Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-07-05


on the public lands exclusive source Of reye-
| nue.. We all sec in the Constitution that powers
Me conferred upon il to lay taxes and to borrow
money. Blu, the tendency of the gcnIleman's arsu.
ment II to raise the question Of expectancy rs to
the use OF the public lands as source Of revenue at
AT, and or dver,ing the action Of the Government
other sources OF supply; TO shut the lands
now and to'ever hereafter a Of revenue TO
the Federal Government. In this view the question
becomes one Of oysrshadow ins importance: and il
does suggest the inquiry which am about to exam
me Ii now, 10 the present fiscal condition of this
government, Il may raise revenue from other
ces without having recourse TO the public lands,
! Then you have TO so but one step further to show
mat all the millions VIC have ever drawn from those
| lands constitute q debt which this Government is
bound to pay. What is there now TO lead TO diff
erent solution Of that question than there has been
IN all our past hslory2 Nothing; and II that posi-.
uon Is conceded, I'll do not impute TO the gentleman
rom Maryland the intention TO push any such in.
ference, but the inference nevertheless legitimate
anu necessarily fouows,) then we owe the whole
amount this Government has ever received from the
I public domain db ube e0Rdiia.
shall treat the whole subject as practical ques
/ ton coming up now. Thct' are various cunsldrra-
tons which induce me TO look 10 the present aud Ia
the future IN this matter, rather than to- the past.
only 20 to the past for the sake Of experience not
/ Tor purposes ol elimination northumberland tn
/ fan the dying embers of former controversies.
therefore approach the question upon the existing
condition ofthe General and State Government. The
I
owe enormous sums. The State of Maryland,
winch the gentleman so ably and faithfully repre-
Sents here, has her share IN the general difficulty
so has my own State, out To a very limited extent.
am thankful that her policy has been such not
10 expose her TO the temptations held out by this
OIL. When We look Ot the States as the creators
/ OF TINS Government, having power TO change, TO
tnodhy, 10 suspend, or TO abolish IT, cannot but
admit that the relation they sustain each other is
very intimate and is impossible that we,
/ as members OF the one, should divest ourselves of
all sympathy for the prosperity or the sutfvrn.s of
ulc DINER. we cannot, and ought not, to look with
indifference upon the state Of the credit oGhe States:
we should remember that represent the same
| People who the People OF the States; aud we
/ ought TO be cautious how we expose them 10 n
temptation which may possibly result in the dsor-
sanizouon OF our scheme OF Governmental system
winch is admirable IN ITS wisdom. and well worthy
OF eternal preservation. | should be 10TH for one
TO expose 1t to any influences, external or internal
which may threaten Its perpeIuuity or impair its
strength.
One word rs to the general policy OF distributing
the revenue-ani | regard this bill as nothing but
bill TO distribute revenue-among the States As
liked and permanent policy, 1t is bad. | hold il
as most injurious and unwise policy to collect
revenue Tor the mere purpose of DIVIDING IL amonc
the States; end, IN considering it, 1 bes gentlemen
TO look forward 10 its probable effects IN M time Il,
come 1t this Government, which is a Government
OF limited powers, is TO col ect revenue merely for
the purpose of distributing it again IL " m hold the
|
had no taxing powers at al. IL might in fact lead
to the annhlIation Of the States. The gentleman
| from Maryland (Mr Johnson) avowed himself
| State rights man; and I was clad thar ONE VIC
stands so dessrvedly high before the country did
avow such sentiments, although must say that |
thought some OF his conclusions were very wide of
his ate right premises. My only apprehension in.
deed, is now that the States will have too many
friends that We shall have many State rights man
so that 1t last shall not be able to understand
what State rights man really is. | know very well
! that, 1t he thought Maryland was going 10 be
| wrouged, the gentleman would very quickly show
himself State rights man by stepping forth TO de-
tend her. But this IS question Of State rights in
somewhat different sense from that: 1t is a question
| oil powers delegated, and powers reserved: and |
! am very sure the gentleman would consider IL n
melancholy spectacle TO see Maryland coming here
tn the federal hsc TO draw her pension upon pay
day. Very possibly the portion of revenue which
state would receive on such plan might exceed
what she no" enjoys; then she mgh perhaps, need
10 lay no tax at all upon her people, but only come
and get her ratlons from this Government Such +,
state of things would reverse the rule under the old
Confederation. The Government then had no tax
ing power, but was dependent for revenue atoseth-
er upon the States but now the taxing power of the
States would become obsolete, and they would de .
rive their revenue from the General Government.
admit that, SO far ds the question Of the public
lands IS concerned, there is no danger of this NV
apprehenslons are not 50 much directed TO the pro
ceeiS OF the public lands as TO those from Other
sources Of revenue. The relations of the General
Government TO the States upon this question of the
public lands, Of such peculiar nature so deli
cate, SO intricate, so involved, and wiIhil so DANCE
rouS, that do not consider the remarks have made
as applying 80 much TO the public dom,in,
| as 10 Tsvenue drawn from other sources The
remarks are made on the general principle OF
collecting for distribution. | think the bill OBJ
jectionabe us calculated TO create a desire to
! raise revenue that II may be distributed among
the States Tho gentleman from Maryland viii
not, | hope, be surprised 10 hear me avow that
am IN favor of distribution of the proceeds of the
public lands. Bat howi and when1 Whenever
there is surplus. But am not in favor of it at a
time like tins, when there Is no surplus, and when
the distribution Of the land revenue will require the
/ supplying is place by the same amount drawn
| from some other source. As things row stand the
proposal to distribute the av,is OF the lands, is Just
| the same thing as a proposal TO raise the same
amount by loan or by taxes merely with a view TO
distribute the money among the States.
! Suppose the hill will raise tour millions of dol
/ lars well, does this Government owe nothing Are
I we not assembled here 10 devise ways and means
/ to carry on the Government Does not the fact
Us in the face that the Government is in debt
| beyond It's means OF payment There IS clearly
no surplus now; md when there will be one again,
/ the future must show. ! maintain uIat the dlsiri-
button OF surplus is wise, and is a mo sure Of
economy, but there is now no surplus TO dslri-
/ butte.
Let US glance for a moment at the means Of this
Government "a raise revenue. IL raise II by
/
General Post Office; it can raise It by laying direct
tIIcs; and lastly, by making loans. a part from
the public lands, It has these Tour sources of reve
nue.. Congress may FIX price on the public lands,
or II may establish a rate Of duties on imported
| goods; but when II has done this by law, II has
gone TO the extent OF its powers. IL cannot buy the
| lands Il cannot import the goods IL Is the citizen
who buys the land or imports the merchandise at
his own discretion. II he chooses to buy or to i'm
| port the money comes into your Treasury; but IT
| not, you get no money. Your Secretary of the
Treasury therefore, onIy conjecture what is the
/ probable amount he shall receive, either from the
/ lands or from the custom.houses. The nett amount
TO he received depends on contingencies altogether
/ beyond the reach Of the Government; that II
must happen in the nature of things that there will
/ be sometimes a redundancy and sometimes def
c., in the receipts the Treasury. IL not like a
Government that relics direct laxatiOn There the
fiscal officer can calculate with almost perfect
cy on his future income. Now when there shall hB p
pen 70 be a surplus IN the Treasury, am for DIS
| tnDuting IL. | hold 1t to be u measure Of econo.
N.Y. IL enists all the interests Of the people and
| Of the Government IN favor Of economy; because,
unless there is economy here, there be disrl
button thero-nnd hold economy to be one Of the
| cardinal virtues Of a republic. And | consider,
therefore, a. one Of the worst symptoms in the late
condition OF this Government, the prOfIse e1lraya.
| gance which marked the late Administration. | am
Tor holding out every Induccment practical econ
omy. Abstain from all unnecessary and all doubt
fuI expenditures. The cheaper n Government TO-
the less money It has 10 spend and TO borrow, the
more money will be paid TO the States: provided
/ the distribution takes place only when there Is q
fa settled roIfrv