Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-06-28
Richmond, Tuesday. June gS
TIE SURPLUS REFE.IUE.

sanction nf the Prcsdcnt-or rather his sgnatrrc, vii
not say his sanction" He takes it measure of ne
cessity, sprlngng from the peculiar circumstances IN
which be is placed. Upon question Of expcdiency
which SO many honest opinions may be fairly entertain
ed he does not wish to throw his Veto power against
strong minority Of the Representatives Of the People,.
But he would not have hcsatcd TO negative the Bill,
IT had not been modified in the H. Of R. to strip the
dcposite of all appearance Of dSrihuion lam to the
Satcs For ourselves, think that it will 10 all inlents
and purposes result in absolute donatonand that the
aoney is gone never TO be got back by the Government
6f the y. States.
Those who have quoted the President as an authority
for absolute distribution of the surplus revenue, do
not do him justice The passage to which they refer is
found in his Message of December $780, but they take
care to garblc the sentence The Message thus:
To avoid these evils, it appears to that the most
safe, just and federal disposition which could be made OF
tic surplus revenue would be lis apportonment among
The several States according to their ratio of representa-
sion; and ShOud this not be found ,carranted by
tic tDnst:uoR that roud be cxcdcnt To propose 10 the
Stalks an amendment ouLtori-ingH. Iregard an appeal
sor sonrce of p0,cer IN cases Of real Doubt and oherc its
rc1sc is deemed indispensable to the general ocarc as
amosg the most sacred Of all obligations, &c The
chee qualifying clause in italics. is carefully suppressed
by the n. lnlelgcncer, and all the other Wing prints
Ebi: have 10 qnote the President against himself
TIE President explicitly points out in the authoritative
slric of Fridays Globe, the dangers which may result
from the Distribution, if il should grow into usage and
asyem. In this respect we now understand him as frank
ly modifying of his calculations IN 1879 II was
1heE Ibis impression that the Tariff would not probably
dc ati USED, upon any principle, which would not leave
Il plus But considerable change has since that
time taken place in the legislation Of Congress. The
aarrf has jecn already considerably noded-and as Mr.
Webster shows in his late speech, some OF the protected
ARTICLES may dispense with other hat
is the true remedy, indeed, for surplus Treasury: 1t
DC to reduce the incone-to cut down the Taritf-to
lower, in other words the tarcS upon the People, Such
the President views, disclosed by the Globcand
such clearly ought to be the views Of every statesman
svho has any regard to the true theory or praec of our
Gore1ziIncnt.-lhc treasures of the Union and of the
States ought TO be kept separate and distinct pos
Sble The Federal Government has certain powers
specifically granted 10 it, To carry these powers into
eNecuts3n it is empowered TO raise money IN Certain
specified ways. II ought, therefore, to raise
lnoney than is wanting Tor It's legitimate pmpoas-
aud among these certainly not the power OF raising
snepes for the Of the States. This is clear enough
4 nd there is the best in the world for IT, AS the
Ecdcrsl Government is not dependent upon the State
Governments for the money il wantsso The States ought
10 bc dependent upon the Federal Government for
the lHanry which they want. Each OF them has lis
faactionaries, which are responsible TO their own
consls.sens II The State Legislatures lay taxes upon
their States, their Senators and Delegates are,
shey orht TO be, responsible TO their people Tor the
exercise of their power-l Congress lays taxes
.nemes responsible 70 their States aud Districts.
But lei have shifting of the responsibility blend
ng of ps&rs. Let not the Senators OF Maine OF Mas
sachusets raise money for the use OF Frgnla-tor, in
ahc st pSc. they have such powcr-n the I'd place,
they do know what money wantin the Sd, they
do nj kE3w how it would best suit to raise it-And
there IS ESQ this nsupcrabc objection, that 1t places the
States q. the feet Of the Federal Govern ncn-emps the
States iaStead Of beng independent Soverelgnucs, 10
be the 81 pendIarcs vi tic General Government -
makes tic States dependent upon the abuse OF lis powers
for iaGoSs which never intended 10 he overland
approaches the danger Of constellation which ought
all u apprchend and avoid
We them again, and again. here let us St0p!-Let
Us iowa of this measure again. Let us take not
20 This bill precedent, lest many an error by
the example rush into hc State. Let Us prevent
its growing into usage and Il system Let US reduce
the Tariff and let the L. S. raise money ha"
IS wanted Tor its own Legitimate purposes To use az very
1otciy phrase, let each tub stand on It's own bottom
But ,n the Expose from the Globe
(fr0m the Giohc, June q
"TuE DEposirr Bilr.-Thc drposlIc bill has been
appsoTcd BY the President The most important feature
in this act is That which makes The several States the de-
pnsiL,sies Of all the public moneys which may be in the
Treasury on the first of January next, the Of
five millions OF dollars their passing laws, pcdgIng
,Ie :s of the States respectively TO pay The warrants
Of the Treasury in the manner prescribed BY an
amendment introduced by an overwhelming majority OF
the House Of all the features OF the bill
uAich make the proposed transfer OF The money
20 le Staes loan git were struck out and as the
act now stands they to be mere repositories like The
banks in which the public moneys are now kept.
We hazard nothing in saying. that had the bill pass
ed it went from the Senate as anxious as the Pres
dea. was 10 the public deposes regulated by law,
and as painful as it would have been to separate any
subject from many of his most valued friends ii would
haze received his decisive veto We have been SuTpris
cd that any one who has read his annual message of
1922 and his veto message the Maysvllc road bill,
and Mr. Clays land bill, would for moment anticipate
any other result
has auproycd the amended BILL not because he thinks il
ucous make the States the repositories OF the mo-
news OF the u S. but because the plan not obnoxious
to constitutional objections because has been presented
by majority of the peoples representatives, 10 whom
the question Of expediency on this subec! peculiarly be-
longs and because, by settling the question in relation
TO lie public deposles it disarms faction, and renders it
more difficult for the money power to Teorganise itself
under the charter OF new national BANK
He thinks it inpotic and unsafe 10 MIX up the at
fairs of the United States with those OF the several
States and that the chances OF PerPetuly Tor our adi-
rabc system Of Government increased IN proportion
to the cearness with which the lines which separate
their several powers duties and interests are defined and
maintained II probable he will take fitting
sion to make known his IN oeta the views
he eu,ertains on this vital subject is only
~ now that they should know that IN approving the de-
posle bill he does not intend to counrnance III the least
degree the idea of raising money by the General Co.
for distribution among the States, thus lessen
ine the responsibility Of the State Governments in tax
ING the people, and at the time encouraging ex-
travagant expenditures making the States instead OF
independent soveregntles, the mere stpcndarcs OF he
General Government; pervertng the power OF taxation
given in the Constitution 10 purposes never thought OF
by its framcrs corrupting the sources Of Legislation
tending consolidation and ultimately destroying all
that is pure and valuable IN the structure ana adh'hs-
tration of political system. ,
"The President believes that it is bad policy, as wen
as UNCONSTITUTIONAL raise money from the people Tor
the purpose of distributing it among the States lie be-
ieycs that when the of the General IoVein-
mcnt shall produce Than enoug to supply slegi-
mate wants it is the duty Congress forthwith to reduce
the taxes the People To collect for The purposes
OF redistribution is neither polite economical 1t Is
not poltc because it necessarily increases the corps OF
public officers, and consequently The influence OF the 20
venment 1t is economical, because the people nave
10 pay The salaries Of those who the process ana
guaranty their integrity. Is it not better That Tue
farmer dollar should be left in his pocket than that