Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-11

ly unauthorized by the letter spirit Ct the Consti
tuition.
TO these resol tons the committee have given that
consideration which is due to the important interests
involved; and cannot but concur the general prin-
ciPles and conclusions which they announce
The points presented for their consideration are, IS II
lust expedcn and constitutional for the United States
ia assume the payment OF the debts of the States re-
ier:e 10 IN the foregoing resolutions, or IN any way TO
PROVIDE means Tor their payment directly or indirectly:
In whatever shape The subject prcsonted The princi-
pie and tie results the same; and If the assumption
or payment Of these debts, by the General Govern
Ecnt, be improper in way, it must lie so N another
Is IT Jusr.
1t is not in the power Of the committee TO ascertain
precisely the Indebtedness of each State because por
ton of their bonds only have been sold; some have
been hypotlecased for partial advances them; and
others The foreign MARKET therefore the aggregate
cannot be positively and accurately stated IL ~ su!
Gent to know that many cf the States have incurred La
bes and that the aggregate of them would constitute
a large debit but all the States not indebted alike,
proportion 10 their contribution 70 the revenue OF
the General Government: of them are not In
dchted nj al New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island
Connecticut Sof:n Carolina and others, do not appear
on The list of indebted States; and the d, bis Of several
others comparatively small These States have cH
ercscd 10 influence or control .hc Others which
have in debt, and do profit BY the expenditures
cut of which these debts have arisen. New Hampshire
had nothing 20 10 with the railroad projects Of Illinois,
and could not profit by them, if completed Nctklng
therefore, could be unjust than TO require her to
pay any part Of the large debt which has been contract
ed by the State of Illinois, carry those projects into
effect The same injustice would, i'll greater or less
degree, la! upon three !ours of the States Of the
Union, if the existing State debts to become 4
common charge.
There is another point Of view in which the injus
tce of this measure would be palpaLc; the Internal
improvements ofsnmc ofthc States yield large revc
nue. TO those States. The debt of New ! ork is about
fifteen ard half millions Of dollars; and her canals
Weld ,cvEu" than efficient TO pay the interest
The assumption o. that debt, by the General Govern.
ucnt, would throw The cost OF those improvements upon
the other States leaving New York 10 the enjoyment
If all t.. revenues Welded by them. With what JUS
tics could Connecticut he called on to pay part OF The
cx1cnsc Of :, cana! IN New York, the tolls winch
we're accrue exclusively 20 the benefit o! the latter
State: THIS would be of the drccteftccis OF tn"
Assumptions Of lie Stale debts by tie General Co
Ycrnmcn. Connecticut, New HAMPSHIRE Delaware, (,
North Carolina, Georgia, AID other States, would be
made 10 pay the chef cost ofthe New York improve.
"@"s without 05o ,ns ' red to
tina; States The same pr cp!e apples TO the vaiu-
able 'mp"ynmrnts Of all ,nf"er states, ,;,, s,,to.
which have had no.h:ng "a do with them, {" pay for
i'm proyel:,ens in otter STATES which moi valuable.
States Ike individuals, he. they enter upon such u
derlakngs, 10 il wnh the view of deriving benefit,
and making profit from them. In al these cases Z"
State debts,for internal improvements well as nank
na sa"uine an,icpations bayg been INDUCED that the
ncor Wicked by the investments would enable The
States dstantdav, 10 pay oil the Prr:cPil as well
rs the interest of the debts contracted The idea :" m
vi,iug Tie c,ie. STATES 10 share IN the roS oil lhcae
enterprises never thought Of and had the eAtrava
gant calculations on which :hcy were founded been
realized such project as The present would meyer have
been suggested
Now ilat al,e error and mscGlcula;ion have in many
instances been discovered there any justice IN throw
inc upon tie States which have pursued rrovidcn
and prudent course Of legislation the losses Of those
which have suffered themselves !" be mIs!cd by too
sanruine a temperament or BY erroneous estimates:
10 illustrate the present condition Of our States they
NAV be compared to neig hborhood OF farmers. \
few have made valuable improvements upon thririaTWs
FOR which they debt, few others have borrowed
and spent vast sums of money, in making improve
mcnts OF little or value; others have pursued the
ai; and economical course OF spending more than the
money received for their surplus produce; and have
improved their lands gradually, wliha"trunnng IN debt
III length it is proposed that the whcie nrignorhn'd
should Join together and pas of c;- debts the irst
class retaining Ill their valuable improvements tie Sc
cond throwing riost Of their losses upon the shndcrs
Of their more prudent ncighbors and The third TO be
taxed without equivalent, for the benefit and rciic
OF their cnterprising, but mprovdcnt friends But as
the whole ncishborhocd does not contain cash enough
10 pav the debts proposed 10 persuade. and II need
be- compel the economical and prudent TO mortgage
Their firms and property. subject to an annual assess
mcpt 10 paw the PRINCIPAL and interest OF their neigh
bors debts without the slightest interest or benefit TO
themselves.
What would be said Of PROPOSAL that the corporate
of New York should impose tax on ali pro-
and persons in the city, pay the debts OF every
citizen from the gambler III stocks TO the honest labor-
or who has been involved BY sickness and misfortune:
Would no, all the civilized world denounced as UNJUST
and tyranncaE Would it not be, in fact IL ntroc!ous
IL. l,,g,, man =.
ucrtv would he taken and given to another:
q Gis-ibviioa Of dcM is but another phrase tor the
djs,rjb,,tiop Of prcpeyiy. Ii half million OF the New
York debt be distributed to Connecticut, It Will take
half million of the property of Connecticut to pay H.
To that amount the property OF the people OF Connec-
ticu will be taken from then, ana gwen 10 e Pc"Pc
of New York Nor does it make the least difference
in the effect whether this transfer be made through the
Of Congress; OF the State Legsa-
ture If some member Of the Connecticut Legislature
should offer bill 10 tax the people OF that Slate nan
non Of dollars to rive to the State of n T., with the
view of aiding her pay off the debt contracted IN max
ing her internal Improvements, what support wo"d ne
receive, The injustice Of the proposition would be SO
p,Ipohlc and lis effects ponstrous, that the only re-
Spouse he could expect would be an universal burst OF
ndirrnon Yet this would be the Precise effect OF AZ
of the State debts by the General Govern
men.. i; would be the taking Of the property OF one
State and giving it another of one set OF men, ana
aiynG il to another as directly in violation OF every
right and moral obligation law for the equal dIstr
button of property among all the members OF the COM
munity.
Is IT ExpEDiEsT: II may probably be assumed as
safe rule Of action in public well as private affairs
that whatever not morally right is neXpcdent II,
them the assumption of the State debts by the General
Government be unjust II follows thatt is lncxpedent
But there other objections on the score OF exped
ency, Of most formidable character ne RESPONSE
bhv of the representative who imposes taxes to the
people who taxed the great anchor OF Republican
Government: and tins in question would serI-
ously impair IT,
Ii these debts can be thrown upon the General Gov
eminent, then the duty Of providing means to pay
them, will be removed from the numerous and direct
of the people in the State Legislatures
and cast upon their few Representatives IN Congress
The proposition is TO release State Legislatures
from their most important respons'b'l't'es-tosr OF
raising the money 10 meet engagements contracted by
their authority If this principle is TO be ntrodnced-,f
State Representatives may contract debts and throw all
responsibility of providing means Of payment upon
Congress, body not chosen by the same constituents
and make their duty TO provide for them, there is an
Ill nj N