Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-02-03


made at this session and if the necessary
! measures be also adopted, 10 detect and pun
| ish frauds, and ensure a faithful execution
| OF the laws, we may safely make temporary
pause, and await the development of the
effect upon the revenue ofthese arrangements.
That the authority Of the laws should be
indicated, all ought 70 agree. Now, the
fraudulent importer, after an exposure of his
fraud, by a most strange Treasury construc-
ton of the law, (made understand howeye,
er, not by the present Secretary, ) eludcs all
punishment, and is only required 10 pay those
very duties which he was originally bound
for, but which he dishonesty sought 10 evade.
Othermeasrres, with view 10 further re-
duction OF the revenue, may be adopted. In
some instances, there might be an augmen-
tation oil duties for that purpose. | will
mention the article of foreign distilled
splrits.-ln no country upon earth is there.
SO much o. The foreign article imported as in
this. The duties ought 10 be doubled. and
the revenue thereby further reduced from
600 900 to miIlion.-The public mo-
rails, the grain-growi1g country, the fruit
raising, and the cane planting country. would
be all benefited by rendering the duty pro-
hibitory. lhave not proposed the measure
because it, perhaps, ought to originate in the
other House.
That the measure which 1 have pro-
posed may be adopted, without interfer-
ing with the plan Of the Secretary ofthe
Treasury for the payment of the public
debt by the 9TH March next, l will now
proceed to show. The Secretary esti-
mates that the receipts of the present
year, after meeting all other Just engage
ments, will leave surplus of IA millions
applicable to the payment of the princi-
pal of the debt. With this sum, s MILL
ons which he proposes to derive from the
sale of the bank stock, and two millions
which he would anticipate from the re-
venue OF the next year, he suggests that
the whole of the debt remaining NAV be
discharged by the time indicated. The
ID millions. understand, (althouph ON
this subject the report is not perfectly
explicitly are receipts anticipated this
year from duties which accrued last
year. If this be the Secretary's mean
ing, tbs evident that he wants no part of
the duties which may accrue during the
current year to execute his plan. But
If his meaning be, that the ii millions
will be composed in part ofduties accru-
ing and payable within the present year,
then the measure proposed might pre-
vent the payment of the whole of the
remnant OF the debt by the exact day
which has been stated. Ifhoweyer. the
entire seven millions, embraced by the
resolution on your table, were subtract
ed from the fourteen, it would still leave
him seven millions, besides the bank
stock, to be applied to the debt, and
that, of itself, would be three millions
more than can be properly applied to the
object, in the course of this wear, as |
have already endeavoured to shew.
came here, sir, most anxiously desir-
ing that an arrangement of the public
revenue should be made, which, with
out sacrificing any of the great interests
OF the country, would reconcile and sat-
iSfy all its parts. / thought l perceived
IN the class ofobJects not produced with
IN the country, a field on which we
could all enter, in true and genuine
spirit OF compromise and harmony, and
agree upon an amicable adjustment.
Why should it not be done? WHY
should those who are opposed to the
American System demand of its friends
an unconditional surrender? Our com
mon object should be so to reduce The
public revenue as to relieve the burthens
Of the people, if indeed the people of
this country can be truly said to be bur-
thened. The government must have a
certain amount of revenue, and that a.
mount must be collected from the i'm
ports. Is it material to the consumer,
wherever situated, whether the collec-
ton be made upon few or many objects
provided whatever be the mode, the a.
mount of this contribution to the public
exchequer remains the same? If the
assessment can be made on objects which
will greatly benefit large portions of the
Union, without injury to him, why
should he object to the selection of those
objects Yes, sir, came here, in a
spirit Of warm attachment to all parts of
our beloved country, with lively soli-
cltude to restore and preserve its harmo-
ny, and with firm determination to
pour oil and balm into existing wounds,
rather than further to lacerate them. For
the truth and sincerity of these declara-
tons, ! appeal to HIM whom none can
deceive. Expected to be met by cor
responding dispositions, and hoped that
our deliberations guided by fraternal SEN
tImentS and feelings, would terminate in
dlifusing contentment and satisfaction
throughout the land. And that such
may be the spirit presiding over them.