Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-12-12

thoriLe Congress 10 collect together the property
OF the country, under tie name oil revenue, lot INC
purpose o dividing il equally or nnfanAlis '"o',s
The states. the pcopse. --lHaeed' IL II ho'
bic that ,arh idea ever occurred 10 'ils '''"'
wien iu.Y a,iopiel the Constitutional how
ever ls may be- the onlv sale rn,r Ion Il. ia MFR
pciine tie powers granted To the fedefal s'osefn-
mei,, i, to regard the absenee oil express an'oF'-
~ ~ touch a subject - impuf'ant aud delicate is
t5i, IS, IS rqa,aIea, Ia prIhlhaI9n.
Even II our power, wee IrNs doubtful q" ms
respect. as the Cons. luton nov stands, iierv are
considerations afforded by recent experience,
which vonl seem 10 make II our duty 10 AVOID
, resort 10 such ststoai.
All vii admit that the simplicity and economy
of tie State Governments mainly depend on tie
facl r,.at monty Ia, 10 hc supplied 70 support "in
Ia, He nen, or helr agents, who No'e II d.
va, IN appropriations. Ilr3cr, Wien there are
cxtrayaeani aud wasicinl appropriations, the Pco-
pie, hccomin. awakened, viii necessarily scfati-
nze the character of measures which thus increase
thair burdens. 81 Inc watchIu eye of sell inter-
est the agents 81 tic State Government, arc re-
pressed, aud KEEP, within the limits oi il'si econ
onis. But # the necessity oi lr'tIng TIE taxes
c taken from those who make the appropria-
tinns, aud thrown upon mere distant and less re-
,ponsibe set Of public agents, who have power
10 approach the people by an Indirect and steadily
taxation, there is reason Ia fear that prodIgaiiy
will soon supcrscde those charactciIsticS winch
have thus far made US look with MUCH pride
aud confidence to the State Governments, as the
main stay Of our Union aud liberties. The State
legislatures, instead OF sludy Ins 10 restrict their
State expenditures 10 the smallest possible sum,
viii Fl i'm credit for their prousion and harass the
General Government for increased supplies. Prdc-
tically, there would soon bc but Que ta>ng power,
and that vested in body Of men far removed lrom
the people, in which the farming and mechanic in
tcrcst would scarcely be represented The States
would gradually lose their purity as well as their
Independence they would NOT dare to murmur at
tho proce"dineSo OF the General Government, lest
lley should lose thcr supplies; all would be
merged in practical constellation, cemenicd by
wide spread corruption, which could only be erad-
Gated by Of those bloody revolutions, which
cisonaliy overthrow HE despotic systems t.he old
world
In all other aspects in which lave been able:
TO look a, the effect of such principle Of di,ribu-
tion upon the best interests 81 ,hc- country, can
see nntling to compensate for the disadvantages
10 Which have advcred. II consider the
protective dut's, which in great degree the
source of,he surplus revenue beneficial TO one
section OF the Union, and preudici,l to another
there IL corrective for tlc evil in such plan OF
distribution. On the contrary, there is reason
10 tar liill all me Nhlcn nave
from tin, would be aggravated. Ever, ON,
must be sensible, nt distribution of the surplus
must brgct disposition 10 cherish the mean
which create II and system, therefore, int,
which, 1t enters, rnnst have II powerful i~ndcnc,
To increase, father than diminish the tariff II
we've even admitted, that tiir advantages of such
stslrm could be made equal TO all the sections o
the ni"n, the rrasonS already ~ urgently calm
. for Il reduction vi the revcnse, would, ncycr,he
less lose none OF their force !: oi, it will awav
! BE- Improbable, tlIpt IN intelligent and vlrtuou
: community can consent toraise surplus Tor tin
mrrc purpose al dividing II, diminished, ASH mus
inevitably be, by the expenses If the various ma
e chlncry necessary to the process
, The safest and simplest mode al obyialiug al
o hc difficulties Which have boon mentioned, is, T.
5 collect only revenue enough 10 meet tine Want, q
t HE Government, and let the people keep the bal
/ an 4 o the property IN their hands, tn b.
used for their own profit. Each State will the
= support il own Government, aud contribute II
: due share towards he support oflhe General Go
,rrnncnl. There woull be no surplus to cram,
= I.t los,en the resources 81 individual wcal,h ana
rutnt prise and the banks would be left to t,ci
L Ordinary Whatever agitation. and lnctn
ltIons mielt ari,e from our unfortunate paper s,s
! TEN, they could never be aurib ted, Justly or VI,
: justly, to the action o! the Fcd,lal Gosrrnmpat
) will speculation, which seeks Ia Convert the sur
: plaS revenue Into banking capital would be clicr
: iuallt checked, and that the Of lrInoIaZa
: ton, WHICH 81 pre-, dent through lr land
Il would disappear.
: W ahoat desiring 10 conceal that The expericnc,
aud observation OF the last two years. have opera
I ted partial change IN my views upon this inter
rsung subject, II is, nevertheless, regretted tina
v the suggestions made bs me in nv annual MESA.
. ees oi 1920 and 1880, have been lrcally mi,nn.
lersood. At that tme, the great struggle was b,
Gun against The ltiIndinarian Construction OF tn,
Constitution, winch authorizes the unlimited ap
propIation of the revenue, Of the | Mon TO inter
nal Improvements within the States, tending to in
vest IN the hands, AN place under the control o
, the General Government, all the principal road
ana canals oi the country, IN violation of State
rights, and III dcroeailon Of State authority. 4
tl'e Nic lin', tue condition Of the MANUFACTURING
interest was Sich to an apprehension iii.
e the duties on imports could not, without rxtcnsiv,
i mischief, be reduced in season to trrycnt In, nc
i emulation OF considerable surplu, after the nav
F.; nent OF the National d,bl. In view of the dan
! gers OF sncl, a surplus, and in preference Il
D ITS application to Internal improvements. in J,ro
Cation OF the ri shl> and powers of the States th,
suggestion of an amendment of the Con,ti,ution
I" az thorpe It's distribution, was made Itwas a,
a't'r la'Nc Tor what was deemed greater evils
"ml' orary resort, to relieve an over burdrnc,
rcdsury, until the Government cnnd without !;
sudden and destructive Revision in the business nj
the country, gradually return 10 the Just priucipl,
M,