The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1837-03-24


vel find that there is a constant effort 10 induce
,be General Government TO 20 beyond the limits
ofits tayIng noN err and 10 III se unnecessary bur-
yiens ut,on The people. Many powerful Interests
are continually al work 10 procure hsaVy duties
q, commerce. and TO swell the revenue beyond the
real necessities othe public servicei and the coun.
trv has already felt tie injurious ELECTS OF their
,,,nbloed in.Iutice. They succeeded IN obtaining
a tariff of duties bearing most oppressively on The
AGRICULTURAL and laborIng classes OF society, and
producing a revenue that could not be usciuy en-.
poved within the range of the powers ccnicTrtd
u,on Congress; and in order TO tasten upon the
pconie this unlnst and unequal system OF taNalon'
extrsvagant schemes ofInterna.improvement
got up IN various quarters, TO squander The money
and 10 purchase support Thus one unconsltu-
ilonal measure was intended 10 he upheu ol
another, aud the abuse of the power OF taxation
was to be maintained by usurplng the power Oh eN-
pending the money IN internaiimprovemenls. fou
rlnno, have forgotten the severe and couo'iui
struggle through which We passed, when 'he EAec-
utivs Department OF the Government, by lis Neio'
endeavored to arrest this pTodigal scheme o. mus
fice and TO bring back the legislation Of congress
10 the boundaries prescribed by the Constitution.
The good sense and practical Judgment o. lie Peo-
pie, when the subject was brought before tAeh'
sustained the course OF the Executive; ana THIS
plan Of unconstitutional expenditure, for the Pur.
poses OF corrupt influence, is, trust, hnaily over.
thrown.
The result Of this decision has been felt 10 the
rand ex;ineuishment OF the public debt, and the
large accumulation of surplus 10 the Treasury,
notN outstanding the tariff was reduced, and Is noa
very far below the amount originally contemplated
by its advocates Bat, rely upon it, the design 10
collect an extravagant revenue, and to burden you
with taxes beyond the economical wants OF Tue
Government Is not vel abandoned. The various
interests which have combined together to impose
heavy tariff, and TO produce an overlooking iFca
sl-y. are too strong, aud have ZOO much al stake
Z, surrender the contest. The corporations aud
wealthy individuals who are engaged IN large
manufacturing establishments, Gesire ing taTln
Il increase their gains Designing politicians
wil support it to concia,e their favor, and TO OBJ
tain the means OF pro.use expenditure, Tor Tue pur
pose OF purchasing influence IN other quarters
and since the people have decided that the eder-
al Government cannot be permitted TO employ IL
income in internal Improvements, efforts WI be
made to seduce and mslead the citizens Of The se'
era States by holding out to them the deceiuui
prospect OF benefits 10 be derived from surplus
revenue collected by the General Government, and
annually divided among the states. And u, en-.
courag,d by these failacious hopes, the States
should disregard the principles OF economy which
ought To characterize every Republican Govern
Ineat, and should indulge 10 lavish expenditures
exceeding their resources, they Will before long,
find themselves oppressed with debts when they
are unable to pay, and the temptation viii become
irresistible 10 support high laii, 10 order 10 OBJ
tain a surplus for such purposes, without violating
the principles OF the Constitution, and assuming
powers which have not been granted II Is, more
over, system OF injustice. and 4 persisted 10, Nil
Inevitably lead TO corruption, aud must end 10 fu
in The surplus revenue viii be drawn from the
pockets Of the people, from the farmer the mt
chanIc. and the l4boriny classes of society; but
who vii receive II when distributed among the
Safes, where 1t is u be disposed OF b. leading
STATE politicians who have friend, to favor, and
political partisans to crafty 1t will certainly
not Be returned to those who paid il, and Who nave
most need of it. and are honestly entitled 10 IL
There is but one safe rule, and that l., 10 coEfne
the General Government rigIdIy within the sphere
Gifts Inappropriate duties II has no poaer TO raise
revenue. Or impose ;axes, except or the purposes
enumerated ID the Constitution and II lts income
Il fund 10 exceed these wants, II should be forth.
with reduced aud The burdens OF the people so lar
ligblened.
In reviewing the conflicts which have taken
place between different interests IN the United
States, and the poicy pursued since the adoption
OF our present form OF Gov rnmeut We ind noth-
log That has produced such deepseated evil as TIE
course Of Legislation ~ relation to the Currency
The Constitution Of the United States unqucstlona-
ably intended To secure 10 tie people circulating
medium Of gold and silver. Bl, the establish.
mspt Of national bank b, Congress, Nth the prl
ysge Of issuing paper money receivable ~ the
payment Of the public dues, and the unfortunate
course af legislation in the several States upon the
same subject, drove from general clrcul tion the
constitutional Currency aud substituted one Of pa
per IN It's place.
II vas not easy for men engaged 10 the ordlna-
~ pursuits Of business, whose attention had not
ben particularly drawn to the subject, TO ioresee
all he consequences Of a Currency exclusively Of
paper; and ought not, On that account, 10 b.
surprised al the facility with which Laws were Oh
tanned to carrg iato fleet the paper system. Hon
ct, and even enlightened men, arc sometimes mis-
led by the speci5u, plausible statements OF The
designing. Bat experience has nov proved the
mischief, and dangers Of Paper Currency and
it rests with ,pu TO determine whether the proper
remedy shall be applied.
The paper system being founded on public con-
fdence, and having Of itself no intrinsic value, II
ls liable u great dul -ollrH n4ctudtlohsj thcieoy
rendering property insecure, aud The wages Of Ia
bor unsteady aud uncertain. The corporations
which create the paper money cannot be relied
upon 10 keep the circulating mejlnm uniform IN
amount In times Of prosperity, when confidence
j. high they sre tempted, ny the prospect of gain,
or by the Influence Of those who hope 70 profit BY
il. 10 extend their issues Of paper beyond the
bounds Of discretion, and the reasonable deflaGdr
Of business AID when these issues have beer
pushed on from DAY 10 day, until public confidence
Is at length shaken then a reaction takes place
and thew Immediately withdraw the credits thel
have given; suddenly cuftall their issues aud pro
dace an unexpected and rulnous contraction OF tn
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