Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1841-12-23
'ystem to the latest improvements.

system to the latest improvements.
/ Whatever may be your decision inAthe
selection Of works which Immediately re.
cure assistance, the situation ofwethel
states should atlinonish US 10 oay ue
regard to the ability Of tho Go,oaioa
wealth to comply with her engagements.
II resort be had to loans, prudence die
tatcs, that the amount to be borrowed be
limited BY the willingness Of the people
to bear the taxation necessary to pay the
interest, and gradually to redeem the
principal. 1t may well be questioned,
whether the advantages OF any Improve
ment will war; ant a system OF Borrowing
to pay interest on its cost. Nor does it
| appear to me to be safe to engage in any
work, unless it can be Effected by the
means OF the Commonwealth, exclusive
OF aid from the General Government
Some OF the friends OF Education, and of
internal improvements, are eagerly ex-
pecting assistance from the recent act Of
| Congress for distributing among the
States the proceeds OF the sales Of the
| pubic lands. Bat, the propriety<of that
act IS considered SO questionable. by a
! large portion of the people, that expec-
tatlon Of aid from that source must be
precarlous, and calculations based upon
the continuance of the law may prove
delusive. Whether the people of the
United States will acquiesce in tie dis
tribution Of any portion Of the public
revenue to the individual States, is yet
to be decided. cannot believe, that
they will sanction such measure. at a
time when the Federal Government
needs this common fund to meet its cur
rent expenses-when it has been deem
ed proper to replenish the public Golfers,
by heavy loans, and the imposition of du-'
ties on the necessares Of llfe--and when
it may become necessary further to build
up our Qualifications, increase our navy,
and provide more efficient system for
the common defence. The deficiency
created in the national Treasury must be
supplied either by direct taxation. or from
the customs, or by resorting to loans. ln
the former case, loss must be sustained
equivalent to the cost of collecting the
taxes; in the latter, equal TO the interest
paid on the amount borrowed and the
expenss OF negotiating the loans. 1t
would be, moreover, impolitic for any
State opposed to high protective duties,
to acqnesce in system whose tendency
is to render an increase of the Tariff in
dispensab!e. 1t is also to be apprehen-
ded, that States seduced by these larges
ses, may combine for the imposition of
additional duties, to increase the sur
plus to be distributed. The necessities
of tie indebted and the interests Of the
manufacturing States will afford strong
temptation to such a course. By accep-
ting these bounties, they will imrair their
own dignity and Importance, become
subsidiary to the Federal Government,
and augment its power and influence to
a dangerous extent. After all, Trey may
fail to realize the advantages anticipated;
for bv the terms of the act ITSELF The dis
tribution must cease whenever the duties
on imports shall exceed twenty per
cent. It can scarcely be prudent, there
fore, to depend Upon contingency SO
uncertain, or to calculate upon aresource
which may prove SO unavailable. Be-
lieying that the many objections to this
law will require its repeal, it would IN
my opinion, lie more safe to rely on our
own resources for the promotion of great
State improvements, than to incur res
| possibilities, based upon expectation Of
doubtful aid from the sales Of the public
| lands.
la pursuance Of the act passed on the
Goth day of March last, commissions have
been issued from this Department, to es-
tablsh Board of Agriculture. The
subject to which the attention of this
Board will be called, is deeply interest
Ing to the Commonwealth. 1t is beliey-
ed that, through their agency, valuable
information may be collected and diff
fused, and important improvements sug-
gesteds for the benefit Of Agriculture.
| The law requires that the members OF
The Board shall be selected equally from
the four grand divisions Of the State, but
no compensation is allowed for the SER
vices to be performed. Under such
circumstances, it is to be apprehended
that the distance majority will have to
travel, the time they will necessarily be
absent from their homes, and the expense
they must incur, will render it difficult,
if not impossible, to obtain a competent
Board in future. Respectfully suggest,
therefore, that its members be remuner-
ated for the inconvenience and expense
attending the discharge OF their duties.
| Ihave received, and submit herewith,
copies of resolutions OF tho legislature OF
several OF our sister States, which have
been communicated to this department:
OF the State of Maine, on the re-e!igi-
bility of the President Of the United
States;
| OF Connecticut and Rhod Island, on
4 ,,l ~, fha pcvapro