The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-29
THE PRESIDENTS LAST MESSAG

guments of that gentleman, made on + riuay.
THE PRESIDENTS LAST MESSAGE.
Our readers will observe from this very able do
cument, that the President, whilst he recognises
the fairness and propriety of distributing the
proceeds of the sales Of the public lands among
the States, under the circumstances that exist
ed at the time when the law to that effect was
passed, is Of opinion that the peculiar state OF
our domestic and foreign relations demands a
suspension of Its operation for the present.
When the Distribution law was passed, there
was reasonable ground for believing that there
would be surplus in the National Treasury
arising from duties on importations and other
sources. The country was then IN state Of
peace, and there had transpired nothing to JUS
tfy fear that any contingency would arise
which would render the fund in question lndls-
pensable to the support OF the national credit,
or honor. Under such condition OF affairs,
nothing could certainly be more just than that
the States which had struggled for the lnde-
pendence of our country, should enjoy the ben
efits accruing from the sale Of their common
nropertv. This view of the case acquired
increased force from the fact, that the States
had incurred debts to vast amount In the pro-
secution of their internal Improvements; debts
to the discharge of which, their current means,
independently Of direct taxation, were con-
fessedly inadequate. The Compromise bill, as
it is called, had moreover been, as was sup
posed, settled on permanent basis, by which
h,I racOUpcpI the
marin,,tm rate of duty to be levied on any one
article. Well founded as the hopes OF the coun-
1ry appeared to be, that the rate above named
would secure a revenue sufficient to meet
the expenses Of the Government, suose-
quent experience has proved that these
homes were falacious. The depressed condl-
ton of our monetary concerns at home, and 81
mar difficulties abroad, have so lar reduced the
amount of the revenue, as to provethat with ex-
listing duties, the nations means must fall short
of its expenditures, and it is now universally
conceded that recourse must be had TO higher
rates to produce revenue sufficient to meet me
expenses of the Government 1t will be recol.
lected that the Distribution bill contained a pro-
viso by which its operation should cease in the
event of the adoption of tariff calling tor
more than twenty per cent. in any one case.
If, then, it be necessary that new scale OF du-
ties be adopted, exceeding the rate above named,
it must follow, as matter Of course, that the
operation of the law Of distribution shall cease.
The views of the President are stated with a
manliness and clearness that do him honor, and
will, we doubt not, be sustained by the country
at large. OF the causes that have led to the pre-
sent lamentable condition of affairs, It is
not deemed proper here to speak.
The outstanding liabilities of the Government
are not the offspring of any profuseness on the
part of the present Administration, of which it
may with Justice be said, that 1t has not been
permitted to become responsible TOR any n'ed-
sures, its suggestions having been suffered TO
remain, unattended to on the desks OF The House
of Representatives. Had the great measures
for public relief, offered by the President and his
advisers, been taken up and passed by Congress,
there cannot be doubt that they would have been
attended by the happest effects, and consequently,
the responsibility that attaches must belong to
that body On this question THE PEOPLE
WILL. DECIDE, and we at least. as friends
of the Administration, are willing cheerfully to
abide the result If the States will have been
deprived of the advantages OF the Distrlt ution
bill, they must look to the House of Representa-
tives, which has FILTERED away its time Tor TOUR
months in discussing frivolous points OF order'
&C., instead of adopting the Exchequer or some
other practicable plan of relief, while the credit
of the country has been dishonored to such a
degree that the public lands must be offered as
pledge on which TO borrow money. If the
COMPROMISE BILL, Of which SOME
POLITICIANS have been so proud, is to prove
nugatory, and high tariff is to be instituted
qpith q uieip TO necessary repenue, the gentle
men who have clung with much pertnacity
to Bank, as the only means of regulating the
currency, will of course, receive as they are en-
titled to do, all the honor. We ask for none of it
Conscious that the Administration is not, in
justice, to be blamed in this matter and that