State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-06-21
SHERROD WILLIAMS.
GEN. HARRlSON'S REPLY.
NORTH BEND, MAY LIST, 1856


Sir: have the honor 10 acknowledge
the receipt OF your letter of the 7lh ultino,
III which you request me to answer the fol-
lowing questions -
LIST. evil you, if elected President Of
the United States, sign and approve bill
distributing the surplus revenue Of tile u
federal population Of each, for internal inn
provement, education, and 10 such other
objects as the Legislature Of the several
States may see fit to apply the same'" 49,
Cd. swim you sign and approve bill
distributing the proceeds of the sales of the
public lands 10 each State, according to The
SEES above specified ?"
81. "Will you sign and approve bills
making appropriations TO improve naviga-
bic streams above ports Of cntry!'
4th. "WilI you sign and approve gift
becomes necessary to secure and save from
depreciation the revenue and finances Of
currency TO the People Of the United Sates)
a bill, with proper notifications and re-
strictons,) chartering Bank olthe United
SlatesW
5th. "What is your opinion as to the
constitutional power ofthe Senate or House
Of Representatives Of the Congress Of the
United States, TO eXpunge or obliterate
from the journals the records and prUcee-
dingS OF previous session."
From the manner in which the four first
questions are stated, it appears that you do
not ask my opinion as to the policy or pro-
preiy of the measures 10 which they res
pecllvely refer; but what would lie my
course, il they were presented 10 me (being
in the Presidential chair of the United
States in the shape of bills, that had been
duly passed by the Senate and House of
Representatives.
From the opinions which have formed
of the intention of The Constitution, as to
the cases in which tie veto power should
be exercised by the President, would have
c0ntcnted myself with giving an affirmative
answer 10 the four first questions? bur,
from the deep interest which has been, and
indeed is now, felt in relation to all these
subjects, think it proper to express my
views upon each one separately.
answer then. LIST. That the immediate
return OF all the surplus money which is,
or ought to be, in the Treasury Of The Uni
ted States, 10 the possession Of the People,
from whom il was taken, is called for bv
every principle Of policy, and, indeed, Of
safety TO our institutions, aud know urno
mode ofdoing ii better than that recon-
mended by the present Chief Magistrate,
IN his first annual message TO Congress in
the following words: "To avoid these
evtiS, 10 appears 10 me as the most safe inst,
and federal disposition ,chich could be
made Of the surplus revenue, ecould be its
apportionmcnt among the several States ac-
Cording 10 the ratio Of Representation.
This disposition has reference 20 a stale
Of things which now actually exists, with
the exception of the amount of money thus
10 be disposed ot-lor it could not have
been anticipated by the President that the
surplus above the real wants of convenient
expenditures Of the Government would be-
come so large, as that retaining it in the
Treasury would so much diminish the cir
cu!atag medium as greatly TO embarrass
the business OF the country.
What other disposition can be made OF
il with view 10 get it into immediate cir.
cuation but TO place ii in the hands of the
State authorities' So great is the amount
and so rapidly is it increasing, that il could
not be expended for a very considerable
time on the comparatively lew objects /,
which it could be appropriated by the Gen.
Rral Government but the desired diSlribu.
ton amongst the People could be immedi
atcly effected by the States, from the inf,
rite variety OF ways in which it might bt
employed by them. By them it might be
loaned to their own banking institutions
or even 10 Individuals mode of distribu
ton by the General Government which
sincerely hope is in the contemplation ornc
friend 10 his country,