Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-30

little for some time 10 the Treasury receipts The only
effect would be enrich individuals, and njure CON-
MERGE without, material immediate beueht to the irea-
snry The importations would he diminished until the
present stocks were sold off, this dminution would be
injury 10 commerce and navigatonan injury to South
ern commerce and to Northern navigation. The IN
Jury would fall upon the South and West-upon South
ern ard Western cotton and tobacco. Large quanti-
ties of these articles go France Nine pounds out OF
of the foreign cotton which she consumes ana tour
pounds of five of the foreign tobacco when she
uses 20 from the United States; and how does she pay
for them. Like other natlons-in her products; aho
these products are chiefly silks and wines. Dlminish
the imports of these silks and wines, and you dn'sh
the export of cotton and tobacco and besides o
lessen one Of the sources for obtaining spece' -"
these silks and wines, received IN return lot
and cotton many Of them exported from 'hs coun-
try-carred 10 foreign countres-to .ne west ndies,
herico South Americathere TO be exchanged tor spe
Gle or valuable productions; and thus become the means
OF supplying us with money, while giving double en-
ployment TO our navigation
Mr. B. said il was an easy business to lay taxes
il required but little capacity, knowledge, or
thought to draw up act to lay so much per centum
the importation of foreign article; but there
was something else which not quite so easy
which required judgment, knowledge, thought. IL
to trace the workings of that tax through lis mul
tiplied consequences-through its effects on agrcul-
ture on commerce. on igaton, and on the present
pursuits of individuals. do not profess to be able SO
10 trace the operation of taxes but can say that
| have the annual document of our commerce and
navigation for twenty years back-that keep II at my
room in this city-and that for show, but for
study il from time time, and endeavor to follow,
and 10 understand the vast subject OF our foreign COM
merce its connection and dependence on agriculture,
and the effect of legislation in relation TO IT. and am
now ready saw that let this question OF taxing silks
and wines-French silks and French wnes-Qor these
are the kinds often mentioned, and always ntended)
let this question when it may, shall hold myself
ready TO prove tax silks and wines to be tax on
Southern and Western productions-on Southern and
Western agrculture-on Southern and Western cot
ton and tobacco All that have TO say at this time
is, that if this tax to be laid for necessary anu
constitutional purpose, the peore oil the Souih ana
the West will be ready to paw IT. but II proposed 10 De
laid for unconstitutional and unnecessary purpose
for the purpose of raising money either directly or in
directly 10 be given to The States, and chiefly to the
States which raise cotton ,obacco-hen say that
they ought TO resist the proposton-ought to oppose
the TAX by the united of their delegations in Con-
press and should summon their brethren in every part
OF the Union to desst from raught with ruin
the Constitution, and injury TO the onehalt OF the
Union
The Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Crit,enden) is
pleased to remember an expression which used some
days ago, and which only repetition of what
said four years ago, when the distribution Of public
ney among the States first proposed in this cham
Der. He remarked upon my expression that If the
States began to lap that blood, they would III the
end prefer it all other food, and it until the
merely few days ago. but four years ago. l used the
metaphor, coarse, but strong; and | used words IN
their literal sense at the time. said ifhe States
began to receive supplies of money from the Fe-
dera Treasury they would go to supply themselves
from that source until the Federal Government
stripped of its property and its money, and left in the
helpless and defenceess condition of the old Conede
ration, dependent upon the States for its support and
destined to die of nanition. said then that the de-
posite with the States distrbution-that not
dollar of it would come back TO the Federal Urea
sury-that from dividing surplus revenue should
to the division of that which not surplus
that the States would take what they wanted and let
the Federal Government supply itself as IT couid-that
the public defences and all the proper objects Of Fe-
dera expenditure would be stnted and sacrificed that
the money might be taken to be divided among the
States. This is what | said four years ago: and
short as the time has been, we have seen it more
than realized The twentyseven millions depo-
sited with the State until needed for the of
the Federal Government, have been needed,
now needed, and cannot be had They gone for
ever The public man IS not IN existence who dares to
call for it, or any part oft Even those who reproach
ed me for saying it would not be returned, cannot
ture TO ask its return and If they did, they would be
told it could not be paidtha the States. far from being
able TO refund what they had received compelled
by their necessities TO call upon for more The
public deiences have almost disappeared from public
view / endeavnred for some time TO make stand
upon This point; endeavored to the Senate and
the country TO the necessity of attending TO the public
self object Of derison! 20 be literally laughed at,
and cried down under the clamors for distribution -
Ny worthy colleague DR.. Linn now ventures TO men,
ton it again. proper direction 10 be given to the
public land revenue: he makes the proposition the
Antagonist of distribution: the friends of dstribu-
ton will overwaelm his proposition Sir, l saw
and fore told many evils from the commencement Of
this distribution policy; but did not ioresee all the
evils oft Things have taken place already which my
Imagination, gloomy it was, and bodng evil as it did,
could not foresee did not oresee that, in six short
months after the first Opposite bill passed, second
should be offered, and not only offered, but srdded,
contrary to all parliamentary rue-contrary to all fair
legsa,ion-upon bill of totally different character;
upon fertilization bill, which actually sunk and lost
under the and unnatural load did not foresee
this in June 1886 when detained against the evils of
the distribution scheme; but did it in jan. 1887,
when it actually happened! Neither did fcresee
cusaton of fraud against the U. s. for not deposit
ing nine millions more, when she had nothing to de-
poste USE and driven to the issue Of Trea-
sury notes for her daily support Neither did foresee
the motion Of this day-the motion of the Senator
from Kentucky TO make the distribution of the land
revenue at time when the Federal Treasury was in
of every dollar which the lands and the customs,
and every other source Of revenue bring TO ii.
did not ioresee these things; but they have happened
They have come upon us; aud they confirm me in
my original opinion, that this distribution policy is
The most fatal step yet taken in Govern
ment. 1t brings the States upon for their supplies;
il makes them look to US for all the money which they
want; and they have the power to take what they
please The Union has no Senators or Representatives
in Congress these functonares belong 10 the States.
in every question between the States and the Union,
the delegation of every State must take part with
its State. Demand what the States please,
and they must have it, FIRST, surplus revenue then
the public lands thep current revenue; then taxes laid
for their benefit; then loans made for them, credit
stretched for them, and debts assumed to sustain them
We must all the wishes Of States give place
TO those who will do it, There will be defend tie
Union-none to protect It's existence-none to form a
lfesuard around her The Presdcn, is The only part Of
the Legislative power which is elected by the Union, and
responsible to the whole Union. lie has negative voice
upon legislation, and peculiarly bound to exercise
that voice when the safety Of the Union endangered
BY the encroac hnent of the States He, and he alone
is the representative Of the Union. His power ba
lances two.ihirds of the two Houses and the repre-
sentative of the Union, he should 1t when the
Union is endangered. We have had President to
do ths-one Pres dent TO prevent the of land