State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-06-28
WHOLE NO. 244.

VI sOine pbI'llhT pOHlClall, rdtner Than tn0t
of prosecuted statesman. | wish it was
a Jackson or Van Buren, bill, because |
believe it would then pass the House by
acclamation. Sir, this ought not to be con-
sidered n party measure. 1t cannot operate
for the particular benefit of any party, or
of any particular section. 1t will operate
equally on the People and on the whole
country; and whatever gentlemen may
have heretofore thought in regard TO it,
however they may have formerly voted on
it, it is now presented under circumst stances
so entirely new, that they may, without
making themselves liable to the charge of
the slightest inconsistency, give it their
warm support. Heretofore, the event of
there being a surplus to be divided was
matter of calculation and estimate. Now
the existence of the surplus is ascertaned
has become an established fact, on which
we are called upon in some way to act
Will gentlemen suffer this enormous sur
plus to be squandered by the central Gov
ernment on objects which, when accom-
plished, will confer no practical benefit on
the country, rather than impose OH them
selves the labor of independent thinking
on a question of such deep. importance to
their constituents? Will they suffer
personal bias, perhaps hastily inbibed, I'M
der the influence of high party excitement,
to shut out from their minds the light
which fact and reason may shed on this
question? Certainly they will not. Cen
tlcmcn will examine this measure with
fairness and candor, and, having done so,
cannot doubt the conclusion TO which they
will arrive. They must and will unite in
favor of the distribution
Mr. Chairman, have said that regret
ted this measure of distribution was con-
nected with the name of distinguished
statesman. Not, sir, that | would be will
ling TO pluck a single laurel from the brow
of that individual have had the honor
from my youth up, through good and
through evil report, 10 be his political friend
and admirer. now claim it as an honor
and when the mlsts of party rancor shall
have passeds away; when the name and
fame of that individual shall become mat
ter of history, and he claimed as the COM
mon property Of the nation; when men
shall wonder ut the decisions which had
seized on his contemporaries, my children
will claim it as an honor to be able to say
of me, My parent coolly breasted the tor
rent of popular clamnr, and always did
him justice.
But sir, great as may be my regard for
any individual, l'hope my regard for my
! country - I'll greater and believing as
do, that this measure is Of the highest m
portance to the welfare of our country, and
! to the peaceful continuance of our republi-
can system, would willingly give the mer-
II of its success, if it could he Justly done,
to the most violent political opponent. In
the hope-perhaps, SIR, vain one--of con-
clating the good will of some who, from
The name OF this measure, may have hastily
teken up an untavoIable opinion of it, and
for the sake of doing justice TO other states
men of our country, and particularly to my
immediate predecessor on the floor of this
House, ] take occasion to say, TINT although
this measure of distribution has become the
adopted child of the distinguished Senator
to whom have alluded though it wears
his Dress and has taken his name, vet he
can lay no Just claim TO the parentage of
its leading principles. Without going
back to an earlier period, and without
noticing, various suggestions and PROPOSE
tons of different individuals, which had
been made both in and out of Congress, it
will he found that as early ms January, 1926,
! in anticiT alton that as soon as the public
debt should he paid off, the revenue of the
country would exceed the wants of the
Government, an honorable Senator from
| New Jersey, now Secretary of the Navy,
brought forward proposition for dislribu-
/ ting annually among the States a portion
of the public revenue, for purposes of ed
ucation and internal Improvement The
resolution was entertained by the Senate,
and the subject referred to q committee, of
which the Senator introducing it was the
chairman; and on the llth May following,
I the committee made detailed and able
! rap m fouo. nf ha ;ol
by n bill for distributing among the States,
according to representative population,
five millions annually for five years, ending
with the year 1881. The recollection of
gentlemen will enable them to confirm the
statement which | now make, thar this
measure of distribution was for several
years, in many parts of the country, IA
vorie one with the friends of the present
chief Magistrate 1t bad received so much
attention, and was deemed so important,
that General Jackson made the subject
1 part of his first message TO Congress. In
that message, delivered December 8, 1899,
he enumeratcs with much clearness and
force some of the evils which were in flu
ture TO he apprehended from surplus rev.
enue, evils under which the country is now
actually lahoring. lie then proceeds, as l
will read TO you: "To avoid these evils"
snys the Message, "it appears to me that
the most safe, just, and federal disposition
which could he made of the surplus reye-
nue., would be its apporonment among
the several States, according to their ratio
of representation and should this measure
not be found warranted by the Constitution,
that II ironid be eIpedieHt 10 propose 10 the
States an amendment dwhOri: ing IT, Sir,
the President then deemed this measure of
distribution so important, that il constitu-
tional objections should be found to present
obstacles in the way of its accomplishment