Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-12-08

out necessity received from the people large surplus
which, instead Of being poyed eoto.e anc re-
turned 10 lhcn by means of the public expenditure, was
| deposited with sund!y banks. The banks Prcctecea "
make loans upon this surplus, and thus converted II ho
banking capltl ard IN this MANNER 1t has tehueo 20
| mupiy bank Charters and has had great agencyln
producing spirit Of wild speculation The possession
and use OF the property out Of which THIS surplus was
created belnng the people; but the government mas
transferred lis possession to Incorporated pahHS "oae
interest and effort is TO make large profits out OF lis
use This process need only he stated 10 show It's mus
| t!ce and bad pniicy ~,
And The same observations apply 10 the influence which
j. pr.uced by the steps necessary 10 collect as well as
To distribute such About lhree-hltis OF al
the duties on imports paid in The city OF New 1ork
but il is obvious that the to pay those dItles arc
drawn from every quarer Of The Union. Every ctzen
in every State whn purchases and consumes an article
which has paid duty al that port, contributes l" the ac-
cunuIa,inG mass. The surplus collected there must,
therefore, lie made up OF moneys or property Withdraw
from other points and other States. Thus, Tie Wcat'
and business OF every region from which these snrplu"
funds proceed, mus, he 10 some extent HjHrrd, "hil
In! CT the place u here the funds are concenEated ana
arc employed in banking, are p1nporonabiy extended
But boil. in making The transfer OF The funds which arr:
first necessary to pay the duties and c0ec! the surplus
and in making The ctransts which becomes necessary
when the time arrives for the Distribution OF That surplus
There is a considerable period when the funds cann"t
he bruuaht into use and is manifest ha besides thu
uss inevitable from such operation, It's tendency IS I"
produce fluctuations in The business e" tie country Which
arc always productive Of spccualinn, and detrimental
I
be necessary show, that measure nl s character
ought not to receive further Legislative encouragement
By examining the practical operation ot the ratio Tor
distribution, adopted in the dp"sil" bill OF The last SEES
sion We shall discover other features, that appear equal
~ objectionable Let il b. ASSUMED Tor The sake oil ar
gument that the surplus moneys TO be deposited with Tie
States have been collected aud rung |" them, III tic
ratio of their federal representative popuiatEnnan as
SUMPTION founded upon The fact that Deficiencies in
future from imports and public ants must
be made up by direct taACs collected from The Safe III
that ratio. 1t is proposed 10 distribute Tic surplus say
$50 UUOUC0 according to the ratio in which it has
been coccd and belongs to the people nt the States
but in that % their votes in the colleges o! c!ctrs U
President aud Vice President. The effect Of dlsiriE'
ton upon that ratio is shown 10y the annexed table. mark
ed A.
By an examination of that table it will be perceived
that in the distribution Of surplus U 1,UDDOOU, up.
that basis, there Is great departure from the Prnc
pie which regards representation lie true al
aXatlpn and II will be found HAT the tendency o.! that
departure will be- TO increase whatever INEQUALITIES have
been supposed attend tic operation OF our Federal
system respect To lis bearings upon the different int
less Of the Union In making The basis Of representa-
Ton the basis OF axation Tie tanners Ut the C"nSiitu
ton intended Ia cquaIse The burdens which
~ to support the Government; aud Tie adoption Of that
Iain, Willie il accomplished this 0Glcct, also the
means 81 adj LASTING O;Hr great topics arising cut Ut the
! conflicting vcwS respecting The political equality ot the
various iici.!crs If tic Cnt'rracy. Whatever there
fore dsuhs Tie liberal spirit of the compromises which
established rule Of taxation JUS, anu equitable, and
which experience has proved 10 be well adapted 10 the
genius and habits Of our people, should be received wth
the greatest caution aud dlslrIsL
bare Inspection i'll The annexed table, Of the differ.
cncrs produced by the ra" used in the Ltpositc act,
Compared with the results OF distribution according 10
the ratio OF direct taXG"n, must satisfy every unprrJu
diced mind thai the former ratio cunarcncs the SPIRIT
OF the CONSTITUTIONS and produces degree Of Injustice
in the operation Of the Federal Government which
would DC fatal 10 the hope OF wrpcln~'lns IT, ~ the
ratio OF direct taxation, Tor example, the State OF Della
ware in the collection Of %.u)DuUI Of revenue would
mi linz RI.
button Of n OhO: UlO SHE would receive back from the
Government. according 10 the ratio Of thc Opposite bill
the sum &" 500 .2 a:!d similar es.l:s would follow
tie comparison between the small ad Ia" :LTgr States
throughout Tie Union; thus realizing 10 tie small
States an advantage which would tr doubtless as
unacceptable 10 them motive fer incorporating
The principle III any system which would produce Il,
as II wuud be inconsistent with The rights and eX-
pecalIuns Of the large States it certainly the
intention Of that provision Of the Constitution which DC.
car:s that all duties imposts and cXcscS Shall 'bc
uniform throughout the United Safes, I" make he
burdens Of taxation fall equally upon the people in what
ever Stale Of the Union they may reside. But what
wrud he the value of such uniform rule: if tie
nys ra!scd5y it could be mmrdarly returned by di!
lrnt which Will give 10 the pc"pr Of States
much more ard 10 those Of others much less than their
fair proiurilUns Were the Federal Government 10
cnpt, iii express l"rrs the Imports pruduc,s, and MA
nuac'urcs OF some portions Of the country from all du
ties w!c ii imposed heavy others, the in uStCe
could not he greater. II would br easy tn show how,
by The operation OF such principle the large States Of
The Union wou'd mol only have To contribute l!iC: just
share towards The support Of the Federal Government
but also have to bear degree the necessary
~ support The Governments o their smaller sisters: but
il Is deemed unnecessary To state the details where the
general prEci pie is so obyous.
4 syscin Liable 10 such objections never be- sup.
posed TO have been sanctioned by the trainers OF the
Cunsutnn when they conferred Oh Congress the tax
ing power, and feel persuaded thai cyar!na
ton ct the sub cc will satisfy every one that there
nsurnoun,ablc difficulties in The operation of any plan
which be devised Of collecting revenue for the pur
pose OF distributing it, Congress is only authorized 10
levy ito pay the debts and provide for TIE
defence and general welfare Of the United States. -
There is such provision would authorize Congress:
to cnl!cct together the property OF the county, uadGr
the of revenue, for the purpose If dividing il
equally uncqualy among the States, the people,
Indeed, ii is probable that such idea
red 10 the States when they adopted the C0uSutlpn-
But however this may be. the only safe ruic for us IN in
tc!prrng the powers granted 10 tie Federal Govern
nent Is to regard the absence Of express authority Ia
touch subject important and delicate this Is, as
| equivalent to prohibition.
! Even if our powers were less doubtful in this respect
The Constitution stands there considerations
afforded experience which would make
| II our duty TO avoid a resort 10 such stem.
All will admit that the simplicity and economy Of the
State Governments main depend on the fact that money
has TO be supplied TO support tlsm by the
their agents, who vote il away in appropriations Hence,
when there are eXtragagant and appropriations,
there must be corresponding increase OF taxes; and
the people, becoming awakened, will necessarily scruti
h!Sc tc VI
BURDENS BY the watchul Of sefnterest the agents
of the people in the State Governments repre$sed
and kept within the limits of just economy But if The
necessity Of lcvying the taxes be taken from those
who make The appropriations, and thrown upon
distant and less responsible set Of public agents. who
have power to approach tie people by an indirect and
seathy taxation there 10 fear that prodlgalty
will supersede those characteristics which have thus
far unde look with much pride and confidence IT,
the Stale Governments, as the main stay of Union
and liberties. The State Legislatures, instead of study
ing restrict their State expenditures 70 the smallest
pnsshle slnl will claim credit for their nrofsinn and