Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-03-11
by the lnterposition Of the people.
1t is said TINT The Tr.asnr, :. LA


u IS sao mat The Treasury IS bankrupt. If, Sir,
temporary want oil present means, in anticipation Of
sunlc'ent annual revenue, constitutes bankruptcy,
giofy IN H. IL forms the strongest guarantee against
tue contemplated waste aud extravaganza of tho coming
Administration. How is the Treasury bankrupt; has
any legal demand been ected during the last wear,
No, none can be pointed out. The taxes have been
gradually reduced BIT IS there any falling off of re-
sources During all the affected and real ruin
among bankers and stockjobbcrs those who defend
and support the country, have wonderfully increas-
cd IN numbers and in wealth. They hold IN their
hands ample resources for all proper purposes you
nave only to call on hem and yonr will lmlne-
datey be supplied In the last years third has
been added to your population; and the assessments of
property in the different States show even greater
increase Of wealth Whilst you have heard Of rum,
rum, rum every where, You have increased popua-
non iour millions Of people; and in wealth, nothing
short, perhaps oi thousand millions of dollars
ias any nation such boundrss credit as is possessed
| by this Government; What is the condition of most
OF the States iii this Cnon, or of any State in Eu-
rope, compared to that Of ours Abandon not the 20.
icy that has contributed TO such results this ca
p'lal could be converted into gold, would recon.
vert II INTO sone rather than should be made the IN
suuhieh' OF corrnpting and oyerturning the free IN
sttutons purchased by the blood Of fathers.
Inc character OF the country is SAID 10 be at stake
and It has been gfavely urged as an argument WHY
Tins Government should extend relief 10 The snklno
credit OF State stocks and State banks To what
enormty would this argument lead The first duty is
not 10 foreigners, or 10 spendthrits Of our own land
Our first duty TO oaths and 10 our constituents
and the best mode of preserving our character il 10
perform our duties, and confae ourselves 10 orr
own business. deplore the fallen condition Of State
credit, and the general ruin of banks and spectators
but their calamies have sprung from monied opera.
tons, IN which tins Government had agency On
both sides, those concerned have been, and must
be, their own guardians They cannot expect THIS
limited Government To burden the whole community
IN order to stretch OUT relefto unfortunate profit
gate portions Of IT, There much pruuer character
istIc than the credit abroad of any one class The
character have for living in land where written
Constitution guarantees equal laws and liberty far
dearer 10 Americans and more admired By the Of
sensible foreigners than the standing Of stocks or
the reputation of our bankers and spectators To
sink the first, in order TO the latter would be
poorly compensated by the smiles and good graces Of
the money dealers Of all the cities in the world
There Is much difficulty in properly arranging the
rh OF duties. No necessity requires action that
complicated and prrplexng subject at this session. and
every view oft, admonishes that proper 10 leave
all IFS parts free 10 he arranged the best possible man
ner by the next Congress.
Ny constituents chiefly agricuturs,s, as is the
case with the great body Of The American people
They ready TO march in defence Of the country it
need be; and will chccru!y contribute all that IS re-
CURED hy economical Administration; but Sir, MOTH
ing more They individually and politically inter
esed IN keeping down the taxes the Just wants of
the country They pay least their equal share Of the
almost as much In the shape
Of profits LAID the taxes by the merchants, through
whose bands they receive their imported soods-They
injured in their expectations, by taxing the I'M
pnr,auons, which received in return for them; be-
you cannot permanently affect the one, without
disturbing the other. For reasons more solemn than
these, they opposed to high taxes. They extend
the sphere Of the whole ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the
violence Of parties and Of eleciions-nye nnconsttu
tional and unjus, observation-disclosures Executive pa.
tronage and multiply all those evils and corruptons,
10 which the best Governments prone. AL attempts
at reform will be vain without keeping this pregnant
source of oil mischief, within due bounds.
The taxing power is the most dangerous power in
our system. Republicans have insisted that this power
limited by the authorized objects Of the Consti,u
ton But if the opinions advanced by the first officer
of the cabinet, Mr.. Webster shall prevail that
the by Congress of the general welfare is the
only limitation, and that the right TO dispose Of the
money and other property is co.excnsive then pow
er carrying with all other power has practical H.
imitation, and the people have Just cause 10 be alarmed
at the rapid progress Of absolute dcspotsm.
Mr. Chairman, vital interest," of my constituents
has been introduced into this debate, in connection
with dangerous system of countervailng duties. No
one tins floor individually, the representative
Of others, is deeply interested in the tobacco
trade than the individual who addresses you. Reluct
ant am, to trespass further the committee, |
feel bound 10 attempt 10 expose such a mischevons
movement, in whatever shape It may assume from the
impruden rashness of friends the designs of
enemies.
My colleague, Mr.. Wise, in the course Of remarks
with which generally agreed represented the tobac
interest to have been in prosperous condition and
having nothing 10 complain Of The gentleman from
Maryland Mr. Jenrr, on the other hand, not only
insists that this interest abors under injurious bur
drns but that THESE burdens LAID on the OF to-
bacco foreign lands aggravated wrongs, appeal
ing 10 the courage and patriotism Of American cltl-
for redress by the strongest measures. With
neither of these do agree If the tobacco trade
has been satisfactory condition.,
Why it that amidst the increase Of every thing else
IN this growing country, the quantity exported, and
the price of that article, have not materially advanced
Tor more than half century? Why il that the cul
tvaton ct tobacco has been abandoned III the favored
district of ry colleague, the garden spot Of the
world lis product gave character To the tar-iamcd
James tobacco, and It's fine Back river and other
lands would produce the best description Of tobacco
for the English market IL is because other products
have become more profitable, and tobacco has been
driven places remote from market. In like man
ner has been etreang from the greater portion of The
State and probably destined Of the that have
produced these results shall not subsidy TO take rs
nlrh distant gons of the West yond the reach OF
competition The gentleman from Marya MIR. Je
ntrr stated the average in his State 10 be three thou
sand pounds pr hand and the price at about FIVE dol
lars. TINS is much than in Virginia Tho ave-
rage product there half that amount, and The price
but littlc higher Tobacco making with MS an OBJ
ect merely OF investing capital, promises little pfo
Those vino depend lis cultivation alone for revenue
have to live pretty much within themselves, and To cx
ercse rigid economy. Some wealth We have amongst
u.s. but 1t has been derived from inheritance COIN
and few none can trace lis acquisition 10 the
production OF tobacco. Yet, Sir, the condition Of the
people Of ms district IS good, in comparison with that
of most Of The people Of the U. States. Their habits
had CONFIRMED to long continued low prices aud the
slight increase of price in the last two three years.
arising chiefly from accidental causes, has given 10 all
more than they had reason to calculate on The re-
verse is the case with Southern friends They have
enjoyed the receipt Of three times our profit Tor sue
cesson of wears: their habits were conformed 10 their
hrher income; and their receipts, C;rdm Temporal
~ causes hopeD had sunk 10 level with ours-'hey
get less than they had reason TO expect
and are in most embarrassed and troubled condition.
Saw nothing Mr. Chairman, Of the effects, on tobac'
20 md other subjects Of agriculture, Of our home po
H., N attempting 10 encourage and stimulate manu-
features commerce and Navigation; the injurious cf-
feet. OF foreign legislation, cannot be mistaken. Eng.
taxes her subjects for the Of our tobacco 800
per cent on lis original cos,-Russia 900 per cent
Germany 100 per cent.-France, Spain, Italy and Aus
tria have rigid restrictive monopoly, admitting only
| G, flu uudr IN nr hair