Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-12-02

4
enancc 20 the new doctrines, that in such government
as this of the u States, the greatest good oil the greater
number is to be its sole end and aim and
ry consequence of this, that in civil CON
Quoted in any spirit of hostility, the spoils Of the
vanqoiscd minority belong to the victor majority the
Federal Government, designed by its revered authors
Il provide for the defence and general welfare
OF ALL according TO the provisions and limitations Of the
Constitution becomes at once asimplc majority machine
nd the positive reservation Of the rights OF the States
will be but unmcaning words. AT first the actual mino
rty will be sacrificed to the actual majority but the
their turn will be made Contribute 10 all the
SINFUL lusts of the favored few. An unprncipcd Proeto
ran Colbert will then be enlisted composed principally
ofofccrs andcxpecants office ready TO dcaout power
as OF DID, TO the highest bidder provided sufficient lar
gosses be distributed among the privatcs, and immunity
for past crimes and continued participation the expect
ed plumber be promised to the leaders this Palace Guard
Millions Of the public treasure deposited where none
but the favored few tell guarded Of guarded at al
by unknown conrvanoes, devised by the heads,
and distributed not IN compliance with any prescribed
rule OF law, but according TO the whins designs of
those who claim the actual control of it, have conibnt-
ell To derange the circulation and To corrupt the currency
Of the country The natural effect of such state Of
things must be- TO impair the credit of individuals and
their confidence in each other. From this result
the decline of industry and the prosraon of useful
terprse. Such condition cannot continue long i'm quiet
1t IL, therefore, the duty of the government which has
caused it, and which alone possesses the means of RENEE
dying the evil undertake speedily This task
although probably difficult than formerly vet
presents no nsupcrable obstacle Common gence
sincerely striving to accomplish object required alike
by the welfare of individuals and the public good is
fully adequate to its achievement Them let still hope
tiat the imminent peril III which the country placed
by the ladyiscd acts and omissions of the government
OF the United States will be of but short continuance
now that their effects have been Nevertheless, if
this suffered still to exist let the People and the States
continue to bear it with fottudc remembering always
that the time will arrive when they will have an
opportunity redress themselves the regular orderly
and accustomed mode.
Connected closely with this subject of deranged cur
rency, is matter that is well worthy of your
rious consideration and prompt action. There is much
reason to believe that the caused in the crcu-
laon of the country has invited the wicked enterprise
OF many prciligatc to supply il, by the fabrication
and emission OF large amount Of spurious and
base CON- to which the ignorance OF some and the
cesstcs OF others have given circulation. gang of
couneretes closely connected with each other exists
IN the United States, extending their lines of commune
cation from Canada to Southern border. This
don of fons stretches believed through yera of
the counties of this Commonwealth. But artful
their conrvances TO escape detection within this State
and so extensive their of disseminating their
spurious productions that the ordinary modes prescribed
by the laws not sufficient to enable their
bring them To the punishment their crimes Justly merit.
Petty offenders, the oughtess agents ignorant dupcs
OF much more wicked principals are sometimes detect
cd but our laws they exist, cannot reach effect
ually the higher criminals. To remedy this great de-
feet In our Penal Code, recommend TO you careful
revision of all the statutes upon the subject of counter
teiting and especially, the of Statute the
necessity of which being first felt in Great Britain has
received the sanction of its Parliament, and has since
met the appreciation of the Legislatures of several of
our sister States mean the statute Of |. George 4,
chap. -.
Turning from the exterior relations of the Common
wealth. to what regards its internal affairs, have
much cause to congratulate each other, and 70 render
the sincere homage of grateful hearts, to Him who has
been pleased continue his blessings upon through
out the past year While other portions of tho u States
and of some of the domnions contiguous to them have
been sorey afflicted during the past season. by the vsi-
atIon of diseases in various FORMS has Virginia
had greater to rejoice the general good health
enjoyed by her citizens every where throughout her do
main Nor did realize the apprchensions felt,
as to the effects upon crops of cold and wet and
unusually late spring, and of late summers drought.
III our harvests have been somewhat less abundant in
quantity than they commonly the excellence of their
quality compensatcs the difference Our gricultural
products, too, being destined generally for foreign
kets, unnuenccd by such arrangement that to which
our own currency has been subject and whose ncrcas
ing demands have not been satisfied by the diminished
supplies of two three years last past have been
made TO yield very satisfactory prices Owing these
causes, farmers generally have comparatively little
at which TO repnc whether they look to the past the
present or to the future.
Philanthropy also, if not blinded by fanaticism must
have discerned during the late of distress that
pcrvaded the whole country, at least blessing
tending the peculiar nature of our populations Our labor
class have not felt the pressure of want The prvaons
of this. have here fallen upon those only who could best
sustain them: while the INDECENT though industrious Ia
boring class nmany other States have necessarily borne
much more than just proportion ofths artificial caam
y labor here has continued to enjoy all its accustomed
comforts The dimnution Of the profits of capital has in
degree diminished the enjoyments of labor: hence
tine comparative quiet and happy tranquility throughout
Virginia, amidst the of tumu and disorder which
have agated some portions of the neighboring States
In examining the domestic concerns of the Common
wealth. the subject whose importance will first claim your
consideration, s the condition of its finances The
treasury during the fiscal ending
with the Both of September last have been somewhat less
than the amount at which they estimated by the
Committee Of Finance of the last Assembly. The differ
ence between the two sums has not been caused howe
by overratng the amount revenue expected The
reverse of this is the fact In almost every case the
revenue has actually exceeded the estimate
made OF 1T by this COMMITTEES and, In the few instances
where this amount is less, the aggregate ofdecencies
much more than equaled by the aggregate of
hence the reduced amount of receipts into the Treasury
cannot be ascrbcd 10 any deficiency of the revcnuc but
the of the difference must be sought for in
thing else
The mode in which the estimate Of fiscal receipts has
usually been made to consider the supposed amount of
the revenue OF any year, a which will be paid
into the Treasury during that year In point OF fact,
however, portion of this has been actually
ceived into the Treasury, and constitutes part Of the
balance found there ut the end of the past fiscal
Thus no longer due is computed still pay
able. This, although obvious of calculation,
will not produce any material difference of result eene-
rally; because, while the same system of taxation
tnues, 1T may be estimated, very properly, that what
ever portion of the of current have
been received into the Treasury during the fiscal wear
preceding like amount of the of the succeed
ing year will into the Treasury during the current
fiscal year. So that whether these equal be both
included excluded the result will remain the same.
This result will vary materially only where change
takes place in the system of taxation in the crcun-
stances that influence the collection Of the
The latter the during the past fiscal year The
distress of the country caused by the arrangement OF its
cIrculaton consequent upon the measures Of the Fcdc
raj Government necessarily occasoncd the payment of
the taxes to be made less promptly and the collection Of
them more difficult than has usually happened. Hence,
much less amount Of the of the present year,
has been received into the Treasury during the last fiscal
year. than that Of the last year, which received du
ring the year preceding it, Thusit has happened that al
though the sources of supply actually multiplied and