves by the main body of the friends Of the Administration
and finally lost by small majority By the provisions of the
Bill Massachusetts would have received, her dividend
hundred and thry-seyen thousand dollars year.
am free to confess, Sir that had hoped see
Objectionable way of disposng of this subject with the OBJ
servance of justice towards all the States by the Government
of the United States itself without distribution through the
intervention of the State Governments Such way however,
have not discovered. therefore voted for the bill of the
last session.
Mr.: President let remind the meeting Of the great
tent of this public property.
Only twenty millions ofacres have been yet, sold from
the commencement OF the Government. One hundred and
twenty millions about that quantity cleared from
the Indian title, all surveyed into townships ranges and
TONS and in the market for sale think, Sir the whole
surface of Massachusetts embraces about six millions of
that tho bata body of
surveyed and in market equal TO twenty States each of the
size of Massachusetts But this but very small portion of
the whole domain much the greater partbeing unsuvey
ed and much TOO, subject TO the original Indian tile The
income TO the from the sales of land estimated at
three millions of dollars year The meeting will then see,
Srhow important sub this is, and how highly becomes
the country guard this vaspopery against and
bad Management.
Mr. President among the Bills which failed at the last ses-
SION for ofthe Presidents approval one which
this State had great pecuniary interest the bill for
the payment of interest to these States the funds advanced
byhem during the the principal of which had been paid
or assumed by the Government of the United States Some
sessions ago, Bill introduced INTO the Senate by my
worthy colleague, and passed into law, for paying large
part of the principal advanced by Massachusetts, for
lita expenses for defence of the couny this actually
paid The residue OF the claim in the proper of
amnaon and such parts of ought to be allowed will
doubtless be paid hereafter, VeoS of the way, be it al
ways understood In the late Bill proposed that
tereS should be paid the States. these advances in
cases where it had been already paid. 1t passed both
Houses. recolec opposition to it in the Senate, do
remember have heard ofany considerable objection in the
House of Representatives. The argument for it lay i'll its
own obvious justice justice too apparent, ii
0 me. be denied by any left Congress- Sir day
or Two before its adjournment and meeting friends,
IN this village ON my way home, we exchanged congrat-
ulationS this additional act of justice, thus rendered
= 10 hdSSdcnueMS' aS wen as ounei States but hao
hardly reached birmingham, before learned that
graulaions premature. The Presidents signature had
been refused and the bill was not law The only
which had ever heard for this REFUSAL is that Congress had
been in the practice of allowing interest claims. This
universal rule but if ii WERE might
Congress be trusted with the maintenance of its rules
moi maxi In No
doubt regard old and long neglected claims, has been
customary allow interest but the Massachusetts claim
not of this character the claims of other Siaes
None of them had remained unpaid for of presenmeni
The Executive and Legislature of this Commonwealth had
omedto press her demand for justice and her Dele
Congress have endeavoured TO discharge their duty
by supporting that demand. has been already decided
repeated instances we'll regard States ndivdu-
ais that when money has been actually borrOred for objects
for which the General Government ought provide, interest
paid such borrowed money! shall be refunded by the Uni
led States Now Sir would il be distinction without
difference allow interest in such and yet refuse it
in another which the State had not borrowed the money!
and paid interest for it, but had raised by TAXATION or,
believe the with Massachusetts by the sale of val
liable Stocks bearing interest Is apparent that in
her clearly in that of borrocing State she has
actually lost the interest Can any maintain, that be-
tween these there any sound diStnc law
in equity, morals The refusal sign this bill has de-
prived Massachusetts and Maine of very large sum of
money justly due TO them. 1t is now fifteen sixteen
since the money advanced and was advanced for
necessary and prasewohy public purposes The
the sum already refunded and on that which NAV reasonably
be expected he hereafter refunded is than fire ham
dred thousand dollars But for the Presidents refusal in
this unusual mode, give his appreciation bin which had
passed Congress almost unanimously these States would
already have been the receipt of very considerable por
ton OF this money! and made sure of the residue in due
Mr. President do not desire 10 raise pecuniary
teress 10 undue Importance in political matters adj
nit these principles and objects ofparamount obligation
and importance woudnot oppose the President merely
because he has refused the State what thought her
titled matter Of money provided he had made known
his reasons and they had appeared 10 be such as might rv
intun al andh mind Rn
has direct and heavy interest where the justice of the
plain that agree in il who agree in hardly any
thing else where her claim has passed Congress, without
considerable opposition either House, refusal approve
the bill without giving the slightest reason-and he taking
advantage OF the rising OF Congress TO give 1t silent by
act that may well awaken the attention of the People
in the States concerned 1t act, calling close exam
nation. 1t which calls loudly for Justification by
its author And now Sir Twill close what Ihave say on
this particular subject by showing that the 22d of March,
1882 the President did actually approve and sign BILL in
favor of SothC arona by which Il was enacted Thai her
claim for interest upon money actually expended by her for
military stores during the late war. should be settled and
pad The money expended hauig been dran By the State
from a fund upon rlich she recerng interest Now
this, Sir, was precisely the case of Massachusetts.
Mr.. President now approach an inquiry Of far more
ocep ana ahecus interest are he PRINCIPLES ana measures
OF the administration dangerous to the Constitution, and to
the Union ofle States Sir. believe them be so and
| / shall state the grounds of that belief.
In the first place. any administration is dangerous the
Constitution and to the Union of the States, which denies
the essential powers OF the Constitution, and thus strips ii of
the capacity TO do the good intended by it.
The principles embraced by the administration and ex-
pressed in the VEro Message evidently hostile to the
whole system projections by duties ofmpost on coastt-
doaH grounds. Here, them great power struck at
once ofthe Constitution and great end Of its adop-
ton defeated And while this power is thus struck oct of
the Constitution is clear that exists where else since
the Constitution expressly takes away from all the States
The Veto Message denies the constitutional power Of Gre
ating continuing such institution whole expert
ence has approved for maintaining sound uniform nation
al currency, and for the safe collection of revenue Here
is another power long used but now Topped off. And This
power too thus Topped off from the Constitution, is evidently
thp n No
State maintain national currency State Institution
can render the the services performed by Ma