Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-04-14
frOO the Alexandra GaIstte

little more than months since the passage ofthat
bdl. and already there was an earnest endeavor to
repeal Il. and FOR what reasonl Wherefore thu
sudden change Of sentiment. this instability OF pur
pose Was there any circumstance which did mol
exist at the period OF its passage, which rendered
1t necessary now 10 retrace their steps? Was there
not the same Indebtedness then, and did not Con
gross at the same session in which that bill was
passed. IN contemplation OF that Indebtedness, au.
thorlze the Government TO borrow twelve millions
OF dollars; and furthermore, to issue Treasury
notes TO the amount Of five millions Didthey no,
then know, that under the descending scale OF du
ties established by the Compromise Act the reve.
nue. Of the year would be inadequate to the annual
expenditure And whatever speck OF war there
might be on the horizon at present, was 1t not quite
as visible TO the eye at the time of the adoption OF
that billi How was j., then. that these things
furnish all the grounds for the very specous arsu-
ments that were now employedl
The inr>sccing Senator from Virginia, too, who,
when the Till was proposed To the Senate for its
adoption, gave his vote for II, now stands in the
attitude OF the most strenuous advocate for its re
peal, arguing and demonstrating and urging reasons
Tor that reTeal. with all the acuteness and ability
for which he is solusIly distinguished. Were not
all these reasons as visible, as plain, as papahle
before, as they are nowl Ii was perfectly we'll
poned debts, which sooner or later must he qui>
dated. Then Why this mockery of legislation,
this semi lance Of legislation without the reality
SIR, said Mr. c., n there I've IN the whole rarso Of
Legislation, any one measure which may omphnti
cslly be termed Wing measure, It is this. IL has
been pursued by the Wings through good and evil /;
1t has been followed Ivy them IN university and in
prosperity. IL will not I've denied that this measure
has been the prominent topic OF controversy through
many years; and IN every form m which pubIe
sanction can he given. this measure has received
such sanction. both from legislative assemblies end
popular meetings. From the time OF ITS first srg'
sestion 10y my predecessor in Office, It has been
continually discussed. and ultimately received the
sanction by law; and now, before this law is gone
into operation. you arc called on TO repeal IL. The
same argument is now urged Tor It's repeal Ivy tie
Senator from Virginia, which he might wUh equal
propriety have urged against it's passase-but re
voted for the measure. And now he says II is
sQuardcrirg the MEANS Of the Government amOng
the States. Does past experience prove that Con
sress alone ought 10 Ne entrusted with the eXpenii-
iure OF TIC public money! Are not the States rs
competent 10 eNpeud their own pr periy as the
National Government What monument - there
now Of the wisdom with Which the - millions \
wear OF the last Administration wasspent1 What
! but the memorable remnant Of an inglorious Semi
/ mole war; Look to the monuments which The
States can present for the expenditure Of the means
they have them in their railroads, canals and in
! and navigation.
The other arguments Of the Senator from Va.
seemed to him 10 be equally uniounded. The reply
of the Senator from Rhode Island had correc'e,
much Of what the Senator hal s,ij. But the Sen
ator from Virginia SCENE TO have AIKEN great poir
to furnish himself with statistical tables, Nhicl
might be supposed, were prepared 20 reseh a ioi-
gone conclusion, that not more than % millions o
revenue can he wrsnched from foreign commerce
and that the expenditures of tho Government con
tnuins st 90 millions. there would consequently bj
a deficit of three ni.lious 10 lie made good by tn
Lard Fund. But the whole force OF the arsumen
rested on the supposed impoSslbi.ity OF wrenchins
more than p millions from customs. The decep
tveness OF this argument was well exposed by tht
Senator from Rhode Island, Who proved that tn
free duties alone woulj, II taxed, nearly double TN
/ revenue.
mir Rives explained that he had, ia framing hi
tables, ken; in view the estimates Of the late Sena
| tor from Kentucky, MIR Clay.l
| Mr. Criienden coniended that nothing could bt
more ialacious than average estimates. The late
| Secretary OF the Treasury mir EWING had est.
mated the imports al $40 OOO, 900 ; and would the
Senator from Virginia maintain that S23,OOOO0O
was tho greatest amount of revenue which could be
/ obtained from foreign commerce? Was IL not clear
that such an amount Of imports would easily yield
S30,o0OOO0. or mere. But admitting the whole
OF the gentleman's argument, was It not Of eqaal
force and equal weight when he voted for the bill,
as now
mir Rives explained, that lie voted foT the law
with an express provision for the restoration Of the
fund 10 the Treasury on the happening ct a certain
D
was, that the contingency exists and the provisions
/ OF the law should be carried out.
Mr. Criuenden continued, insisting that the same
state OF things existed then as now; that the
foreign relations, 50 much d~clt upon by the Sena.
tor, were the same, with the exception of the Gre
ole case.
The gen;lemans argument for the restoration of
the land fund, goes To make Il Indispensable, and 10
INSIST tina, there IS other alternative for the sal.
vaton OF the country from direct taxation by the
General Government. And now the existence OF
the Government-or, what IS equally dear its hon.
or and us lnlesrty-mus d. pend on tnIs land fund
as source OF revenue never contemplated by the
Constitution. Is there any one who can seriously
believe thu, pa'ry debt Of ~ millions Ct dollars
10 crash this great nation
Suppose the genteman's .ympathies should he
shared by the Senate, and this amendment should
be adopted. what Is to become Of the proceeds Of
these public lands during The 20 years for which the
fund is 10 he pledged Must these three millions
a year he boarded up, or wha, else is 10 be done
with u The public domain Is Of such extent lhit
It cannot probably be sod IN the next 20 years,
although tho population may be 50 millions. The
interest on the debt indeed, may be paid out Of
fund; bot Uiil not the balance remain in The hands
OF the Government; and what pledge, after OIL can
the creditor have for IT'S safe custody but the good
faith Of the Government
lie was as much in favor Of preserving the honor
and iaHh OF the Government as any one, but he
would not consent, under the guisc OF zeal for action
10 arnsh the credit OF the country by pn'try bar.
gam made on pledges Of the nature proposed The
Government had 20 rely upon the revenue provided
for its support by the Constitution. The land fund
was never contemplated by the Constitution as any
part Of that revenue. On this point be dwet for
some time, and then reviewed that portion Of the
remarks made by the Senator from Virginia mir
Rivcsl IN which he defined his position as a middle
man, determined 70 take middle course IN 20 tics
between the two great contending parties Of the
country. lie believed the Senator would not find
that course either safe practical m political ,fe
There were buttwo broad roads 70 he pursued. one
marked out by the Wings, and the other by the
Locos. He, Tor his part, had chosen one Of these
broad roads, because he considered no other course
safe. lie was as sensitive as any one with resari
q The claims o. the Government for sur port, and
he knew ond would act up 20 the duties Of Con.
gtess; but he would not take one solitary step 10
accommodate himself 10 this Administration merely
for the sake Of accommodating u. lie knew is
weight, and estimated It for just what u is worth,
but no more.
The Senator from Pennsy wanna had tainted the
Wings with unredeemed pledges Of retrenehment
tie would ask hlm 10 have a title patience. lie
was ready II the Sena tot could point out any short
cut TO That object, 70 60 hand and hand With him in
~ work OF reirenchmGntand reform. The Senator
had tauntngly alluded to the pledges and prom sss
made by the Wing party during the Presidential
canvass, and asked what had become Of their g,est
zeal for reuencbment then exhibited. lie. IN bs
turn, would ask. was not the Wing parry Al tbn,
time fully justified IN taking Of the necessity for
telrenchment and reform Had not the admins.
iraton then in power been spending for four years
an average OF thirty FIVE mlOns, and what nafionaI
monument bod they 10 point out FOR this vast sx
penduuref Dd % become the abettors and rupror.|
ers OF That Administration. after havins authorized