Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-08-19

wv AASANN
objections, a bill entitled IAN act to pro
vide revenue from imports, and TO
change and modify existing laws imPo
sing duties on imports AID for other
purposes" Nothing can bo more pain
full 10 any individual called upon to per
form the chief Executive duties under
our limited constitution, than to be CON
strained to withhold his assent from an
important measure adopted by tho Ma
tional Legislature: yet he would neither
fulfil the great purposes oil his station,
NOR consult the true interests, or the
solemn will Of the people, the common
constituents OF both branches OF the
Government, by yielding his well con-
sidered, most deeply fixed end repeated
,ly declared opinions on matters OF great
public ~ rnmeut 10 those Of a co'or
dinate Department without requesting
that Department s%eriousIy TO re.examlne
0the subject oftheir diife The ex-
eercise some independence Of judgment
in regard to all acts Of Legislation is
plainly implied in The responsibility oil
aapprogiog them, At all times a duty
lit fbecoJnesa peculiarly solemn aud
imperative one, when the subjects passed
o by Congress, happen 10 involve as in
the present instance, the momenious Is
sues, TO effect variousIy various parts Of
"a great country, and TO have given rise
in ]aILouarlers to such. & conflict oil oPIn-
ion, as,to,render it impossible to conJec
,ture with any certainty, on which side
the majority really is. Surely, if the
pause Tor ref 1ctIon, intended by the
wise authors Of the constitution, by re,
gferriDg the subject back to Congress for
reconsideration DO ever expedlent and
necessary, it is precisely such a case as
the present.
Ga the subject oil distributing the pro.
%ceeds Of the sales Of the public lands in
the existing slate Of the finances, it has
been my duty TO make known my set.
tiled convictions on various occasions du.
tying the present session Of Congress-
AT the opening Of the extra session up
.WuTub VI N"GlNO HlOINlo uRb5 ohullnB
fully in the hope Of returning prosper,
tity and credit, | recommended such @
distribution; but that recommendation
was even then expressly coupled will
the condition hat the duties on importl
should not exceed the rate Of 20 nel
cent. provided by the compromise o
1888, These hopes were not a little en-
couraged and these views strengthened
by the report Of Mr., Ewing, then Secre
'tary Of the Treasury,@which was short
" thereafter laid before Congress il
which he recommended the imposition
of duties at the rate Of 20 per centum al
,valorem on all free articles with speci.
fc exceptions, and stated:
"If the measure DO adopted there vii
DO received within the Treasury from
customs, in tho last quarter ofthe pres
,ent year, Q8ll) 100000 dollars, il
-all OF the year 1912, abou' 22,500,O0O
and in the year lS43, after the final re
duclion under the act Of March 2, 1881
about 20 800 600, !" and adds, sit is be
ievod that after the heavy expenditure
required by the public service in tn
present year shall have have been pro
Vided roI, the revenue which will accfu
from that or-nearIy a proXImate rate q
duty will be- sufficient 10 defray the E!
penses Of the Government and leave
surplus TO be annually applied TO tn
gradual payment Of the national deb
leaving the proceeds Of the public lane
TO be disposed of as Congress may sc
aft." was most happy that Congress
at that time, seemed entirely TO comet
with tho recommendation Of the Execu
tive, and anticipating the correctness
the Secretary's conclusions, and in vie
of all actual surplus, passed the distri
u,,on act of the 4lh September las
wisely limiting it's operation by two co
sditions, having reference, both Of lher
10 tuOSstble state Of the Treasury. dl
tCereuti from that which had been anliC
,parcd by The Secretary Of the Troasur
,and to tho paramount necessities Of II
lpboIlc service,
1t is ordained that 'it al any ume dt
ring the existence of that act, the
shou be an imposition of duties on it
ports inconsistent with the provision
tho act OF March ID, 1888 and beyoI
the rates Of duty fixed by that act, 10 wi
20 per cent on The value of such il
ports, or any OF them, the distribute
should be suspended, and should cont
ue so suspended, until that cause shou
DE aemovcd." BY a previous clause
had IN q like spirit OF wise and caulio
patriotism, provided for another case
which oil are even now agreed that Il
proceeds Of Tho public lands should
used for the defence Of the country.
was enacted that the act should conlin
and DO in force until otherwise provld
by law, unless the United States shou
become involved in a war with any f