Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-17
POLITICS..
MASSACHUSETTS, LEGISLATURE


opened and the Senate adjourned.
POLITICS.
MASSACnUSETTs LEGISLATURE.
EXTRACTS from the .Hiaorty Report on the Distribution
of the Proceeds Of The Safes Of PutEc L0ads:
At this very moment, while the majority are devislng
means to expend this donation annuity, which they
are rather hoping for than expecting from Washington,
the IT, S is millions of dollars in debt all the sources OF
revenue, Including the public lands, are estimated
TO fall several millions short of the expenditures OF the
present wear, and million and half of demands,
which there is means to pay, lie dtshonored al the
door of the Treasury, including it is SAID, the salary of
the Minister to England citizen of this State, for his
outfits,
In such state of affairs, attempt to distribute
portion of the revenue, the whole of which is INSULT
cent for the wants OF the General Government is in
effect an attempt the part of the States 10 violate
their solemn cesson of the power of raising revenue
TO the United States; and take back that important
provision of the Constitution without which the Union
cannot exist
IL must operate at both ends to destroy the harmony
Of our system OF Government
On the one hand, the States will look to the Federal
Government their almoner, and sink into TIE
duion of humble annuants upon its bounty, while
the General Government must either render itself
power!ess TO provide for the defence by its
lavish siits to the States become cdious by its
ions the people 10 make up thus annual drain Of It's
resources.
wisdom and Of patriotism, for this aud every other State
in the Union 10 at put stop To th.s system of
corruption the part of the General Government, aud
cnpdty the par, of the States by refusing to re-
ceve dollar of this annuity.
The undersigned feel it their duty 10 earnestly recon-
mend to the Legislature their solemn protest
against this mode Of distributing the public revenue,
and especially record their dissent to system d
rectly tending 10 consolidation, BY making the sove
reign and independent States of the Union spen
thaE nr,1
instead If relying upon their own resources for their
annual expenditures Such system must be alike de
slructive Of independence and true economy in the
States.
The grounds on which its acceptance is recommend
ed by his Exceency, and by the majority in their
port (Which does not enlarge the reasons,) are that it
will bring about settled policy in regard 10 revenue,
and permanent protection of domestic industry
" and above all secure competence and happiness 10
the amsr the mechanic, and the dny iaborer, without
driving them into competition with the ignorant and
half-starved labnrcrs o! other countries.
There is always, we have observed, an overflow Of
sympathy "for farmers, mechanics, and daylaborers,
eyprcssodb all legislators when about 10 tax these great
masses for the benci! of the privileged few From the
amount of sympathy annually avished upon them in
re ports and speeches, is marvellous that they have
not reached the highest point Of favor in legslaton.
nd il is unacconnInbe how 1t IS that, with all these
dsneresed professions in their behalf they still
left bear the burdens which fall them from special
thrir benefit.
Is not the present example in point The of
the u S. is to BE- diminished some three millions
ally Ivy distribution. The deficiency will have to be
made up by a direct tax consumption. An increased
tax the necessaries of life becomes direct burden
on the laborins classes who get relative
10 supply their wants, for their wages rise fast
a, do The prices of what they consume
Thus Massachusetts. il is said is entitled to receive
by this bill some $4,000 per annum the public
rhola HON ha edo
Government, this Sl0,0 900 has got to he paid back in
increased taxes the necessares of life, and OF course
1t will take much more than that TO replace it in the
Treasury from which il withdrawn. This IN
creased falls heaviest the great mass of the peo
pie, the consumers. The burden therefore is 10 lai
directly the farmer, mechanic and day-laborer-
| Their means and their labor must make up the deh-
cheney in the Treasury caused b. this scheme of distr
bniIcn. But what are they to get Of the Sli0G0G:-
Not cent The majority recommend, in the first IN
stance 10 pay of the State debt, thus relieving proper
ty from debt incurred by special legislation, and not
helping the aborcr-a and after the scrip taken up IL
must no into railroad stocks, and 10 pay interest on,
aud 10 take up, the foreign scrip issued TO private cor
poratjons
The following provision in that act, it TO u.s.,
must have escaped the notice of those who hold it Up
rs the means OF securing protective Tariff II reads
thus:
Sec. 5 "P,ccidcd, That it, at any time during the
duties imports, inconsistent with the provisions OF
the act of March, ) 1923 entitled 'an Act TO modify
thu act Of the ih July, ls2 and all others imposing
duties imports, and beyond the rate Of duties fixed
hy that act to vii; reiy par cea! The ralHe n Snrh
i;poyts OK Any or THEM, then tie distribution pro
vced in This act shat be suspended, and shall cont
until this Of suspension shall be removed.
Here the provision is express that whenever duty
above twenty per cent is laid single article OF i'm
port the distribution Of the proceeds of the public
lands is 10 cease.
Hence, il follows that protection aad distribution
| cannot 70 together for moment.
Now the argument for protection is based upon the
assumption that this 'hor,zonta line of duties which
secured by the Compromise act, will protect
home industry but will operate, in the language of the
majority Of the committee, "to drive the farmer, the
mechanic, and the daylaborer into competition with the
ignorant and half Starved laborers of other countries.
But it is plain, from the terms of the clause quoted
above, that duty exceeding twenty per cent be
laid a single foreign article without working -epeal
o! the distribution act.
How then, can the friends OF protective tariff. who
Affirm that twenty per cent. duty is runous to domestic
industry, be the friends and supporters Of this distbu
ton act; which Offers annual brbe TO the States not
10 raise the duty on sin. lie article above twenty per
cent,
Here is Massachusetts,, for instance with Sl400
annually received TO pay eff her interest on Railroad
scrip. Her manufacturers demand higher duties and
here the conflict The railroad interest the 70
reign stock interest, the interest Of all who wish to
avoid State Tax, is directly arrnyed against the int
rest OF the mechanic, manufacturer and day aborer,
for the moment single duty is raised, the stipend is
gone.
If them there is any desire for discriminating duties
twenty per cent. in single case and if this is the
true interest Of Commonwealth the distribution
act is diarnelrcay opposed To tina; interest.
From ;.s FREDERICK Cii:eH)
TIE TRUTH.
we coov tho fllouino FRI I,ta hoy f .he
Boston Notion, and declare that il contains our sent
ments generally and particularly We therefore adep