Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-05-03

of years u surplus among the States adequate to the
repeal all laws, imposing direct taxes upon their
people aud then might be found in many of the States
quite difficult to make them consent TO taxation again
We all know, sif, that indirect Taxation is the most
quiet and nsdIous mode OF picking the pockets of the
people. They know because they Sec well feel,
the terros of the direct gaherer while the horrors OF
cusion-house officers neither compafa
lively felt by them This for the support of your
State Governments, for works ot internal improve
ment, under the direction Of your States could fail
to weaken the attachment of people TO your State
u vcrnnients, and tend, most powerfully To what all
lovers OF their country would deprccate consolidation
Four upon them the iargcsses contemplated by this
sch ine, of being liberal to them with their money
and they would be constantly throwing back mann
longing lingering, a6eetionate Tools that grea, central
federal beneiactoi which had long lavsled upon
them treasures of their contribution. This ILL.,
founded attachment of the people the General the
expense OF the requisite affection for their State Govern
mcns, is, surely, result which all patriots would de-
ore grant SIR that this scheme of vding the surplus
revenue among the States, is not novel one. 1t
proposed ia the other branch of the legislature 1929
aud found very lutte favor then The honorable gentle
man from Virginia (ar Robertson has read extract
from President Jacksons Message OF 1929 show that
ht opinions have changed upon this subject since that
period. This circumstance, il So would affect
my course but if the President has changed bis views
upon this subject, other gentlemen with whom il is the
pride OF the honorable gentleman from Virginia to act.
nave also changed theirs II was in the South, where
the plan, when first started found its most decided and
uncompromising nemes and il is not little surprising
that 1t should now be eahumated by those who then
killed and buried it,
lou fm not, you ShOUU mol, reduce your tdrH OF
duties, as TO violate the principles of your compro
mise act You will not yet adopt the extreme remedy
OF dividing your surplus revenue among the States
what then, will you do! Nhat have you been adms-
niscd to do by the recent signs of the mcs' answer
e1t'na or system 81 ortseatios and increase ro,y
ry anu Ton These great and patriotic Objects will
quiro The uoe OF your surplus revenue, well tina,
now On hand that which will accrue between this pc
Rod and the year 1912.
But il has been commended in the course of this de.
bate that in the distribution Of the bounties OF this
ser1men the South has been most unusty and cruelty
neglected. The Investigation which l have been able
TO besow upon dis point has satisfied me- that gentle
men who have urged this position, have (unintenona-
y no Doubt takea too partial view of the matter and
have run into very great But before undertake
TO show this, will observe, that equality OF dsburse
ment throughout the country, when executing the duty
OF putting the country in state of defence, is wholly
npactcabe, without totally losing sight of the nqu
what is cSpedent, and what is necessary
The Constitution imposes il incumbent duty on
Congress, to provide for the 'c0mm0n defence" Sup
pose nature has fortified section OF your seaboad
with bold and inaccessible shore, and left the other
easy OF access; suppose she has efectuay guarded
one section against The approach OF an enemy with bars
and shoals and sand banks must all thus diff
ferently crcumstanccd share in the bounty of the Go.
vcrnmcnt for the purposes of public defence If this be
so, then Indeed have very strange duties perform
der this Constitution Of ours then under obliga-
ton 10 expend much for defending ,ceak as our
strong points. The whole body is be taken care of
and defended. One menber is diseased and sicky it
requires your special care pains and expense
10 heaIlh ana vigor NOW, sir, according TO the
gunent which am combating, in order do Justice to
the whole body, you bestow equul expense upon
every other member This is species OF logic that will
harny be deemed sound by any If put into practi-
cal operaton il would conduce a system of log rolling
that would disgrace, il not ruin the country.
But is IT true, sir that this Government has been so
partial IN the dispensaon OF its and protection
and in the distribution OF its bouDes for the purposes
of national defence? The discussion hithei To has en-
6raced oil species OF expenditures that under the
head of 3" national defence, Publications. navy yards
arsenals and every other object of expenditure | will
in imitation of the example which has been me- say
few words about expenditures for Qualifications
great branch oil expenditure certainly ylibs
thing butthe fact that the South has been overlooked
neglected.
called uponte Secretary OF War for general plan of
defence and designation of forts. From this result
ed the ofioT of plan in 1921, of forfcaton for the
maritime coast, from Georgia 10 Boston 1t may
be ouDG in the very able report of the board of enpi
neers, at the head OF which General Bernard among
the Executive documents of 1921. IL embraced be.
tween 81 and 30 forts upon that part the
ing from Savannah Boston here il is not afnss
inquire when and under whose administration of the
War DEPARTMENT it was, that this liberal scheme origi-
mated 1t was at "a time OF profound peace when IN
stead of plehoric Treasury and millions of surplus,
we owed national debt of many millions Of dollars IL
was under the auspices too OF distinguished ss~te-
man. then ut the head of tho W~' department, Mr. Cal
hounA who would now, it seems rather than complete
the system of defence then approved, if projected
by him, divide your surplus revenue among the Suites
Ii may BIZ WELL too, to bring 10 the recollection of the
committee the patriotic doctrines maintained by the
President of the United States those da VS. when we
had neither the same means inducements to make
liberal expenditures for the purposes Of public defence
cuded his annual message of December, lo2 with the
following just and patriotic sentiments
"Unprovoked injuries often inflicted and ven the
peculiar felicity oil our situation might. with some be
cause for excitement AID aggression The history of the
late in Europe furnishes complete demonstrations
that no system OF conduct however in principle
can protect neutral powers from injury from any party
that deienceless position, and distinguished love OF
peace the surcsi invitations war aud that there
way TO avoid II, other than being prepared and willing
for Just cause, it, ii there a people on earth
whose most especial duty il is to be at all prepared
TO defend the tights with which they blessed and to
suTpass all others in sustaining the necessary Lurhens
and IN submitting sacrItIcps make such pIcpaTa-
tons is undoubtedly the people Of hesc States The
" >. owe TO the world great example, and by means
thereof 10 The of liberty and humanity generous
support They have far succeeded 10 the satisfaction
o the yrnoOs aud enlightened Of every country There
rs no reason TO doubt that their whole Mt will be
rcgulaedby sacred regard Ia principle all nstitu
lions being founded on That basis The ability To- support
under any trial To which it may be nos
ed the great point which the public soctude rests
ss been often charged against free Governments thai
they dave neither the oreslgh the virtue provide al
ieproper FOR great emergencies that their
Is mPovident and expensive; that will always find
them 'unpeparcd; and whatever may be its calsni-
ties, that IT'S terrible warnings will be disega dcd and for
gotten, soon peace returns. have foil confidence
thatls charge far relates TO the United States
will be shown To be utterly destitute Of truth"
II this was the language of truth and wisdom when
1T was uttered, when wc we're encountered with heavy
national debt, when had had very recent pros.
poet OF conflict with any other nation how much more
authoritative should II be, when have millions
OF surplus treasure hand, and when have late
ly been threatened with a with one of the most
powerful nations Of Eur0pc2 How many forts hSvc
been finished since INST with Great Britain -
The principal engineer has been kind enough furnish
with list, from which it appears thai eleven fort
have been completed, and that Thirteen are noyy IN