The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-02-26
THE DISTRIBUTION PLAN.

| Monstrous as the general distribution plan is, it
has nevertheless. commanded the support of the
heir apparent and his ltcnds No man, not even
! the reckless and bribod demagoguc Clay himself,
and his colleague Mr. Critlenden, has denied but
that if the proceeds of the sales of the public lands
be diverted from their legitimate channel, the sup
port of Government, deficit would arise, which
must bo supplied by some means, This the fed
craisls propose to do by TAX on wines and silks,
This, SAYS the ~ H. Gazette, " is very much
like the Log Cabin cry to catch popularity, aud
cover their insidous movements towards resus-
citation Of the protective system, They suppose
that wines and silks are articles usually considered
Injuries, about which the poor and mldl'Ing inter-
ests care little, and that they shall be called, pnr
erccHcacc, the exclusive friends Of the people for
proposing to tax them. nut lis no go. The peo-
ME don't want wines nor silks taxed for the pur-
pose of giving away the proceeds, BESIDES, these
articles arc now cheap, and mechanics wife or
daughter would like a silk gown, by way of a
"gcciRg-go," as well us other folks, though
Mcssls Clay and Webster may think tow cloth or
factory calico would better become them, The
mechanic aud the farmer, won'd also like silk
vest, and to wipe his nose on silk handkerchief,
and us long as these things may be had cheap, why
not? And what will they glin by having them
taxed if the proceeds are TO be given away to pay
the debts contracted by The States for rnmil-
roads and canals
"Aud wines, too There ARE thousands of mid
ding incres, men, who ihjul; it quite as agreeable
to drink ga little wine for the stomach sake, " as
to drink hard cider out Of g0UrR StcN. They
have been paving high duties checriully for half a
century, to clear oil old dcht4 and many of them
know what it was to give ten dollars yard for nm
ordinary hroadclolh coat, 20 cents for coffee, and
for souchonr tea & so And wine! -heayen save
the mark-madc of logwood, cider, and whi5Ecy-
brandy, with little "srcc'cajag," at three dol
lars a gallon. And as for silks they were out OF
the question for any one in ordinary circumstances,
But now that the national debt is pad and the du-
ties reduced so that these matters ARE CHEAP. why
not keep them so, and give the mddlmg interests
an opportunity ina moderate way to enjoy the use
of them 7"
The amount of it is that, as is admitted on all
sides; this revenue from the lands cannot be spared
without corresponding taxes to supply the deirii'
the people will have to pay just as much money
into the treasury ut the same time, as will make
good this dcicii' These taxes too must be paid,
not only in advance, but in most unequal mode,
by the consumcrs--on every thing Iorcign,whlch
they cat drink or wear, and not in proportion TO
their possessions, or ability to pay taxes.
But, SAYS Mr. Webster, ''go 10 the Custom House
to make up the deficit" What! increase the du-
ties of the Custom House department! win not
TINT require an incrcase of Custom House Officer.
-Erccuiirc Officers, Can it be possible that the
lcdcrais,s are in favor Of increasing Executive
pa,ronage3 Did not Mr. Webster repeatedly de-
clare, during the late contest in which he related
him, that the people must oppose the reelection
of Mr. Van Buren,, because he was increasing eX-
: ecuyc patronage, knowing too, that even in this
State, the administration lad decreased the cypen-
f scs of the Custom House abou, one third and
now with rcchlessncss conceivable only by the
= most abandoned and reckless political dcmagcguc,
he proposes plan which will inevitably increase
executive officers to an army as innumcrab'e rs
, the sands upon the sea shore, while the enormous
& staggering burden Of their support must be borne
by the people, though it crush them into the earth
they tread. Is this truc Can it be true, Aye.
aye! every word of it. Take away from the
Treasury the proceeds of the sales Of the pUbc
lands-brbc the States that are in debt, to support
Webster and Cay--iax wines and silks, to keep
them out of the reach Of the poor, relieve the rich
from an equitable tax on ESTATES ms well as polis,
and throw the burden on the consumer, 10 pay not
only the net proceeds of the land, but the whole
expenses of their administration, surveyors re-
ceiycrs commissioners Of the land Office and their
host Of Clerks, &c. false UP ncrcenary and plum
dering horde Of executive officers to suck the blood
from the veins of the ahorcr--tc make upa part
of the deficit for they that only part shall be
made up by these means, create a National Deli
and then National Bank from which the Gov
eminent may be graciously allowed to borrow its
own credit, to make up the rest! This is the cpl
tony of the measures of the new administration
whose plans are every hour developing themselves,
and whose elevation to their present position, the
people have so bIindy sought. These are the plans
for retlenchmcnl and reform that are to grace the
administration of Old Tip and shower blessings in
Vulnerable into the lap of lI,s Repablic as lavishy
as the winds Of heaven scatter the blossoms Of
spring upon the bosom of the earth These plans to
protect the opuent and grind the face Of the poor,
TO steal in the name of tilhes and Indirect taxes
'every third neltle the poor widow gathers Cor her
chidrens dinner;' these plans to tear the Injuries
of this miserable world. from the limbs and the
mouths of the poor mans family, and wrap them
upon the delicate forms and stuff them into the rosy