Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-12-13

cation Of the public money, would now
have for converting the same 10 their prl-
yatc use, without the consent and aSalns.
the will of the Government. But indepcn-
IDENTIFY of the violation of public faith and
moral obligation which are involved in this
suggestion, when examined in reference to
the terms Of the present dcpostc act, it is
believed that the considerations which
should govern the future Legislation Of Con.
gross Oh this subject, will be equally con.
elusive against the adoption oluny measure
recognizing the principles on which the
suggestion has been made.
Considering the intimate conncXion Of
the subject with the financial interests of the
country, and It's great Importance iii what
ever aspect it can be viewed. | have bestow-
cd upon il the most anxious reflection, and
feel it to be my duty to state to Congress
such thoughts as have occurred TO me, 10
aid their dcberation III treating it in the
manner best calculated TO coIducc to the
common good.
The experience Of o:hcr nations admon.
ishcd us 10 has en- the cX}inguishmcn ofthc
public debt; but il will be in vain thai VIC
have congratulated each othcr upon the dis
appearance Of this evil, if We do not guard
against Tic equally great one of promoting
the unnecessary accumulation OF public
revenue. No political maxim is better cs-
tablishcd than that which iels us that an i'm
providcnt expenditure Of money is the pa
rent of prongacv, and that no people can
hope to pcrpetuatc their liberties, who long
acquicscc in policy which taxes them for
objects rot necessary to the legitimate and
rca! wants Of their Governments. Fla;tcr-
ing as is the condition orour country at the
present period. because Of lis uncx%mp!ed
advance in all the steps of social and Po'Itl-
cal improvement. it cannct be disguised that
there is lurking danger already apparent
in the neglect of This warning tru h. and that
the time has arrived when tie representa-
tivcs OF the people should be employed in
dev!sing some more appropriate remedy
than now exists, to avert it.
Un'er Our prcscnt revenue system, there
is every probability that there will continue
to be a surplus beyond the wants of the
Government and it has become our duty
to decide whether such result be consIs-
tent with the true objects Of Our Govern
me-.
Should surplus be permitted 20 accumu-
late beyond the appropriations, it must be
retained in the Treasury as it now is, or
dis rbutcd among the people or the States.
To retain it in the Treasury unemployed
in any way, is imprac,icablc. 1t is, besides,
against the genius Of our free Institutions to
lock up in vauls the treasure OF tic nation.
To take from the people the right Of bear
ing arms, anI put their weapons of defence
in the hands Of 4 standing army, would be
scarcely more dangerous to heir liberties,
than to permit the Government to accumu-
lac immense amounts of treasure beyond
the supplies necessary 20 its legitimate vans.
Such treasure wodld doubtless be employ
cd at some time, as it has been in o.hcr
countries, when opportunity tempted ambl-
ton.
70 collect it merely for distribution to the
States, would seem Ia ho highly inipulil!c,
if not as dangerous as the proposition TO
retain it in The Treasury. The shortest
reflection must satisfy every one, that TO re-
quirc the people to pay taxes to the Gov
crnment mcrcIy y that they may be paid back
again, is sporting with tho substantial inter-
csts of the country, and no system which
produces such a result can be expected 10
receive the public coun;enancc. Nothing
could be gained by it, even if each indlvld-
ual who contributed a portion Of the tax,
could receive back promptly the same por-
ton. But, it is apparent, that no system OF
the kind can ever be enforced which will
not absorb considerable portion of the
money to be distributed in salaries and COM
missions to the agents employed in 'hc pro-
cess, and in the various losses and deprccia-
tons which arise from other causes and
the practical effect of such an attempt must
ever bc to burdcn the people with taxes, not
for purposes beneficial to them, but to swell
the profits of dcpositc banks and support
band of useless public officers.
y distributor 10 inc pcoPlc Is hhpfut-
ticabc and unjust in other respects. 1t would
be taking one mans property, and giving it
to another. Such would be the unavoida-
bic result of rule Of equality, land none
other is spoken of Or would be likely 10 be
adoptcd,) inasmuch as there is no mode by
which the amount CT the individual con'ri-
buttons of our citizens to the public revenue
can be asccrtaincd. We know that they
contribute uncquaily and a rule, therefore,
that would distribute to them equally, would
be liable to all the objections which apply
10 the principle of an equal division Of pro.
perry. TO make the General Government
the instrument of carrying this odious princi-
pfc into efftCt would DC at once to destroy
the means of its usefulness. and change the
character designed for it by the trainers Of