Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-04-27
the people could feel the benefit in the reduction oftheir

4
taxes.
| Here, them is example of the wrongs already
committed on the mass of the nation by this Govern
ments abuse of the taxing power for, from THIS abuse
! it that the uct of distribution resulted. | speak
not, therefore, harshIy of the itself first because
| it consequence rather than the prime Of
the evil and again, for the reason that there are some
among my political friends, who, thinking TO dis
engage the Government from the embarrassments the
surplus occasoned, gave the act their support. On
them, whatever may now be thought of the policy OF
their in this particular, would lntct no wound
none certainly them, whilst there are yet, on the
other side Of the Senate, those, common enemies,
who, responsible for the prneva SIM are therefore the
| rghtful subjects of complaint No; ! censure not
friends supposed to have erred when there foes
| known 10 have done 'Pursue the strangers, but
spare the Romans" was the just injunction at the
route of Pharsalia; Injunction IT were well to re.
member in all the conflicts Of men.
] After this eyampe-the first in our hstory-who can
doubt the certain tendency Of distribution, Who
doubt that if renewed this policy viii evcn,uate, as be
fore declared, in the formation Of classes among US
the establishment Of orders-in the concentration OF
all power IN this Govcrnncnt-and, finally, IN tie
transfer Of the Government itself to the hands Of
moneyed arstocracy: What have already wit
messed? Have not these banks, these corpo.
ratlons-every one OF them, of every description, 10
which the revenue distributed went-have not
seen the favored few, almost TO man, by whom 80
large portion receivcd-havc we not seen all
these banks corporations, and united, combined,
Infatuated against the Democratic paryand that, too,
for the very reason openly proclaimed, that opposes
this niquous system of taxation Tor their benefit
alone' Have not the same institutions, the
same persons and the associations Of persons,
banded together in common league with the very
who in the legislative halls of the Staesin the halls
of Congress-n the executive and judicial depart
ments, State and Fcdera-n all the subdivisions Of po
litical power stand forward the relentless advo
Gates Of taxes and distributions, Yes; the very men
ho tell rs exhausicL-tn6
blood dried up-st iurousy clamor for the last dollar
for the last drop. And Why TO satatc the nav
Of an ally who has conferred dominion upon them.
At first Sir, the object of distribution disguised:
but now victorious they are, IS openly proclaimed
The Senator from Massachusetts, longer conceal
ing the real motive, declares that he presses the dis
rlbuon Of the revenue among the States, in view OF
its application TO the payment of their debts and Tor
this he finds constitutional authority, IN thc obllsa
ton of this Government TO uphold the credit OF the
States which, he informs u.s. has been rudcly assaled
And here Sir, il was, at this point OF ms argument,
that the Senator broke forth the btteres denuncia
ton of those by whom he alleges this assault to have
been made. But who they: In what manner,
when, where, by what MEANS have they assa'led The
credit of the States, VIII be believed and yet is
true) that il the Democracy TO whom he alluded:
He adverted irst to extracts IN British paper, taken
from the Globe of this city, styled by HIM the organ
of the Administration Next, having referred TO mea-
sures with which he knew the Democratic members
of this body to have been associated, he pronounced
these things attack upon State credit; and then de-
clared that .thc man who would impair the State
dit is an enemy TO America, by whatever name he
may call himself What, Sir the Democracy as
sail the credit Of the States the Democracy enemies
to America they who all occasions, have ever de-
Tended zealousy the lights OF the States, the ber
ties Of the people, the interests, honor, and glory o.
America who have defended all these whether endan-
gerei from abroad or within; whether by treasonouS
Vaccinations or open war they who, in the hour OF
their countrys utmost need when pered BY foreign
arms and domestic treason were, OF all her sons the
first 10 forward-thc first to proicr their coui-
sell their substance their blood, in her deicnce-the
most cheerful to dic;-thcy who now, in the pending
struggle again swear as they ever have sworn, upon
the altar Of that country, unsparng hostility 10 ~
ranny in all its forms-to every league into which am
bi,on and avarce may enter for usurpatIon and p'l-
LACE are these the men, this the party, who are
thus denounced-denounced as enemies TO Amer
ca, because in this trying crisis OF the Govern
mcnt when all the humors that commonly conspreto
bring liberty to its deathbed manestng themselves
around u.s. because, say they dare IN such crsls as
this, oppose what they so!emnly believe niracts me
Constitution, bots out the States, hazards the public
peace and tends infably to shed over the land the
baleuI influence Of foreign power because they dare
oppose a system of measures which threatens 10 nle
the passions of to fury and Madness by placing an
property in the hands of Government as prze TO DC
sought by fraud and violence and obtained aIas' as
turmoil of general strife, only BY the most daring ana
proflrate. Are these the citizens denounced Tor opPos
ing UGH measures, enemies to America res this -
The mpuation-ndirect it is true, but still the npu-
.ation-made by that Senator; made WIN ieei,nss
transported beyond all bounds, if whilst struggling
thus TO mortgage British bankers the soil OF his ma
tive country his allegiance had been infamed anew
by glance at that signal which at the dawn oil battle
first rose on the terrible day Of Tratalgar-"England
expects every to do his duty Yes, Sir, repeat
t-fce ngs transported for never but once before nave
known that Senator excited TO equal hea; beyond
the uniform temper Of his mind And when was tha's
Need tell you, Senators, (most oil whom were pr.
scnt,) that it on the memorable nisbt "hen' penn
inc the proposition for three millions TO ceieho t"e
countrv in the event of 4 with France, ne STOOD
forward and in his place. upon this moor, declared he
ewould vote it not even if the enemy were oaterihS
down the walls Of the Capitol "A declaration IN re-
ference 10 which member OF Tue olher fiouse IRON,
his own State and his own party, (Hon. j. Q. Adams,)
proclaimed il in that body, "that the man who would
inter such sentiment that had but ono moro step
10 take, and that was-into the ranks OF the enemy
Sir to support lis credit will require all The re-
sources placed by the Constitution at the disposal OF
this Government. With that Of the States II has no
right to interfere, for good or for evil For, II II can
with the one object, so it may for the other- TO up
hold SO may it TO desroyift to take the States undcr
its guardianship in like may it reduce them 70
de pcndence upon its wl-to dependence not merely
for supplies but for their very political Deing of Inc
former essentially involves the latter.
But Sir. ifthe Federal Government had the right
and the means of intcrposing to sustain State crea,
il could not by possioty 90 So, "l.houl .'ie "'ei
sruction Of that credit Of the State Governments
themselves For if you commence and continue to
paw the debts of the States, the States will continue to
contract them as their sole source of supply and that
for the reason that you, by strengthening their credit
for the time, enable them to DO so; and because YOU
no, they, are to endure the burdens Of payment thus
in that event, will you supplant the state Govern
men by them papb useless les e1s a me as
damsnds c1ea,ed bv them And it. upon the other hand
af@a has 1se" The and thereby s
INFLATED the States to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. mem
om their their attention os,s Sm al
within themselves to discharge Do nnt d
s s,.ov ,heir credit What, indeed, Sir is the pTopo
s sticn now made, of distribution TO pay State debts
but an assault upon their credit, On what assump
,ha States For, if they and will pay, wherefore
do you inerpose will not the same amount be re.
ou;red whoever pays And must not the funds be
drawn from the source-the pockets of the same
/ mn ohp.n fhoyya al