Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-06-23

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people, W. publish The following lctisr addressed 10
Shcrrod Williams, Esq. IN answer 10 certain nqu,-
RES which will be found below
NORM BtNo, MAY |, 1896
Sr have the honor 10 acknowledge the re-
cc'pt Of your letter Of the 9Th u in which YOU re-
quest me 10 answer the following questions
LIST " Will YOU, iirlceled President ofthe I'M
ted States, sign and approve bill distributing the
surplus revenue ofthc United States to each state,
according TO the federal population OF each for m
/ tcrml Improvement, education, and to such other
/ Objects rs the Legislature of tho several States
may see III 10 apply the SAINT -
! I'd. VIII you sign and approve bill diSir-
buting the proceeds OF tho sales of the public
lands to each state. according to the federal pop.
ula,lon of each, Ion the purposes above stated p
3D.. " ii, YOU sien aud approve bills making APP
preparations To improve na,Gablc streams above
/ ports oil entry ~
fhh. Vii you sim aud approve Gtil becomes
necessary Ia secure aud save from depreciation
the te,, nue. aud finance. ot the nation. aud NJ
ford Il uniform sound currency othc people OF the
United Slate>) bill, with proper notifications
aud restrictions, cimrtrr,ng bank ct the United
States
! 9th. hat is Your opinion to tho const-
tntonal power ol the Senate ct House Of Repre-
NrniatvcS o lhc Congress ol the United States, 10
rNpunec ~ ebllcrale from tie Journals thu records
and proceedings al aprc,ion, session ;"
! From the manager IN wbeh the four FIRST qucs-
tons are stated ltappr1rs hat Non do not ask my
opinion as 10 the policy q prnlli,.rv OF the mra-
surcs 10 which they respectively refer, but what
woHld ho my cuur>r, IT they were presented to
me (beng in the Presidential chair of the Uni
ted Su,,rs) in the shape Of bills, lmr had been u-
" passed by the Senate and House of Representa-
lives.
From the opinions which have formed of the
intention oi the constitution, rs To the case, IN
which the veto power should be- exercised hS the
President, would have eontcuted myself with -.
wing an Affirmative answer 10 the four FIRST qnrs-
tons; but, Ire the deep interest which has been,
and indeed IS now felt in relation 10 all these sub
Ircts, thu> il proper to eNnr - my views upon
each on" srparuelN
! answer, then, IL. That the immediate return
of all the surplus money which is. OF onelt la be
III the treasury OF the United States ia the poS..s-
sion oi the people, from whom II WIS taken. is cal
led tnr by every principle 81 policy, ru,l, indeed
of safety 10 Institutions, and know 81 no mode
oi DOING ii better than ih,l recommended h> tn
present chiei magistrate, II his flrt tnnual me-
sage IL Congress, III the following words - To
drom these fnih, APPEARS IL M thai The most
SAFE, Just, and t,derH d,p0stion irh'ch conM BE-
m0de 81 he surplus rereuar. woaH be H djpor-
tionmcnt aiming The scrcrai States, acco,i,ns ~
thf ratio Of representations
Tin, proposition ha, reference toa state al
things which nov actually exists, WITH the "Nerp-
ton oi the amount ot money thus 10 be disposed
olor IT could not have been anticipated bv the
President that the surplus above the real wants OF
con,eaicn, expenditures OF ihr Government would
become 80 LARGE, rs tha retaining i, IN the ucasl-
" would 80 much diminish til" circulating mcdl-
nm rs greatly TO on,bnuass the business OF the
| country.
What other disposition can BIZ made ot II ith a
VII, " 10 get IL iuto immediate circulation but 10
! place II IN the hands Of the state authorities SO
great l. the amount, and 81 rapidly is II increasing,
that il couldnol be expended fora considerable
! tmc on the comparatively few objects 10 which II
could be appropriated b, the general government
but the desired distribution amongst the people
could be Immediately effected b, the sfllr>, iron,
The infinite variety Of ways in "lnrh II might br
employed BY them. BY them ii might be loaned
/" their own banking institutions, On even 10 indi-
vidnaIS-a mode Of distribution by tho reuc,al 90
vcrnment which sincerely hope Is IN the conronl-
j PLANTATION of 40 friend To hi, country.
I'd. Whilst ] have always broadly admitted lh,f
til" public linds were the common property Of al
the states, have been the advocate Of that mod,
of dnpo>ing oil tIrm which would create tive great
est number Of freed odrrs, and | conceived thai in
this way the interests of all would be AS well So
cured as bv any Other disposition but sirc by
the small size Of the tracts IN winch tle lands are
now laid ou,, and the reduction Of flr pricc, this
desirable SITUATION Is easily altainalr hv an, pei
son Of tocrahle industry, am pcrl,cil, reconciled
To the distribution OF the proceed, Of The sales as
provided for by rlr bill introduced INTO the Senate
/ by Mr.. CLAY; the interest al all utS TO bc WILL
provided for by tins bIiI aud rs fromtho opposition
which has hitherto been made to the disposition OF
the lands heretofore contemplated by the represent
ta,rs If ;he states, there IS probability oi
lis being adopted, think il ought no longer to be
| insisted on.
3D.. As believe that no money should be ta-
ken from the treasury Of the United States to b.
expended on Internal improvements, but for those
which strictly national. the Ia this tiucs-
non would be easy but from the difficulty Of deter
mining which OF those thai are from time to time
proposed would be of this description. This cir.
crrnsancr, the excitement which has already beer
produced by appropriations of this kind, and TIA,
jralon,es which it will no douh, continue to pro
mode of apprnprilrine all the surplu. revenue q
the Unltcl States in the manner above suggested
Each state - ! then have the means Of accomplish
ing its own .,cmes of internal mpro,fm' stlll
there will be particular cases where contemplated
improvement, will be Of greater Advantage to thu
union generally, and some particular states, than
TO that IN which il is to be made. In sncf cases
as well rs those in the nrN states, "here INC Naiut
of the public domain will be greatly enhanced 10y
an improvement in The means ct communication
the general government should certainly lareei,
contribute To appropriations of the latter cha