Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1841-03-30


our own debt; for what you propose is /
nothing more than to tax US a million, to
nav il. if in addition. to this, we will re-
ward your trouble. Congress replies,
That is even so; am aware | must FIRST
take the million from you by taxation, be-
fore I can return il in the way Of distri-
button; but still you had better submit
to this than TO tax yourselves for the
payment the debt; because when taxed
by yourselves you know It; the tax is paid
directly and each man sees what he pays
but when tax you, though you pay even
more, you do not exactly see the process;
as you pay TO me, not through the collec-
Tor, but the merchant, in the increased
prices Of every thing you buy; and this ]
call my indirect tax or tariff duty, which
the merchant had, in the first place, to
pay when he purchased the goods at New
York. To this the people answer, it is
not the manner of paying, but the psy-
msnt itself, which takes money from our
pockets; g. your reasons are, therefore
insufficient. Congress again replies, that
likewise is true; but the fact is, you, the
people of Ohio owe the British bankers a
debt, and will not, fear tax yourselves
to pay it, and | wish to compel the pay
ment by myself taxing you for that pur-
pose. The people rejoin, by saying to
congress, You come here at FIRST offering
us money as a favor, in the name Of dis
tribulion, to pay our debt; you have end
ed with an attempt to usurp the power
Of State taxation; with an impertinent
interference in our affairs; therefore
depart.
Thus are the forms Of indirect taxation
and tho name of the public domain,
sought to be made the means through
which this Government may assume aoso-
iuto power over the States and the peO-
ple--over the whole property and labor
ofthe country.
And who are to receive the fund dis
tributed2 Not the people, who in the
first place paid it; but the States--the
Legislatures of The States. In what
would this result! Extravaganza and
waste. Not indeed because legislative
bodies are for they are not) likely TO be
composed Of men less ViItuous than 9th
ers, hut because no body Of men, howsv.
er honorable individually, ever could, OF
ever can, with safety be charged with
the conduct efpublic affairs, in the alb.
sence Of all responsibility. 1t was foT
this reason, drawn from the calamitous
experience fthe world, that the serious
the thoughtful, the cautious people Of
America imposed upon all the depart
ments Of power, as we'll as upon eact
public functonary, The most positive re-
strants and highest sanctions, by theiI
written organic laws. The great the
only security the people Of State now
have for the economy Of tS Legislature
in the expenditure of the public money
is the responsibility nnder which the
Legislature acts, of having, itself, first tC
tax its own constituency, in order to raise
it. But by the system redistribution, the
responsibility o! collecting revenue is tC
be separated from the power TO apply it
congress is to tax the people, the Legis
lature TO expend the tax. Each member
of the latter body, aware therefore as he
would be, that when the State Treasury
was exhausted, congress, not he, mus
baar the odlum of laying new tax to re
plenish it; would very naturally seek t
obtain for all objects in bis particula
district or county, the largest approprla
tons possible; considering, as he woul
every dollar thus obtained. clear gair
10 that extent, out Of the common spoi
In this manner, the very desire now 8
strong with the representative, and justl
, 80, to please his immediate constituent
by his economy Of the public none.
would then become reason equal
strong for its PrOAigate waste. Where
in such case, would be the limit to ex
penditureH where until government ha
consumed the whole substance Of tn
toiliDg multitude, and left them her
as in England, clad in the ragge
! livery ofpauperism-.breade and hope
less.
Sir, | have already said that the mon
r ey, it stributed, will go not to the peopl
who, in the first instance, paid it. Aga
have said that in all Governments pre-
Tossing 10 be free, this power ofunlimite
taxation ever has divided the mass int
/, , classes Of the rich and the poor, and upo
/ such division founded separate order
in the State--the one who govern an
f, riot; the other, who toll and obey. Sue
: always will be found to be the result. =
The process which leads to il, is plain
The aggregate fund in the hands Of Gov
ernment is made up Of contributions
every citizen. In the application Of i
, therefore, or its benefits justice require
that each should receive . proportiO
equal to that he advanced. But is tn
: the case2 Never; nor ever can il be.
Z is one Of the evils in the best Of Go
: ernmenis that equality in the Distribute
: OF burdens and benefits is found utter