Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1842-05-12

Resolutions passed requesting tho attendance OF |
the Honorable Senate in The Represen,auve hall 20
attend The ceremony Of administering the oath to the
Governor elect Messrs. McCurdy and Billings aP- |
pointed committee for thai purpose. ~ !.
The Governor elect and suite entered the HAL OF
Representatives when prayer was offered by tne Ne"
The "a III Of Office was then administered to Gov.
Cleveland, BY the Hon Judge Hitchcock, when, on
MOTION the convention dissolved, ana me meMoeIS
Resolution passed appointing a committee to an
nounce to the Governor that the House was ready 10
receive any communication he might have to make.
Seymour e Litchield, and Perkins.of Hartford APP
pointed nv The Speaker.
Comm ee 10 wait upon the Governor reported that
they had performed that duty md that a message
would soon be received from the Governor.
The Private Secretary Of the Governor entered
and delivered to the House message in writing ana
the message read 10 the House BY the LIST Clerk
rs follows:
Fello,o- Citizens If ne Senate,
and Of the House Of Representatives:
We have assembled, according to the pro-
visions of the Constitution, to deliberate up
on the interests OF the people of Connecticut.
AS the first duty of the citizens of Repub-
lie, it becomes us, with devout gratitude, 10
acknowledge our dependence upon our DI-
vine Creator and Benefactor, and to invoke
His aid and guidance in all our deliberations.
The Office of the Chief Executive OF the
State having been constitutionally coterred
upon me- nave ldheI INC oAth Pioo\l'D So
| by law; and with a reliance upon the bles-
sing of God, and the candor and support of
my fellow-citzens, shall proceed to the
execution of the duties assigned me.
We are not permitted to indulge in the
exercise of mere Discretionary powers, nor
! to speculate upon novel theories of govern
ment: our pow ers and our duties have been
prescribed by our constituents themselves,
in the admirable Constitution which, for
their own security and protection, they have
adopted. While we should, fearlessly, dis
charge every duty devolving upon us as
public men, we should, scrupulously, avoid
even the temptation to transcend the limits
prescribed by the people-the source OF all
political power.
The blessings of the Government under
which we live, are seen in the general hap
piness of our citizens-the security given to
personal rights the guards thrown around
the enjoyment Of civil liberty-the means
furnished for the intellectual and moral i'm
provement of our youth-the independent
execution of equal laws-and the protection
afforded to the various employments of So
ciety. In the changes incident to human
affairs, and the exercise of that uncontroll-
ed spirit of enterprise which our institutions
are calculated 10 encourage, occasional en-
barrassments will, almost necessarily, min
our interests. The chief remedy for such
evils, lies in the practice of economy, fru-
gality and industry, for which we have safe
rules in the wise examples of our fathers
While some men, suffering under the pangs
of disappointment, imagine the cause OF all
their troubles to lie in some supposed mis-
management of public affairs, and impa-
tiently expect a reparation of their fortunes
through the action of the government, the
wise man places his confidence Of success
and prosperity, under Providence, mainly
upon his own untrammelled exertions. Still
it is the duty of every government, as an
own benefit, within the rule of exact justice
to all, promptly and freely to exert its con-
stitutional powers in behalf of the various
interests of society. In the eye of public
authority, every interest stands on the broad
platform of an equality OF rights.
Under our complex system, by which
political power is distributed between the
Federal and State Governments, the whole
power over revenue from imposts, has
been vested in the Congress of the United
States. Whatever opinions may have grown
up amidst the circumstances of the past, and
however reluctant men may be to abandon
cherished theories, / cannot believe that
there is any great diversity of sentiment, at
the present day, among the great body of
our citizens, as to the extent to which this
taxing power should be exerted. Indeed, it
seems now to be generally, if not universal
ly admitted, that the amount of revenue i'm
posed and collected, should be limited to the
current expenses of an economical admins
tration OF the government, including provis-
| ions for the defence of the country. For
! this purpose, and to this extent, there can
| be no reluctance, from any quarter, to the
imposition of impost duties. In the selcc-
ton of the objects of taxation for these pur-
poses, Congress, from the nature of the
| case, must necessarily exercise their discre-
ton. The very nature of the authority CIV
en- to Congress over this subject, would seem
to imply, not only the right but the duty to
be governed by discriminating wisdom, in
the selection of the subjects of impost, and
in determining the amount to be assessed
upon each, having reference to the interests
and rights of alb classes. Indeed am not
! aware that the right Of discrimination in the
| exercise of this power, has ever been seri-
ously questioned by any considerable por-
ton of the American people. If Congress
have not this right. every impost law which
omlts from its list of taxable subjects single
imported article, or which from any motive
whatever, makes the duty upon one article
greater than that upon another, is, of course,
unconstitutional and void. The necessaries
and the Injuries of life must be the subjects
ofequal taxation, and the discriminating IA
vor which has been shown to the former by
almost every law which has been enacted
on this subject since the organization of the
government, has been an act of direct usur-
patton. AS a legitimate consequence from
this theory, nearly every revenue act which
has been passed by congress,has been an alb
solute nullity and the acts of every public
officer, under them, have been trespasses.-