Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-02-26


{ II MY. perhaps, he thought by some, tim, III,
c power which the distribution among the STATE,
would bring To benr ngn,ns The expenditure, and il.
consequent tendency 10 retrench the disbursement,
oi the ootetnmenf, would he 40 strong as not on
! " TO euria'l useless improper expenditure hi,
also the useful and necessary. Such undpubl e '
"'uid be the consequence II the process, were too
> long continued but ~ The present irregular and
'Ncessl'e action OF tho system, when s cenitipctnl
o'ce threatens II concentrate all It's powers IN n
single department, tho fenr that tho action of this
Government wall he too much reduced bv thu men
sure under consideration. ~ the sho,t period l.,
WHICH II Is proposed to limit It's operation, Is with.
out just foundation. On tho contrary If the propo,
ed measure should bo applied IN the prcson, disea-
ca state OF the Government, ,ts effect would like thu,
nt some powerful Alternative medicine opcrnt Jus,
long enough 90 change the present morbid action
pn' mol sufficiently long 10 supcrnduco another of
an opposite character.
but Il may be objected that though tho dis,r,bu.
ton might reduce all useless expenditures il,
w'u5, at tho same time. give additional power to
'he interests IN asor of taxation II ~ not denied
'h'' such would be it's tendency and, ,f the dan
ger nom Increased duties, OF taxes, was, nj this
time, as great rs that from n surplus revenue. the
Objection would be fatal but II IL confidently be.
'tNc1 Tint su h - not the Case. On the cont, ary
OF "a March, 1898 will remain und,,turbcd II !.
'on the strength ot tina assumption that ,ho mon.
sure Is proposed, and, M II IL believed spiey pro
posed
II may however be said that the distribution
"'"y create on The pat OF the States, an appetite
III ns lasor, which may ultimately lead to its ndop.
ton ASA permanent measure. II may indeed tend
To excite such apostle short IN the period pro
posed Tor Its operation, but IT is obvious that thu.
danger Is tar more thon coun,crva,lcd by the fac,
mat tic proposed amendment TO the Constitution.
TO authorize the distribution, would place the rowe,
beyond tho reach Of legislative construction and
mus efectun'ly prevent the possibility OF It's ndop.
'Ion hs permanent measure MS IT canno, bo con
,eVed That three iourths of the States will ever az
sent to nm amendment Of tho Constitution to author
VIZ II a'su'bution except rs mn extraordinary men
sure, applicable 10 some extraordinary condition OF
the country like the present
''iVng, however 10 these. and other objections
winch may be urged all The force that can Le claim.
eel Ion thcm, 1t must be remembered the question is
not whether The measure proposedis u moi, iiahlc
70 ms or lh"' oilee'on but whether any other ess
objectionable enh be devised or rather whether
there Is amy other which promises the lonst pr,
poet OF fclet, that can be applied Lr, not the de-
fusion prevail, that the d,sense, after runo,np
through It's natural COURSE will terminate itself
without fatal consequences. Experience IN oppos.
cd 20 snch anic,pations. Many md striking are
me examples free States perishing under Tint tx
cess OF patronage, which now nnlic's ours |,
amy. IN fact be said with truth that nll or nearly
Az, hlsehscs winch hffictffe governments, may be-
traced directly or indirectly to oxccss Of revenue and
expenditure the effect Of which is To rally around
the Government powerful, corrupt, and subscr.
went eorps-n corps ever obedlent to ito will and
rcady 10 sustain II IN every measure, whether rich
Z Df nd .uIt ! .., a.. H.
not eradlen'cd, mus, ultimately tcrdcr the Govern.
ncni stronger than the people.
What prostfss this dangerous disease has nj.
ready made IN our country, tits MOI for your com.
mltiee to shy but when they reflect the present
symptoms, on ihc almost unbounded extent of Ex-
ecntiVe patronage welded by n SINGLE will tho
surplus revenue, which cannot be reduced IN prop.
cr limi's IN less than ycnrs, period whlc,
covers two presidential cleo ions on both of which
all this mighty power md influence W i'll be broue hi
to benr aud when they consider that, with the
vast patronage and influence Of the Government
that of o the States acting IN concert with it, will
hG combined, there arc just grounds to fesr that
the fate which has heflllen many other ie. Go
! vernmehis, must nlso befal ours unless indeed
some eH-clun remedy be forthwith applied Il ~
under this impression, TINT your committee hh.
; s"geestc1 the ono proposed not nv free from oil
Objections but ns tho only one Of sufficient power
to arrest the dlseasc, mud 10 restore The body polite
TO sound CONDITION and they hive accordingly
reported a resolution so to amend the Cons tuition
= mat the money remaining IN the Treasury NJ the
end OF oath yenr ,ill the Isl OF january 1898 de-
Quoting ihcrciom the sum Of 1000 900 dollars to
meet current and contingent expenses, shall nnnu
ally he distributed among tho States md Terrific.
res including the District OF Columbus and 70,
that purpose the sum 10 be distributed to be div,
" icd INTO as many shares as there Senators nnd
Representatives IN Congress-, adding two for each
Territory, and two for the District Of Columbia
and thu, there shnl be allotted to ench State a mum.
Der OF shares equal 10 its representation IN both
Houses and To the Territories including tho Dis.
G 'ricl OF Columbia, two shares for cnch. Suppo,ng
the surplus to be distributed sborld avcrn. q
~ 900 annually, MS estimated, IL would gave
TO each shhre $50, 1O5 which, multiplied by the
! number of Senators md Representatives. OF my
2 state, would show the sum to which II would be
: entitled
The reason for selecting the ratio Of dstrbu-
! ton proposed in The amendment, ~ SO obvious as
to require but little illustration. II is tina, which
indicates the relative political weight assigned by
the constitution 10 the members Of the Confederacy
/ respectively and II is believed, approaches M
nenrly to equality, o,hcr TINT can be select.
, ed. II may be objected that some States under
the dlstrIbuiion may and OF ers less
tn their actual con'r button to tho Treasury IN.
der the ex'slrg system of revenue. The truth Of
the objection m,y be nckno wledged but il must
also be acknowledged that the inequality is a,
enst rs great under the presen, sys, en- Of DIS
bursements, and would he us great under my
other disposition of the surpu, thai can be lor,ed
al.