The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1837-04-28

the only question involved in this case. If this Sur
plus Revenue had remained in The Deposlie Banks
To be used By the Federal Government, II would
eessarly have greatly enlarged the expenditures of
that Government already double what they ought
to be. Ials would greatly multiply the number
Of contracts and Offices, and would give to the
President Of the United States patronage aud
power over public sentiment, which 1t would be
difficult TO resist Money is power and the ques-
ton presented TO the American people, wheth-
er they would place the whole OF THIS Tremendous
power IN the hands of the President OF the United
States, or whether they would divide 1t equally a
nong The States TO enable them 10 MAINTAIN their
ancient freedom, Independence, and sovereignty
Fortunately for t.e people and the States, both
these questions we're decided IN their favor at The
first session Of tie last Congress, though not with
out struggle. An act was passed to distribute
among the States IN proportion TO their respective
number Of Senators and Representatives IN Con-
grcss, such Surplus Revenue as might be IN the
Treasury on tie lst Of January 1881, over and a.
boge fsc millions Of dollars. The act provides
that tie States shall refund the amount 30 dlstri-
bueJ il ever il should be required for the support
Of war or other emergency but no one believes
such demand will ever be made
Under this law. North Carolina received nearly
two millions Of dollars, which was most Judlclous-
y applied by your Legislature at lis last session
TO pay the State debt, and provide fund for Edu-
cation and Internal improvement The auspl.
cious influence Of this measure has already been
iet in every part Of the State. |; has gwen new
Impulse TO the people, and we may reasonably
hope, at no distant day, il viii work radical in.
prosement ia the moral, intellectual, and political
condition Of The Sale II Is a contamination
most devoaty 10 be wished. Who is there among
us that does not feel his heart swell with the hope
that the State will ge. be able TO repair her waste
places 10 arrest the tide Of emigration which has
swept over her borders and exhausted her energies
for The last twenty years; thai her soas Will no
longer be driven from their native sell, 10 seek IN
other States those advantages which may be found
at home that The poor man, as we'll as the rich,
may have the benefit, Of an education extended
to lis children and that we may all be ab'e to ex
claim With prize and pleasure, Iaia a my own,
NY native land.'
An effort was made al the last session toenact
the same las, for distributing such Surplus Mo
ney al may be in the Treasury on The lst Of Jan.
SIS, over and above FIVE millions Of dollars. Ihs
measure passed the House OF Representatives, bat
was lost Ia the Senate, together with the bal TO
which ii was attached, making appropriations 70
colnnlete Fortlfications heretofore commenced for
the defence Of The country. This inst and bench.
cal measure was stfeunousy opposed in our
house by the friends OF The present Chief Magls.
tratc, with d few honorable exceptions, among
ahom. take pleasure u saying, we're two from
NV oWn State, sho felt on thls occasion that the
cuty they owed their State was above al party
considerations wish could say the same Of
our Senator'S. Upon every occasion, however,
they were found IL opposition 10 It But the Sen
ale is 10 longer tic en-, 1htened and independent
body ii once was. II has been hum5Ied al the
iootslool OF Executive power With them, party
is every thing, and country, hen II conflicts with
it. i nothing. Before the Presidential election
md the election Of Senators whIen toooA place
last wuter the party now n power durst not
oppose so Just measure as The distribution
Of The Surplus Revenue; but as soon as they
are elected aud snugly hxld n office sor the next
four and six years, you mad them wiling 70 trust
tic Banks with any amount OF the public money!
but unwilling to return to the people such Of Their
own money as the Government, had no use for
And vhai is the reason assigned for opposing 50
equitable a measure Why that it would cor
ropt the people Yes, II you trust The people
u ith their oR n money, il will corrupt them And
this is the language used by those who profess to
he the exclusive friends OF she people. Let the
people ponder eel upon these things, and decide
While thew may, whether they viii have servants
Ia reprcseat tneiu, VI masters To dictate to and
rule over them
know ii has been said in justification Of the
course pursued by the Senate, that 10 one knew
certainly that there would be any Surplus Reeve
nue.. 10 THIS | reply, that ii there should be no
Surplus Revenue there would be none todlstFibute,
and therefore the bill could hurt nobody But II,
as 90 not doubt, there viii 10 January next, be
twenty or twenty five millions OF Surplus Reve.
nue. then tie question again presents itself, what
will you do with ~ Mil you let 1t remain IA the
Baaks tor their benefit, aud The benefit OF Polu-
ciars or ,slil yau distribute II for the benefit OF
the States ana the people The House OF Repre-
sentatlyes decided in favor Of the States and the
people, but the Senate determined II IN favor Of
the Banks aud the pasty.
Boluwss further said in opposition TO this bill
BY an honorable Senator from New York, that the
Senate had Indicated the pohcy which Ii INTENDED
to pursue IN relation TO the Surplus Revenue, which
was to expend ii BY building new FoHItcauons
along our coast and increasing the number Of our
Standing Army, already sufficiently large for a
peace establishment Both these measures, as
before stated were last IA our House. The
other mode of dsposing of the Surplus Ike
venue proposed by the Senate, was BY partially
stopping the sales of the Pubic Lands, aud ylrtu
ally dsposing OF the balance TO squators and spec
ulators at reduced prices, which would have re
duced the revenue arising from the sales OF the
Public Lands from twenty four millions OF dollars
received last year, to four five and perhaps hess
This bill rejoice TO say, was also rejected IN Out
House. The other measure proposed BY the Ss
nate was reduction OF the Tariff, This redae-
ton, however, was small one, and chiefly oon-
hned to luxury. It proposed departure from the
Compromise bill of 1893, which has acted 50 nap,
PLY in promoting the harmony and prosperity Of
The whole country. The compromise act becomes
more and more favorable to us, the longer II stances
and il would therefore be uuwIse III the Sou'h 10