Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-11-26

scending in consequence the party politics of
the dsy, we like TO foriiiy our own views by
the deliberate judgmen nts Of the sages and
patriots whom the people have delighted to
honor, and whose opinions are handed down
by the public records for the instruction and
guidance of their posterity. We quote there
fore, from another message of President JEFF
ferson to Congress, when he anticipated an
nual surplusses of revenue: "rhe question
now comes forward, to what objects shall
these suIpusses he appropriated, and the
whole surplus Of impost, after the entire dis
charge of the public debt, and during those
intervals when the purposes Of war shall not
call for them? Shall we suppress the impost,
and give that advantage to foreign over do
mestc manufactures? On few articles of
more general and necessary use, the sup
preston. in due season, will doubtless be
right, hut the great mass of the articles on
which impost is paid are foreign luxuries
purchased by those only who are rich enough
10 afford themselves the use Of them. Their
patriotism would certainly prefer its contin-
uance, and application to the great purposes
ofthe public education, roads, rivers, canals,
and such other objects of public improve.
ments, as il may be thought proper to add to
the constitutional enumeration of federal
powers. BY these operations new channels
of communication will he opened between
tho states the lines of separation will disap-
pear; their interests will be identified, and
their union cemented by new and indissou-
bic ties" The sagacious mind of Mr.. Jeffer-
son knew what the public good required, and
he boldly and freely recommended it to the
attention of Congress- He appealed to their
patriotism, their intelligence, and public spir-
it, He secuted the idea of abandoning the
the interest of manufactures, though then of
Inferior magnitude, and suggested, in conse-
quence OF the probable redundance of the
revenue; the suppression Of duties only on n
few articles of general and necessary, use
such ms have already, far beyond his reckon
ing, been made free Of duty.
One of the objects to which n portion Of
the surplus revenue will of course be applied,
will he the completion Of the permanent de-
fences of the country, for which, # the ap-
preparation be specific, no disbursement will
be considered too large which is within the
means of the treasury, and the calculations
Of n lndcous expenditure. Fertilization of
sea- port towns, roads and canals for COM
tnerce between the states, provisions of ship
timber for maritime defence, and light houses
and other guards Of coast and harbor naviga-
ton, appear to us to rest all upon the same
foundation, and to be all equally worthy of
the benelicent cure of the general govern
ment.
! Most important, however, in connection
with the general subject of the revenue, is
the complex question Of the public lands. 1t
is the revenue from this source. far outstrip-
ping all computation, which has within this
year so greatly augmented the means of the
treasury. II all be trne that we hear, the pro. I
cecds of the sales of the public lands for the .
current year will be between ten and eleven
mill ions Of dollars! Every reader viii per-
ceive at once the magnitude of the question,
how this great fund shall be hereafter applied,
for the common benefit of those who have q
common property in the public domain. That
question will again undoubtedly arise, and is
OF itself enough To attract the attention of all
our readers to the doings Of Congress. If
any specific disposition should be made ofthe
revenue hereafter to accrue from the sales of
public lands, it will put an end at once, the
reader will perceive, to all questions as to the
reduction Of the revenue from the customs,
which will not materially, it at all, exceed the
ordinary wants of the government. i,
We have not adverted to other uses for the
public money than such as are of general
and ordinary character, because we will not
allow ourselves to entertain the belief that
.
relations to lead to any extraordinary expen-
dlture, snch as to consume the surplus rev.
enue. Under whatever aspect the French
question, for example, may be presented to
congress by the executive, we " i'll not enter.
tam the apprehension that it can lead to a |.
hostile termination ofthe differences between
the two countries. We believe that such
result is not necessary, and we know that it /
= at ted hv IN nf hpf
The president OF The United States, drawing
near the close Of his official term, can desire
nothing better, when he retires to private life,
than to leave his country as he found her, in
peace and amty with all the world. AS far
as his own fame is concerned, it is his I'M
doubted interest TO do so; and whatever arts
may be employed by designing men, or what
ever efforts may be made by rash counseors
to induce him to a different course, we are
not without rather confident hope that the /,
subject will be- so presented IN the presidents
message to congress, as, if not to lay the
tram mt once for an immediate smicable ad-
nstment of 1t, at least not to- close the avenue
by which such an adjustment OF 1t may still
DC made without the interpositon Of the leg
slative authority IN any manner whatever.- ,
MI Tins is within the power of the president,
md the true glory Us well as the interest of
he nation recommends that course. 4
or other questions concerning the general
Welfare winch may arise during the approach- {
ng session, there is a variety greater than
W. shall pretend 10 enumerstr. The admis-
ION Of two states into the Union is among
he probable business of the session; and =
'hen we recollect the excitement ccasioned
y The question of the admission Of Missouri,
'e know not what contest may arise M to the /,
onditons upon which Michigan aud Arkan-
:" II is TO he remarked, that Mr.. jefferson ut
,red this recommendation, while suppestinp in e