The Yazoo City Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 183?-1840, 1840-01-10
Loco Fnco Princinles.

"If refrain from suggesting to Congress any
specific plan for regulating the exchanges of the
country, relieving mercantile embarrassments, or
interfering with the ordinary operations offoreign
or domestic commerce, IL is from q conrietion that
such measures are not trttIp the constitutional pro-
vince If the general gorernnaent, and that their
adoption lcould not promote The real and permanent
aCcJGre Of those they might be designed to atd.''
VAN BUREN's MESSAGE.
The above short sentence is the Divorce
of the Government from the People. Here
for the first time since the establishment of
our government it boldly sets up for itself,
and declares itself independent of the peo-
pie. For more than half a century the peo-
pie have been dreaming in the delusion that
the general government was established by
the people of the states for their general be-
neft! But if this daring doctrine be admit
ted, the general government is an indepen-
dent institution, consisting of few thou
sand officers to manage its own affairs; and
who for the time being are its proprietors.
It has its own interest to protect and pro-
mote. Nobodys 'embarrassments'' or cop
perations' to ''interfere'' with, nobodys
general welfare" to look after, as the con-
stitution vainly supposes-but like other
corporations or individuals, has only the in
terest of it's own members or proprietors to
look after. It differs from other corporations
however in this. The people pay it annu-
ally forty millions of their money to sustain
its Operations and as capital stock to re-
lieve its 'embarrassments.' . This is the
monstrous doctrine.
If this Death Warrant Of our government
be admitted, what have we left Of the great
political institution which we had! The
people pay into the federal treasury forty
millions year, for what! Why to pay the
expenses of the government, salaries, hou-
ses, equipages and furnishing all hands the
means and materials of carrying on their
Operations" What return do the people
get for the forty millions every year which
they pay? Why none. cit is not within
the constitutional province of the general
government" to have any thing to do with
the peoples affairs. Why do they annually
pay such large sum! That the salaries may
be paid. The government must be sustain
ed. Why must it be sustained if it does.
nothing for the people? Why-why. be-
cause. This is the beginning and the end
the items and the sum total of this argu-
ment.
If the government has nothing to do with
the people in all the great and all important
matters of currency and trade, then what
use have we for it! Who receives any be-
nett from it? A little reflection by any man
VIII shew him that the above declaration of
Martin Van Buren,, in a message to con-
gress' is a most monstrous and high handed
innovation of our rights. 1t strikes deadly
blow at our institutions and is little else than
a claim Of forty millions year by the Office
holders upon the people, soakout an equivo-
lent. What do we receive from the gener-
al government in return for the money paid
it! Congress might as well be dissolved, and
its sit:ings discontinued, unless it legislates
for the people.
Why does the President particularize
g mercantile embarrassments'' It is well