Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1840-09-03

From the manner in which the four first
questions are stated, it appears that you do
not ask my opinion as to the policy or pro-
priety of the measures to which they re-
spectively refer; but what would be my
course, if they we're presented to me (being
in the Presidential Chair Of the U. ST. in
the shape of bills, that had been duly pass.
ed by the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives.
From the opinions which have formed
of the intention Of the Constitution, as to
cases in which the veto power should be
exercised by the President, l would
have contented myself with giving an
affirmative answer to the four first ques-
tons; but, from the deep interest which has
been and indeed is now felt in relation to
all the subjects, think it proper to express
my views upon each one separately.
l answer, then, lst. That the immediate
return of all the surplus money which is,
or ought to be, in the Treasury of the Uni
ted States, to the possession of the people
from whom it was taken, is called for by
every principle of policy and, indeed of
safety to our institutions; and / know of
no mode of doing it better than that re-
commended by the present Chief Magis-
trate, in his first annual message to Con-
gress, in the following words:-"1o apoid
these eviLs 1t appears to me that the most
safe, Just and federal disposition ,ohich
could be made of the s4rplus revenue, ,oould
be its apportionment among the several States
according to the ratio Of representation.
This proposition has reference to state
of things which actually exists, with the
exception of the amount of money thus to
be disposed of; for it could not have been
anticipated by the President that the sur
plus above the real wants or convenient ex-
penditures OF the government would become
SO large. as that retaining itin the Treasury
could SO much diminish the circulating me-
dunn as really to embarrass the business
of the country.
What other disposition can be made of
1t with view to get it into immediate cir
culation, but to place it in the hands of the
State authorities? So great is the amount,
and rapidly is it increasing, that it could
not be expended for very considerable
time on the comparatively few objects to
which it could be appropriated by the Cen
eral Government: hut the desired distri-
button amongst the people would be i'm
mediately effected by the State, from the
infinite variety of ways in which it might
be employed by them. BY them it might
be loaned to their own banking institutions,
or even to individuals--a mode of distribu-
ton by the General Government, which |
sincerely hope is the contemplation of no
friend to his country.
I'd. Whilst have always broadly admit
ted that the public lands were the common
property Of all the States, have been the
advocate OF that mode of disposing of them,
which would create the greatest number of
freeholders; and conceived that in this
way the interests of all would be as well
secured as by any other disposition; but
since, by the small size of the tracts in
which the lands are now laid out, and the
reduction OF the price, this desirable situa-
ton is easily attainable by any person Of
tolerable industry, am perfectly reconcil-
ed to the distribution of the proceeds of the
sales as provided for by the bill introduced
into the Senate by Mr. Clay; the interests
of all seem to be we'll provided for by this
bill. and as for the opposition which has
hitherto been made to the disposition of the
lands heretofore contemplated by the rep
resentatives Of the new States, there is no
probability of its being adopted, think it
ought no longer to be insisted on.
I'd. AS believe that no money should be
taken from the Treasury of the United
States to be expended on internal improve
ments but for those which are strictly ma
tlonal, the answer to this question would
be easy but from the difficulty of determn-
ing which ofthose that are from time to
time proposed would be of this description.
This circumstance, the excitement which
has already been produced by appropria-
tons of this kind, and he jealousies which
It will no doubt continue to produce if per-
sisted in, give additional claims to the mode
of appropriating all the surplus revenue off
the United States in the manner above
suggested. Each State will then have the
means of accomplishing its own schemes of
internal Improvement. Still there will be
particular cases when contemplated im-
provement will be of greater advantage to
the Union generally, and some particular
States, than to that in which it is to be
made. In such cases, as we'll as those in
the States, where the value of the public
domain will be greatly enhanced by an i'm
provement in the means Of communication,
the General Government should certainly
largely contribute. To appropriations Of
the latter character there has never been
any very warm opposition. Upon the
whole, the distribution of the surplus rove
nue. amongst the States seems likely to re-