The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1841-03-13

to The principle, but the forms pre-
scribed by the Constitution. The
principle certainly assigns to The only
body constituted blythe constitution the
legislative body the power to make
laws, and the forms even direct that
the enactment should be ascribed 10
them. The Senate, in relation to reve-
nue. bills, have the right to propose a.
mendments, and so has the Executive,
by the power given him TO return them
TO the House Of Representatives, with
his objections. Il is in his power, al.
so, 10 propose amendments in the ex-
isting revenue laws, suggested by his
observations upon their defective or
injurious operation. But The delicate
duty Of devising schemes of revenue
should be left where the Constitution
has placed it-with the immediate re-
presentatives of the People. For
similar reasons, the mode of keeping
the public treasure should be prescri-
bed by them; and the farther remov-
ed it may be from the control of the
engagements into which States have
Executive, the more wholesome the
arrangement, and the more in accord
ance withRepublican principles.
Connected with this subject is the
character of the currency. The idea
Of making it exclusively metallic. how
ever well intended, appears TO me to
be fraught with more fatal consequent
ces than any other scheme, having no
relation to the personal rights of The
citizen, that has ever been DEVISED -
Ifany single scheme could produce
the effect of arresting at once, that mu-
taiion of condition by which thousands
Of our most INDECENT felow.citlzens,
by their industry and enterprise, are
raised 10 the possession of wealth, that
is the one. If there is enc measure
better calculated than another 10 pre-
duce that state of things so much de-
precated by ali truc ivD.- .5iifcans, Nv
which the rich are daily adding to
their boards, and the poor sinking
deeper into pcnury, it is an exclusive
metallic currency. Or if there is a
process by which the character of the
country for generosity and nobleness
of feeling may be destroyed by the
great increase and necessary toleratlon
Of usury, it is an exclusive metallic
currency.
Amongst the other duties Of deli
cate character which the President is
called upon to perform, is the supervi-
sion of the government of the terrific
ries Of the United States. Those of
members of cur great political family
are compensated by their rapid pre-
gress from infancy TO manhood fer
the partial and temporary deprivation
of their political rights. 1t is in this
District, only where American citi-
zens are to be found, who, under
settled system of policy, are deprived
of many important political privileges
without any inspiring hope as 10 the
future.-Their only consolation, IN.
der circumstances of such deprivation,
is that Of The devoted exterior guards
of camp-that their sufs rings secure
tranquility and safety within. Are
there any of their countrymcn who
would subject them to greater sacri-
fees, TO any other humliations than
those essentially necessary to the Sc
curity of the object for which they
were thus separated from their fellow
citizens? Are their rights alone not
to be guaranteed by the application of
those great principles upon which all
our constitutions are founded? We
are told by the greatest of British Ora
tors and Statesmen that, al the COM
mencement Of the war Of the Rcvolu-
ton, the most stupid men in England
spoke of"their American subjects" -
Are there, indeed, citizens of any of
our States, who have dreamed of ftheir
subjects in the District of Columbia.
Such dreams can never be realized by
any agency of mine.
The people Of the District of Co.
lumbia, are not the subjects of the pee-
pie of the States, but free American
citizens. Being in the latter condi
ton when the constitution was form
ed, no words used in that instrument
could have been intended to deprive
them of that character. If there is
any fhing in the oreat princinIes Of nm