The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-03-27

uu4 message OF MS tAceehey The Governor, relates
10 the surplus Of the United States deposited
with this State and also the annual report OF the Conn
roicr upon the finances, begs leave IN respect to that
portion OF the message, and also in respect 10 that Dor
ton Of the Comptrollers report which recommends the
imposition Of direct tax to submit the following
REPORT
! That urder the act Of Congress, passed June 23d
1885, which directed Tie surplus moneys in the treasury
Of tho United States beyond the amount of FIVE mil
lions 10 be deposited with the several States the sum
OF S397i,5 $50 II has been paid this State, be-
ing hrccOurths Of the which il entitled to
receive under that lazy. BY virtue of the subsequent
act Of Congress, passed October g 1887 which direct
ed the transfer Of tho remaining fourth TO be postponed
until the first day OF January 1899 the residue Of those
| moneys amounting to Sl,33s,O00 has hitherto been
withheld and whether il will be paid at the time speci-
fed IN that act, may for the present be regarded
doubtfu Serious differences OF opinion have prevailed
10 respect the expedency Of thus depositing this sur
plus revenue with the States and il the sentiments of
those who believe It more polite for the federal govern
ment to retain It, happen to prevail, the fourth
staImen may possibly be permanently withheld from
this State.
1t is not, however reasonably to be anticipated that
the money already received Will be Withdrawn. The
act Of June %, 1886 which directed The depostes TO be
made, declared that when the money any part Of it,
should be wanted by the Secretary Of the Treasury Of
the United States" to meet appropriations by law, il
should be called for, upon notice mentioned in
-
provided that the amount thus deposited should remain
with the States :" until otherwise directed by Con-
gress" ...
1t cannot be deemed probable, that majority Of the
States represented in the National Congress viii direct
the withdrawal of these moneys. Whatever may have
been the literal provisions Of the law, directing these
moneys be deposited with the States, the intention
Of those who passed it evidently was, secure PER-
manent distribution, and not temporary loan Of the
surplus revenues In fact the doctrine on that subject
fret prol by babe
plainly contemplated irrevocable appropriation. In
his message to Congress in 1929 he declared that "the
safe, Just, and federal disposition which could be
made of the supus revenue, would be its apportlon
ment among the several States according their ratio
of representation and in the message Of the subsc-
quen year be removed all doubt as his intention in
that respect by stating that in his prior message he had
felt it to be his duty :" to recommend the adoption OF
some plan for the distribution of the surplus funds
among the States in proportion to the number Of their
representatives. to be applied by them for objects Of
ternal improvement"
The sentiments thus promulgated at Washington,
distinctly responded to and adopted by the Cover
of this State in his annual message the Legislature
in the year 1880 IN which, after speaking Of the funds
to be derived from the surplus applicable
to the extension Of our public works lie that There
can be 10 valid objection to the distribution OF the
surplus revenue among the States, TO be disposed of at
their discretion" The Chief Magistrate in the
succeeding year 1881, after stating that OF his most
alluded to the same subject in his message III 1927,
newed the suggestions contained in his former conmu
ncaop, and pressed it earnestly upon the consideration
of the Legislature A committee OF the Senate in the
year, reported that in their Judgment the proposed
distribution was matter "of the first importance, and
for the reason among others, that it would enable the
State prosecuting her works OF internal improvement
"o satisfy the Jast claims OF all her citizens" The
committee fully IN the soundncss OF the opinions
thus EXPRESSED, in respect the distribution OF these
| NIL thor INDIAN tEE bU
State of tho large of $3974520 II thus allotted
to it, whatever may be the opinions OF those who doubt
tile expedency Of the measure ought 10 be subject OF
unlnISed congratnation, .... W..
Withou, pretending question the obligation of this
State TO repay the money thus deposited, whenever 1t
shall be legally demanded by act Of Congress, may
nevertheless be assumed that reasonable probability
exists that it will be thus demanded or the
raj States which have received their respective PORTIONS
amounting the aggregate nearly forty millions OF
dollars the greater number have already appropriated 1t
TO objects OF permanent nature, from which 1t cannot
be withdrawn, without serious injury and cnence
Many Of the States have expended in works Of internal
Improvement or in paying debts previously incurred for
that purpose In some Instances has been loaned to
their citizens while example, al least is presented
in which it has been actually distributed, numerically
among all the inhabitants OF the State. In nearly all
these Instances, the repayment OF the money, II called
for by Congress, will become announcement and oppres
the people OF those States and can only be made
d
Under these circumstances thoicorc it may be safely
predicted, that majority Of the representatives. Of the
States aud OF the people in Congress will hesitate long
before conserving 10 withdraw from the States the
neys thus distributed but on the contrary, that they will
prefer lin shall be found necessary to repensh
the federal treasury by temporary loans in anticipation OF
the revenue
The committee, therefore, wholly dissent from the
opinion expressed by the Joint committee of the last
Legislature, upon the subject Of this deposite fund
that the pecunary which has furnished TO the
State, should be regarded merely temporary" and
that the period Of repayment is mot far remote" On
the contrary, they all well satisfied that the OF
$397i $50 H. thus acquired, will never be Withdrawals
and they recommend, that in all measures Of egsla
tun should be treated portion Of the permanent
property OF the State,
The amount so received, has been loaned under the
law Of the last session. upon mortgage, to the citizens
Of this State and yields nett ANNUAL income OF about
S2500Oo; and the question then ariscs-liow shall
that income be appropriated! .
1t may be used in either OF three modes. First, IN
deirayug the ordinary expenses Of supporting tie 60
vcrnnent; secondly in paying the interest on debts
created he created for works of internal improve
ment, thirdly, in providing for public instruction.
and the diffusion Of knowledge
II is not the province, the intention OF the COM
mittce, estimate the comparative merits OF these
important objects. The duty of providing adequately
for the education of the people, aud that OF furnishing
the Of cheap and easy intercourse between the
different sections OF the State, are equally pressing and
imperative. II the Legislature should be satisfied
however, that the State possesses other io
prosecuting with ygor aud effect, all its necessary
works OF internal Improvement question need arise
as to the proprioy Of appropriang the whole Of this
sum, Qargo II may he Deemed to the gratifying
Office Of dIlusing more widely the blessings Of cdaca
ton Before this appropriation shalt be permanently
made it ought, however, TO be distinctly undcfsood
that the other Of the State arc, AID viii continue
10 be, entirely sufficient to satisfy he cIams OF that
large portion Of It's population, whose welfare IS de-
pending upon the proper extension OF Its works OF
ltlln Of