Southern telegraph., 1836-12-20

NaNtD tNll eulI ON lNLal ENNI N-N.l w 10 llaa
States when they adopted the constitution
But, however thsm be, he only safe rule
tor Us IN Interpreting the powers granted %
the Federal Constitution, is to regard the
ialscnce Of express authority 20 touch sub
lect so important and dchcate as this, as
equivalent to a prohibition.
( Even -four puwcrs were less doubtful in
this respect, as the constitution now stands,
there are considerations afforded bv recent
/ experience which would seem 10 make it
uHr dbly 20 avoid a resort to such q system.
AL will admit the simplicity and ecano-
my Of the State governments. mainly depend
on the iuci that money has to be supplied to
support them ly the same men or their
agents, who vote it away on appropriations
Hence, when there are extayagant and
was;eiul appropriations, there must DO a
corresponding increase Of taxes, and The
people becoming awakened, will necessari-
! " scrutinlze the character Of measures
which thus increase their burdens. By the
watchfli q c OF scll-in.erest, The agents Of
the people in the stale governments are re-
pressed, and kept within the limits Of Ilst
&C ,nomy, Bat if the necessity Of levying
taxes &c taken from those who make the an
propriltionS and thrown upon more dis
tant aud less responsible set of public agents
whn have power to approach the people by
an Indirect and stealhy taxation, there is
reason to fear that prodigali'y will soon su-
Terscdr lhaso characteristics which have so
tar made us look wihpiide and confidence
to the state governments, MS Tic main stay
OF our Union and liberties. Tie IogIsia.
lures, instead of studying to re. trict their
state expenditures to the small,st possible
sum, will claim credit for their profusion,
md haraSs the general government for fresh
supplies. Practically there would soon lie
tut one taxing power, and that vested IN q
body Of men far removed from the people.
IN which lhc EARNING aud mechanical int"r-
estS would hardly be represented The
STATES would gradually lo,U their purity as
well as their independence; they would not
dare 10 murmur at the proceedings of the
General Government lest they should lose
heir supplies; all would ho merged in
PractIcaI constellation, ccmentod by wide
spread corruption, which could only be ora,
dlcalcd by enc of Ih,se hloply revolutions
which occasionally overthrow the dcspotic
systems of the world.
In all other respects in which have
l~cnulln to look at the effect Of such a prn-
clpe distribution upon the best interests
| OF the country, | caL see nothing To compCn-
safe for the disadvantages 10 which have
adycrtcd. II VIC consider the p'ntective
duties which arc, in great degree, the
source Of. .h2 snrpIaS rcycnac, beneficial TO
one section of tho Union, and preiudiciaI to
another, there is No corrective for tie evil
n such plan of distribution. On the CON
trary there is reason to fear that all the com
paints which sprung from this cause would
lie aggravated. Every one mast be sens
hIe that "A distribution Of the surplus must
bcget a disposition to cherish the means
which created it, and any system therefore
into which il enters, must have a powerful
tendency to increase, rather Than diminish
the tariff. lit were even admitted that the
advantages OF such system could be made
equal TO all sections Of the country, the rca-
SON, already so urgently calling on me for
reduction ollhe revenue, would nevertheless
'o,e none of their force; for it will always
be Improbable that an intelligent and virtu-
ons community can consent to raise sur
plus TOR the mere purpose Of division, dimin-
lShn1 A. tnttut ,novit.I,l,, 10
The safest and simplest mode Of obyiat-
lng all these d ilicuIties which have been
mentioned, Is TO colcctonIy revenue enough
to meet Ihc wants Of lhe government, and
let the people keep the balance u' the pro-
PcrIy in their own hands, to tie used for
! Their own profit. Elch State will then sup
port It's own government, and contribute its
due share to the support Of Tie General Go
vernment. There would be No surplus to
crnmp and lessen tsse resources of individu-
al wealth and enterprise, and the hanks
would be left to their ordinary means.-
Whatever agllatIons or lluc 'uations might
arise from our unfortunate paper, system,
they could rever be attributed, Justly or un-
justly, to the action Of the Federal Govern
ment. There would be some guaranty that
the spiri: Of wild speculation, which seeks TO
covert the surplus revenue into banking
capital, would be cfIectuaIy checked, and
the scenes Of Generalization, which are
arc Owso preyalOnttbrough the land, would
disappear. .a
Without desiring 10 conceal that tho OK.
pericnce and observation Of the last twu
years have operated Il partial change in my
views upon this Interesting subject, it is
nevertheless regretted tina; the suggestions
made Ly me in my annual messages Of 1895
and 1880, have been greatly m. scnderstood
! At that time the great struggle was begun
against the i,'iinIinarian construction o.
the constitution, which auhoriseS the un'im
tied appropriation of the revenue Of the Un'
ion TO internal Improvements within the
/ States, tending TO invest in the hands, ant
place under the control of the General 60
vcrnment, all The principal roads and ca,
nails of The country, in violation Of State
rights and in derogalion Of State authority
AT that time the condition OF the manafdc.
/ turing interest was such as to create annp
prehcnsion that the duties on imports couIt