Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-26
No. I07.--VOLUME XXXyIIi.

cpies oil Drowrson mot the more knowing members OF
The clan) TO reject all property acquired by descent,
because It appears their clear and uncouded intel
ligcnces that law OF descent ought ever 10 have
. been enacted
i But, though clearly and unequvocay favorable 10
Inc reception candor compel's 10 admit that deem
lhe law unwise mpoltic unequal operations and
highly injurious TO Southern interests. 1t is un
wise and impoltc, because the General Govern.
ment instead Of having plehoric Treasury which II
desires TO reduce, harrassed by debts pressed with
pecunary difficulties forced 10 raise the Tariff Ia
supply the ordinary expenses Of the Government
and II report speaks truly, unable 10 borrow short
credits the "wherewitha" 10 deray lis daily charges
c Under such state of things, what good can possibly
result TO the community from distributing the money
with one hand, when in the same breath Won have 10
take 1t from them with the otter, The Treasury be
ing now IN want, every cent Withdrawn from be
distributed under the late act OF Congress, must be
turned to 1t in the form OF levied people
Nor is this all: you will have pay the additional ex.
penses Of the distribution of collecting the amount
cessnry 10 supply ITS place Thus, for the sake of Illus
taton let US suppose that the 10 be distributed
/. IS two millions C52,0C0,000) This sum is now snug
IN The Treasury, ready 10 tefray The expenses pay
the debts OF the Government; and the Government has
already been the costs of pay the surveyors keepers
OF land Offices, receivers, &c. for the sales Of The land
ana safe remittance Of money TO the Treasury-and
the Treasury actually needs the money and get
along without IT, But the money is distributed it then
becomes necessary 10 supply lis place BY 81 COO 900
raised by taxation OH tie peop!e-and that win
not only cost the people the whole two millions, but
the additional expense Of collecting, of keeping it, ana
transmitting this last two millions to the Treasurer:
which, at charge OF per cent would cost the peopl
Sl00,O00 than they receive. So that instead of
making by the distribution Of the money We are sure
to lose. But should not lose by the operation Of dis
tbuting and collecting (Which totally mposslbe)
what shall we gain: Suppose we shall have 10 re,urn
nothing more than receive what will be the effect
Beyond oub will be transferred pro tanto the pow
er and duty OF laying taxes and raising supplies for
State purposes, from this TO the Federal Government
Were we now called on 10 renounce all right of taxa
ton, and 10 transfer 10 Congress the power of furnish
ing the ways and means for State Government,
against monstrous proposition, would struggle
10 our latest breath. But where is the difference For
all practical purposes, the distribution will Con-
into the raising If for the support OF tho
States. If the land find is To be given TO the States
and because of such gift additional impost must be le
We'd for the Federal Government, what substantial diff.
ference would it make, if the land nEd applied
to Federal purposes, and the additional imposis be-
slowed OH the States Are we not, in fact, sup.
cause Congress to levy taxes fer its repayment
And we not thereby in very deed, support
ing our Government by the taxing powers Of Con
gress, whereby power oe taxation is taken from
the State Legislatures, elected solely by ourselves, and
conveyed to Congress- elected by people whose inter-
ests in direct conflict with ours, and who exceeds
us SO far in numbers, to leave us without any poen
tia voice in levying taxes. We should in fact
ed TO the extreme, would make the States depend
ant the General Government for supplies; and
whenever they became 50 dependant, they had as
well cease 10 be. Gentlemen say this fund will ic.
leve the disrcsses OF the State and enable per.
feet the most splendid schemes Of internal improve
ment. Are not able TO alleviate own dis.
tresses and construct our own improvements Con.
gress TO do it for us Or do design transfer
power 10 the Federal Governments Ii is all ms
msfe to tana That Congress by the a
he raised from the people, and when 1t IS wanted Tor
State purposes am for having it raised by the State
LEGISLATURE WIN it, however, relieve The debt Of
the State: Let experience answer. What was the
State debt when the deposte law was enacted: be
tween two and three millions. What now; Between
seven and nine millions. And most surely Will oar
State debt be increased by tho Distribution. The mo
ds opcrandi will be this The first instament will Ia:
applied to some avore scheme OF internal improve
ment All the other internal improvement interests VIII
then clamor for their sare-bn their share mas not YET
come to hand It makes difference; it must be antici
pated The State lend its bonds to the various IN
lerna Improvement companies, and look To have them
discharged from the instruments to be paid IN future
years the States proportion o! The public lands MS
is resisted at first, but the clamors become more loud
and CrcGucnt-the Legislature recedes-the bonda OF
the State issued to the amount Of mllions-the ex.
travagance Of the issue ncrcascs as years r"! away
the bubble expands ard expands, wider and WIDER nn
I'll at length il bursts; and where are We? foreign
war or the tire aenng aspect Of the times induces the
General Government 10 repeal this Distribution law,
and here we are with some I've millions addition
al State debt and show for il huge skeletons OF "a
mails and railroads in unfinished condition to suffer
dila pidaton and run-their very presence seeming
10 be in mockrry Of the distress and ruin which the
community will suffer in paying for their construc-
ton. But, Sir, whence derives the Federal Govern
ment, its power 10 construct Internal Improvements
in the States From the Constitution OF the United
STATES That has been always denied by the States
Right men of Virginia. And if Congress has not the
right to carry Internal Improvement in the States,
has il right give the States money to DO that which
il cannot do itself3 had supposed, that the great
practical objection to the Internal Improvement power
Of Congress- was the great and excessive taxation To
which il would ead--creating necessity Tor high
Tariff and thereby tavoring one part Of the country
al the expense Of the other.
If the money in the Federal Treasury is 10 be given
to States for works Of Internal Improvement, IS not 1t
clear as daylight that necessity Is created Tor az
rrea, an increase of the Tariff, II the same amount
had been directly appropriated by Congress for the same
purpose And thus the practical evils of an Internal
I Improvement system by the Federal Government
hgh Tariff and increase Of Federal influence will be
directly created; and with this additional evil, too.
that the responsibility necessarily arising from making
the approp.atng power responsible TO the people tor
the economy, trugal:ty and utility of s appropriations,
by making It also the taxaying power, and bringing
its operations home to the interests and leengso OF Tie
people by touching that most sensitive OF all cords,
the pocket nerve, is destroyed and gone Congress
will collect money; we shall have to spend il. When
extravaganza begins to be the order OF The day, and
the peop pie begin 10 call US TO give an account
of our stewardship, Congress viii declare that they
cannot possibly be blamed, as The Distribution mas
taken 50 much from the public fsc, that The Go.
yernment cannot proceed without supplying IFS place
by additional burdens the people We most
solemnly protest against laying the blame at our
door, as we spend only what we are bound to sPenc:
because is appropriated for W. and if we do not spend
it, it will lie idle in Treasury, and the community will
suffer for its circulation; moreover when the farm
shall have been raised high 10 create the Suspicion
in the public mind, that The c1raengance OF rulers ana
not the just wants OF Government mas caused 10 ne
raised-tbe Distribution will be the replyand the pub
lie not having the necessary statistics always at handle
learn the true distributed, will be unable, from
the commingng of State and Federal accounts, TO de-
eide at all times with accuracy whether the amornt OF
distribution affords any reasonable counterpose to the
additional amoont OF inposs and thus, ~ hing two
ersatufes 10 divide that responsibility, which IN al