The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1837-04-21

pfuNlUitGN aAtN NAAACA - TT - So
from exercising the same privilege. his
was an OdiOus and tyr4nnical distinction
between citizens Of the same country,
who, according 10 all the principles Of
our government, are entitled to equal
rights. He. who would give 10 one Por-
tion Of the community certain privileges
and immunisies, which he denies 10 an
other portion. cannot be said 10 know the
principles OF freedom and equality which
belong TO our political system; or, if he
does know them, he is little disposed 10
put them in practice.
Bot the strongest objection to the Trea-
sury order is, that IL was . violation OF
law. Al the last session of Congress .
proposition was made 10 the Senate, 10
require specie payments Tor the public
lands, bur il was rejected by nearly an
unanimous vote. S0on sfier The Session
closed the order was issued. aud rumof
charges that the scheme was IN agitation
inst before the day nc adjournment. The
Constitution SAYS. " all legislative pow
ers shall be vested in a Congress Of the
United States. which shall consist Of q
Senate and House Of Representatives.
: In pursuance af the power thus vested by
the Constitution. Congress passed law
on the 30lh Of April. 1916. declaring that
: all debts due To the Government, should
. be paid Z. in the legal currency Of the
| United States. or Treasury mites, or
: notes Of the Bank Of the United States,
as by law provided aud declared, or ia
notes Of banks Which are payable, and
paid on demand, IN the sail legal cur.
reney Of The Omitted States. Sc"
BIS lllis Law every debtor Of the United
States had rigb. To discharge his debt
BY paying the notes OF any bank which
were redeemed with gold and silver: but
! the Treasury order took away tIOm HIM
this right. and said he should nuI be DIS
charged. unless. he pad gold. or silver.
! Here there is a copalst betseen the law
of Congress, and the law (if il can he so
called Of the Treasury Department.
But has Congress, or the Treasury De-
psrtment, the power 10 make laws for the
government of the country! According
| 10 the Constitution above reclisd. Con-
gress alone has the power; aud heGce It
necessarily follows. thai every attempt 10
exercise IL by any other department. is
fragrant usurpaiIon. not 10 be endured lnr
moment by free people. The great
boast. the singular felicity of the Ameri-
can people is. that they govern them,
selves. But if Congress, ordained BY
The people 10 possess all legitimate pow
er, are 10 he thus Superseded; If the bind
ing efficacy Of the laws they pass is To
BE- thus sci ~ nought BY The reserip, or
! order from an Executive Department.
then, ! say, free government, has rpaset
TO exist. and despolism has commenced.
Suppose a cilizrH had bought land, and
rendered the noies Of the spgrie banks.
BY the law Of the cOaniry. he had a right
tn possess The land. aud clam u as his
properly; but. by the Treasury ntier, his
maney was refused. aud he Inst his laGd:
he was defeated 10 the pnsspssinn Of that
property which he had rgh' 10 acquire.
Who then. makes the law. Congress. or
the Treasury Department! Your intelli-
gence. fellow ciuzens, and your love of
liberty, cannot fail I'd furnish The proper
answer; for you mus, zee that, ~ this
case, the will OF the Executive is predo-
minani, and becomes. at last, the only ef-
feciIse Law. 10 defiance Of the enac,menis
of Congress.
In prartice the order was found To be
onerons aud oppressive upon the people.
The Receivers At some Of the land Offices
are known TO. have speeulaled largely on
, the persons who wished N bus lands. Il
has been asccrtained beyond doubt, that
",he Government money paid ia by me
person, has been. handed on, by the Re-
ceiver, in exchange for uneGucnt. u not
land Office money, he receiving, for his
own privsie nee. ihe DISCOUNT as agreed
upon: and that the same government mo-
ney again passed iniu the Iaud snice, to
be again used for the like purpose, in pay
for the public lands" TO VIVA, extent
this " shaving" business has been carri-
ed on in the. various offices. nnbody can
tell; hat there are reasons for believ-
ing that II has been too much pursued.
In ane instance. il is said. land Office
m6ney was exchanged as often as ten
times day. at such rates, no doubt, as
were demanded by The Government niii-
GERS. In this way. The must ptInceiy Tor.
tunes can soon hp made by he Receivers
a, the iand offirrs, ii allowed to laien
upon the wants and necessities Of the
people. No parl 81 tie profit they make
By exrh inges. by handing out the Go
. vernmen. money, aud then receiving IT
, again, goes Iuto the National FRI ssury
for the benefit III The whole community:
but ii all passes into their own pockets,
aud Is appropriated 10 their own private
use. Such conduct IN Government OIL
GERS is lntocrabie: I, deserves tie severest
| reureheasiun. and should be punished