The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1837-04-14

II
there would errtainly Be. II ihe end &C
|, The year 1896. . large snrplos resenae
in The Treasury Of ne Uniied SAFES.
Whist was % bs done with this large sur
plus was . question Of the deepest mo-
ment % The people Of The Unilsd States.
Those nov in power. - have before
stated. wished 10 enlarge The eKpendl-
lures Of The Federal Government BY in
creasing The Army and Nary. BY con-
strueslng large. and in my opinion. .
useless number NJ nss forii6eslions along
our coast. by re-eonslrueiing IN . more
costly manner our public buildings and
by q large increase IN the number and
salaries Of our public officers; while the
opposition wished 10 provide Cor the ne
eessaFy wants Of the Government. but
were opposed 10 any increase in is ex-
pendiIures. They wished TO return 10
the people such ofslhe public revenue a.
might not be necessary for the ordinary
wants Of The Government. 10 be disposed
0l by them - they might think most
likely 10 promote their interest. f0u
know when the revenue Of the United
States is 81 large that il eannal be ex-
pended by The Federal Government. It
remains in such of the Stale banks as The
President may select, and 10 used BY
them for the benefit Of the banks. You
perceive, therefore, that This was partly
a contest between The banks and the pe0-
pie; and resolved itself into this simple
question, whether The banks should have
lhe benefit OF this surplus revenue, or
whether the people should have their 0wn
money returned to them! But this was
not the only question involved IN this
case. IL this surplus revenue had re-
NAMED in the deposile banks 10 be used
by the Federal Government il would
necessarily have greatly enlarged the
expenditures of thai Government al
ready double what il ough, to be. This
would greatly multiply the number Of
contracts and officers. and would give to
the President Of the United States a pat
ronage and power oser public sentiment,
which il would be dIfficulI To resist. Mo-
ney is power: and the question was pre-
sented the American people, whether
they would place The whole Of this ire
mendous power in the hands Of The Pre-
sident Of the United States. or whether
lhey would divide il equally among the
States. 90 enable them ID MAINTAIN their
ancient freedom. Independence, and soye-
reignty. fortunately Tor the people and
the States, both these questions were de-
cided in their favor al the first session Of
the las, Congress. though not wiihou. a
struggle. An act was passed 10 distribute
among The States, in proportion 10 their
respective number Of Senators and Repre-
senlaliyes in Congress, such surplus re-
venue as might he in the treasury on the
LIST January 1897, over and above five
millions Of dollars. The act provides
that the States shalt refund the amount so
distributed, IL ever il should be required
for the support Of war or other emergen.
sy; but nO one believes such demand
will be made.
Under this Law, North Carolina ne.
eeived nearly two millions Of dollars,
which was most judicIousIy applied BY
your legislature al lis last session TO pay
the State debt, and prsSide . fund for
education and internal improvement
The suspicious influence Of dis measure
has already been felt in every part Of
The State. II has given q new impulse
10 the people. and We may reasonably
hope al no distant day, il will work a
radical improvement, IN the moral, intel.
lectual, and political condition Of the State.
II is a contamination most devouIly TO be
wished. Who is there among US that
does no feel his heart swell with the hope.
that the State will ye, be able TO repair
her waste places: 10 arrest The tide VI
emigration which has swept nver her
borders aud exhausted her energies for
the last twenty years: Ihs, her sons will
no longer be driven from ther native soil,
TO seek IN other States those advantages
which may be found OF hume: that the
poor man, as well as the rich. rnay have
the benefits of an education extended In
his children; and that we may all be able
10 exclaim with pride and pleasure
This is my own. my native land"
An effort was made al the last session
TO re-enact the same law, for distributing
such surplus money as may be in the
Treasury on the LIST Jan. 1898, over aud
above five millions of d"iIars. This mea-
sure passed the House Of Representatives,
but was lost in the Senate, ngelhrr with
the bill to which IL was attached. making
appropriations to complete foruIfcsuous
heretofore eommeHced Tor the defence Of
tue country. This just and beneficial
measure was slernuuusly opposed IN our
House by the friends of The present
Chief Magistrate, With few honorable
exceptions, among whom. take pleasure
in saying, were two from my own STATE,
who felt on This occasion that the duty
they owed their State was above all par