Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1837-01-04

tnan that which tells US
'nan an improvidcnt expenditure of
money is the parent Of profigacy, and
mat no people can hope to perpetuate
their Liberties who long acquiesce in a
policy which taxes them for objects
not necessary TO the legitimate and re-
a. wants OF their government. Flatter-
ing as IS the condition Of our country
at the present period, because Of its UNI
,exampled advance in all the steps Of
, .aocial and political Improvement, it
. cannot be disguised that there is Turk
ing danger already apparent in the ne
elect of,his warning truth, and that the
time has arrived when the representa-
tives ofthe people should be employed
in devising some more appropriate re-
medy than now exists, to avert it.
Under our present 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 whe.h-
Ier such u result be consistent with the
true objects of our government.
Should Surplus be permitted to ac-
!cumulate, beyond the appropriations,
it must be retained in the treasury as
lit now is, or distributed among the
people of the states.
To retain it in the treasury, unem-
Iployed in any way, is impraeticable.
1t is, besides, against the genius Of our
free institutions to, lock up in vaults
1.-THE treasure Of the nation. To take
from the people the right of bearing
arms, and put their weapons of defence
in the hands Of standing army, would
be scarcely more dangerous to their IL
berries than to permit the government
to accumulate immense amounts Of
treasure beyond the supplies necessary
to its legitimate wants Such trea-
sure would doubtless be employed, at
some time, as i, has been in other coun-
tries, when opportunity tempted am
bition.
To collect it merely for distribution
to the states, would seem to be highly
Aimpolitic. if not as dangerous as the
tproposition to retain it in the treasury.
The shortest reflection must satisfy ev-
cry one, that to require the people to
lpay taxes 10 the government merely
that they may be paid back again, is
sporting with the substantial interests
I of the country, and no system which
produces such result can be expected
I to receive the public countenance. No
thing could he gained by it, even if
Il
ton Of the tax could receive back
promptly the same portion. But it is
apparent that no system of the kind
can ever be enforced, which will not
absorba considerableportion ofthc mo-
ney, to be distributed in salories and
commissions to the agents employed in
the process, and in the various losses
and depreciations which arise from o.
Their causes; and the practical effect of
such an attempt mustcvcr be to burden
the people with taxes, not for purpo-
scs beneficial to them, but to swell the
profits Of depositc banks, and support
a bard Of useless public officers.
A distribution to the people is i'm
practicable and unustin other respects.
1t would be taking one mans proper
ty and giving it toanother. Such would
be the unavoidable result Of rule of
equality land none other is spoken of,
orwould be likely to be adopted,) in
asmuch as there is no mode by which
the amount Of the individual contribu-
tions Of our citizens to the public reve-
nue. can be ascertained. Weknow thai
they contribute ,tneguulIv, and a rule
therefore, thatwould distribute to them
equally. would be liable to all the OBJ
.jec,ions which apply to the principle
Of an equal division Of property. To
make the general government the in
s.rnment Of carrying this odious prin-
ciple into effect. would be at once to
destroy the means Of its usefulness,
and change the character designed for
it bv the trainers Of the constitution.
But the more extended and injurious
consequences likely to result from a
policy which would collect surplus
revenue for the purpose of distributing
it, NAV be forcibly illustrated by an ex-
animation Of the effects already produ-
ced bv the present deposite act. This
act, although certainly designed to Sc
cure the sa(e-keeping ofthc publicrev-
en- ne, is not entirely free in its tend
cncies from many Of the objections
which apply to thisprinciple Of distri-
button. The government had, with
out necessity, received from, the peo-
a large surplus, which, instead Of be-
ing employed as heretofore, and retnr- 4
ned to them by means Of the public I
expenditure, was deposited with sun Il
drv banks. The banks prpceeded to ,