The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1841-03-25

II
his observations upon their defective or
injurious operation. But the delicate du-
ty of devising schemes of revenue should
be left where the Constitution has placed
it-with the immediate representatives of
the people. For similar reasons, the
mode Of keeping the public treasure
should be prescribed by them, and the
farther removed it may be from the con-
troll of the Executive, the more whole
some the arrangement, and the more in
accordance with republican principle.
| Connected with this subject is the char
! acter Of the currency. The idea Of max
ing it exclusively metallic, however we'll
intended, appears to me to be fraught
with more fatal consequences than any
other scheme, having no relation to the
personal rights of the citizens, that has
ever been devised. If any single scheme
could produce the effect Of arresting, at
once, that mutation Of condition by which
thousands Of our most INDECENT fellow cit
liens, by their industry and enterprise,
are raised to the possession of wealth,
that is the one. If there is one measure
better calculated than another to produce
that state Of things SO much deprecated
by all true republicans, by which the rich
are daily adding to their boards, and the
poor sinking deeper into penury, it is an
exclusive metallic currency. Or if there
is process by which the character Of the
country for generosity and nobleness of
feeling may be destroyed by the great in
crease and necessary federation of usury,
it is an exclusive metallic currency.
Amongst the other duties Of delicate
character, which the President is called
upon to perform, is the supervision Of the
government of the Territories of the Unit
+ ed States. Those of them which are des-
/ tined to become members of our great po-
litical family, are compensated by their
rapid progress from infancy to manhood,
for the partial and !temporary deprivation
Of their political rights. 1t is in this Dis
riot, only where American citizens are
to be found, who, under settled policy,
are deprived of many important political
privileges, without any inspiring hope as
to the future. Their only consolation un'
] der circumstances of such deprivation, is
!. that of the devoted exterior guards Of q
camp-that their suferings secure tran.
! guilty and safety within. Are there any
of their coun,rymen who would subjec
them to greater sacrifices, to any othe
humliations than those essentially neces
sary to the security of the object fo'
which they were thus separated from thei
fellow citizens? Are their rights alone
not to be guaranteed by the application o
those great principles upon which all on
: institutions are founded? We are tol,
, by the greatest of British orators ant
: statesmen, that, at the commencement Q
r the war of the revolution, the most stu
n pid men in England, spoke of 'sthei
a American subjects" Are there indee
: citizens OF any Of our States who hav
!, dreamed of their subjects in the Distric
) of Columbia! Such dreams can never b
i. realized by any agency of mine. TIL
i people of the District of Columbia are M
i. The subjects of the people Of the States
: but free American citizens. Being in til
!. latter condition when the Constitutio
was formed, no words used in that instr,
n ment could have been intended to depri,
It then, of that character. If there is an
d thing in the great principle of unalienabl
c rights, so emphatlcally insisted upon
5 our Declaration of independence, the
1t could neither make, nor the United State
/. accept, surrender of their liberties, all
e become the subjects, in other Wort
v the slaves. of their former fellow citizen
ir If this be true, land it will scarcely be d.
,r MED by any one who has correct ide
J. of his own rights as an American citizen
i. the grant to Congress of exclusive juri
$ diction in the District of Columbia ca
v be interpreted, SO far as respects the a
d gregate people of the United States.
% meaning nothing more than to allow
v Congress the controlling power necessar
i TO afford free and safe exercise of II
l. functions assigned to the General Go
eminent by the Constitution. In all oil
v err Respects, the legislation Of Congre'
J. should be adapted TO their peculiar pos
E. ton and wants, and be conformable vii
lie their deliberate opinions Of their own il
Of terests.
n, have spoken of the necessity of kee
s. ing the respective departments of the Go
,e eminent, as well as all the other author
r, ties Of our country within their appropl
Or ate orbits. This is matter Of difficult
" in some cases, as the powers which the
N respectively claim are often not define
IN by anv distinct lines. Mischievous, hos
,e ever, in their tendencies, as collisions
it this kind may be those which arise b
o. tween the respective communities whic
v for certain purposes. compose one natio
Il are much more so; for no such nation C;
I'd long exist without the careful culture
a those feelings Of confidence and affectit
r, which are the effective bonds of union b
81 tween free and confederated States
ael Strong as is the tie Of interest, it has bel
10 of,en f,nnd intellectual. Men. blinded |