Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-12-12

se hrouyh its own sg.ns ss little AN II he p.ri,,eI
10 be thus expended "trough the agency OF the State
Governments"
1t supposed ha, with all the rednc in our
revenue which could he speedily effected by Congress
without injury TO the subs aItst ntetess OF the coi,
there might be Tor come surplus OF
neys IN the Treasury, aud that there in principle
40 objection TO returning them TO the people by |
whom they were paid AZ the literal accomplishment |
Of such an object is obviously impraricaae. it wa.
V'gn' sum sable, "a the nearest approximation TO It,
10 h'iu THEM over To the State Govesnmebs, the more
Immediate representatives Of the people, to he by
the" applied to the bearht Of ihose TO whom they
properly belonged The principle and the object was To
return to the people uuavo able surplus OF
which might have been paid by them under a system
which could not al be abandoned; but tbs re-
which at one time seemed be almos, oiy al
croa,ve to save the General Government from CRASHING
unlimited power internal ns WAS s,,yges,-
ed with doubts OF its constitu' ionaity.
But this bill assumes principle It's object not
return to the people an unavoidable surplus Of revenue
pa'c IN oy hem but 10 a surplus for distribution
among the States. 1t seizes the ire proceeds OF one
source oil revenue and them apart surplus making
necessary to raise the moneys for supporting the CO.
vernment, and meeting the general charges, from other
sources. Ii throws the entire land system upon the
customs for its support aud makes the public lands per-
petual charge upon the Treasury II does not return to
the people moneys accidentally unavoidsby paid by
them to the Government, by which they not wan,ej;
but copeis the people to pay moneys into the Treasury
Tor the mere purpose oil creating surplus for distribution
TO their State Governments.
II this principle once admitted il is not i(i cult In
perceive to what consequences may lead Already this
bill, by throwing the land system on the revenues from
imports tor support, virtually distributes among the States
part OF those The proportion may be incre
ro,n time TO tune. without any departure from pn.
cipe asserted until the State Governments shall de-
rive all the funds for their support from the
Treasury OF the United States, sufficient supply
should be by some States and not nv others the
deficient States might complain aud to put am end to ali
further difficulty, Congress- without assuming any new
p"epe need go hut one step further and put the salaries
OIL all the State Governors, Judges, and other iIcers,
win su,cent SUN Tor other expenses ia their general
appropriation BILL
cannot be devised Money power and in that Govern
ment which pays all the public officers OF the States will
all has ;ol,
State Governments, IL Governments they might be called
would lose all their independence and dgnityhe
my which now distinguishes them would be in
10 Pro,u'ion limited only by the extent of the supply
Being the dependents OF the General MT and
looking to ITS Treasury as the source of all their emou
men's' the state oilcers, under whatever they
might pass and by whatever forms their might be
prescribed would in eRec, he the spendarcs and
instruments OF the central power
am quite sure that the Intelligent people of our sever
al States, will be satisfied ltIe reflection, that il is
neither wise safe TO release the members their 10.
cal Legislatures from the responsibility levying the
taxes necessary to support their State and
vest tn Congress, over most OF whose members they
have no control.
They viii, not think expelieat that Congress shall he
he tax gaiherer and paymaser Of all their State Govern
ents, thus ama'gamating all their officers into one
OF common interest aud common feeling too
that such course would s4bvert well balanced sys-
TEN OF government, and ultimately deprive us of all the
blessings now derived from happy Union.
However willing might be that any unavoidable sur.
pas in the Treasury should be returned the people
through their State Governments cannot assent to The
principle that surplus be created the purpose of
the
right not only to create surplus for that purpose, but to
divide the contents OF the Treasury among the States with
out l'aon from whatever source they may he derived
and asserting The power to raise and appropriate money
for the support OF every State Government and
well as for making every local improvement
trivial, cannot give il my assent.
is difficult TO perceive what advana yes woud aocrue
to the old States or tho from the system OF dstrip
ton which this bill proposes lift were Otherwise uuohc
uonabie requires no argument to prove il three
millions OF dollars year, any other sum- shall be taken
of the Treasury by this bill for distributor II mus, H
cnilar irdT 49,
through some other The old States will receive
annually OF money from the Treasury but they will
pay in larger together with the expenses OF coec-
ton and distribution 1t is only their proportion of
eighhs OF the proceeds OF land which tey are 10
reeeire, but they must pay their due proportion of the
tohoe Disguise il as may, the bill proposes them
dead loss, in the ratio of eight TO seue in addition to
expenses and other incidental losses This assertion is not
the less true because il may first be palpabIe
Their receipts will be in large sums, but their payments
in small ones The governments Of the States will re-
ceive seuen dollars for which the people of the States will
pay eight. The large received will be papabe TO
the senses; the small sums paid requires to ien
N.Y. But little consideration will satisfy the people that
the effect is the same as if seuen hundred dollars were
given them from the public treasury, for which lhey
indirect, eight hundred.
deceive myself greatly if the new States would find
their Interests promoted by such system this bill pro-
poses Their true policy consists ia rapid settling and
Improvement OF the waste lands within their limits A
means OF Fastening those events, they have long
final payment OF the national debt The effect of the pro.
posed system would be- to prevent that reduction IL is
the
price, put the effect OF its details, arranged would
probably be forever TO prevent its exercise.
Wilh the just men who nhabit the new States il /,
sufficient to reject this system that it is in violation
oil the fundamental laws OF the republic and its Const
ton But II IL were question interest or nedi
ency, they would stil reject il. They would no cell
their bright prospect oil increasing wealth and growing
power at such price They would not place a sum Of
money TO be paid into their Treasures in compe ion
with the settlement oil their lands and the
OF their population They would consider a small or
large annual sum TO be paid TO their Governments and
Immediately expended equivalent for that enduring
wealth which Is composed of focks and herds and chilli
waited farms No temptation will allure them from that
object oil abiding interest," the settlement of their yasre
llnds, and the increase OF hardy of free citizens
their glory in peace aud their defence in war
On the whole. adhere to the opinion expressed by me
In my annual message OF 1882 that our true policy
mat the public lDds shall practicable TO
be source OF revenue except for the payment of those
general charges which out OF the acquisition of In.
and', their survey and sale Although these expenses
have not been met by The proceeds sales herstoore
quite certain they will be hereafter, even after coos.
derabie reduction in The price BY meeting in the Ties,
sury go much OF the general charge arises from that
source they VIII hereafter, they have been
De disposed oil tor the common benefit Of United States
according 10 the conPacts OF cession not doubt tina,
Is the rea, interest OF each the States in The
Union, and particularly Of the States that the price
OF these lands shall be reduced and graduated and thai
after they have been offered for certain number OF years
the refuse remaining unsod shall be abandoned 10 the
Sates and the machinery OF ldnd.sysiem entirely
Withdrawn IL cannot be supposed the comps nfenIed
that the United States should retain fereyer lille I'm us
within The states which of value aud no d,bt Ia
entertained that the general interest would be he nromo