Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-06-01

could be further realized from the debts against the
anks and would only leave in the Treasury on the Isl
of January 1872, the Of So2i 2!3, III case every
thing shall be realized winch is anticipated, and appo-
prations Of Congress shall not exceed by adolar the
]. estimates of expenditure.
This simple statement will show that, the whole land
revenue being retained into the Treasury, II is matter
of reasonable doubt, whether the Government car
reach the close of ISL with dollar IN the Treasury
whether there will then be found an empty lreasu"
ry and existing debt and tins too without reference
the appropriations Of Congress beyond The estimates
The sources of supply are merely conecturai ana III
slightest disappointment, in any OF the anticipate
sources may change the balance. Then 1t has oee1
usual for Congress 10 exceed the estimates IN rs appo3
pria,ions by the sum Of and half to three ln-
lions of dollars and if that shall be the result OF Tie
action of this session. deficiency OF means, without
loan ceases be question In any event, the facts
before Congress and the country, authorized Tue ihie-
ence he wished to draw that The Treasury OF the ma
ton could spare nothing from lis resources Tor dis
button the States, for any other applcatlon WIN
out a counerLaancng supply of means IRON some I'M
proved source of revenue from loans upon the Gre
dit Of the country.
This brought him back TO the position he had, from
the first been aborng establish, VIZ that propo'
stop TO distribute the States OF the Union, the pro.
ceeds of the sales Of the public lands, nett or gross, ~
any aspect in which it can be compared with the ma
teria facts but proposition to distribute 10 those
States an equal amount OF the general revenues OF the
country whether the principle or PRACTICAL effects oil
the me asure be considered.
In reference TO tins proposition established by facts
and history as he believed it TO be, he had but few
remarks to make; and he saw ne was exceeding the
time to which lie had limited himself this morning. he
would hasten to his conclusion. lie would admit here,
as preliminary to what he about to say IN reference
10 this broad principle upon which the fasors OF tins
Government were to be dispensed, that an argument
founded upon the possible abuse of power expressly
granted by the Constitution not legitimate course
Of argument, in the field OF discussion ohder our
system, whatever granted to Congress had bech
SO granted BY the States and the people, and Whatever
had not been granted was expressly reserved 10 Tue
one or the other. IT, then, tins right OF the States 10
the distribution proposed, or the power OF congress 70
AXE it without such right, could be found IN the Ion,
stituton that should end his resistance, as mater Oh
principle and place his action upon the ground vi po'
licv alone. But II, he Understood Inc matter 'e
right Of the States TO the money was mere cohseque
tial, nerentia constructive, ana drawn ny uouu.'
reasoning from the deeds OF cesson and the circu"i
stances attending that act the part oil the cedng
States and If the powers of Congress 10 make the us
trbution are consequential, in.erentai, ana con-
s,ructve from the Constitution and rest upon 'e u'-
eYoressed and doubtful meaning OF the deeds OF ces-
sion and the still more doubtful objects OF those ccs-
sons he should consider an argument Drawn 'F''i '
possible and probable abuses oil such po"ef' peie
y legitimate to prove that 1t ought never 10 haNe "a
ised and If not expressly granted that u never oush
10 bp drawn into from the most direct cohsruc
ton much less from which is iorcea 70 leave Tue
Constitution itself and so TO other doubtful sources io
resting place So, =, ;,;, ,,,s no.
aved 10 be established that the passage oil the PfoPo
s,;on now under consideration, and making the prh'
cine contained in II law OF Congress, wouiu pe ri"'
yalent TO an assertion OF the power, on he part u WI
gress TO raise revenue, by taxation or o'nerWSe, a
10 require property whether N ia"us - die,
sbns or in any other form, for the purpose OF os'Iou'
;n the nropery ITSELF the proceeds OF us SAFE 70
the States in the manner now proposeu
In examining the consequences OF Tue e">'sise "
such fearful power, II Will be necessary 70 man ~.
manner of execution, as upon that mar depend Tue
firm of injury and destruction to our institutions IN
my form The consequences may not be less ia'a, we
the propeag power may be, in any form, Inc reverse
of tina, which shall be the moving influence Ia al 'he
others. ,,; ;e,arco
,b,, he to the States be made without IL
mutations as 10 the object Of expenditure We mus
free the Legislatures OF the States IRON ''e ou'o "
imposny taxes and burdens upon our common eoi',
tuents aud take that odous duty upon ourselves WV"
e l., We hem to dispense the bountes to the people,,
which our exactons from their pockets have furnished
the means of dispensing. We, IN erect, ana ~ Pao
tce convert this Government INTO 'aA,iay'ne aiiu
tn,.collectnp machine, od'ous ana ha'e'ui III iS ~
ton npon the people, and separated rom .l"se s.'
hly bene6cen, dspensations which render The mues'
(,oveynment toerable to free people, that we may
make the Governments OF the States dispensers oi u
nifcence only, utterly disconnected rom 'hose eSa
tions which are among the necessary ouroehs VI an
vii Government Connect win the exercise Vi ''i''
-: ,ha don and the fact that this Government e2.
~. ,,on the mere yolltion Of the States; that thei
ME insure must sustain terminate II, ana 'ha TIE &c
cnation on their patti send representatives. no 'l
body may, any tn.c put TO an eno al us ae"se ~
efficient bowers Tor good or EVIL, ana now ohs WOMB
:. ~ IL .y IN cou,,nue as mere instrument OF taxa
ton. separated from the benefits when 'ne evus e.
these taxes are TO dispense among, ana LOT Tue oee
Of the tax.payers: Commence the system, ana whe'e
will il be likely to end' Can cupidty be satishea oy
-, And If not will the benefited States be likely
"a cease asking: II seemed TO HIM that such Pohey
must soon drive this Union asnnder by leading 10 ~
cal conflicts and a contention OF rival ana sec''ohai III
terests which can only end IN anarchy.
Take the other direction of the influence. suppos'
this Government assume and can exercise the rsh'
asor;he rho object OF expenditure of the money 4
shall distribute to State All the lana os hafe P'o
posed to do that, and have enumeIaleo various coe
such as internal improvements, the payh'en, y. S'a
debts contracted FOR snch works, education, Tue coio
cation of free blacks, and the like Under such sys
fem of policy this Government, being the layer OF thu
taxes by indre ction and the direct dispenser OF h
bounties could not fail to swallow up the innuenc'
of the State Governments, render them mere oou'e
,olitic without practical utility IN the estimation o
The peoulc and finally become consolidated lie
nnblc and pass rapidly thence to pecuniary aespo'
ISM -. : &c a., nouo, an
IF this consequence can be dNoioSa' '"N"'
,,;hnt;on IS The policy The fund is 10 be expende
upon internal improvements, roads, canals ana IN
ike. All such works mus, be more or less local, al
the peculiar condition of one State may Tenuer ."t,
of great service to its business, most important "
commerce, and, as consequence of these and o.he
advantages the means of enhancing the value oil !,
soil and other property in important degree; %hli
another State may be situated as to present lew r"o
Tie, for such improvements So between diferen
classes of citizens, differently situated, in the sam
State One class may be located with their proper
near the proposed improvements, and another ciass
with an equal amount of property may be so remote
or otherwise so situated, that they will not only not re
ceve positive benefit bu, relative injury from the pro
,osed public work Yet all are 10 be taxed, and IN
eun sense equally taxed for the fund TO be distributed
lie said in legal equally taxed, because, al
though did not propose upon this Sssh' tS
m aos 70 chow lat the mode Of taxation by duties up
on imports, if carried to extreme. aud for purpose
Of Expenditure such this argument c"nenpa'es, no
only night but must be most unequal, UNJUST ana op