Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-08-18

of great pubilc concernment to those OF
coordinate Department, without re-
questng that Department seriously to
re-examlne the subject Of their difference.
The exercise OF sumo independence of
Judgment IN regard TO all acts 0t iesisla-
ton. is pIainly implied IN the responsible
lily Of approving them. At all times a
daty--it becomes peculiarly solemn and
imperative one, when the subjects passed
upon by Congress, happens TO involve, as
in the present instance, the m0st moment
Gus issues, to affect variouslY the various
parts ola great country, and to have Civ
en- rise In all quarters to such conflict
Of opinion, as 10 render it impossible to
onecture, with any certainty, OH which
side the majority really is.-surely, if
the pause for reflection, intended by the
wise authors of the Constitution, by re-
ferring the subject back 80 Congress for
| reconsideration be ever eXpedient and
necessary, it is precisely such 4 case as
the present.
On The subject Of distributing the pro
ceeds of the sales of the public lands, in
the existing state Of The finances, it has
been my duty TO make known my settl-
ed convictions On various occasions dur
ing the present session OF Congress. Al
the opening "a the extra session. upwards
Of twelve months ago, sharing fully i'll the
! general hope ii returning prosperity and
credit, / recommended such Il distrbu-
ton but that recommendation was even
then expressly coupled with the coDdi-
ton that the d0tles Oh imports should not
exceed the rate of 90 per cent. provided
by the Compromise act of 1855. / hese
hopes were not a little encQQraged ant,
these views strengthened by the report
Of MIR. Ewing, then Secretary Of the
Treasury, which was shortly thereafter
laid before Congress, in which lie recon-
mended the imposition Of duties at the
rate Of 90 per cent. ad UgIorea, On all f. ee
articles, with specified exceptions, and
stated, I'll this measure be adopted, there
will be received in the Treasury from
customs, il the last quarter Of the present
year, (1841,) $500. GOO; in all of the
year 1912. about $22, 100000; and i'll
the year l243, after the final reduction
under the act Of March 2, 1913. about
S20,000,0 00;'' and adds, lit is believed
that after the heavy expenditures requir-
ed by the public service in the present
year shall have been provided for, the re-
venue which will accte frOA4 that or Il
nearlyproximate rate of duty,wlh be sQGi'
! Gent to deiray the expenses Of Govern
ment, and Leave surplus to be annually
applied to the gradual payment Of the
national debt, leaving the proceeds Of the
public lands to be disposed Of as Con-
gress shall see fits I was mos happy
| that Congress, at the time, seem entirely
to concur in the recommend atoms Of the
Executive, and, anticipating the correct
ness of the SecretarY's conclusions, aud
in view OF All actual surplus, passed the
Distribution act Of the 9TH September
last, wisely limiting its operation by two
conditions, having reference. both "a
them, to a possible state Of the Treasury,
different from that which had been anti
cipated by the Secretary OF the TEeasu-
ry, and to the paramount necessities Of
| the public service. 1t ordained that, "if
at any time during the existence Of that
act, there should be an imposition OF du-
vision of the act Of the Cd March, 1885,
aud beyond the rate Of duties fixed by
| that act, to wit, 90 per cent. on the value
OF such imports Or any Of them, then the
distribution SHOULD be suspended and
should continue 50 suspended. until that
cause should be removed" BY prevl-
Gus clause it had, in like spirit OF wise
vi E.,
another case in which all are even now
agreed that the proceeds Of the sales of
the public lands should be used for the
defence oi the country. 1t was enacted
that the act shouIts.contiuue and lie in
force until otherwise provided by law.
unless the United States should become
involved in wal with any foreign power,
in which event, from the commenceme
of hostllities, the act should be suspend
ed until the cessation Of hostilites
Not long after the opening Ct the pre-.
sent session Of Cougi ess, the unprece-
| denied and extraordinary difficulties that
have recently embarrassed tie finances
Of the country began to assume serious
aspect. It soon became quite evident
that the hopes under which the act Of the
18th Of September was passed, and which
alone Justified it in the eyes either of
Congfess vho imposed or Of the Execu-
tive vine approved the first OF the TWO
conditions just recited, were not destin-
ed to be fulfilled. Under the pressure,
therefore, of the embarrassments whi,h
had thus unexpectedly arisen, it appear
ed to me that the course to, be pursued
had been clearly marked out for the Co
vernment By that act itself. The coGdi-
ton contemplated it it, as requiring a
suspension Of It's operation had occurred.
1t became necessary, in the opinions Of
all, TO raise the rate Of duties upon i'm
ports above 90 per cent, add with view
both to provide available means TO meet
present exlgencies, and to lay the founda-
ton Tor successful negotiation Of a loan.
lett 1t incumbent upon me to urge up
( ~ fn 4,